Micro Mask

[Sidney Schwartz]

Apparently I'm two stoopid to figure out how to use Micro Mask. I brush it on and let it dry thoroughly and trim it with a sharp blade. The problem is I can't get it off the areas I want to paint. It sticks like anything rather than lifting off. What's the trick?

 

[Can-Con]

36 minutes ago, Sidney Schwartz said:

Apparently I'm two stoopid to figure out how to use Micro Mask. I brush it on and let it dry thoroughly and trim it with a sharp blade. The problem is I can't get it off the areas I want to paint. It sticks like anything rather than lifting off. What's the trick?

 

Did you put it on flat paint? 

[Sidney Schwartz]

Yes. Is that good thing or a bad thing?

[Can-Con]

Bad. But you should be able to wash it back off with warm water. 

IIRC, it's meant to be used over glossy paint. 

[Sidney Schwartz]

OK. I appreciate the info. Back to the drawing board.

 

[Dpate]

This is probably the best liquid mask you'll buy.  Can put over any paint, any paint can be painted on it, and it comes up no issues at all and doesn't need water to remove which is weird.  I came close to getting micro mask one time, but the shop owner warned me against it and recommended this stuff.  I thought it was a sale pitch at first, but the stuff is amazing.  

 

Edited January 11, 2023 by Dpate

[Mike 1017]

I had the same problem as you. It would not come off with hot water, soap or a toothbrush. Pitched it out into the garbage. Now I use Microscales Micro Mask. Works as advertised 

Good luck

Mike

[Dpate]

1 hour ago, Mike 1017 said:

I had the same problem as you. It would not come off with hot water, soap or a toothbrush. Pitched it out into the garbage. Now I use Microscales Micro Mask. Works as advertised 

Good luck

Mike

I'm confused? Are you talking about abteilung 502? 

[Sidney Schwartz]

Microscale Micro Mask is the one I'm having problems with.  Anyone tried Vallejo's liquid mask?

 

[Mike 1017]

16 hours ago, Dpate said:

I'm confused? Are you talking about abteilung 502? 

I too am confused. What is abteilung 502?

[Sidney Schwartz]

The search continues. The Micro Mask was easy to trim with a blade, but almost impossible to remove. The Abteilung 502 liquid mask removes very easily but is too soft to trim...the blade just catches in it and peels it off instead of cutting it. I guess I'll try applying the Abteilung 502 precisely enough so that it doesn't have to be trimmed, but that seems like defeating the whole purpose of using it. Any other suggestions? Anybody have any luck using rubber cement?

 

[stitchdup]

4 hours ago, Sidney Schwartz said:

The search continues. The Micro Mask was easy to trim with a blade, but almost impossible to remove. The Abteilung 502 liquid mask removes very easily but is too soft to trim...the blade just catches in it and peels it off instead of cutting it. I guess I'll try applying the Abteilung 502 precisely enough so that it doesn't have to be trimmed, but that seems like defeating the whole purpose of using it. Any other suggestions? Anybody have any luck using rubber cement?

 

what are you trying to mask?

[NOBLNG]

8 hours ago, Sidney Schwartz said:

The Abteilung 502 liquid mask removes very easily but is too soft to trim...the blade just catches in it and peels it off instead of cutting it.

I have limited experience with liquid mask, but try a new blade, preferably the exacto z-series. They are what I use for foil work and they are much better than the cheap bulk blades I use for everything else.

[Sidney Schwartz]

3 hours ago, NOBLNG said:

I have limited experience with liquid mask, but try a new blade, preferably the exacto z-series. They are what I use for foil work and they are much better than the cheap bulk blades I use for everything else.

I use scalpel blades, and this was a brand new one.

[Sidney Schwartz]

7 hours ago, stitchdup said:

what are you trying to mask?

This end sections of this seat...

To match this...

Because the surface is deeply indented there, using tape is very difficult. That's why I'm trying the liquid mask.

 

[stitchdup]

5 minutes ago, Sidney Schwartz said:

This end sections of this seat...

To match this...

