Removing masking tape residue

oldermodelguy

To me in this case I question if it's residue. You gotta really read the OP and see what he's done. I mean sanding and it's still there ?

Yup.  The OP said he has tried all kinds of different solvents, including a fairly powerful one (Goo Gone) and none of them have worked.  That's why I mentioned the suspected chemical reaction with the Tamiya tape.  I have had this exact thing happen, multiple times, and that was on fully-cured paint.  You can see a slight discoloration/change in sheen to the paint in the exact area the tape was.  Nothing removes it.  The only way that I have found to get rid of it, is to just not use their tape for masking and prevent the issue in the first place.  Its weird, because I don't recall having those issues further back in my modeling history, so maybe something has changed with the adhesive they're using.  It was a mishap like this on my recent F-4B build that caused me to get away from using Tamiya's vinyl masking tape altogether.  Thought it was just my imagination on a previous build where I ran into the same thing.  I had to repaint that section to make it look right, and that time I masked with their masking sticker sheet material.  No more issues, and no issues with that since, so its all I use now.  Just a comment on the post suggesting the use of isopropyl alchohol to remove tape residue...I use 99% isopropyl alcohol as a paint stripper for ANY kind of model paint.  It removes lacquers, enamels, and water-based acrylics.  Starts damaging them almost immediately on contact.  I definitely wouldn't go rubbing at a painted surface with it unless I wanted to remove paint.

Tanker-Builder

Hmmmm:

       If it only wasn't Tamiya Acrylic. If it was any other paint.I don't know, But, I have successfully used Mineral Spirits gently on and in situations like this.Only if the paint has sat for a couple of days though. The Item, Plain old Mineral Spirits!Only! Not paint Thinner or Brush Cleaner!

       I have successfully used The aforementioned Spitits to clean Tape residue off an item painted with CraftHouse Acrylics!

 

Same here,mineral spirits. If it's tape residue and not something else though. To me in this case I question if it's residue. You gotta really read the OP and see what he's done. I mean sanding and it's still there ?

Hmmmm:

       If it only wasn't Tamiya Acrylic. If it was any other paint.I don't know, But, I have successfully used Mineral Spirits gently on and in situations like this.Only if the paint has sat for a couple of days though. The Item, Plain old Mineral Spirits!Only! Not paint Thinner or Brush Cleaner!

       I have successfully used The aforementioned Spitits to clean Tape residue off an item painted with CraftHouse Acrylics!

I use the iso for removing tape residue.  I  use it on enamel and lacquer.  Never tried it on acrylic.

Odeman

Used Tamiya acrylic paint and some Tamiya tape to mask so I could paint the window frames black. Overnight and when I removed the tape there was residue everywhere. Tried Goo-gone, WD-40, soaking in dawn and 2000 grit sand paper... Its all still there!

 

 

So it's not residue if non of that works, the tape basically embossed the paint or impressed it. Tamiya acrylic is dry to touch in minutes but is not cured through for a few days unless you use a paint dryer/dehydrator. IE, it's soft deeper down below the skin until dried/cured through. Much like enamel except enamel takes ever longer. Plus when you tape and get your second color on, pull the tape as soon as it's touch dry, so within an hour, or two at the most, ten- thirty minutes is even better. Not overnight.

The adhesive side of the tape has a microscopic texture to it, that's what you're seeing in your new finish, perhaps magnified even. What looks like residue clearly is not.But it's impressed into the paint disfiguring it.

Also detack your tape, I use the back of my hand, I apply the tape there,pull it off then apply to the model. I've gotten away with blue painters tape doing that. I would lay my tape out on glass, draw basically a stencil, cut it out with a razor blade, pull it off the glass, touch to the back of my hand and apply. Spray, 15 minutes or so later pull it off the model. That was in my hay day, today I don't get into builds that need that. I'll build a 36 Ford for instance, straight from the box. All stock usually. I did hand cut stencils in 1/1 as well, that was before the big commercial decals came along and the logos were painted back then.

I have had this happen with Tamiya tape so many times that its really not worth the risk anymore.  Both their vinyl and paper tapes have caused issues, and it doesn't appear to be a residue.  It almost seems as if the adhesive has somehow chemically reacted with the paint underneath, as the only way to get rid of those blemishes is either wet sanding and repainting that spot or to just start over again.  Got tired of the unpredictability, so I started using Tamiya's masking sticker sheets instead.  I've gotta say that those are superior to any kind of masking tape, in every way, and I have yet to see them leave residue or chemically react with the paint.  About all I use Tamiya tape for anymore is to mask metal landing gear struts after I polish them.

Odeman

Used Tamiya acrylic paint and some Tamiya tape to mask so I could paint the window frames black. Overnight and when I removed the tape there was residue everywhere. Tried Goo-gone, WD-40, soaking in dawn and 2000 grit sand paper... Its all still there!

I've never had that happen with Tamiya tape, but I have had 3M's blue painter's tape leave a residue.  A Q-tip dipped in a weak ammonia solution (like Windex) was all it took to remove the residue  It didn't damage surrounding color, either.

Odeman

Used Tamiya acrylic paint and some Tamiya tape to mask so I could paint the window frames black. Overnight and when I removed the tape there was residue everywhere. Tried Goo-gone, WD-40, soaking in dawn and 2000 grit sand paper... Its all still there!

 

 I use Isopropyl Alcohol rubbing alcohol on my 3d printer bed to remove residue from the filament it works wonders on a lot of things and does not harm them