Okay, I am right in the middle of building a 1/48 B-17 as my dad was a bottom ball turret gunner. I am building this model so his Grandkids, Greatgrandkids, etc. will remember. I come across this thing called an Eduard Mask. Keep in mind, I have not modelled in over 25 years and all of these aftermarket things can be overwhelming. So, I look at this mask sheet, and I am like, “What goes where!”. No instructions - nothing. So off I go. My first attempt at masking the bottom ball turret was a disaster! So, I free hand and it looks okay.
There has got to be alternatives to these mask. What is your advice?
There should be instructions with any product…but who reads them any way?
In the modern modeling world there are many products who’s manufacturers assume you are of advanced enough skill to understand the placement of the “masks” in this case. One has to really look carefully and compare the appliques before pressing them into place to make sure that is where they go.
If you read through this forum you will find a great deal of disscussion about masking, masking materials and masking techniques. Check in the Tools, Techniques and Reference Materials section as well.
My personal choice is using Tamiya and Cammett tapes.
That’s really strange. All the eduard mask sets I’ve gotten have come with instruction sheets. The instructions are a bit simplistic, but not so much so that they can’t be figured out. There’s just a chance that you may have got a set that made it off the line without the sheet included.
I once got a PE set that was in the wrong bag. The bag was right, the parts inside were wrong. I ordered (for instance) #14425-1 and the part in the bag was #1425-1. I wanted an interior set for an F8F BearCat and instead got a some red seatbelts for an unknown aircraft. I guess it happens.
But as far as masks go, it’s going to be hard to beat eduards’ for ease of use.
It’s good to keep a few products for your masking arsenal. I like tamiya tape, blue 3M masking tape (for masking large areas), and clear frisket film. The Frisket film is nice because it’s easy to trim out a shape (it’s clear). The downside of Frisket is that it’s not very flexible. You can usually pic it up at an art supply stores like Michael’s or Hobby Lobby.
Yo you guys want a way cheaper alternative to frisket film that doesnt have a strong tack, thinner than. Frisket, extremely flexible and repositionable, and comes in a super huge roll for cheap? Go to your local sherwin William’s and get a roll of the stick sided carpet protective plastic. I do airbrushing on Harley davidson’s and live by the stuff. For a Midler one roll for 25 bucks will last 2 life times. Take my word for it or not but keep new blades, teach your self to stay light with the blades and other ways to apply it and its absolutely better than frisket. Stack and apply works well… put it on a cookie pan over your design. Two layers first. Cut every thing you want cut, then add a layer of masking tape on top like a sandwich or a third layer of the film. Now separate the bottom layer from the top two and then place your decal. Pull the top layer off leaving the cut layer applied to the surface and you can peel each piece off as you go… just like frisket… but can afford to have room for errors and etc… catch is it will stretch and is flexible. Con is it def is thinner so takes practice if you cut on painted surface