Because the surface is deeply indented there, using tape is very difficult. That's why I'm trying the liquid mask.

 

try blutack or something like that maybe

[Sidney Schwartz]

13 minutes ago, stitchdup said:

try blutack or something like that maybe

I have some bluetack so I may as well give it a go. Can't be any worse. 

 

[peteski]

I thought you originally mentioned that the paint had a flat finish.  Liquid mask in theory should stick to that finish which has some glossiness to it.

Anyways, why go the liquid mask route?  All you need is a simple straight-line mask. Why not use some Tamiya tape (or any Washi tape from hardware store).  It should  conform to the shape of the cushion just fine. Just burnish it with a toothpick.  You could probably just use the tapes edge (no cutting required).

Or if that curve on the top of the seat is too sharp, just cut a thin strip of tape and place it right at the color demarcation line, then fill the rest of the masked-off area with wider strips of tape, and if there are still some voids left, just fill those with liquid mask.  That way there will be no cutting.

The other option is Parafilm-M but I don't think it will work all that well (it does not adhere to surfaces well, since it has no adhesive).

Edited January 20, 2023 by peteski

[Bainford]

Yup, I would use tape, too. Apply carefully and burnish well. If not happy with the ‘lay’, pull it up and re-lay it. May take several tries. Once the lay is good, burnish the deepest part of the groove first, then work your way up the sides.
 

Good tape is a must, Tamiya etc. no household painters tape. BMF is an alternative masking medium for irregular surfaces. Be aware that liquid masks can stain some non-glossy surfaces. If considering a putty for masking, such as the blue tac mentioned above, another option is silly putty, which can be quite versatile also. 

[Sidney Schwartz]

Bluetack didn't work. Back to the tape.

 

[Sidney Schwartz]

Ended up hand painting the seats and they came out pretty good. Got a decent result applying the Abteilung 502 liquid mask to the ends of this muffler with a toothpick. That allows me to be accurate enough so that trimming with a knife isn't needed, and the stuff comes off very easily. Only remaining problem is that if I use a brush for larger areas I can't clean the stuff off the brush. I emailed Abteilung 502 and they said to use acetone. That doesn't work at all. Neither does laquer thinner. Two brushes in the trash so far. I'm using q-tips until I find out what will clean the stuff from a brush. Anyone know?

[Dpate]

11 minutes ago, Sidney Schwartz said:

Ended up hand painting the seats and they came out pretty good. Got a decent result applying the Abteilung 502 liquid mask to the ends of this muffler with a toothpick. That allows me to be accurate enough so that trimming with a knife isn't needed, and the stuff comes off very easily. Only remaining problem is that if I use a brush for larger areas I can't clean the stuff off the brush. I emailed Abteilung 502 and they said to use acetone. That doesn't work at all. Neither does laquer thinner. Two brushes in the trash so far. I'm using q-tips until I find out what will clean the stuff from a brush. Anyone know?

Last time i used a brush with it i got it out the brush by using back end of xacto blade, and pulling through the hairs, but it will still mess up the brush.  Either use disposable brushes that are cheap or disposable micro brushes or silicone brushes < comes off super easy on those.

[dragstk]

I dont have any experience with Abteilung, but I have been using Ammo Ultra liquid mask. I also lost a couple of brushes when I tried to paint it on. But I have been using a toothpick. I just push it up to where I need it. Clean the toothpick off every once and a while. Ive had pretty good success with this method.

But my first efforts are always tape, then fill in hard places or really small places with the mask

[Sidney Schwartz]

13 hours ago, dragstk said:

But my first efforts are always tape, then fill in hard places or really small places with the mask

Same here. It's good to have the liquid stuff as a backup method. I'll stick with the toothpick/q-tip method so as not to waste any more brushes.

 

[peteski]

Does "Abteilung 502" smell like ammonia?  If yes, then it is latex (natural rubber).  I'm nor sure what would remove it from brushes.  I use latex-based liquid masks, and I apply them using toothpick (but I never mask large areas - I do those with masking tape).