I’m getting ready to paint my first A/C this weekend a F4U-2 Corsair. The cockpit really turned out awesome, and I would hate to crap it up by masking it the wrong way, as my luck with masking is very slim to none. What is the best way to mask a cockpit? Thanks in advance.
i would offer my advice but alas due to my “expertise” on the subject i have three canopies that are all in various stages of trouble. it looks as though the best for me will be to replace all three with vacuform and start over. i am afraid my help would hurt more than help.
joe
Get hold of some Tamiya masking tape. It usually comes in 6mm or 10mm wide.
Lay a strip onto your cutting surface ( a piece of glass from an old picture frame is ideal)
cut off, using a new knife blade & a steel rule, a length about 1 - 2mm wide, 2 inch long.
Use this to go around the edge (ie inside the frame) of the piece you want left clear.
This width will, with care, bend nicely to left & right, following curves.
Then simply fill in the rest of the canopy, taking care to overlap your edge piece’s.
Hold the canopy up to the light (If you haven’t fitted it to the model yet, & any holes will be apparent.
Thats how I do it, no problems so far.
If you do get matt paint onto the canopy, scrape it off with a wooden toothpick. If you need to, polish with toothpaste. Then apply future floor polish.[:)]
Pete
Good advice albertsponson, but I think its the cockpit and not the canopy that needs to be masked here.
I fill the cockpit with a piece of cotton and then mask around the edges with Tamiya masking tape, on some models it can make you crazy, but its the only way I know. Maybe someone else have a better method.
When I mask a cockpit, I use low-tack (drafting) tape. I apply it to the inside veritcal surfaces (sticky side out) around the perimeter of the cockpit. I then fill the hole with tissue. This prevents paint from bleeding onto the cockpit sidewalls.
Hope this helps.
Ahhh!, Now I see. Go to the bathroom, grab a couple of pieces of that soft but strong & very long stuff off the roll. Stuff it gently into the cockpit, then damp it lightly with a brush or two of water. the tissue will absorb it, you may need to add a little more. let it dry a while, then paint. when you’re finished painting, gently pull out the tissue with tweezers.
Works for me!
Pete
most of the A/C that i do have two canopy options. i take the one im not gonna use and temporarily glue in on the a/c with elmers glue. you may have to mask the front windscreen but this works well to keep overspray out of the cockpit. later.
Pete, not trying to slam your suggestion, but rather than fight with tissue, you might want to try a piece of soft sponge. The sponge has an advantage in that it will expand to fit most of the nooks and crannies of the cockpit. It you insert it a little moist, it will have a tendency to repel any paint, and you can use it over and over.
Gip Winecoff
I use a technique similar to styrene’s, except I use foam rubber rather than sponge. Cut a section slightly larger than the cockpit opening, gently push it down in place, making sure that it doesn’t overlap onto the fuselage sides. Works well for me.
Hey Kik36;
well I’ve had great luck with liquid masking, and it also cleans the clear styrene or acrylic when you remove the masking material when done painting, the down side is that you paint the masking agent on wait for it to dry then cut out the frame work, then attach the canopy to the kit by using the masking agent, let it dry then shoot, this could tak a couple of days but the results are worth it in my book, and you might want to give this a try
Thanks guys, all of those suggestions are well worth a shot!! I was wondering though, what if I tacked on the Canopy like Saltydog suggested, then removed it, and stripped it clean. I bet that would give you a “masking agent” every time. I do have two canopies. I’m going to give it a shot and let you know how it goes. Wish me luck!!!
saltydog, youre just ruining extra parts that should go in the spare-box.
Why not just using tape and tissue?
Parafilm M is a wonderful masking agent. I use that on all my canopies.