I just purchased a bottle of Micro Mask (Microscale Industries) to mask out my model plane canopy frames before airbrushing. (still not done as waiting for new compressor) It was the only liquid mask available at my local model/hobby store. It seemed to brush on quite well but how does this one stack up to others?
I find that plain old slightly diluted white glue works just as well and costs a lot less.
I’ve had good luck with a product called “FasMask”. Its baby blue and looks like a really thick Elmers glue.
$14 for a 16oz bottle. Way more than I will ever use.
I suspect it is closely related to white glue. Maybe something added to make it a bit more “rubbery”!
I found it with the remote control car supplies of a hobby shop, not in the model section.
Could you describe that process? That sounds interesting.
There is a product called “Tacky Glue” that looks like Elmer’s but stays rubbery when it dries. I haven’t tried it as liquid mask, but I’ll bet it would work fine. Hobby Lobby sells it.
When I was building my 1/144 MiG-21s I needed a liquid mask to do the camoflage and so I went on a hunt (since I HATE Micro Mask with a passion). After much testing, I landed on this stuff (which you can find in the painting section at Hobby Lobby):
It’s basically latex. Masks very well and comes up very easily without marring anything underneath. You don’t have to soak it in water or scrub at it or pick at it.
I will say that I’d advise rubbing it versus peeling it, since the stretching can cause any paint that’s “on the line” to flake and fracture a bit when it goes all elastic.
After the results I got on the MiGs, this stuff is now my masking fluid of choice.
Why do you HATE Micro Mask?
Because every single time I’ve used it, it hasn’t come off, or at least not without levels of effort that damage the surrounding and underlying paint.
I’ve had similar experience with Micro Mask. It came off my bare plastic canopy, but not off model master enamel. I haven’t tried it on acrylic paint.
Matt, have you any experience with Ambroid liquid mask?
Gary
try Humbrol Maskol. It works great!
I sure haven’t Gary, but I would like to.
I’m in need of some new stuff, since mine has dried up a bit. I was looking in the art isle at the hobby center, and opened a bottle of cream colored stuff. I took a whiff and it reeked of ammonia! I doubt it would be good on acrylics.
m@
That’s one thing you need to watch if you’re using acrylics. Some of the “name brand” masking agents eg Humbrol Maskol and Gunze “Mr Masking Sol Neo” are not friendly to acrylics and if applied too heavily, will eat the underlying paint for breakfast. They can be used successfully if applied in thin layers though.
Humbrol Maskol has a very strongly offensive odour but the Gunze product has no discernable odour at all.
I found the “Incredible White Mask Liquid Frisket” that DoogsATX recommended at Hobby Lobby today. Sounds good and I trust his recommendation, but yikes, they want $15 for that little bottle. As infrequently as I use liquid mask, I passed on it. I’m going to test that “Tacky Glue” on a scrap part and see how well it works. I’ll let you know. A big squeezable bottle costs only a few bucks.
A little goes a long way with it…and it’s definitely one to use the perpetual 40% off coupon on…
For big areas you can also use rubber cement. It’s not very controllable though so I wouldn’t use it to mask a hard camo line or anything like that.
“Incredible White Mask Liquid Frisket” also contains ammonia, along with latex, so I would be cautious about using it over acrylic. Test first.
By the way, DoogsATX, you talked me into it. I decided to splurge and bought a bottle today. I have high hopes…
I used it over Tamiya without incident…but yeah as with anything test to make sure it’ll work without ruining your build!
Are you saying that regular rubber cement can be used to mask canopies?
Sure could. BUT it’s very hard to get it to behave in a controlled manner, so I imagine it’d be a failure at the frames. But as a fill mask? Certainly.