Alternatives to Masking with Tape

[mikiek]

I've completed the starboard inward bulkwark planking on my Niagra build - my first. For those not familiar with the Model Shipways kit, the bulwarks and hull planking will all be painted. The waterway & plankshear will be red, the inner bulwark walls are green and the edges around the gun/oar ports are red. I'm hoping to be able to use an airbrush for as much of this as possible.

 

Given all that, I assume there will need to be a lot of masking going on. Some of those areas would be pretty tough to lay down some masking tape so I've been playing around with frisket and rubber cement a little bit to see if I can use that to mask some of the areas as an alternative. Frisket in particular, can be applied with a small detail brush. My first attempt was on some raw scrap wood. That didn't work well as the wood seemed to soak it up and made it difficult to get off. Then I tried it on some primed wood and it worked much better - pretty easy to remove it. So I may use that in some places.

 

I'm interested to hear what you guys think of this and any other suggestions you may have.

[captainbob]

Some of the airplane and car modelers I know use "Press and Seal" food wrap to mask odd shapes.

 

Bob

[Lucius Molchany]

One way to paint the bulwarks is to make apaper mask that follows the contours of the deck.I used this method on my Scientitic Sark and Model Shipways phantom and no paint or overspray was on the deck when the paper mask was removed.Just make it as a precise as you can to ensure a tight fit and do not lay down a wet coat near the deck mask.

Edited November 23, 2015 by Lucius Molchany

[Ulises Victoria]

As a long time plastic modeler, my experience is that very often it takes more time to mask than to paint.

Generally speaking, you just have to deal with it. (Not sure if this helps.  )

[Lucius Molchany]

Yes and cleaningvthe airbrush afterwards.

[dgbot]

Artists who paint with watercolor use a liquid mask to protect the paper from being covered.  Then just remove it with a rubber eraser.  If there is an artist supply store near you or a Hobby Lobby check there.

David B

[mikiek]

Ulises - good point. This is my first paint job so I don't know yet know how the time gets divied out.

 

Philo - I am building the deck outside of the model so that won't be an issue, but I can see how some cutouts might be helpful - maybe even reusable on the port side when I get around to doing that.

 

I ordered some wide Tamiya tape today. This will help make masking large areas easier I'm sure.

[mikiek]

David - what you are referring to is the frisket I mentioned in the OP.  It can be applied with a brush, which I like. I am having some problems after the application, cutting straight edges with an Exacto. Same story with the rubber cement. It doesn't peel away evenly at the cut.

[dgbot]

Have you tried  to tape the edge that you want to make, then use the mask and then remove the tape leaving an edge?

David B

[mikiek]

David - great idea! I like the way you are thinking. I have finished the outward bulwark planking so I have the starboard bulwark covered. That means tomorrow is a paint day. I will be sure to give your idea a try.

[Lucius Molchany]

Just be surevto test the technique before painting the model.

[Jolley Roger]

Once you've done the masking, give it a clear coat of varnish first to prevent color seepage.

Edited November 26, 2015 by Jolley Roger

[mikiek]

Well I tried laying down some tape on scrap wood and then painting on the frisket with a little overlap onto the tape. The frisket takes forever to dry so I gave it overnight. Next day, tried pulling the tape off in the hopes that the overlapping frisket would come off with the tape. It didn't. So I ended up with little flaps of frisket hanging out into the area to be painted. It may have worked better running a knife down the edge of the tape first. It's starting to get more troublesome.

 

 

Beginning to think I'll just do it the usual way - lots of tape and cutting around edges. The Tamiya tape seems to cut very easily.

[Lucius Molchany]

Yeah frisket may be tough to use on wood.. I use the blue 3M masking tape and it really leaves a clean line.

[mikiek]

I did do some painting today and very much as Ulises said - it took almost 90 minutes to mask and trim (with tape) and about 5 minutes to paint.

 

It came out pretty well but there is some touch up to be done. I should have some pix in my build log tomorrow.

[Lucius Molchany]

Cool!Looking forward to seehow the mask job turned out!

Edited November 29, 2015 by Lucius Molchany