Daddy1 I too found the standard 3M blue tape pulls up paint almost as badly as regular masking tape does so I gave up on the blue tape for a time. Then I found the delicate painters tape by 3M and have had no troubles with it, only trouble I have had with it is it doesnt like to bend around curves very well.

"What you want to look for is the 3M blue tape for delicate surfaces #2080. It is a much lower tack masking tape and should not pull up any paint. The tape has a smoother texture and is a touch lighter color blue. Remember to look for "delicate  surfaces #2080". Great stuff!"

Now I know where I went wrong and what I was actually buying in the past.

Thanks!

delicate 3M? I never knew they made a different type. I'll be sure to grab some next time I'm at a hardware store.....

Oops! Sorry!

I too didn't know there was two types of the blue tape. I have no idea which one mine is. I think it must be the low tack since it's not nearly as sticky as the tan stuff. Also I stick the tape to my hand and pull it off two or three times before putting it on the model to remove some of the tack from it.

The Tamiya brand tape is great stuff too, though it's expensive. I find it works well to use it to mask the edges and then fill in the rest of the area to be masked with the blue masking tape.

Again sorry for the confusion folks.

Hmmm,... Think ive seen blue masking tape at the hardware store a while back. Definately gonna look into it as the tamyia tape is indeed expensive... Thanks for the heads up!

Richard

[quote user="vetteman42"only trouble I have had with it is it doesnt like to bend around curves very well.

[/quote]

 True , it doesn't  bend around corners well . Especially at 1/2 inch wide.  Too bad the 3M tape doesn't come in 1/4 or 1/8  width. 

What I do is tear off a length , lay it along the edge of my work desk with about 1/8 to 1/4 inch of tape over hang. Then with a sharp X-acto blade , cut along the edge of the work bench and there you have a narrow strip that will make an easy curve. 

 I also have an 8x10 picture frame that I will stick the tape down and with a #11 blade , cut narrow strips. 

 For sharper bends use short lengths and work around the bend in sections ,with a little bend each time and overlapping the next strip of tape . Narrow strips of electricians tape works well for bends too ,but there you are back to a bit higher tack tape . Though sticking the tape down on some surface to cut the strips has worked in reducing the tack for me in the past.  Worked great for the scalloped edged between the OD and gray on my Witchcraft  B-24.

 With care not to overstretch and using gentle heat to 'retrain' the memory of the vinyl tape around curves, Electicians tape also makes very realistic deicer boots for the leading edges of wings , stabilizers, and such  in 1/48 scale or larger. Probably too thick for 1/72 , but I usually don't build in that scale so I'm not sure.

Howard

 BTW - Thanks to all . This little foray into the adventures of masking tape seems to be helping with my slump and motivating me to get back to the bench. Weird?  Maybe , but it's helping get past the creative block.

Daddy1 I have tried cutting narrow strips down to as small as 1/32 but still couldn't get it to bend well. I haven't tried the short lengths though so will give that a shot. I have a piece of glass I put the tape on and cut it using a razor blade and a straight edge, usually my 6 inch scale.

vetteman42

Daddy1 I have tried cutting narrow strips down to as small as 1/32 but still couldn't get it to bend well. I haven't tried the short lengths though so will give that a shot. I have a piece of glass I put the tape on and cut it using a razor blade and a straight edge, usually my 6 inch scale.

Depending on the area your masking ,1to 3 inch lengths , overlapped, working around the curve. The old trick of drawing a curved line with nothing but straight lines. Just be sure to burnish down the overlaps well to prevent bleed under. 

 You could also fine tune the curved mask with white glue painted along the edge of the taped line with a fine brush.

Howard

3M does make another Blue masking tape that is vinyl and will corner very well,,, Its not the same as Painters tape. and it comes in small widths..

Made a little more progress and got some color on the Bearcat.

anyone got any ideas on how to glue the elevator fins on without the drying unlevel?

when ever i glue them on i have a great amount of difficulty getting them to dry straight.

the real red baron

anyone got any ideas on how to glue the elevator fins on without the drying unlevel?

when ever i glue them on i have a great amount of difficulty getting them to dry straight.

I use the plastic glue for the main tab join, then once I have them in position a dab a bit of superglue on the end of the join. I also have a cutting mat that has a grid, so I line the elevators up with the grid to ensure a 90* angle if needed.

69GT: Looking good- I love anything in navy blue.

