Masking Canopies- HELP!

My method which I've been using for a number of years with great results:
I cover the canopy with Bare Metal Foil.
Burnish it down using a Q-Tip
Using a brand spanking new #11 X-Acto I carefully score around the frame using just the weight of the knife.
Using the tip of the blade or tweezers remove foil from frame and I'm ready to paint.
Afterwards I remove the foil from the "glass" with a round toothpick. The point of the toothpick is sharp but won't mar the plastic any because the wood is softer than the styrene.
There are many other methods out there which others swear by and I've tried most of them. Many of them have worked well but I always come back to this one.

Never tried the foil method, but I think I will try it. My method is a little time consuming but it works for me. I mask one rail at a time and paint it. I tried to mask each panel but never had much success. I do all the frames going across then the ones going front to back. Like I said a little time consuming but it works for me.

Thanks guys I will try both I think. I'm just not sure if my hobby shop carries bare metal foil.

Thanks,
BAR

As an addition, I first mask the bulk of the canopy with masking tape then get the edges with bare metal foil. I find I have some trouble getting foil off sometimes and occasionally scratch the plastic. Masking tape eliminates that problem.

Hey Folks
Has anybody besides myself used "Frisket Paper(film)"to mask canopies.Cut with new #11 blade as bare metal foil but you can see the frame as Frisket is clear and it pulls right off .If residue is left behind "Goo Gone" cleans it off clear as a bell.
Teise

Here's still another method I use all the time. I take a cheap brand of masking tape from Walmart (the last kind was a 3M product, I think). Find some that's pretty low tack, if possible. The I use a straight edge and sharp x-acto knife and cut thin strips of the tape. I put these on the window parts, making an outline. Cut the overlap with a new x-acto blade. Then I fill in the center with liquid mask. Don't know if I'm explaining this clearly, but you use the thin strips of masking tape to cover the edge of the windows near the framing. Then the liquid mask fills in the center. If you cut the strips thin enough, you can even get them to bend around curves, like the round edges on B-17 windows. I've masked Spitfires and P-51 canopies using the same technique. The key is a sharp knife blade to keep the edges of the tape strip "clean," and a sharp knife to cut the strips to the right length once they are installed. Just a light pressure will cut through, if the masking tape strip is little enough. The process is very time consuming and tedious, but I've had good results. On the other hand, a company called Black Magic makes a lot of precut masks for many different kits. Meteor Productions sells them and they have a website.

Thanks all. I have a few ideas now and I may combine a few

checkmateking02, That is the method I use. I found a tool at Hobby Lobby that makes, making micro strips of masking tape a breeze. It has two parallel blades that adjust in and out when you turn a dial. It's like being able to buy 1/32inch (or any other width for that matter) wide masking tape. I know Micro Mark sells them but theirs are more expensive.

Hey Bar;
Here is another type of masking I use and I've had great results I use liquid masking, when I start a kit I apply the masking to the canopies and let them dry then appy a second coat just incase the agent backed away from some spots, then when I'm ready to paint I just cut the frames away and paint, and it's a little bit cheaper the metal foil and 1 bottle will last years
Ugly Butt Well Hung; Hawgs
cuda

Hi, Woody:
thanks for the tip about the special tool. I'll have to check around. There's a Hobby Lobby about an hour and a half away in LaCrosse, WI. It sounds like it would be simpler than a ruler and an xacto.

You are right about, it being easier than a knife and ruler. Another plus is that you can cut curved strips instead of trying to bend straight pieces of tape around a curved canopy frame. You just stick wide tape on your self healing mat and free hand cut or follow pencil lines that you have drawn. A draftsmans circle templet is ideal for this(also available at Hobby Lobby)!