Nathan T
Gary, yes I have. Ez masks are vinyl, and can basically only be positioned once, as they are more tacky and less forgiving. I also think Eduard's masks do consistently fit the model they are made for better than EZ masks. Also, Eduard usually includes other masks in their sets such as wheels and even some for landing lights, radar panels, etc...However, for some kits EZ mask is the only game in town.
Thanks for the info Nathan. I found that if I dipped the EZ masks into a bit of water/dish detergent solution before application, they were much easier to position, and was even able to stretch them a little to get a better fit if needed. I still need to try an Eduard mask. You are so right however that EZ is often the only one available.
I've spoken with the owner, Chris Loney, on the phone and he told me that the masks are designed after much fitting and tweaking to get them right. I also lobbied hard for a set for Monogram's 1/48 Hind; might just see a set from Chris someday. The canopies on that bird do intimidate me some. The EZ masks are also quite affordable, enabling me to buy a set for many of the kits in my stash.
Gary
Edited to add:
Just to expand on my comments somewhat, here's some info regarding the EZ masks taken from their website:
Using scraps of this vinyl for masking for more than three years by the traditional methods of cutting and fitting I could see benefits from the material itself in addition to the obvious advantages of a machine precutting them. This material has a very persistent adhesive (I have always had problems with tapes eventually lifting, whereas this seems to stay put indefinitely.) Conversely, it lifts relatively easily when you need to remove it. It is also waterproof which means you can wet -sand after applying it, without affecting its adhesion.
It seems tougher than most tapes which means it will stand better when you must sand near it. There is one thing to bear in mind and that is that this vinyl stretches and this can be either a problem or a benefit depending on how careful you with it. As the adhesive is very strong once it sticks, it sticks; if you get it in the wrong place and try to pull it off, you run the risk of stretching it out of shape and ruining it. On the other hand, if you are out only slightly, you can stretch it into position, if you use care. A wooden toothpick is helpful here. To help prevent the piece sticking too soon, you can lubricate either the kit piece or the vinyl itself with water containing a bit of liquid soap ( after you lift the piece with tweezers, just dip it right into the water.) This will allow you to slide the vinyl into position like a decal and it will stick once the water evaporates or it is squeezed out from beneath. This meets with skepticism from some people but it does work! . Once you get used to working with them, you can speed things up by applying them dry. I expected to hear modelers having many problems at first but surprisingly it seems everyone catches on quickly. Good pointed tweezers are the key tools to use and an extremely sharp knife for lifting or cutting. I apply from a corner if possible working along one edge up a second edge then across the part.
I recommend saving your scraps either to touch up misplaced pieces or to use on other masking jobs. A number of people including myself have used this material to mask for painted on markings without any problems although if left on too long I'm afraid you will lift the paint. I have been using a barrier coat of Tamiya Clear dried overnight and getting the mask off as quickly as possible. The stretchability of this material is terrific for working around compound curves for stripes. Although this material is being offered by others as masks for camouflage, I don't see this as a very easy material to apply in the correct place for this type of work, I don' t see it as being affordable, and I certainly don't want to be on the receiving end when somebody loses half of their beautiful paint job removing the mask!