Thin line painting on clear part???

Modeling Subjects Aircraft
1

Hello all, I am having a heck of a time trying to figure out how to paint the framing on the clear gun turrets on a b-17. The instructions say to mask the whole thing and then cut out what I want painted. That is virtually impossible. The parts are round and the blade will scratch the plastic. Someone said acetate mending tape? cut into strips, but I have no idea what that is or where to get it? Does anyone have any ideas that might help? Thanks!

2

There was a thread on this a while ago. I tried it on my 1/72 F-16. Turned out pretty good.

http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?page=-1&TOPIC_ID=33376&REPLY_ID=338000#338000

3

Scotch Magic Tape works well, but I prefer to use Tamiya tape sliced into thin strips.

regards, Rick

4

I’m a broken record on this subject, but since Eduard has changed all their masking products into Tamiya tape from that awful OD stuff they were using before, if you have one of their new masks, they always come with a lot of extra thin strips cut. Someone might be willing to send you one of those sections of an Eduard mask. In fact, I have a bunch of them come to think of it, and though I haven’t used them, except for the strips, I can cut a section of Tamiya tape strips off an Eduard mask set and send it to you if you don’t have access to this great modeling tape. Email me your address. That one I can turn around in one day.
BTW, I know others are waiting for things from me, and I’m tryin’, I’m tryin’. For those others, if you haven’t got what I promised to send yet, I won’t be offended if you remind me. Others do, and it’s because they know I have a Swiss cheese brain. But I babble…
TOM

5

My approach - time consuming but produces results every time.
http://www.swannysmodels.com/Canopies.html

6

Here’s my two cents on this topic-

I had a similar situation with one of my projects (funny, becuase most everyone probably has.). A three-piece tail cone of the Revell Germany Ju 290, all three parts clear, with a multitude of necissary frames. Remember now, these things are about an inch long, if that. Now, the weather ruled out airbrushing (below freezing inside an unheated barn), and masking and doing them by had left too much margin for error.

Then: A thought…

Why not try it by hand? Sounded okay, so long as I took it slow and had the hands of a surgeon. I used a toothpick, applying one drop at a time until all the frames (of two different colors) were completed. Novel? Yes. New idea? Not really.

Aha. Here’s the secret.

If you use a water-based paint (I used Model Master Acrylics, but I assume any water-based paint would do. Don’t quote me, though.), one that takes a while to dry completely and latch on really good, you can scratch off any mistakes or instances of “going outside the lines” using a toothpick without any damage to the clear parts undernieth. That’s how I did these. Whaddya think?

[image]http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v296/LHprs/000_0595.jpg[/image]

Be sure to do the customary Future coat to protect the underlying part, and try to fix any mistakes within a few days, before the piant has a chance to dig in. I did most of mine within an hour, as the piant was sutably dry by then. Yes, this requires patience, and some deal of “steady-handedness”, but then again, there’s really no shortcuts in this hobby. That I have learned. Besides, the fact you can easily correct mistakes offers the best fail-safe of any of the methods I’ve seen.

Hope this helps, or at least opens your mind to thinking outside the box! Good luck! [;)]

Hmm. Bit more than two cents, don’t ya think? [:D] Oh yeah, and Welcome to the Forum! [#welcome]

7

Has anyone used Black Magic canopy mask or heard if they work well? Is that cheating? [;)]

8

I have never used masks, of course I dont do 1/72 scale either, but. When I worked in the hobby store the customers really liked the canopy masks like black magic. The only complaint was the price but when they used them they stopped complaining about that. Now you might have to wait to get it ordered but they do have a wide selection.

Also with a very good brush and fresh paint you could try hand brushing the lines. But like Lucien Harpress said furture coat the parts first and let them dry for 2 days. I also scrape the excess paint away, but with the dull end of a hobby knife, and if I scratch the canopy another coat of future, airbrushed on, covers the scratches right over. And if you dont like it you can carefully remove the top layer of paint, using the future underneith to protect the canopy.
Hope this helps, Good luck.

9

For tough curves I either use micro masking tape or cut a mask from Tamiya tape.
The micro mask is for the curves/edges and the center can be either filled with liquid mask or Tamiya tape.

10

Go with Swanny’s, I’ve just tried that on a Komet and turned out really nice.

11

I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again.
FOIL!!
Thats the answer IMHO!!
Get your self some Bare Metal Foil, and mask away.
Then trim the frame, and bingo.
Sweet, clean framing.

I really gotta do a ‘How To’ one of these days, and post it in the Techniques page.

12

I guess there are as many methods as there are modelers, and neither is wrong or right nor better than the next one.

You just gotta work with what is available where you are and with what works for YOU.

13

I have to agree Model Museum, and a lot of it has to do with what you have on hand and how much time you want to spend doing it…

FOIL, tweety1 this sounds like something for me. I kinda get the concept, the foil is pressed into the corners and creases. And then what you trim it up with a hobby knife…How do you keep the foil from blowing off when you airbrush?
Yes do a how to PLZZZZZZ.[:D]

14

Skarpotchi,
Bare Metal Foil has a adhesive backing and generally leaves no residue when peeled off. House Hold Alum. foil and spray mount (light coat) will produce the same results. No worry about AB blowing foil away.

15

The adhesive backing on BMF usually leaves some residue on the canopy , in my experience. It’s not that difficult to clean, but the foil should be removed ASAP after painting to minimize the problem.

Regards, Rick