Model Boat Mayhem

Technical, Techniques, Hints, and Tips => Painting, Finishing and Care. => Topic started by: Pointy on July 11, 2006, 12:58:33 pm

Title: Masking disaster.
Post by: Pointy on July 11, 2006, 12:58:33 pm
Have you ever been there?

You know, masked off all your white superstruture best you could, then sprayed the decks green with a couple of coats. Taken off the masking tape.....and then felt sick?

I have over spray creeping up on all sides and the green deck does not match up with the white sides, its all a bit...wonky. What do you do: ???

1. Start from scratch, respray the whole structure white and paint decks by hand with no masking tape this time.
2. Touch up the whole thing best you can by sanding bits and repainting affected areas by hand.

The super structure is quite fiddley and it was a real pain masking off areas of the bridge wings (model slipway coaster) Does anyone have any suggestions? Using acrylics only, will not use humbrol.

Help! (again- ho hum....)
Title: Re: Masking disaster.
Post by: Shipmate60 on July 11, 2006, 01:04:31 pm
Only one wat to do it properly, yes you guessed it start again.
But you could try touching up depending how far the overspray has crept.

Bob
Title: Re: Masking disaster.
Post by: maninthestreet on July 11, 2006, 01:16:12 pm
When using masking tape to mask off an already painted area from a non-painted you wish to paint, it is best to 'seal' the edge of the masking tape using paint the identical colour as the painted area. This will prevent the 'creep' of the other paint under the tape.
 
Title: Re: Masking disaster.
Post by: cbr900 on July 11, 2006, 01:44:59 pm
Or try to find some Nitto Tape it is available over here, when applied no paint bleeds under and when taken off no paint is removed that you covered, never had a problem ..

Roy
Title: Re: Masking disaster.
Post by: Seaspray on July 11, 2006, 05:07:44 pm
Sometime if you  press down hard and at the same time rub the edge of the tape this might help .Also spray there and then if possible don't spray into the edge of the tape .Straight at it and away from  I remove the tape right away when finished spraying The car masking tape at times is too sticky and a low tack tape is useless at staying  on the model. Good Luck.? I've been there too
Title: Re: Masking disaster.
Post by: Tug on July 11, 2006, 06:27:38 pm
There is a liquid masking 'tape' in a bottle used it before its

called MASKOL, try model railway shops paint this along edges or on windows etc

when you have finished painting it peels off like silly-cone,

 bottle is square pinkie/purple and about 2 inches tall.
Title: Re: Masking disaster.
Post by: ambernblu on July 11, 2006, 07:09:07 pm

.... Tug beat me to it, but as he says, this Maskol stuff is excellent, give it a try. Its especially good where the masking line gets a bit complex or as was suggested, where you need to mask around delicate areas, where tape is bound sure not to do the job.
Title: Re: Masking disaster.
Post by: Voyager on July 11, 2006, 11:08:20 pm
The finest quality masking tape is made by Tamiya, ok its not cheap at almost ?5 for a small roll, but then you only get what you pay for.


Voyager.
Title: Re: Masking disaster.
Post by: Voyager on July 11, 2006, 11:08:45 pm
The finest quality masking tape is made by Tamiya, ok its not cheap at almost ?5 for a small roll, but then you only get what you pay for.


Voyager.
Title: Re: Masking disaster.
Post by: Stavros on July 12, 2006, 12:04:39 am
Either go down to your local motor factors and ask for FINE LINE TAPE this is a masking tape specially for car paint spraying and it does not allow paint to creep.The other way to do it is to get hold of some electricians tape 1/4 width and use this first then apply your masking tape on top of it.One final way is to go along to your local boot sale/market and buy some stipe tape this also does a v good job of stopping paint creepage.Make sure thta you buy the best masking tape available and I dont mean the stuff that Halfords and B+Q sell waht I mean is AUTOMOTIVE QUALITY tape from a motor factor,quality pays
Title: Re: Masking disaster.
Post by: GOGSAMWE on July 12, 2006, 05:57:23 am
Hi Pointy,

I think most of us, have been where you are at , at some point? ( no pun intended ;D )

I myself, use two types of tape for masking,

Firstly Tamiya Masking Tape, avaliable in 3 widths, yes its expensive, but its low tack, and if its used for small scale plastic models, then its perfect for our bigger R/C projects.Its never failed to give me a good sharp edge? ;)
Available at most good model shops, and of course ebay .

there are loads on ebay , eg : http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/TAMIYA-6MM-MASKING-TAPE_W0QQitemZ160006641631QQihZ006QQcategoryZ19168QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Secondly, try Scotch? 3M "Magic Tape"...... this is also real good stuff, again, low tack? so

a) it doesnt leave a sticky residue
b) it wont pull your previous paint layer off !

This is available at most stationary /office supply shops, ( even Woolies )

Hope this helps and gives you some options ,

Steve

Title: Re: Masking disaster.
Post by: Ghost in the shell on July 12, 2006, 11:23:01 pm
the mask i use is pretty straight forwards B&Q mask.

first to go down is the base coat, primer.

let it dry then goes on the base hull colour. build up layers as desired.

then once its dry, perferrably the next day after it has had plenty of time to dry use low tack masking tape to mark off the lower hull then spray the top hull colour.

the deck was done seperately then installed


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Title: Re: Masking disaster.
Post by: Doc on July 13, 2006, 07:12:08 am
Pointy,
Have I been there?  Yes.  Didn't cry, but scared the neighbor's dogs (my buddies) with the cussing fit.  Neighbors seem to enjoy the show (cuss them too).
The hull/water line bleed-over is easy.  Trim tape for the water line mark.  Deck and superstructure is more difficult.  Usually end up hand painting there.  Or, gluing 'kick-panels' at that join! <--Not the 'best' solution but it works.  Painting on a masking 'goo' then taping over it is a very nice solution!  Depends on how large/complicated the boat is and availability, though.
Buying sandpaper by the ton is ~my~ solution for most 'goofs'.  I hate sandpaper...
Good luck!
 - 'Doc

Title: Re: Masking disaster.
Post by: cbr900 on July 13, 2006, 11:01:16 am
There is another way out of the problem use a pinstripe tape over the two colours and then put clear over it, no ones will ever see the where the paint has bled and the clear seals the pinstriping...


