SEARCH FINESCALE.COM

Enter keywords or a search phrase below:

New Discovery for masking!!!!

1898 views
18 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    January 2003
New Discovery for masking!!!!
Posted by Jeff Herne on Sunday, February 15, 2004 11:01 PM
Well, ok, it's new to me, just thought I'd pass this on...

I read about this somewhere, and in the grocery store this evening finally saw Glad Press N' Seal plastic wrap...

I've heard of guys using it for masking purposes, so for $3 I figured it's worth a try...well, I'm here to report...

I'm throwing away masking tape, parafilm, sticky notes, and all the other crap I've used for masking...THIS STUFF ROCKS.

It has the consistency of those plastic bags you get at the grocery store...except that when you apply pressure to it, it sticks. It's not all sticky until you press down on it, which means that unlike tape, you can move the pieces around until they're in the position you want...no residue either.

It has a patterned surface, which disappears when it's burnished down over a surface. I've just finished masking and spraying my 1/48 Gloster Meteor, a process that normally takes me 2-3 days, waiting for paint to dry before applying masks, etc...I've done this model in under 3 hours, both upper surface colors.

Since I was experimenting with it, I used airbrush pressures up to 60psi and it didn't lift off. When I finished the spray, I pulled the mask off and it didn't take the underlying paint off...it cuts easily with scissors for pre-cut shapes, or simply press a whole section down on a wing and cut the pattern with an x-acto knife.

You can get this stuff in any Wal-Mart, K-Mart, Target, or grocery store. My local grocery store didn't have it, but the one in the next town over had it. A roll is 75 ft long, enough to do ALOT of models.

This stuff has actually made airbrushing fun again...

Jeff Herne
Modelwarships.com
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, February 15, 2004 11:33 PM
I'm going to pick some up this weekend and give it a shot. Thanks for the info Jeff!!!!
  • Member since
    July 2003
  • From: Lower Alabama
Posted by saltydog on Sunday, February 15, 2004 11:47 PM
some people will probably think im an idiot for asking this. do you think this stuff will work well for small parts i.e. cockpit parts? i hate using brushes so i try to airbrush as much as possible as it gives a more realistic looking finish in my opinion. i just spent about 45 minutes removing the baremetal foil from some P-51D seats and my eyeballs are about to pop. ive tried ambroid, micro mask, baremetal foil, and even some water thinned elmers glue. all are very hard to remove without taking off some paint. the liquid masks never "just peel off" like i hear some people say they do. not for me atleast. i may try this stuff. thanks for the tip. later.
Chris The Origins of Murphy's Law: "In the begginning there was nothing, and it exploded."!!! _________ chris
  • Member since
    January 2003
Posted by Jeff Herne on Sunday, February 15, 2004 11:58 PM
I don't see why not...I've heard it works well on canopies, but I haven't gotten that far...

What I found was cool, is that I typically spray the lighter color of the model first, then I'll mask that color and spray the darker color...since this stuff is opaque, once you lay it down, you can see where your underlying color starts and stops...

Jeff
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Harrisburg, PA
Posted by Lufbery on Monday, February 16, 2004 8:13 AM
I'll have to give that a try! I want to spray a matte clear coat when I'm done with decals. The canopy is down, and I don't want to get any dull coat on it. I'm a little worried about using tape because I don't want the decals on the canopy rails to come off. This Press-n-seal stuff sounds like just the thing.

Thanks for the tip, Jeff.

Regards,

-Drew

Build what you like; like what you build.

  • Member since
    January 2003
Posted by Jeff Herne on Monday, February 16, 2004 8:16 AM
Lufbery,

If you've got decals over the canopy, I'd be careful with anything I use to cover it up. What I would suggest would be to apply this stuff around the canopy instead of directly on it, so as to avoid contact with the decals. I haven't tried, it, but it might pull decals up.

Be careful!

Jeff
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Harrisburg, PA
Posted by Lufbery on Monday, February 16, 2004 9:28 AM
Jeff,

What I'll probably do is brush a coat of Future on the canopy rails before trying any sort of masking. I used Micro-sol on them and they seemed to have snuggled down quite securely. An extra layer of Future can't hurt, though.

Thanks agian,

-Drew

-Drew

Build what you like; like what you build.

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 16, 2004 9:31 AM
Something new to add to the grocery list this week. Sure do hate messing with masking tape when I paint.
  • Member since
    January 2003
Posted by Jeff Herne on Monday, February 16, 2004 9:40 AM
You'd think I worked for GLAD plastics the way I'm raving about this....but this stuff is great.

