I’m still relativley new to airbrushing, and I have tried a few different tapes to help mask some of my models, but no matter what tape I use the paint always seems to come off. So my question is: whats the best tape to use for acrylic based paints? and also, should tape only be used on glossy surfaces or can it be used on flat finishes also? thanks for any help.
Tamiya tape is very good.
I also have pretty good luck with 3M/Scotch brand Automotive Performance Masking Tape 233+
If your masking tape is lifting the underlying paint, it may be a surface prep issue.
When painting with acrylics, for good paint adhesion, a clean surface is the key. It needs to be absolutely spotless and free of any oils and contaminants from the building process (eg. sanding dust) or from your hands before laying down your base coat.
Wash in warm soapy water, rinse and allow to dry, or wipe down with isopropyl alcohol, and handle the bare plastic as little as possible before painting.
Now having said that, I’ll second the suggestion for Tamiya paint - yes, it’s a little more expensive, but it works great and is very low-tack.
You can use the tape over both gloss and flat finishes, it shouldn’t be a problem.
You can always “de-sticky” masking tape by pressing it against your forehead before you apply it…
I have done that as well but the Tamiya tape is still far better.
What is that other tape that has been mentioned on here that is the same as Tamiya but cheaper? I haven’t used it yet but some good modelers on here have gave it rave reviews so I will definitely look into it when I need more tape.
Rice Paper Tape…aka Tamiya generic.
That’s it Gerald. I thought you were one of the modelers who commented on it. [tup]
Honestly don’t know, the LHS doesn’t stock Tamiya (or anything else like it), so I’ve never tried it… In a pinch, I’ve used rubber cement masks, both on the paint itself and applying it to paper masks… Low-tack is what you’re after right?
It’s good tape you need to try it. The other one that Gerald mentioned can be found at stores that may be near you. Yes low tack is what is the key but the tape also has a great texture for cutting and masking.
How long are you allowing the first color to cure before masking it off for the second?
well the one model i basically ruined I didnt wait long enough at all. It was dry to the touch and I was eager to finish it. Mistake number one of the night. Then I just used blue painters tape, that didnt work too well. so I painted the second coat, peeled the tape off and half the first coat came with it.
Ahh, the “eager to finish” bug. It gets us all and is the cause of nearly all problems. Give it at least 24 hours and try it again. If that doesn’t do it, then try 48. It’s only time.
The best tape I’ve used is Tamiya’s Yellow tape. It doesn’t lift the underlying tape, yet it seals really well. I also find that it does not leave any adhesive residue no matter how long it is on the model prior to removing it. It is pretty flexible, so it does a godd job of masking on a compound curve. It cuts cleanly, so if you’re cutting it to make a mask, it won’t have any fibers on the cut line, and it is quite strong so it won’t easily break if cut into a narrow mask.