Help! on camo

for your masking problem, I would suggest to use Parafilm as masking material, or else
Post it notes. I think any masking tape will pull up an acrylic coat over MM alluminum.
If your camo has some soft edges, you can also airbrush it freehand.

FInally if your motivation for the aluminum coat was to do paint chipping later, then I feel that a moderate paint chipping can be done as well without an aluminum undercoat, using a silver pencil or a small brush with for example Humbrol silver paint.
IMHO an aluminum undercoat is needed only for badly chipped paint jobs, like WWII japanese airplanes, otherwise you dont need it.

best,

Christian.

Are you using the masking tape for a chipping technique? If so this is what I do with good results. When I want to lay down an under-layer of MM Metalizer for a camo scheme, I always prime the bare plastic first with a grey primer, such as Floquil. Just like others have mentioned, MM Metalizer is very fragile and will pull up when masked over. After priming the model I spray the Metalizer, buff,then go on with the acrylic camo scheme. I have found that an enamels are indeed superior for this applicaton. If I don't want to mess with the metalizers I will usually mix MM Chrome Silver with Gloss Black to create the proper metal shade I need.

Thanks guys. yes the problem is getting the camo paint to stick to the metalizer. The metalizer seems to stick fine to the plastic. The problem I have is getting the acrylic top camo to stick to the metalizer. I will try the clear coat. I hate using enamels and the metalizer because of the smell. yuk I was thinking I might try and buff the metalizer before I spray the camo. I just tried using laquer thinner with Tamiya paint on top of the metalizer it also pulled off ugg. I put the masking tape on my pants first, to take some of the tack off and it helped alot. Thanks again.

Music, I think he was referring to the camo layer coming off not the metalizer layer. Not sure though. Acrylics are ntotrious for not sticking well at all. You should consider switching to enamels, or coat each layer of sprayed camo with a clear coat of sorts first. metalizer lacquer-> camo #1-> clear coat->camo #2-> clear coat-> camo #3 etc.

Are you talking about MM Metalizer laquers? If so they are notorious for pulling up and not sticking well. I've had relatively good luck with masking them if I 1) Make certain the surface is absolutely free of grease before spraying the metalizer, 2) Spray a light coat of Future over the metalizer before masking (although this does somewhat reduce the sheen), and 3) Use very low-tack masking tape. Even then it's a crap shoot as to whether the metalizer will pull up or not but usually it works pretty well.

Alclad metalizers work much better than MM metalizers. They stick well and can be masked with no problem.