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The Friday Night Thread


Jon Kunac-Tabinor

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Hi gang, now I've posted this in resoureces , because I hope this is what this can become. This isnt chat - because its modelling related, and I want it kept that way, Right?

So, with the kind approval of the mods, the first FNT will be:

Masking clear parts: when do you you attend to this task in your construction?, how difficult do you find it?, and what products would you like to see to make it easier? plus of course tips and moans :)

Plus - which kits are a pain to mask, and which are easy? (this could be a nice resource for modellers looking for a trouble free build)

I'll start as it seems fair!

My own take is that I use Tamiya tape and a sharp blade, its annoying so I never do it soon enough in the build, and I always have to clean up the bleed under the masking.

I'm intriged about Mr Masking Neo (?) - which I hear you can apply then cut.

What I'd like is for kit makers to print some kind of template in the instructions that you could use to cut masks out of your favourite tape. Eduard supply masks quite often and Tamiya supply a printed sheet of Kabuki to cut.

Worst ever masking nightmare - the Classic Airframes Meteor NF13 greenhouse - frames lines were indistinct and it was a total PIA.

Over to you lot, and remember - keep it on thread. :)

Jonners, mines a pint of Mild

Jonners

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In general Tamiya tape and a scalpel for me too. I passed on this for my Acc Min TBM-3 cos it looked too difficult. I should have done it for my A-20 cos that took ages. Good canpies are Malcolm hoods - bad are anything resembling a birdcage

I tend not to get too much bleed as I try and burnish the tape - my biggest problem is not masking the inside and getting overspray on the inside of the canopy. Annoying? YES!

I always 'tape up' early as I usually apply the imside colour first and I am usually spraying that quite early in the build. Not tried any other types of canopy masking. Oh, and I'm glad I model 1/48 - I would need new eyes at 1/72 or smaller

Make mine a bottle of ice cold Crabbies with a dash of ginger wine. HIC!

Andy

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Tamiya Tape and fresh blade here too (but no pint tonight :( )

Seldom if ever get any bleed - I cut 'live' on the transparency then burnish edges with a cocktail stick - I know there are others that prefer to mark out - then cut on a cutting mat - before re-applying.

Kits that were a 'mare? I guess biggest I've done so far in potential to mess up lots of transparencies has been Revell's 1:32 He 111. And for that I thought I'd 'go the easy route' and use Eduard pre-cut masks.

Never again - there were major areas of glazing missing from the sheets, some sections didn't fit properly and some were the wrong size (OK - in the case of the latter it was because the Eduard masks affected were sized for the panels as marked out by Revell - which are wrong (lower port side cockpit coming too far back)). Oh - and harder to remove a piece cleanly from backing sheet and apply accurately - than it is to use tape and cut in situ.

I do use my trusty 'daylight magnifier' tho - can't beat good lighting and a bit of magnification!

So I'll stick to std tape and careful cutting in future - actually more straightforward IMHO - as long as you're careful with that blade - just enough pressure to cut through the tape - and not damage the clear part!

Now - about that beer...

I'll make mine a Hobgoblin I think - nice and local.

Iain

Edited by Iain (32SIG)
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Ive just done a Tamiya Mossie 1/48 scale what a nightmare!!! I used Tamiya tape and got slight bleeding under the edges but nothing a good sharpe blade won't be able to fix before it gets stuck onto the fusalage hopefully the rest of the build will go a lot easier I like to get that sort of job out the way early.

Mines a pint of cider

Cheers

Nige

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Another vote for Tamiya tape. I am currently staring at the new Revell JU-88 in 1/72 which I am very close to priming. The delay? Why, masking the clear parts of course. I reckon it is no more than an hour of work but the parts are tiny and I can feel eye strain coming on just thinking about it.

Tim Being a girl with a Glass of Chilean Red Rather Than a Pint

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No booze for me tonight but, SWMBO has made us some cracking brownie!

For straight edges its another vote for Tamyia tape and scalpel from me. For more complicated shapes I've been using Copdex applied with a tooth pick but the results are mixed!

To avoid bleeding I dip my canopies back in Quickshine to seal the masking.

The killer for me so far has been Phantom front canopies I just can't seem to get a neat result!

Phil

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I also use Tamiya tape and a sharp blade, followed by burnishing with a cocktail stick.

However, I also use Humbrol Maskol from time to time which I apply with a cocktail stick (God bless them)

Most annoying masking job for me so far was a 1/48 Ju88. Took a while.

