Masks using Cricut.

[(ex)Sgtrafman]

Hi everyone

 

I just wanted to share my thoughts and progress using the Cricut Explorer Air 2. I received my Cricut last Wednesday, my wife brought it for me for my 50th birthday (thank you Leanne).

Now I'm a bit of a luddite when it comes to technology and I'm incredibly lazy I just want things to work with out any messing around but to my surprise the Cricut is very easy to use and I think the masks that you can make are as good as any commercially produced items. 

 

I started by looking for any additional software that you might need to use for designing and producing masks, the Cricut software is ok but almost every user I could find recommended using Adobe illustrator so I duly subscribed to Adobe (£19 pcm) down loaded the software and had a play. 

I started by producing a series of RAF roundels circa 1939 - 45, I found several references online that gave the size of each roundel type in inches so I found an online conversion tool and converted these measurement's to cm and drew them in illustrator to 1/48 scale.

I then sent the image to the Cricut software and cut my first mask a Type A.1 roundel in 1/48 scale. I used some white vinyl which has proved to be very hard to remove because its too tacky and it lifted the paint. I had another go, this time creating a mask for a 56 in, 28 in, 21 in upper wing roundel again in 1/48 and sprayed that (see both roundels below)

Not too bad I think I could be onto something here?

I then decided to create some templates for RAF fonts circa 1939 - 45 again a search of the internet threw up some examples so using these a place to start I produced my own set of fonts again in illustrator..

..for my next test I scaled my drawings to 1/32 and created some more masks this time using Frisk film as the masking medium and this time sprayed my 1/32 Fly Hurricane paint mule again applying a Type A.1 fuselage roundel and code letters..

I think with a little more practice the Cricut will prove its worth enabling me to produce any set of codes, markings, camouflage, wheel and canopy masks.

 

I think the Cricut is a great bit of kit, not cheap (my wife paid £260 for mine) but I'm the kind of person that will spend a small fortune on after market masks so I think that for my it will cost effective in the long run plus its quite enjoyable researching and making the masking templates.

 

Cheers all

 

Iain

[Crimea River]

Yep, handy gadget it is. I made some 1/48 Balkenkreuzen for my first project and they turned out OK but not great. More practice needed. The cross below has had some hand touch-ups needed with a black 0.5mm artist' marker.

 

 

1/48 Hurricane roundels turned out much better:

 

 

You can also use it to make parts. One FW190 kit I built was missing the inner gear doors so I tried making a set using plastic card. The stamped sheet metal on the inside of the doors were drawn in AI and cut on the Cricut:

 

 

 

The finished scratch-built parts don't stand up to brutal closeups but do look the part with normal viewing:  

 

 

 

I don't use the machine regularly, still preferring decals for their ease in 1/48 scale but have found it a useful thing to have around. Have fun with it!

 

[Antb]

A great post iain. 

 

I've been using my wife's cricut for a while now and it is great. I've got plans to use it for other builds which will save on buying the aftermarket masks. 

 

It also opens you up to subjects for which there are no decals etc so you can go for subjects not often modelled. 

 

Tamiya masking sheet is really good I've found but a must is getting some transfer tape so the masks for stretch or tear when being lifted. 

[Scimitar F1]

I too use a Cricut Air 2. I use a free graphics programme called Inkscape that does everything that I need it to and upload the vectorised (.svg) image into Cricut design space. 

Typically I use photographs rather than a scanner as the resolution is better. If you search on the web you can typically get vectorised roundels, stars and bars etc. You have found the online fonts. 

 

For the mask you can use Oromask 810, if you have some of the shiny paper used as the backing for stickers you can attach Tamiya tape and cut that. You can also cut decals as well and even post it notes if you are concerned that the paint will lift

 

There is a website for free model masks linked to ARC. 
 

The only thing is that there is definitely a limit to to size in that letters below a certain size do not work.

