'Masking' Cockpit from external spraying

[Dunc2610]

So when spraying the outside of an aircraft obviously one doesn't want to be spraying the interior one has painstakingly painted up previously. In the past I've used white tack, but, its not exactly delicate and can damage the interior of the aircraft, I've seen people use foam, with foam from (I believe) Eduard parts packaging. Of all the Eduard bits I've bought I've never had any foam in them. If not from something like this, where could I buy some foam to wedge in the cockpit and even possibly wheel wells to prevent overspray? PS I can't consider tape, my hands aren't anywhere near steady enough to be that precise!

[ckw]

I got a huge slab of foam from Hobbycraft - used for stuffing teddy bears and the like.

 

Alternatively loo paper slightly dampened works pretty well - but it gets surprisingly hard when dry, so you'll probably need to re-moisten before removing

 

Cheers

 

Colin

[Tojo72]

I use slightly dampened facial tissue,molds in nicely,also tape,cut up make up sponges.Whatever works best for the particular situation.

Sometimes the canopy it self could be used,this way the frames can sprayed at the same time as the rest of the plane.

[Ray_W]

7 minutes ago, ckw said:

so you'll probably need to re-moisten before removing

 

Good suggestions Colin, obviously a man speaking from experience. I had a chuckle when I read this as damp tissue paper is wonderful and yet by the time I get back to removing it it can set like papier mache. 

 

I buy aftermarket so have a stock of Eduard foam and usually find my masking jobs include a combination of foam, tape, moist tissue paper, and maskol equivalent. Often not pretty but effective.

 

 

Usually I try to spray canopy exteriors on the model, tacked in place with PVA. Self masking the interior and easy to remove.

 

 

 

 

Ray   

[Grey Beema]

Why don't you blutac the masked canopy in place?  Canopy gets painted at the same time then...

 

 

 

[Mike]

Most of the time I attach my canopy and fair it in if necessary before main painting, as it gives a nice clean finish.  mask it off and you'll get clean demarcation for your frames If you've got an open canopy, I usually tack-glue the opener in place using some GS-Hypo, then remove it later, scrape off the glue and touch in any paint that's come off of is in the wrong place

[Dunc2610]

6 minutes ago, Grey Beema said:

Why don't you blutac the masked canopy in place?  Canopy gets painted at the same time then...

 

 

 

The canopy on my current model (Hurricane), goes over some of the bodywork, meaning it'd be missed if I did this, I had considered it though. 

[Grey Beema]

7 minutes ago, Dunc2610 said:

The canopy on my current model (Hurricane), goes over some of the bodywork, meaning it'd be missed if I did this, I had considered it though. 

Sorry, I don't understand have you already attached the canopy in the open position?

[Dunc2610]

 

If the canopy and windscreen are in place it covers some of the exterior. If I paint it with either in place small bits will be missed. 

[Grey Beema]

35 minutes ago, Dunc2610 said:

 

If the canopy and windscreen are in place it covers some of the exterior. If I paint it with either in place small bits will be missed. 

Cool, I understand.  I brush painted the leading edge of the dog house then tacked the canopy on.  Then sprayed on mine.  Just like Eric Morecambe, I “couldn’t see the join”.

 

The other thing you can do is cling film over your armour plate and cockpit opening, spray the dog house then fix the canopy and work away..

 

[Mark Harmsworth]

Not sure about the use of the word 'foam' in this context. In my mind that implies something hard. I use what I would call 'sponge' which is very flexible and easy to squish into a space where it then expands to its' normal size. I got that from a kiddies play set of different shaped pieces but I think cut up bits of kitchen sponge would work just as well.

Mark

 

[Dunc2610]

Yeah, funnily enough, when one of the others mention sponge, I instantly twigged that what I wanted more than a closed cell foam!