Roy
Title: Re: Masking disaster.
Post by: Pointy on July 15, 2006, 07:24:05 am
Thanks for your replies guys,  :) will start over (hohum) suppose it would be best to hand paint the deck? There are just so many nooks and crannys I could never be sure of masking them all off properly!
Title: Re: Masking disaster.
Post by: CAD2 on July 15, 2006, 09:14:10 am
Pointy
Muck or nettles, as we say up here. You can either spend a merry two hours with Tamiya tape, a scalpel, a burnishing stick and tweezers doing a thorough masking job, or wince at the brush-marks and wobbly edges you will definitely get in the matt green paint. I find masking almost therapeutic; it's just a shame it takes only minutes to rip it all off afterwards! Tried masking fluid once - just the once! I always use flip-chart paper for bulk masking jobs; newspaper always leaves ink on the model and on your hands.
Nice model - don't let it down with a second division paint job. You'll never quite forgive yourself.
CAD2
Title: Re: Masking disaster.
Post by: Pointy on July 16, 2006, 01:48:13 pm
What is a burnishing stick?

Would you use an airbrush or aerosol for the decks? How many people out there use paint brushes for their decks?
Title: Re: Masking disaster.
Post by: Tug on July 16, 2006, 04:58:58 pm
 Go to the artist suppliers get a good soft brush [expensive]

and paint with a few thinned coats of paint, you won't know the difference

Big areas I use the airbrush, I have a medium and a fine,
but cannot see any paint from the fine and end up blobbing it! but for touching up I always a brush looks kinda real after a while.

here one puts a picture, but I can't find the one I need. dam. (get away with that one)
Title: Re: Masking disaster.
Post by: Doc on July 16, 2006, 05:28:41 pm
Pointy,
A 'burnishing' stick is a small 'burnishing' tool.  Burnishing means to sort of polish something.  Usually a thingy with a small, sort of 'soft' tip, used for those very difficult to reach spots.  Or at the other end of the scale, a sort of file with no sharp edges. 
Not that it's any recommendation at all, but I usually end up hand painting the deck.  Also almost always spray the deck before putting it where it belongs.  Spray, then paint?  Yeah, cuz I'm trying to cover up the 'goofs' I made while doing the above deck stuff.  (You ain't lived till you try to match colors between spray paint and bottled paint!)  Mine usually end up sort of 'blotchy'.  But then, have you ever seen a real boat with no scuff marks, worn paths, scars, etc?  (Hey!  Makes for a good excuse.)
There's always more than one way to skin a cat.  Pick the one easiest for you.
 - 'Doc
Title: Re: Masking disaster.
Post by: Tug on July 16, 2006, 09:44:20 pm
 The burnishing stick/brush I have is like an argos or bookies  pen,
 half normal length but the writing end has fine stiff fibreglass bristles, Maplin [or for over there Radio Shack] type of stores.

 I used mine for cleaning motor brushes on t' train set or for cleaning circuit boards delicately ( there you go another supplier) Tug
Title: Re: Masking disaster.
Post by: Shipmate60 on July 17, 2006, 12:09:45 am
If it is a "Working Ship" then the paintwork doesnt have to be perfect anyway.
I have never seen a ship with perfect paintwork, even those straight out or the builders or a major refit.
Yes perfect paintwork does show the capabilities of the modeller, but come on guys, look at the ship you are modelling, is SHE perfect.
I always brush paint the decks, and overcoat before the first is properly dry, just to avoid such "perfect" paintwork.

Bob
Title: Re: Masking disaster.
Post by: Pointy on July 19, 2006, 06:03:44 pm
What CAD2 said went right up my flag pole, so spent all day masking- so busy concentrating only noticed the heat when I stopped! Well just given all the decks a coating using an air brush. Used tamiya masking tape and tamiya acrylic for decks as I was to worried about reaction using Humbrol deck colour. Used light grey for main area and foredeck. Couldn't find a suitable green colour in tamyia range so mixed some of their park green and black together. Have no idea if I have pulled it off. Far to scared to remove masking tape- stupid I know but just can't do it yet! :-\
Title: Re: Masking disaster.
Post by: ambernblu on July 19, 2006, 06:13:20 pm

... Pointy,

Sometimes you have to bite the bullet - and in my experience masking tape is better off sooner rather than later.... good luck!  ;)
Title: Re: Masking disaster.
Post by: Ghost in the shell on July 19, 2006, 11:05:23 pm
What is a burnishing stick?

Would you use an airbrush or aerosol for the decks? How many people out there use paint brushes for their decks?

I brushed Gemini's deck during a re-paint of her, though usually i use aerosols
Title: Re: Masking disaster.
Post by: Pointy on July 20, 2006, 11:05:37 pm
How did it go, were you happy with the way she looked Ghost?
Title: Re: Masking disaster.
Post by: Ghost in the shell on July 24, 2006, 08:25:27 pm
Pointy, im as happy wth the paint job as i can be :)

shame the super structure didnt turn out quite as good as i like, however NO boat that has been in the water for x number of years is going to look as good as it did when it was launched.  (thats my excuse!)
Title: Re: Masking disaster.
Post by: CAD2 on July 24, 2006, 08:50:40 pm
Pointy
So how does it look?
CAD2