 

Hope that helps. You have made a good start

 

Will

Edited January 17, 2021 by Scimitar F1

[treker_ed]

How easy is it to design vinyl camouflage masks with this cutter?

 

I'm in the middle of a 1/48 revell Typhoon FGR4 and have decided (foolishly possibly) to do the 2015 display typhoon in the markings of Flt Lt Nicholson and I'm really struggling to get the masing done for the camouflage pattern. I ususlly do them freehand, but have not done so for quite some time, and cannot get the airbrush to produce anything like fine enough lines to trace the pattern, plus getting a lot of overspray!

 

Plus, where would I find any existing patterns that people may have already uploaded?

 

[Mark Cassidy]

Hi

 

Sorry to resurrect this, but I am thinking about getting a second hand cricut after xmas, either a joy or theres an Air 2 on gumtree for about the same price.

 

I noticed that those mask that look fab are for 1/48th scale, as a 1/72 scale moddler whats your thoughts on whether it would work at the lower scale? I mean how small can you practically go? 

 

Regards

 

Mark

[Casey]

3 hours ago, Mark Cassidy said:

Hi

 

Sorry to resurrect this, but I am thinking about getting a second hand cricut after xmas, either a joy or theres an Air 2 on gumtree for about the same price.

 

I noticed that those mask that look fab are for 1/48th scale, as a 1/72 scale moddler whats your thoughts on whether it would work at the lower scale? I mean how small can you practically go? 

 

Regards

 

Mark

Very small. I have no problems doing 1/72 canopy masks, for example for this FW190 build here:

 

 

I used Tamiya masking paper sheets for those, it basically has similar quality to those commercial masks you get around, but you need to make them on your own so it's an extra work.

 

I used parafilm for everything else.

Edited December 10, 2023 by Casey

[Mark Cassidy]

4 minutes ago, Casey said:

Very small. I have no problems doing 1/72 canopy masks, for example for this FW190 build here:

 

 

I used Tamiya masking paper sheets for those, it basically has similar quality to those commercial masks you get around, but you need to make them on your own so it's an extra work.

Aw thanks mate  for the helpful gen.

 

Can I ask, and this will sound daft, see when u put the sheet of vinyl or masking sheet in, do you have to tell the cricut the size of the sheet, like.u would with a printer and then let's say u do a small canopy mask in the top right corner, can you then tell the cricut that you have a less than full sized sheet?  

 

Sorry I know it sounds daft lol 

[Casey]

3 minutes ago, Mark Cassidy said:

Aw thanks mate  for the helpful gen.

 

Can I ask, and this will sound daft, see when u put the sheet of vinyl or masking sheet in, do you have to tell the cricut the size of the sheet, like.u would with a printer and then let's say u do a small canopy mask in the top right corner, can you then tell the cricut that you have a less than full sized sheet?  

 

Sorry I know it sounds daft lol 

The cutter I have don't care If you put a vinyl roll, it'll cut vinyl roll. Normally I use a cutting mat.

 

Cutting mat is basically a thick vinyl plate covered in glue, you can make it less tacky with cloth if needed, and this is where I put my masks to be cut out. Those are normal use materials, they last for couple of months.

I keep a Tamiya sheet on that mat and I reuse it until I am done with a sheet, it saves a lot of materials - nobody forces you to take the unused part from the mat or throw it away. It can take weeks/months before I go through whole A4 sheet.

[Mr_Sworld]

On 17/01/2021 at 19:43, Scimitar F1 said:

There is a website for free model masks linked to ARC. 
 

Hi Will ( @Scimitar F1 ),

 

Do you still have a link for this if it still exists? Tried Googling but no joy.

 

Thanks, Mike,

[cpoud117]

Hello @Mr_Sworld

I think https://www.scalemodelpaintmasks.com/ is what you're after.

[Mr_Sworld]

21 minutes ago, cpoud117 said:

I think https://www.scalemodelpaintmasks.com/ is what you're after.

Thanks for that! Now book marked to read later.