Baron: If you can secure the model so it won't wobble you can put something under them to suppose them as they dry. Just something small like a matchbook if you need to raise one a little more to make it even.

Miss OWL,

I had so much fun with the A10 i thought you might still allow me back in ()with this one..?:

Revell of Germany F5F Tiger in "agressor" markings. 1/48th scale. New box, old monogram F5F in it

Just picked it up today and getting excited about it... Always wanted to do an agressor scheme.

Richard

absolutely kermit! I too love the aggressor camo, and cant wait to see you work your magic!

CallSignOWL

absolutely kermit! I too love the aggressor camo, and cant wait to see you work your magic!

 

Thank you so much But i would not use magic together with my name in one sentence... I prefer calling it "filthy luck"

Richard

Got a little more done.

I apologize for falling behind on my hosting duties 68GT. That is a very nice looking bearcat. Any story behind the special markings?

I actually think these decals come in the newer boxing of this kit.  I got a hold of Microscale 72-218 which has 5 aircraft from CVW-19 and they are all CAG aircraft between 47-67.

These markings are incomplete in the set so I will have to see if I can use some of the originals to the kit.  Aircraft is F8F-1 95320 on the USS Boxer in June of 1947.  Finding that this sheet of decals is not complete and not 100% accurate.  Also has an A-1H, A-7A, F-8J and a F-4B.

Boyz 'n girlz,...

The F5 tigerII is now oficially underway During the past week i have been painting and weathering the office components whenever i had a moment, being busy on multiple projects plus having had a tough week @ work...

This kit just screams Monogram all over and very strongly reminds me of their old and venerable Mig15. Same color of plastic, same "feel" the detail has. But considering it's age i think it can still hold its own against more modern kits. Looking at photo's of the ip the kit provided parts are pretty darn accurate. Taken some pics with a quarter dollar for scale effect

I am also working on the figure even though i am not sure i will add it since it is not a seated pilot...not really planning a dio here.

Thanks for watching

Richard

A serious modeler can never have enough clamps

Richard

nice work on the Tiger, kermit!

68GT the Bearcat is looking great and I like the markings man

Kermit the IP looks very good all Kermified and stuff, well done sir. I do like the F-5s ya know. Hey did I ever tell ya I had an Uncle Kermit ?? He was a machinist on a sub during the tail end of WWII, that's kinda weird too, as he was a big fella at 6' 2" must have been a tight fit for him.

68GT & Kermit: Great work guys!

The Shark is close to done, being dark navy blue I tried a light grey sludge wash. I' m not sure I like it or not.

I was thinking of a black sludge wash.

I tried a black wash on the F9F Panther I did some months ago and it didn't really show against the dark blue. Still the grey may be a little too light, I suppose I need to keep fiddling with it.

finally i got some pics up here, our internet has been running so slow i couldnt even post a comment on FSM.

i got some work done on the landing gear and i wired up the front gear for the first time, i plan to do the same at the back, i also painted the prop and the red tip on the tail.

then i finally got some blue tape and the can of spray paint i needed, so i could paint the bottom of the P-39, i havent finished painting the wheel wells yet.

 

 

there is the same mistake on the opposite side, but the mistake isn't as bad.

im making the "the white ten, flown by Tom Winburn"

The Shark is close to done, being dark navy blue I tried a light grey sludge wash. I' m not sure I like it or not.

You have a picture of the grey wash?  I want a real subtle look and thats why I was thinking black.

68GT: I'll try to snap a photo this evening or tomorrow. Black should work great if you're looking for subtle. On my Panther it was just too subtle- to the point you can't even see it.

Not the best photo but still the black doesn't even show.

Still I guess with a sludge wash if you don't like it you can wash it off right? I've never tried it but it seems like that should work.

The Real Red Baron the P-39 is lookin good, I know that kit is a challenge, but you are beating it into submission.

Gamera sweet looking Panther man !!!

OK I have some WIP pictures to share with ya all. First off I applied a silver base coat and added some rubber cement for paint chipping. Then I preshaded with Tamiya OD which as some my know is quite dark. I also shaded leading edges and low on the fuse where the paint wouldn't fade much.

Then I mixed flat white with the OD for a medium dark and painted the panel centers, well mostly the centers anyways.

Then I added more white for a very faded OD and and thinned it 80% distilled water 20% paint then fogged it on to bring things together. Here's where it is at now.

I will rub the rubber cement off today and play with it bit before clear coating it for decals and further weathering.