How do you do the cammo technique with Blu-tac?

[Prenton]

Other modellers report that White Tack is better than Blue Tack. doesn't leave the stain.

I have tried White Tack yet.

I have tried both the blue blu tack and the white tack, having had the same problem with the blu tack as Liam. I have found the white tack much better - doesn't leave an oily residue. However, the white goes hard quite quickly, so you can only use it once, whereas I was able to use the blue tack (or at least those bits of it that were under the masking tape and didn't get paint on them) more than once.

It is true that you need to take it off quite quickly. I find, with acrylics, that a half hour will do. However, I have had difficulties with Xtracolor, as it stays wet for sometimes a day or more, so beware of fingerprints!!

So I'd vote for white tac, and avoid Xtracolour for non hard edge camo.

Philip

[spitfire]

Mistake and deleted

Edited January 15, 2011 by spitfire

[Dave Swindell]

Blu - Tac Blues

OK, so we've covered how to use it, but does anyone know any tricks to remove blu-tac?

I've just painted a MiG 15 and the blu-tac is being exceedingly reluctant to come off - in fact it's stuck like the proverbial $*** to a blanket.

Pulling the worms off removed about 80% of the blu-tac, but left about 90% of the stuff that was in contact with the model.

Rubbing / rolling with a ball of blu-tac just smears the offending stuck blu-tac over a wider area

I've had the model in the freezer , scraping it with a toothpick works to a limited extent for a couple of minutes until it starts to warm up - this will take ages to completely remove the offending blu-tac.

I've also tried a cotton bud with tamiya thinner but this has had little effect.

Paint is xtracolor thinned with halfords celulose thinners over halfords grey primer

Any suggestions greatfully received.

Dave

[Iain Ogilvie]

Crumbs - never, ever had that. Mind ewe - I normally remove it after half an hour max.

As long as the paint has cured - try rubbing over the BluTack with another ball of BluTack - all at room temp?

Good luck - let us know how you get on...

Iain

EDIT - Doh - removed the numpty 'what paint' question

Edited January 16, 2011 by Iain (32SIG)

[Greg B]

Blu - Tac Blues

OK, so we've covered how to use it, but does anyone know any tricks to remove blu-tac?

I've just painted a MiG 15 and the blu-tac is being exceedingly reluctant to come off - in fact it's stuck like the proverbial $*** to a blanket.

Pulling the worms off removed about 80% of the blu-tac, but left about 90% of the stuff that was in contact with the model.

Rubbing / rolling with a ball of blu-tac just smears the offending stuck blu-tac over a wider area

I've had the model in the freezer , scraping it with a toothpick works to a limited extent for a couple of minutes until it starts to warm up - this will take ages to completely remove the offending blu-tac.

I've also tried a cotton bud with tamiya thinner but this has had little effect.

Paint is xtracolor thinned with halfords celulose thinners over halfords grey primer

Any suggestions greatfully received.

Dave

Sounds like you might have laid the paint on a bit wet and the cellulose thinners have got into the blu tac and effectively glued it to the plastic.

[Dave Swindell]

Sounds like you might have laid the paint on a bit wet and the cellulose thinners have got into the blu tac and effectively glued it to the plastic.

Thanks for the reply Greg, and I can see where you're coming from, but I don't think this is the problem. The paint was misted on, and dried for 24 hours in the airing cupboard before the blu-tac was applied. When I do get bits of the blu-tac off the paint underneath is OK, it's just very reluctant to come off!!

[spitfire]

Thanks for the reply Greg, and I can see where you're coming from, but I don't think this is the problem. The paint was misted on, and dried for 24 hours in the airing cupboard before the blu-tac was applied. When I do get bits of the blu-tac off the paint underneath is OK, it's just very reluctant to come off!!

The BluTac can be difficult to remove at times but the roll of BluTac normally does the trick, are we talking about a gloss finish here, I use Xtracolor and always apply BluTac after 2-3 days when I have a hard (fully cured) and glossy surface.

Cheers

Den

[Greg B]

Thanks for the reply Greg, and I can see where you're coming from, but I don't think this is the problem. The paint was misted on, and dried for 24 hours in the airing cupboard before the blu-tac was applied. When I do get bits of the blu-tac off the paint underneath is OK, it's just very reluctant to come off!!

Sounds like the xtracolour has not been given long enough to cure. It may seem hard, but if the paint is still curing, the blu tac will stick to it as the paint is still tacky and contains solvents. Xtracolour paints are fantastic, but if I use them I give them at least 3 - 5 days in a warm place like an airing cupboard before going near them with anything else. The new batches seem better, but some of the old batches were still very slightly tacky 7 days later.

[snapper_city]

Good info here. Gonna give this a go on my next camo build.