Masking tapes, cleaning and priming.

I painted car kits long, long ago (just started up again) and worked in the automotive field for years. What I've used with good luck is the automotive masking tape made by 3M and also those thin rolls of pinstriping tapes. I've even tried some of those masking films a few times.

I spray enamels, I'll lift the tape off before the paint totally dries. I found removing the tape while the paint is still tacky (well, more on the wet side) gives me cleaner/sharper edges. If I happen to leave it on too long, shame on me LOL, then I score the edge.

I wash "all" the parts with a dish detergent before I start building and rinse really well. Right before spraying the body or any other parts, I wipe it down using a lint free cloth and some Isopropyl Alcohol.

I only use primer in a few cases. If I had to do body work so I can check for the finish quality before the color paint goes on. Or if the plastic kit is a funky color and I know my paint color won't cover it very well. You know, some of those kits might come molded in yellow or red and I want to paint it light blue or white (just examples of colors).

Just my old way of doing things.

I swear by the Tamiya masking tape. I also use the blue painters masking tape for covering larger areas. I always put the tape on my shirt or pants a few times to reduce the "tackiness" so I don;t lift any paint. (If you do this, be careful with lint.)

I prefer to prime my models with a nuetral color, enamel primer becuase i primarily use acrylics. Tamiya, especially, acrylics lift off real easy without a good primed surface. Model Master acrylics seem to have a better bite on bare plastic, but that's just my observation.

A good wash with warm water and dish soap is always a good first step, to remove any mold release (oils) from a fresh kit.

Thanks for the info regarding the masking tape techniques.  That's one thing I never did much of.  I took a lot of short cuts using solid colored decal sheets.  Yah, I know, that's cheating.

Vinny, Nikita is quite a handsom looking dog.  Pretty blue eyes!  Looks like a real sweet friend.

I always thought I was the only one who washed their models.  I always found a lot of modelers weren't familiar with injection molding and the issue of mold releases.

One thing I've never done was prime.  And yah, I have some models with crazy colors which I'm going to have to put white down on.  Why they don't use white all around is beyond me.  It's the esiest to cover with any paint.

Jim, I was actually going to use some of the automotive stuff.  I was always told I could go wrong with the 3M, badger, automotive tapes along with the Tamiya tapes.

Thanks for charing fellas!
Cheers.
John

John,

 

If you ain't cheatin', you ain't trying

The 3M automotive tape was designed for use in painting, and since I used it alot in my job I use it in my hobby. It's pretty cheap and comes in many sizes.

Be careful of the pinstriping tape, the glue doesn't always like to let go of the project. Sticking it a few times on your shirt or pants leg helps cut down on the stickiness.

Also I'll burnish the edge of the tape and sometimes cut a new clean edge on the tape before applying it too the project.

One important thing to remember... the coat of paint that you are applying the tape on to must be dry.

Jim,

Thanks for the info.  Now the pinstriping tape you're refering to, that's not a masking tape like the 3M right?  The colored pinstripe tape is something used for applying your stripes on cars rather than painting them?  Hense the adhesive not wanting to let go right?

I was checking out the paper mask too.  Hows that to work with?  Smooth it out, draw your design, razor cut out your design, paint, remove and bam! 

Do you use the automotive paints for your models at all?   (Lacqors)

So applying various layers of light coats to prevent the heavy and creeping of paint.  That makes sence.

Thanks again!
John

Hey John,

Yes, the pinstriping tape is the stuff used for decorating your car. It comes in all sorts of colors, but more importantly, the sizes and it is "very" flexible. So I can really bend the narrow sizes for some tight contours and shapes. Just remember to work off some of the stickiness and let your models underlying paint dry thoroughly before applying the tape. Better yet, you can also get the pinstriping tape meant for paint design layout, look here.

I've used, I think it was call "frisket film", it comes in different size sheets and rolls for masking. And yes, I would smooth it out, draw my design, carefully cut the lines with a #11 blade (not much pressure needed), remove a section, paint, let dry, put that mask section back, remove the next and paint, etc... until the design is finished. Takes a long time with enamels. I'm looking into trying "Auto Air Colors" or something similar.

I've used automotive paints for my models many times. I've gotten away from lacquers (to toxic and you have to primer the model really well or it might melt). I prefer using some of the fast drying enamels now. Almost anything that I can pickup in a touchup spray can. Even regular spray paints in the hardware section, such as Krylon works.

I do spray light even coats. Usually this is my routine -

• Primer, let dry for a few days.
• 2 to 3 mist coats, let dry for a few days, lightly wet sand (800 to 1200 grit).
• 2 wet color coats, let dry for a few weeks, check for imperfections, if any, wetsand with 1200 or finer grit (2000) or Crest toothpaste (or polishing compound).
• Possibly another 1 or 2 wet color coats of paint depending on how bad it looked after the above step.
• Then wax.

But I have also completed the painting in one day and it came out just as nice.

• Mist coat, 30 minutes later another mist coat.
• 3 hours later a semi-wet color coat.
• 3-6 hours later another semi-wet color coat.
• A few weeks to dry, sand and/or polish and wax.

My prefered products (Mequiar's mostly) -

Wax:
Mequiar's - Professional Paste Wax [Mirror Glaze 16] or Gold Class Clear Coat Car Wax.
Polish:
Mequiar's - Body Shop Professional Hand Polish or Show Car Glaze or 3M Imperial Hand Glaze or Imperial Microfinishing Glaze.
Compound: (for removing nasty scratches)
3M Imperial Microfinishing Compound or 3M Perfect-It II Rubbing Compounds

NOTE:
Links supplied are for reference only, not for best price shopping.

Hope that helps some with my old ways...

Wow!  Lot's of info and help.  Thanks so much for taking the time to reply.  You shed some light on some things I never really thought about let alone knew.  Very helpful, thank you!

This forum has been the most helpful out there.  Everyone, like yourself, has been a wealth of information.  You can learn a lot from a few posts.  I'll be able to adapt a lot of the techniques for doing antique furniture too. 

I need to pick up one more air compresser, and double action airbrush and get ready for spring!

Thank you again for the help and everyone else.  I'm very greatful.

Kind regards always,
John

I'm glad John that some of my strange ways of doing things helped you out.

I started building models when I was a kid, about 8 years old (back around 1967), and didn't have much allowance to work with. So I learned some tricks from my older cousin who was into restoring cars and the guy at the LHS. So I started raiding Dad's car products. After working with 1:1 cars for my job, I learned which products gave better results and now use those on my car models. Sometimes I drive the guys nuts at the parts store... "No, no, I want the smallest size bottle you have." Hehe

I too am finding tons of useful info and helpful tips from this great forum. It's helping me take my modeling skills to a new and higher level.

Furniture? Ever use polyurethane? Have you tried the water-based polyurethane? That stuff is great! Carver-Tripp Safe & Simple was the brand I used (from Home Depot). 

Happy Modeling