Masking Up the Castrol Mugen NSX..beginner needs help!

Hi All,

I'm part way through the Tamiya 24th Castrol Mugen NSX which has been sittin up in my cupboard for god knows how long so time to get it built. Now I've got the proper tamiya colours for painting the body but the masking business all looks a bit daunting. The main body colour is black, with a small white stripe around the middle of the front fasica, followed by green skirting the fasica and rocker covers/side panels. As well as the lid being green.

I have this great big feeling that I'm going to cock it up... so any pointers on what to do, what masking tape to use etc would be good... :)

Thanks

You have to use a light adhesive masking tape. Also not as wide. They have some out there that are 1/4 to 1/8" in width.

What I suggest to make it easy for you would be one of two things.

Approach 1: With the thin masking tape, using two pieces, create the shape of the stripe.

Ex. -------------------
-------------------

By creating the shape of the stripe, you will paint within the lines so to speak. (Here's where the coloring book practice comes in.:D So stay in the lines.) With broad yet soft brush and using as minimal strokes as possible, paint the stripe within the lines provided by the tape. You want the finish to match the rest of the body and have that spray painted look.


Approach 2: This one is a bit more complicated and can mess up the model if not done correctly so be careful. Get some paper. Using the diagram of the car draw on the paper the shape of the stripe. Then, cut the paper so that the space between the lines(stripe) is cut out. You might want to cut the paper in two just to make it easier when you lay it over the car. Apply the masking tape so that 1/8" comes passed the edge of the paper and adheres to the car. Now you should have the body of the car covered with the paper and only the part that will be the stripe is exposed. You can now use spray paint to color in the stripe. Once done, let the paint dry and set. Do not remove the maskine tape until it is fully set. I know this sounds complicated, but if done right, will produce magnificent results every time.

Nice kit, and welcome to AF! :D

Warrren, a.k.a. primera man, had already make this kit, and his looks great, so I'm sure he'll give you some tips next time he gets on here... :cool: This kit is also in my "to do" pile, so I just dug out the instructions...

So, here's some pointers before the "expert advice:"

Use Tamiya brand masking tape if you can get it. It's high-quality stuff.

Do as much masking as possible before doing any of the decals. Tape can peel up decals, and that's bad news... :(

Did you already glue the air dam to the body? If not, the job should be somewhat easier.

In any case spray your colors in order from lightest to darkest.

For the air dam, which is molded in black, it seems to me that the easiest way to do it would be:
1. Primer it white
2. Paint it "pure white," the color of the stripe
3. Mask off the top part, and spray the bottom green
4. Mask off the bottom part and spray the top black
5. Detail the corner lights with flourescent red with a brush.

Uhh... Now I'm confused... :confused: the pics show a flourescent red stripe around the front of the car, but it isn't called out to be painted that way anywhere in the instructions, that I can find... Is that a mistake?

Help, Warren!!! :eek:

This is the hardest bit of the kit to do and it takes a bit of time.

Spray the whole piece in undercoat first.
Then your finish coat of white.
Using Tamiya masking tape you then have to paint the green. Mask a straight line where the green will go and carefully mask of the whole area that you dont want to paint. This is the worse bit as you have to try and mask around alot of the spoiler struts.
Paint it green.
The next bit is to do the black. Mask a straight line through the middle of the headlights and right around the sides that are to be painted black.
You have to mask this of very carefully again so you dont over spray on to the white and green.

When you have finished spraying, the red decal covers up the line between the white and black. Make sure you lightly sand the "ridge" of paint of as it will show though the decal.

Its hard to do...i had 3 goes at getting the green line just right.
Make sure you use Tamiya Tape...as its the best to ese.

Havent got my dig-camera here at the moment ,but this is 1 photo

might have to put this one in the cupboard and make a few more easier ones to get back into the hobby me thinks ! sounds quite a mission to get it right :( then again I won't be able to help myself so looks like I'll have to have a crack at it.

Thanks heaps for the help, I'll have to scout out some of that Tamiya Tape.

Warren - that one you've done looks awesome :)

Keep going at it.
If you try hard enough it well turn out OK.

this will show my absolute pleb-ness at this whole modelling deal.

What grit sand paper should I deal to the paint ridge with. 1000 ? wet sanding I take it ?


Ta very much

Originally posted by Kiwi_Z

What grit sand paper should I deal to the paint ridge with. 1000 ? wet sanding I take it ?


No! Polish it out with compund! Paper would be too severe for that!

Originally posted by Guiddy


No! Polish it out with compund! Paper would be too severe for that!

If you very lighty rub with the wet n dry and then use rubbing compound iy well take the sanding marks out if the compound doesn't.

Looks like we differ over this Dan !!!!

ta guys.. will have to post pics as I move along with it.. I'm sorely tempted to do some weathering to give it that raced in look. Racecars just look that much better with brake dust piling up in the alloys ....

Heh good thing you don't have to clean models.. bloody corrosive stuff some of the dust. The ones on my (real) car are looking in need of a bit of a polish. Damnnit... clean the Z or work on the model this weekend????

Choices choices

Finally got back to posting some pics for you.

.

...

Wow that looks awesome.. hopefully mine will turn out like that soon. More or less finished the underside and am onto the cockpit as well as primered the body.

Think I'm going to have to get an airbrush before I get onto the wing. Spotted a good one on Hobby City for $300, quite a bit of dosh but one of those things I guess..

Good to see your still having a go at the kit.

That price doesn't sound to bad.
I dont own one yet, just use cans all the time.

finished the masking and painting of the green bits tonight. Holy beejezuus.. had a bad day at work, thought I would work on the model to ahem destress... well.... after 2 hrs wth of masking the frickin body, in particular that front fascia the destress theory went out the window. I was getting particularly infuriated with masking the line round the lower air dam. Grrrr..

Looked brilliant after the spray though once the masking tape came off and it made it worthwhile.. I got the lines pretty darned clean, the odd bit of overspray where I wasn't quite careful enough, but hey ..

Pleasantly surprised if you will !

Next step.. out comes the black spray.. I haven't quite figured out how I'm going to do this, maybe a 2 part deal, spray all the parts and holes, then attach parts then spray all over.. sounds like a good theory.

Now Warren.. how the heck do you get that orange peel free finish ?

Hey, Warren, when you painted the clear red and orange on the taillights, did you do it freehand, or did you try to mask it? I'm itching to try and mask it, but it's going to be facking hard!!! :eek:

http://www.automotiveforums.com/vbulletin/attachment.php?s=&postid=76280

I done it free hand.
I only masked up the square "backing lights"

If i remember there is a very fine line that you can follow.
I always do the red first then the orange last.
The orange can get onto the red and not show through.

Sometimes i do the red first, then paint the whole light with the orange over the top of everything. It gives the red a darker look.

Thanks! :coolguy: