Help with masking tape?

I use Tamiya tape for important things like masking canopies and regular painters or drafters tape for things like masking to protect from overspray.

I have Jammydag micro masking tape. I use that to frame the canopy then fill the rest with liquid mask. I also like Eduard pre cut masks, defintily worth their money.

Here is some more info on Jammydog:

modelingmadness.com/.../jammydogtape.htm

I do the thin strip method too.  With that method, you can pretty much use any kind of tape availalble.  I have tried using thin strips to cover the entire thing, but I find this method to be sometimes inconsistent, and not nearly as accurate as masking as using very thin strips.  I just tear a piece off a couple inches long, and use a steel 6" ruler to cut very thin strips and do the basic outlines.  Once that's done, micro mask the middles and move on.  As long you smear the micro mask all the way to the thin strips of outlining tape, you'll literally be able to pull off the entire mask in tact to where you could essentially use it on a duplicate part if you have to.  Love this method.  

But no ring in the cockpit.

Your Precious?

Yup, you can use regular old cheap masking tape.  Duck brand makes a nice low-tack tape that you don't have to remove any adhesive from.  It's available at Walmart.

I cut it into narrow strips--as small as 1mm or even less.  Then it very easily curves around canopies. 

Here's photo of a Spitfire canopy.  You outline the frame with the tape, then you can fill in the center either with MicroMask (used here) or little squares of masking tape.

Good luck.

The narrowest Tamiya tape I know if is a bit over 1/8 inch width.  Testors has a tape that is 1/16 wide. It will bend around a sharper curve than the Tamiya tape, but is not as good a tape.  I sometimes mask the very edge with the Testors tape, then mask the rest with the Tamiya.

I've done plenty of canopies as well as camouflage with plain old green or blue painters tape you can get at the home improvement stores. Lay it on your pants and pull it off a couple times to reduce the tackiness of it (watching out for lint of course). I've used Tamiya tape, but I'm not as thrilled with it because it's thinner and tears easily. It does have the advantage of forming over curved parts a little better. Recently I used Bare Metal Foil to mask an F/A-18 canopy. It tears very easily too, but you can burnish it down into all the curves and detail lines of the canopy. Then use a brand new #11 blade to cut  the areas you need to paint, peeling off the BMF there. I may switch to BMF for all my canopy masking.

   To me, the tool that is way more important than the type of masking agent is a good dose of patience. The job is tedious, but you have to go slow and careful to get good results.

 Chris

Tamiya tape is good you might  also want to try bare metal foil