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I am getting ready to paint the wheels on a Tamiya 1:35 M-2 Bradley AFV. The hubs should be olive drab and the rims should be black. I was planning on painting the olive first and then the rims. I was hoping there was a technique that could mask the hubs and produce a nice sharp edge to the rims when I spray paint them. I thought of maybe covering the hubs with an appropriately sized small coin or button, but I haven't been able to find a good fit (and I haven't been able to think of how to fix them in place without harming the underlying paint or primer).
Is there a common technique for masking many small circular areas so I can spray them all at once and get a nice effect?
Thank you for any help!
Paint the rubber sections first then use a circle template to mask off the center wheel area...then spray!
http://hawkeyes-squawkbox.com/2010/02/09/painting-with-a-circle-template/
http://hawkeyes-squawkbox.com/2011/02/13/painting-noses-spinners-and-cones/
Gerald "Hawkeye" Voigt
http://hawkeyes-squawkbox.com/
"Its not the workbench that makes the model, it is the modeler at the workbench."
Maybe not all at once, but Hawkeye's draftsman's circle template (about $5 or less) is what I use as well. It has enough different diameters that you can get a pretty good fit on the hubs and spray the main color after spraying with the rubber or black for the tire. I use a latex glove, hold the wheel flush, spray, then move on to the next one. On my Tiger 1 (a LOT of wheels) I think it took about 5 minutes to do all the spraying of the wheels.
Matt - IPMS #46275
"Build what ya love and love what ya build..."
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Great ideas - thank you!
Circle template, AB and there you go. There really isn't any easier, or cleaner method that is faster.
Quick Wheel of Poland has wheel masks for this purpose.
Whats the web site
although aircraft wheels are smaller the technique may still work....
I use thinned flat black for the tires first. Just dab the brush close to the rim and capillary action will follow the edge...do this a few times to build up the color then fill in the larger areas with full strength paint. If it works on the small wheels on larger ones should be even better!!!
good luck...oh and this technique sould also work anywhere else you have a raised edge.
carlos
Its also a good point to note that when objects are repainted in the field, many times than not there is overspray on the rubber parts. These guys weren't working in a nice sterile factory or auto body shop when painting.
HawkeyeHobbies Paint the rubber sections first then use a circle template to mask off the center wheel area...then spray! http://hawkeyes-squawkbox.com/2010/02/09/painting-with-a-circle-template/ http://hawkeyes-squawkbox.com/2011/02/13/painting-noses-spinners-and-cones/
Works every time!
Too many models to build, not enough time in a lifetime!!
HawkeyeHobbies Its also a good point to note that when objects are repainted in the field, many times than not there is overspray on the rubber parts. These guys weren't working in a nice sterile factory or auto body shop when painting.
Check out the road wheels on this USMC M1A1 Abrams - looks like it's not long out of the paint shop.
http://svsm.org/gallery/m1a1abramsjh3/DSC07264http://svsm.org/gallery/m1a1abramsjh3/DSC07272
Great results after a little practice! I'm using a spray can and my control is not so great. At first I was applying too much at one time and it was running outside the circle. After a few flubs, though, I was able to get the hang of it and get the can to apply a light layer and let it dry a bit. After 3 passes on all the wheels I had built up enough color and almost no spill over.
Thanks for the advice!
I just tried the circle template technique on my Jagdpather's road wheels. Got the template at Hobby Lobby while I was executing a 40% off coupon on another kit. Worked great.
I painted everything with a flat black primer base coat then used the template. I used blue painter's tape to mask off the circle patterns I was not using. This forum is the best source for model advice.
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