Circle templates for painting wheels?

Oh heck yeah larry.. Thats the only way to paint 'em... When you got to the art store head back where they sell the drafting supplies... Rulers, squares and the sort. There ought to be a selection of circle templates there.. At Hob Lob the have about a 8x10 square with about 2 dozen different size holes in it for a few bucks.

Just paint your wheels the color of the rubber then find the hole that just fits over the inside rim of the wheel. Mask off the surrounding holes and shoot it with the airbrush... Fast and easy...

Ok, thanks Kenneth -- I've always done it by hand, but thought I'd try the wheel mask mthod -- but the Eduard masks are just not very good. My wheels are already black, and I'll probably start painting over the next few days, so ....

Yes I always use it. I use a cutting compass to cut circles into paper or masking tape and it works great!
Ciao
Fabio

I haven't had much luck with this. It takes time to mask the holes in the template you aren't using, none of the holes EVER fits the wheel, and I don't seem to be able to hold the circle template on the wheel without it sliding around and getting spray on the tire anyway! Maybe I just need to practice a bit.

Larry, you might want to pick up a metric as well as an inch type template, if you can find one. I haven't had any luck finding a metric one here in the States. In fact, it's getting harder and harder to find drafting supplies. Everything's gone CAD now and a lot of places aren't carrying drafting stuff anymore.

Good luck. Let us know what you find.

That was my concern too, Bill -- finding the right circle size. I don't mind masking over the other holes so much. I'll just use some wide packing tape, or whatever is handy.

I'm off to an art supply store in midtown Manhattan, where I work, soon -- will update as requested!

My problem with the masking is that I'm so anal, I mask both sides, as well as getting as close to the desired hole as I can so that my template doesn't get all painted up. Not much point in even using it with that kind of an attitude!! lol

Bill

QUOTE: Originally posted by wipw so that my template doesn't get all painted up.

Not an issue for me, Bill. You should see my basement floor. [:0] (It's just bare stone.)

I got two sets of circle templates at the art supply store at lunch -- one metric and one imperial.

Bill, you may be able to find the metric one online -- the item is Pickett Metric Circle Master, item 1304i. The one I got is the second one on this website:
http://www.artstuff.net/pickett_metric_circles.htm

Come on! One of these circle's gotta be right!

Thanks, Larry. I'll give it a look.

Bill

I use a cirlce template. It cost me about 2 dollars, maybe 3. If I get a little paint on it I really dont care

I put a little bit of tape around the circle I am using incase there is any overspray, but it is minimal.

If the opening for the tire is a little to big, do not worry... you will not notice it. I painted these panther tires all black while they were on the sprue. Then I cleaned them up of any flash and touched up the black paint. I found the best fitting circle in my template, and sprayed the rim in a circular motion with my airbrush.

The overspray on the tire is not visible (the circle was a teeney bit too large). Give it a shot and you should have great results on the first try

QUOTE: Originally posted by scoccia Yes I always use it. I use a cutting compass to cut circles into paper or masking tape and it works great! Ciao Fabio

. But I use an acetate(for the overhead projector) so that it's more rigid. I cut the diameter of the wheel into them & viola, you got yourself a mask for the wheels.

I have the same luck as Wipw, none of the wheels that I have had so far fit. May have to try a metric one.

Which works easier- circle template or sharpie pen? I haven't tried either, but they look promising.

Sharpies skip a lot. Act like they are old, dried up pens, and they are brand new. Still, if you can keep them flowing, the pens have to be easier because you don't have the masking or the airbrush clean up. When they work, they are fantastic and very fast!

Bill

Larry-

I was confronted with this problem about two weeks ago. I'm working on a DML Panther D. I went to Office Max and bought two different sized circle templates. I used both of them. In about 2 hours time, from start to finish, I had 24 roadwheels fully painted and ready for the next step, which for me was to spray some clear lacquer on them in preparation for weathering.

I think I spent about $6 on the two templates. As far as I'm concerned it was money well spent. Now of course on the next kit I build I may not be so fortunate to get everything to line up right. But for now I'm batting 1 for 1!

Glenn