How to cut small circles

[RAIN]

Maybe it seems like a silly question but I'm asking anyway. I never get a real crisp line when I paint the rims of tires. I usually paint the tire black, then tape the tire and manually with an X-acto knife try and cut around the rim of the tire to then paint the white inside. It's just never perfect. I figured, if there was a way to cut circles really well I could cut the tape first and then just lay it on after. Any ideas?

[Triarius]

Old tank builders' trick: get a drafting circle template. Paint the tire. Tape the wheel to the back of the template over a hole the proper size for the wheel. Spray wheel color.

[Air2k757]

This tip is so simple and such a good fix to an endless headache that I had to smile and laugh to myself a bit. Thanks for the tip!

[SteveH]

I use a punch and die set from Harbor freight.

Measure the hub diameter with calipers, put Tamiya tape on thin plastic stock, punch out the correct sized circle, peel it off the stock and apply to the hub as a mask.

The other method also works.

[cook7997]

I do the same thing as Triarius. I've also used the template to cut out circles with a knife. Just lay some tape down on a cutting mat and run the blade around the perimeter. Just be careful if it's a plastic template.

Cameron

[Jinxter13]

Old tank builders' trick: get a drafting circle template. Paint the tire. Tape the wheel to the back of the template over a hole the proper size for the wheel. Spray wheel color.

Yup, I use a drafting circle template and Frogtape, (I'm not accurate enough with an airbrush to use just the template)I place the tape on a cutting surface, cut the circle the diameter of the wheel; lay the cut circle on the wheel and spray the tire black; after I first sprayed on the required color on the wheel.

Edited December 17, 2011 by #1 Greywolf

[toniosky]

You can also:

- use very thin masking tape you cut yourself to mask the tyre, or

- use 4 layers of diluted tyre-lack that you will use after painting the rim. It is so diluted that you mess up your paint job

[Pep]

I use scribing templates and a swivel knife (michaels).

I normaly use it on frog tape (the yellow one not the green one). It's an exelente method IMHO

[B-17 guy]

Maybe it seems like a silly question but I'm asking anyway. I never get a real crisp line when I paint the rims of tires. I usually paint the tire black, then tape the tire and manually with an X-acto knife try and cut around the rim of the tire to then paint the white inside. It's just never perfect. I figured, if there was a way to cut circles really well I could cut the tape first and then just lay it on after. Any ideas?

Honestly, this what I do except that I run my fingernail around before the knife. Stretches the tape a bit before it's cut. Works great for me, gotta be patient though.

The drafting template seems like a good idea to me but wouldnt it have to be a pretty much exact fit? And what about the sides of the wheel as opposed to just he face.