masking dry time

When I owned an airplane and had it painted by a pro shop, I was able to observe most of the process. The paint used was Imron, a polyurethane, which appeared to be a rather thin viscosity, it flowed out to set up as extremely glossy and smooth.

I noticed they kept touching the last coat, in areas where it was on the masking. In just several minutes, they felt that the paint had set up enough to pull the masking tape.

So, like you observed, if the paint is allowed to set up too much it becomes a bit brittle, and pulling the mask away does result in chipping and flakes. They explained that when the paint on the mask feels just about to turn tacky and not stick to your finger, it has set up enough to not run away from the mask edge, but will allow the paint to remain.

Hope it helps.

Patrick 

I never have experienced any issues when removing masking tape and usually remove it by the next day. Depending what I'm doing, the masking may stay on for days at a time specially on canopies.

I shoot away from the tape line so the paint is not forced under it. I also shoot light coats to build up the color. I could see an issue if a heavy coat is sprayed and a build up happens along the tape line.

I always wait till the next day.  If the paint is applied properly and not too thick there should be no splintering on the edge.   Remember light coats are always better than one heavy coat.

Very experienced modelers have a lot of patience.

After removing the tape immediately blow off any paint flakes on the model that are bound to fall off the tape itself.

Depending on the mask work and drying time. I usually wait until the next day but sometimes after they're completely dried to the touch.

After I put on the masking, I run a bead of Future along the edge to seal it against any paint leaking under it.  I allow about 1/2 hr for the Future to set up, then spray the paint, and and soon as it is dry to the touch, I pull off the mask.  This has always worked well for me.

For me it depends on a number of factors.  Are you applying multiple coats?  Are you masking for several different colors?  If it is a simple stripe or something, so I am only spraying one coat of each of two colors, I will remove the masking very soon after the painting is finished.  If the painting involves several coats, or multiple colors, I may have the masking on for a week or longer.  With good tape, this should be no problem.  Chipping seems to happen more with multiple coats building up a thicker paint film.  In that case you can run a new blade softly along the masked edge to help prevent chipping, but this takes a steady hand.

Just like Don and PJ, i willoften l;eave the mask on for quite some time, especially if there are multipul colours. This is especially true when i have masked off the underside. But oncethe last coat is on, i will remove the mask as soon as i can. I have done it at the spray booth straight after sp[raying, it just depends if i can hold the model to do it.