Stains from masking tape

Yevgeniy · Post by **Yevgeniy** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 4:06 am

Hi all,

Have you ever had the same problem I have had with masking tape.

I have airbrused the turrets with light grey, left them to get dry for 24 hours (to avoid any problems), put a masking tape afterwards to paint the top of the turrets with dark grey. I wanted to paint immediately but had to stop for 1 week as the paint received from local hobby shop as dark grey was actually dark greenish grey. In one week after I took off the masking tape I saw stains (dark grey stains) on light grey paint and now have to repaint everything.

To describe what I did: I washed the parts, primed it with Tamiya Fine primer (could not get Super prime) after enought shaking the aerosol etc., etc. quality of priming satisfactory, painted the details with Revell enamel thinned for airbrush (thinned by myself), masking tape was Tamiya.

May be those stains arize since the tape was too long on fresh (24 hours) paint? Shall I wait longer to apply it? In build-up articles some write that they mask their models for the total build-up process - hull for example. Do not you have the same problem?

Looking forward to your advise. Thanks.

Yevgeniy

Ship Model Gallery · Post by **MartinJQuinn** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 9:01 am

It might be the tape - what type did you use? If it's not a low tack type, it will leave residue behind and ruin your paint job.

I use Tamiya masking tape for just about everything now, and find it works great and usually doesn't leave any residue behind.

Edit: I just realized I left the word *not* out of the 2nd sentence, which completely changes the meaning!!

Yevgeniy · Post by **Yevgeniy** » Wed Oct 10, 2007 11:53 am

Martin, thanks

I thought the same - but I used Tamiya Masking Tape, made by Tamiya Plastic Co., Made in Japan, etc. I do not think it is wrong Tamiya tape - I bought it in hobby shop properly packaged etc.

I guess that I used too much thinner to thin the paint for airbrushing and thus had to wait for 2 days for the paint layer to settle completely. I will try a) add less thinner b) waiting for 2 days and will apply masking tape again - there is no other chance to airbrush the turrents in 2 colors - and will see the result.

Thanks anyway.

Yevgeniy

waynec · Post by **waynec** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 10:39 pm

MartinJQuinn wrote:It might be the tape - what type did you use? If it's not a low tack type, it will leave residue behind and ruin your paint job.

I use Tamiya masking tape for just about everything now, and find it works great and usually doesn't leave any residue behind.

Edit: I just realized I left the word *not* out of the 2nd sentence, which completely changes the meaning!!

i also use 3m painters tape. it is blue or purple in color and low tack. something i picked up at a conference; 1. keep masking tape in a plastic bag until ready to use. if you lay it down on it's side you may pick up dirt along the edge. 2. i lay out a strip on a gri seld healing cutting board like graphic artists use and cut it length wise with an xacto. that way i am sure i have a clean straight line.

Sean Hert · Post by **Sean Hert** » Mon Dec 03, 2007 11:09 pm

waynec wrote: i also use 3m painters tape. it is blue or purple in color and low tack. something i picked up at a conference; 1. keep masking tape in a plastic bag until ready to use. if you lay it down on it's side you may pick up dirt along the edge. 2. i lay out a strip on a gri seld healing cutting board like graphic artists use and cut it length wise with an xacto. that way i am sure i have a clean straight line.

That's why I bought the Tamiya tape dispensers- because my workbench is a disaster area. I remove the whole roll when I am using it, though. I hate that pointy edge the cutter leaves.