The Ship Model Forum

Hi all,

I have been having an extremely frustrating problem while attempting to paint the flight deck of one of my carriers. Basically, when I try to mask the deck in order to paint lines on it, I end up removing the base deck paint. I have been trying to mask it with both regular masking tape and with blue painters tape and both just peel the paint up. This has happened twice so far, and I am getting sick of spending my limited available modelling time re-painting this deck over and over. So, has anyone else run across this problem before, and if so do you know of a solution? I at first thought my problem was curing time for the paint, but this last coat had a week to cure and still peeled up. I am in the process of stripping the paint, and will then scrub the deck with soap/water (only other culprit I have been able to think of is maybe body oil hindering the adhesion.) I have always used this method to mask my models and never run into this problem before. Paints I am using are Tamiya Acrylics and they are airbrushed. Any help is much appreciated.

_________________
Cap'n Price

Fitting out:
1/350 USS Saratoga 1936

On the ways:
1/72 Gato

What kind of primer did you use?

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Carl Musselman
(Formerly Back-Aft Models)

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I did not use a primer specifically...I just applied two coats of paint. I have never had this issue before, so using primer never entered my mind. Do you think that was the issue?

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Cap'n Price

Fitting out:
1/350 USS Saratoga 1936

On the ways:
1/72 Gato

I've had better luck with Tamiya masking tape than with blue painter's tape.

I usually stick my masking tape to my jeans or shirt a few times to make it less tacky. Maybe you could cover the base coat in a thin layer of Future to seal it down well?

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Jeremiah Hoskins
Middle School Social Studies and ELA teacher

Current build
1/350 Bismarck

I either put down a thin coat of an enamel primer or use fine grit sandpaper (1000-1500 grit) to roughen up the surface to give the acrylic paint something to "bite" into to prevent lifting with the tape. I've been able to mask with blue painters tape without any problems.

I always start by washing all the parts in warm soapy water, rinsing them and letting them air dry. Helps remove any mold release. For resin, I use stronger stuff, then follow it with a warm soapy wash.

How soon after painting are you masking? If you aren't giving it enough time to cure, you'll run into this problem.

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Martin

"Tomorrow is the most important thing in life. Comes into us at midnight very clean. It's perfect when it arrives and it puts itself in our hands. It hopes we've learned something from yesterday." John Wayne

Ship Model Gallery

It varies, but as short as a couple hours or up to a week. I dont think it is a failure to cure as much as it is a failure of the paint to adhere to the plastic.

I have not had a chance to work on it yet because of work, but tomorrow I am going to try a couple of these tips and see if I get better results. First, I will finish stripping paint and wash the deck with soap and water. Then I will use some primer on it...I will have to get some from my LHS. Next I will paint the base colors for the deck. Once that has had a chance to cure I will try to put a thin coat of future on the model to help seal the paint in, and then give another shot at the deck markings. (edit: I am not implying I will try to squeeze all that work into one single day, but only outlining the process I plan to use as time allows.) Does anyone see any flaws in this process? Anything I am leaving out? I am kind of new to this level of modelling so any help and advice is appreciated. I am still learning, hence my vast collection of partially completed ships, lol. I am hoping that this one will be my first fully completed model.

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Cap'n Price

Fitting out:
1/350 USS Saratoga 1936

On the ways:
1/72 Gato

l'primer l'primer toujours l'primer! (With sincere apologies to several historical generals!)

Acrylics in general really need a primer or roughing up of the surface - they're just too gentle to stick well.

So how did your experiment work?

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Tracy White -Researcher@Large

"Let the evidence guide the research. Do not have a preconceived agenda which will only distort the result."
-Barbara Tuchman

You will get a better tape line using Scotch tape. Use the one in the green plaid dispenser. Being thinner than other types of tape like the regular masking tape you will have less paint buildup at the edge of the tape.

The secret to making sure the tape will not pull up existing paint is to stick the tape to your forehead and or nose first before applying it to the model. The oil from your face will adhere to the tape making it less sticky.

What do you thin your Tamiya paint with? I use their lacquer thinner. It's more expensive than using water, but I find that the lacquer thinner bites into the plastic and makes a more durable surface.

If you can, I'd honestly strip whatever paint is on it, prime it with Mr. Surfacer, then give it another go. If you don't want to use lacquer based Mr. Surfacer, Vallejo has a new-ish line of acrylic primers that are supposed to be good, too, but I haven't tried them on bare plastic or resin yet.

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We like our history sanitized and theme-parked and self-congratulatory, not bloody and angry and unflattering. - Jonathan Yardley