Masking

[Pusskyfly]

Hey thar,

I've just starting painting my first model in a while, and am finding the masking to be a little tricky on big areas. I'm using just regular masking tape and it doesnt seem to cling too well to the surface. Am wondering if theres a trick to this or if I should use another type of tape!

Thanks!

[Wurger]

It depends on what you mean saying the big areas. ?????

[Pusskyfly]

Hommm,
Say, seperating the top half of the wing from the bottom. And lines along the fuselage. Is a 1/72 spitfire, so basically seperating the underside from the topside

[lesofprimus]

Dont know what u have available on ur side of the pond, but I use whats called painters tap.... Its a light adhesive tape (low tack) that really wont mar the coat of paint below when removed....

[Wayne Little]

certainly want a low tack tape....

[Wurger]

Originally Posted by Pusskyfly

Hommm,
Say, seperating the top half of the wing from the bottom. And lines along the fuselage. Is a 1/72 spitfire, so basically seperating the underside from the topside

Now I see...

The way to mask these areas is to cut off quite narrow ( thin) srtrips ( 1.5-2mm for 1/72 scale).It will allow you to put them correctly and better stick to these surfaces.Then the rest of areas you aren't going to paint you can mask with paper towels or other soft paper sticking it with another tape strips to these narrow ones. Of course how a tape can stick surface depends on the kind ofadhesive stuff of the tape and a kind of paints you use for colouring.I mean a matt or gloss.Also you should know that acrylic paints "love" peeling off with a tape.So the a cote of a primer is needed before acctual painting.
And I agree with Wayne you can use BlueTack for the purpose as well.

[Pusskyfly]

Hokies,
thanks for the help, will try some of these approaches out and see what I like

I think I may have been cutting the strips a little too thick.

[Wurger]

You are welcome.... and good luck.

[Airframes]

I'd tend not to use 'normal' masking tape for this type of job, especially in the relatively small areas involved with 1/72nd scale, although it's ok for covering areas away from the edges, if spraying.
A low tack, smooth tape is needed, in order to be able to press it down and 'seal' the edges, to prevent 'bleeding', where the paint creeps under the tape, leaving feathers of unwanted paint. The low tack will prevent the previous paint layer being lifted when the tape is removed (maybe not with acrylics!!), does not leave an adhesive residue, and can easily be removed and re-positioned. Apart from not easy to obtain specialist tapes, the only readily available type in the UK is Tamiya masking tape, available in various widths. It's more expensive than the ordinary decorators tape, but designed for the job and works beautifully.
Save the other stuff for taping parts together whilst setting, or masking large areas.

[RAF Liberators]

Try Blutack, it's great, you just take a large blob of it, roll it out to the desired length and flatten it along where you want the line to go. Grab some newspaper and stick it under the other side of the Blutack and spray away.
I've just started using free hand masks where I take a length of cardboard and spray along the line, this gives you a nice "feathered edge" but I doubt you'll need that at 1/72.

[vikingBerserker]

One little trick I picked up is if there is a specific pattern you need, print it out on a inkjet printer onto plain white paper. Then apply the painter's tape (only one I've tried) over the pattern and slowly peel off. Some of the ink with stick to the tape and transfer the pattern.

[Maglar]

I found painters masking tape, its like the blue painters tape but the tac is more gentle and wont rip off the paint work, and it seals well. I usually go for that feathered look the RAF described, but sometimes I do solid masks, like anti-glare areas and de-icer boots.

Home Depot has it.