What Do You Prefer?

[ScottE]

Well it's time to mask the canopy for my 1/48 F80. What I am wondering what do most modelers prefer masking tape or liquid mask? I have various sizes of Tamiya masking tape, and Humbrol liquid mask. I've used the Humbrol on a  Star Trek 1/350 USS Enterprise with good results. Any suggestions are welcome. Tanks

[Mike]

Definitely tape.  I'm not averse to making my own masks, but since Eduard released their Tface double-sided mask sets, I've become an addict.  They're awesome

[Giorgio N]

Personally I've given up on masking liquids many years ago for a number of reasons. Tapes have their drawbacks but at least they have a constant behaviours, with liquid masks I never managed to get the same consitent result.

[ckw]

I usually use both - I use very thin strips of tamiya to define the edges of the frame, then fill in with a liquid mask. This is useful for ensuring that you get a crisp edge even when the frame moulding is not well defined.

 

I prefer to use Mr Masking Sol-R over Humbrol. This is because I dip my canopies in future. Humbrol contains ammonia which doesn't play nicely with Future, whereas Sol-R doesn't ... Sol-R can also be thinned with water, which is sometimes useful.

 

Cheers

 

Colin

[Pajarito]

Hi Scott,

0.4mm and 0.7mm Aizu tape for masking the edges of my 1/48 canopies, then any of the Tamiya rolls to fill in.

Or else, the 40mm rolls of Tamiya tape cut to any tiny sizes with the Infini Easycutting type A mat, if/when the shipping price for the Aizu tapes go bonkers.

I don't get along any well with liquid mask.

Cheers.

[Seawinder]

Depending on the canopy (assuming no Eduard or such precut masks are available), I either use Scotch Magic Tape (frosted) or Tamiya masking tape. If the former, I place a piece of tape over the panel and carefully cut along the edges with a sharp No. 11. If the latter, thin strips with pointed ends laid along the edges. I always fill the unmasked areas in the middle with Tamiya roll tape cut as necessary.

[John R]

If the edges of the canopy frame are well defined I use Bare Metal Foil. Cover the canopy with it then rub it down firmly into the edges of the canopy frame and then cut it with a very sharp knife. Otherwise I use thin strips of Tamiya tape to define the outline and fill in the rest with bits of tape and then run Liquid Mask over the joints to seal them.

[f111guru]

To tell the truth I've used both with success. Early on I was a brush painter and when the air brush hit for me anyway was the early 70's. I used masking tape. That gave me fits because it left glue bits on the model. I was told by a automobile painter about artists tape. Was a very thin tape with low tack. Now a days its called painters tape. I would make stripes and outline canopies, stripes on cars and so on. Small canopies I'd tape and use liquid mask. Large canopies just tape. I do today just tape even on the large canopies and area to mask off. So I would guess it would be your own personal preference on which you use and are comfortable using.

 

All The Best,

Ron VanDerwarker

[Steve McArthur]

My preference is for tape just so I don't have to wait for the mask to dry. I'd rather start with a precut masks, especially if there's a sealant edge like on a F-8 Crusader or a lot of little panels like a B-29. The fill may be liquid or tape depending on how easy it is to tape..  However, if I have no precut mask and smaller windows like camera ports or clear seeker heads on missiles I'll just use a liquid mask. Bulged windows where tape may have a problem conforming or staying attached is another case for liquid mask.

 

[Casey]

Tamiya Tape and Fisher Scientific Parafilm.

 

And also Shilouette Portrait cutter to cut my own masks when needed, plus masking fluid on areas to 'fill in' the mask.