Now, barman. I'll have a Visible Panty Line, please. Vodka, Pimms and lemonade.

Steve

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Hey Jon, got a really useful tip to help prevent that annoying creep under the tape, works when masking for any paints too, invasion stripes etc. Airbrush a couple of coats of Klear on wet and it will do the creeping, sealing in the edge but as it's clear it won't show. You can get razor sharp edges. That's my tip of the day! I use Tamiya masking tape and Eduard masks, but also use Montex masks whenever I can as they are far easier to locate than the yellow Kabuki tape stuff, as it's vinyl and can be put on wet, a feww drops of water, mop up excess and position, then push down with a tissue (or not, doesn't matter) and wait for the water to evaporate. Simples...and available from A2Zee, awesome site!

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Evnin all

My process is as follows , Tamiya tape sealed around the edges with a ball point pen, trimmed with a brand new No11 blade, then dipped in Klear to prevent any bleeding, seems to work better every time i do it.

Jon

Mines a lemsip Bl**dy man flu! its touch and go but I think I will make it !

Edited by ferny
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I have a roll of Scotch invisible tape-rub down edges with cocktail stick. Can be difficult to peel off-but usually works. Some residue remains but easily removed with bit of Scotch (thats tape-not drink). Saying that canopy masking can drive me to drink at times.

Cheers

Robert

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Now that is a top idea. I usually quick shine my canopies , but have never thought of a re dip to seal the masking.

cheers

Jonners, using it on his next model

I tried spraying a light coat of clear over the masks on my B-17G and sure enough I had no bleeding under them whatsoever. I have to admit that now we've got a 5 month old and my modelling time is restricted, I am guilty of indulging in Eduard masks for anything remotely complex. Rather that than have a build stall because I can't get the time and motivation to mask the transparent parts.

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Evening all !!

As a mask manufacturer I suppose that you are expecting some expert canopy masking advice ..... so here it is ............

Use clear decal film sprayed first with the interior colour and then sprayed with the exterior colour(s). Coat with liquid decal film (prevents the paint chipping) then cut into thin strips and apply to your previosly futured/Kleared/Quickshone canopy. No mess, no risk of canopy damage due to a small slip with a blade and, most importantly, no hassle :D

To refine Turnerdad's tip - if you overspray the mask with the colour being masked instead of Future/Klear/Quickshine it will prevent "bleed under" and has the advantage of not spreading under the masking which is what happens with Future if a little too much is applied.

Mine's a pint of Fed Special :cheers:

Ian

Edited by AdAstraMasks
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evenin

Tamiya extra tape cut into thin (1-2mm) strips to line the edges, carefully trimmed with a new scalpel blade, then either more tape or a couple of coats of micromask to do the rest. Then a quick spray in klear to seal it all. I used to use some off-the-role thin tape but it was more like paper and didn't have a sharp edge as tamiya tape.

Masking nightmares (that I have done) Classic airframes attacker - virtually impossible to make out the frame lining.

Mines a (real) G&T, girlfriends out so I can't leave the kids to buy any beer :(

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Pint of Mick for me. I just use ordinary masking tape, well burnished, and any bleed I remove with a sharpened cocktail stick. I also use clear decal film sprayed with the internal colour first and then the top colour cut into thin strips.

Cheers,

Bill...

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Well it seems that after a couple of pints some great idea's come forward especially using klear I think I might well try the spraying method next time I mask up a canopy with Tamiya tape or masks I'm glad I popped into this friday night get together time for another drink I also feel a pint of Thatchers coming Hic Hic!!!

Cheers

Nige

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Pint of Guiness over here please. If the frame is defined enough, Tamiya tape and a sharp scalpel for me. If it isn't, then it's thin strips of Tamiya tape and then fill in the blanks with bits of Tamiya tape. I'll give some of the other tips and techniques mentioned a bash, reckon some of them could be better than my current methods!

Mark.

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well its not quite time for last orders gents so plenty of time to keep yacking discussing

I'm going to see if i can lock this thread on saturday morning, so it stays fresh as newly drawn pint of Wem Special ( ah those were the days). But until the ding ding of the bell - keep on chatting.

My final tip is this: A sharpened cocktail stick, wet with a bit of spit, will remove pretty much anything on a canopy thats not meant to be there.

Please remember that the bar is in a residential street, so keep your singing to rude songs that the neighbours actually know the words to.

5 bags of crisps please, no, not matured cheddar and red onion, ready salted will do, and a bottle of magners, yes with ice ( sigh)

Jonners

Edited by Jon Kunac-Tabinor
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