Masking Tips Needed:

[LVZ2881]

I just painted the black window trim on my mr2, pulled the tape off, and it looked horrible...

I used tamiya tape and tamiya semi-gloss black bottle paint.

I started the paint strokes on the tape and pulled the paint onto the trim.

I also made sure to burnish the tape edges before painting..

I was able to polish the excess off, but eneded up sanding thru in a few less noticeable spots.

any tips??

should I have sprayed it, and not brushed it??

[Zoom Zoom]

I prefer spraying the trim, or freehanding with a brush. Even when you think it's burnished, the sheer volume of wet paint from a brush seems to find any and all gaps and it bleeds. Spraying it allows me to build it up slowly, and if the trim is well-defined I can often freehand it well enough.

[935k3]

An airbrush is the best way to do this. Do not sand off the paint, Tamiya's Acrylics come off with Ammonia which won't touch any other types of paints.

[LVZ2881]

Do not sand off the paint, Tamiya's Acrylics come off with Ammonia which won't touch any other types of paints.

didnt know this!! thanks for the info...

[Aaronw]

Another use for Future is sealing the edge of your masking. I put my masking down like you describe, then run a brush with Future along the edge of the tape, then let it dry before painting.

Its not 100% I'll still get a little seepage here and there, usually at a panel line, but it works pretty well. The only thing is you want to run an exacto blade along the edge of the tape before you remove it, I guess Future is a little tougher than paint. This makes a small cut in the Future and keeps the paint on the model from following the paint on the tape.

Ammonia will remove Future as well.

Edited March 6, 2008 by Aaronw

[LVZ2881]

I had done just the side window trim with the brush..

I masked the windsheild trim, and sprayed with tamiya matt black..

and it turned out so much better!!!!

guess i'm spraying all my windowm trim from now on...

[samustang2001]

I had done just the side window trim with the brush..

I masked the windsheild trim, and sprayed with tamiya matt black..

and it turned out so much better!!!!

guess i'm spraying all my windowm trim from now on...

WELL WHAT I USE FOR THE WIDOW TRIM IS SHARPIE MARKER

[monkeyclaw]

I agree with Samustang....I generally use a good quality permanent marker....black of course...you can work free handed; or even mask off...the difference is no bleed under the tape edges....nice and crisp every time............matt

[Zoom Zoom]

I use a Sharpie for a lot of details, such as the edges of modern lenses, blackening the inner glass surrounds (much easier than brush painting or masking/shooting), or even colored Sharpies for red/amber lenses (I don't use my Tamiya clear red anymore, it's much easier to use the Sharpie and there's no film thickness, dries very fast). I don't use a Sharpie for exterior window trim because it's too shiny for my taste. My favorite brush paint for window trim is Testors Acryl flat black, and for spraying I like to decant Testors or Tamiya flat black spray and shoot it through the airbrush. Silver Sharpies are great for detailing small items that need silver paint.

[jbwelda]

i use sharpies for windshield trim too. too easy not to use them and they have a proper sheen to them.

one thing not mentioned here is that after you apply your tape, shoot a coat of clear or future on the part and let it dry. that will seal the tape edge and wont show as readily as color will. now you can shoot your color and it wont bleed past the clear sealing the tape.