It was kinda like when I got my first airbrush, I was spraying everything...I think the cat a coat of lacquer at one point.

I love modeling, but I'm a finish guy, I love details and weathering, etc..building and painting are not my favorite parts. This just makes things that much easier.

Funny thing was, I was telling my wife about this stuff...and told her it would probably be great in the kitchen (which is where it's SUPPOSED to be used) and she said, nah, I'll stick with good 'ole aluminum foil...too funny!

Jeff Herne
(Looking for a job as a Glad Spokeperson)
  • Member since
    February 2003
  • From: Sandusky Ohio, USA
Posted by Swanny on Monday, February 16, 2004 11:32 AM
Watch out!!!! The glue on this stuff will stay on your canopies after a length of time, especially if you burnish the edges with a toothpick or something similar. I have also seen canopies physically destroyed by exposure to the glue. This is very risky stuff. I know at first glance it looks good but some modeling friends have been playing with this since it came out and we have all stepped back from the plate - so to speak.
  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Lafayette, LA
Posted by Melgyver on Monday, February 16, 2004 11:56 AM
Guys,

I decided to put Glad's Press & Seal on my "shopping" list for the next trip to Wal Mart, then I looked under the cabinet at the wife's assorment of wraps and foil and there it was! She beat me to it. Played with it a little and seems to stick well. Looks like it would work well when you need to mask off a larger area to prevent over spay. I'll try painting something next hitch home. Heading to work in the early AM.

Clear Left!

Mel

  • Member since
    January 2004
  • From: Newnan, GA
Posted by benzdoc on Monday, February 16, 2004 12:11 PM
I've heard of this stuff before, but was a little skeptical. Thanks for the heads up! And, I think Swanny's warning is really good - go slowly and test it out before giving it a try on an important project.

Thanks Jeff!
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: Pominville, NY
Posted by BlackWolf3945 on Monday, February 16, 2004 12:56 PM
The only true risk in life is not taking one...

Hell, I'll give it a try. But I'll still keep my border tape close by in case the FUBAR fairy makes a call...


Fade to Black...
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 16, 2004 3:57 PM
thanks for the tip! I'll have to try this stuff... got a bunch of kits that need masking!
  • Member since
    January 2003
Posted by Jeff Herne on Monday, February 16, 2004 8:17 PM
Swanny,

I haven't had any glue issues with it, but then again, I don't leave any mask on for any length of time...no more than 30 minutes at most.

If I run into anything, I'll let you know. With regards to the glue, it's obviously of a non-toxic variety, so clean up with an alcohol based solvent should work if deemed necessary.

Jeff
  • Member since
    February 2003
Posted by jkelleycrna on Monday, February 16, 2004 8:37 PM
QUOTE: Originally posted by Swanny

Watch out!!!! The glue on this stuff will stay on your canopies after a length of time, especially if you burnish the edges with a toothpick or something similar. I have also seen canopies physically destroyed by exposure to the glue. This is very risky stuff. I know at first glance it looks good but some modeling friends have been playing with this since it came out and we have all stepped back from the plate - so to speak.


I typically use Bare Metal Foil to mask canopies, and sometimes a residue is left. This comes off easily with "Goo Gone", a citrus-based cleaner available @ Home Depot (applied gently via Q-Tip). I wonder if you've tried following up your finished canopies with this type of stuff, to remove the residue or "glue"? If so, did it have a good result?

JK
"The Beatings Will Continue Until Moral Improves....!" Photobucket - Video and Image Hosting
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 16, 2004 9:32 PM
I havent had sucess with Glad press 'n seal. I found that it often tore when I was trimming it and that it left a nice big old residue on my canopy, and it was on there for a short period. Good thing i didnt try it on a model that I cared for
  • Member since
    January 2003
Posted by Jeff Herne on Monday, February 16, 2004 10:44 PM
Well, I'll gladly post photos of my Gloster Meteor when it's done...I'm sold.

Jeff
  • Member since
    December 2002
  • From: United Kingdom / Belgium
Posted by djmodels1999 on Wednesday, February 18, 2004 6:40 AM
Thanks for the tip, Jeff. Gonna have to ask my friends and family in the US to send me some!
JOIN OUR COMMUNITY!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

SEARCH FORUMS
FREE NEWSLETTER
By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. View our Privacy Policy.