overspray

Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials Painting and airbrushing
1

Am having problems with overspray when I remove my masking tape. Am using “Green Frog Tapes” for my masks. Help!!!

2

Do you mean you’ve oversprayed past where you have taped? Or are you lifting paint when you remove your tape?

3

Or do you mean the paint is getting under your tape ?

4

That makes more sense Tojo[:D]

If the paint is seeping under the tape there are a few things to try.

  • Be sure the paint isn’t being thinned too much. If it’s too runny it will be more likely to run under the tape.

  • Spray in thin/light coats and try to not spray “into” the tape edge but at a 90deg angle as this will seal the edge of the tape.

  • I would also suggest rubbing the edge of the tape with a toothpick to be sure it is adhered to the model and there are no air gaps.

I’ve had this problem in the past (I use Tamiya tape) but have gotten good results using the methods I mentioned.

Hope this helps some!

5

Sounds like you’re spraying in heavy coats - or even spraying too close to the kit. Another possibilty - you didn’t buff down the tape a bit more. Spray in light coats.

6

thanks all…problem is when I remove masking tape and paint has gotter under it. thought that I had pressed masking tape down onto model sufficiently before I started to paint.

7

Hey, you might try giving your masked canopy a shot of clear acrylic before painting your color coats. The clear will seal the edges of the tape so that paint is less likely to bleed under. You may need to lightly score the canopy framing edges with a new blade after all is painted to break the “seal” somewhat. It’s worth a try? Good luck, Gary.

8

009 - I’ve used the Frog Green, worked OK, so does Tamiya and the blue painters tape. A couple of thoughts, it’s a good idea to be sure your hands are clean when applying the tape, skin oils on the model surface, or the tape, can have a negative effect.

Also, before applying my tapes I use a fine, lint free cloth and a LIGHT amount of 71% alcohol, just enough to dampen the cloth, then give two passes over the surface to be taped. If you’re using Vallejo paint, forget the alcohol.

For pressing down the tape edges I use a tiny metal dental spatula, (say that 5 times fast,) which is slightly rounded over the entire surface. That ensures no disruption of the tape edge. The little plastic cocktail swizzle sticks work OK too.

I spray the first coat at my usual thinning ratio, but go lightly over the tape edges, making sure I don’t go too heavy with the paint. It sets up rather quickly, and doesn’t get under the tape edge.

It was a good point raised above, spray down on the edge, not into it. That light first coat will be less likely to get under the edge that way, and will be a good seal against the additional paint coats.

A little experimenting and practice will get it done for you, good luck with it.

Patrick

9

excellent advice Texgunner!

10

Sealing the edges of the tape goes a long way to fix this. Apply either a coat of the color you are masking over, or of clear, along the edges of all tape. That way, slight leak-under will not be noticable.

For burnishing edges of tape to make sure it is stuck down, I rub gently with a round toothpick, or a bit harder with a q-tip.