please HELP Painting problem

Could you be leaving the tape on too long? I pull my masking off right after the final spray (within minutes), pulling the tape back and over the freshly painted area so the semi-liquid paint flows down and doesn't leave a sharp edge.
Also, maybe the gloss isn't actually being lifted, maybe there's just a dull layer being deposited on the surface that a little Finesse-It would polish right out. Might be worth a try to see if that's the case.
Maybe 3M's or Krylon's websites could shed some light on the issue, too.

Maybe it's the tape you're using. Clearcoat will fix your dull problem.

With the hot solvent paints such as Krylon and Testors, I notice the finishes are not as durable as with RustOleum. For example, I will put a little alcohol on a Q-tip to wipe off excess paint that sometimes gets on the rocket when I'm removing the mask and spaz and touch the wet mask to the rocket. The alcohol will clean off the wet paint, but unfortunately will dull the finish on the Krylon and Testors (hence, I don't do that anymore).
That said, you might try cleaning the area with one of the citrus based cleaners. If the marring you see is in fact residue from the tape, then the citrus will remove it without dulling the paint. Goo-gone has saved me several times like this.
Doug

just painting color coats is not enough. If you intend to do mask paint jobs, please spray on clear coat as well. If you can put on as many coats as you can, but not too thick because the clear will re-dissolve the paint underneath and will ruin things. What this will do is make it shiner, not only that it will flatten the paint, making the masked paint job look better. if you want it to look real nice and shiny like your car, then spray on at least 9 coats, and use 1000 wet and dry to flatten the paint and remove any orange peels. Then polish them using 1200, 1500, and 2000 sandpaper and then finally use finsee-it II to buff them to high gloss. Be sure to bring them to your next club launch, will definatly catch some eyes. Lacquer paint might not be as durable as say automotive poly, but if you do get any damage in the finish such as scratch and dent (and that is common when you're flying them) just simply drop fill, sand flat, and polish and it will look good as new. With poly once the finish is scratched it will never be the same, you can try using superglue to drop fill them but it will always show a whiteness line.
-- TAI FU

Sounds like the tape is being left on too long. Try getting it off as soon as the paint start to set. You may also have a slight film residue. This can be removed with just some slight polishing.
For me, the best approach has been to apply all colors and then wet sand with 1000 and 1500 grit. Then I clear coat. Granted it is a lot of work but you will love the finish.

I am pulling the tape off within an hour of painting. So I don't think it is from leaving it on too long. I tried to rub out the dull spot and I was unable to clean it off. On the last rocket I tried to hide it with clear coat but the clear coat pulled away from the dull spots like oil and water. I think that the solvents soften the paint and then the glue sticks and this what I'm left with. I am going to have to run a test to see if I can solve this issue. Like I said before I have used this exact combo many times before without issues. Mater a fact this is a rebuild of a crashed rocket and I'm using the same can of paint I used the first time. All this after I spent a week stripping off the old paint, sanding down the rocket and priming it all over again.

1. Use light coats, fewer the better. 2. Take the tape off within 2 minutes. 3. Want more shine: clear coat if you're not satisfied.
Also, be aware that certain colors do not multi-coat well. I can't explain that but some colors do not overcoat well, ( 2nd, 3rd coat, etc. ) even if you use the same can of paint. Some craze, crack, or just turn dull within a few minutes. Usually, the harder you try to correct it, the worse it gets, particularly plastic nose cones.
Randy

don't use the cheap wal mart enamel, use lacquer like rustoleum lacquer or krylon. And with lacquer don't sand color coats. It doesn't do any good to sand color coats because you will risk sanding things through, ruining whatever you were painting in the first place (a straight line becomes wavy and stuff) and besides if you are using lacquer, the clear coat will melt the color coat a bit, and it will flatten the color coat automatically. One nice thing about lacquer, it dries fast, and once dry can be buffed too. Also it doesn't lift and craze like many enamels. If you are doing HPR however I really recommend getting spray gun and compressor setup because spray cans just isn't enough if you want good looking finish.
If you wish to buff lacquer wait like 2 weeks for the finish to cure. It takes up to 2 days for the solvent to dry however it doesn't really cure until like 2 weeks by then it will become very hard. Before then it is prone to scratch. You can talk to these guys when it comes to using lacquer. They are doing guitar finishes but many of the technique applies to rockets as well.

-- TAI FU

Classic fisheye...
Yep, the crud from the tape repelled the clearcoat.
You may want to try a "medium" (I use "strong", but you have to be really careful) automotive wax and grease remover. Usually you can find it at decent auto parts stores that carry automotive painting supplies. It will, however, soften the underlying coats (as it is supposed to, makes for better adhesion of the clear), so apply gently, *just* before painting with the clear. Also, to prevent fisheyes from forming from crud on your hands, use nitrile, or latex gloves when handling the rocket.
tah

Ahhhh....Tai Fu is indeed back in "da house".