I need help bad...

I tried to mask off parts of the dashboard and the seats for the RX-7 I am building, but i'm having a really difficult time. I am using Tamiya masking tape. How do you guys tape off very detailed objects? Any and all help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

Make sure you press down the edges real well. Work with multiple pieces of tape. If you're working around a curve, tack down the edges as you go along (ie... tack down 5 mm of edge, curve tape in desired direction, tack down the next 5 mm of edge, etc)

Take your time!

One problem I'm having though, is that I need to get it into really small spces, around 2 or 3 mm and it has to go over a bend in that same are, but the tape is really thinck and it doesn't stick that well so it just unbends itself and lays flat. Also, I keep cutting through and leaving scratches in the paint that's already on the pieces. I guess it will just take practice to keep from doing that though.

I had the same issue too, which was my reason for using a marker pen or hand painting window trim.

Anyway it looks like tamiya tape is the best to use (thin)

You can use a liquid mask, or blue tack as well. Or mask as close as possible then fill it n with a brush.

I wasn't aware there was such thing as liquid mask. I will have to check into that.

Originally posted by DanSmith
How do you guys tape off very detailed objects?

I use Humbrol Maskol (liquid Mask) smell shit, but very usefull :D

Modeler's makes the best stuff I've tried. It does not work with enamel paints. Enamels eat through it. but if you are using lacquer or acrylics this is the best stuff.

http://www.hobbyfan.com/product_info.php/cPath/138/products_id/1395?HOBBYID=b51b0f74ffb232c4bc98e8a4fabb40f8

Thanks guys. This liquid mask stuff sounds like it's just what I need.

Even Elmer's blue gel glue works good as a liquid mask.:)

Pman has a good faq up about doing it with (tamiya?) tape

and the tamiya website some guy posted just recently mentions scoring very lightly around the frame, and using a slightly more watery mix of paint, and the paint should stop just at the score line... interesting technique!

Originally posted by DanSmith
I tried to mask off parts of the dashboard and the seats for the RX-7 I am building, but i'm having a really difficult time. I am using Tamiya masking tape. How do you guys tape off very detailed objects? Any and all help will be greatly appreciated. Thanks in advance.

I had the same problems using Tamiya masking tape: it just doesn't conform to detail. I hosed up an expensive YUA Honda Today police car body because the Tamiya tape lifted while I was spraying the black.

Best thing to do is to go to a paintshop, buy a roll of masking tape there and use that instead (I prefer 3M tape). Make sure the tape can stand the type of paint you will be using (Laquer thinner can pose problems with some brands of masking tape).

HTH,
-- Eric.