Jump to content

How to mask circles?


Recommended Posts

Hi guys

 

I am currently on my fourth attempt at painting (admittedly there have been paint issues too) the spinner on my 1/48 Mustang, double trouble two. This baby has been sitting around since 2009 and I finally want to finish it.

 

For those who don't know, the spinner alternates yellow and black rings. For the life of me, I cannot figure out how to mask a ring that is A: consistent (both in width and position) and B: doesn't let paint bleed through.

 

Does any one have any tips or tutorials?

 

Thanks.

Edited by Alternative 4
Link to post
Share on other sites

Hi,

 

get a compass cutter and some broad Tamiya tape or the masking tape they sell nowadays in DIY markets, which is basically the same material (japanese rice paper tape or Kabuki tape). Then cut some thin (e.g. 1mm) wide circles. You will have to try out which diameter fits the spinner of your Mustang. It is essential to have the correct diameter, so the tape can stick flat to the spinner and there will be not paint leaks. Make sure the masking tape is pressed onto the part properly too. To get the spacing right I usually cut a few strips of tape which have the desired stripe width (=tape length). After putting down the first ring just add those and then fit the next tape ring.

 

HTH,

Joerg

Link to post
Share on other sites

Ditto what Joerg says.  I purchased a compass cutter from Micro-Mark several years ago.  I know exactly what you are trying to do.  As for the paint bleeding through, airbrush thin coats of paint.  Mist the paint on with lower pressure.  IIRC, isn't the painting sequence black, yellow, black?  If so, you are really in luck.  I may be preaching to the choir here, but paint the whole spinner yellow, put on your tape(this will obviously mask the yellow)  After the yellow is dried AND cured, then paint the black.  But first,you might want to test your yellow on a piece of sprue.  If it doesn't cover well, paint a piece of sprue white.  After the paint is dried AND cured, paint your yellow over the white.  You may have to do this if you have dark colored sprue.

Good Luck!!!

Link to post
Share on other sites

Neat trick is to use some heat shrink tubing that is used for electrical connections..u would need a few sizes but u can cut it to desired width then slide it over the spinner and because it's rubber it's slightly stretchy..works like a charm on painting the yellow stripes on bombs

Link to post
Share on other sites

Spin the spinner with a small electric motor. As long as you make sure it spins true all you have to do is touch the spinning spinner with a thin paintbrush (preferably with some black paint on) and the paint magically has made a perfect black circle around your yellow spinner. Just keep in mind the centrifugal effects can make the paint bleed and follow the path of least resistance (if your motor is going too fast) and you apply too much paint. This is a really neat trick and it works great. I do the same thing with wheels but i always make sure to paint the tires after the rim so the centrifugal forces will not draw any paint into the center of gravity so to speak. Remember to lean/rest your hand on some type of support because you need a steady hand here. Good luck :)    

Link to post
Share on other sites
On 1/2/2017 at 2:03 AM, Alternative 4 said:

I am currently on my fourth attempt at painting (admittedly there have been paint issues too) the spinner on my 1/48 Mustang, double trouble two. This baby has been sitting around since 2009 and I finally want to finish it.

 

For those who don't know, the spinner alternates yellow and black rings. For the life of me, I cannot figure out how to mask a ring that is A: consistent (both in width and position) and B: doesn't let paint bleed through.

 

I assume you have a stand-alone spinner, no propeller blades attached, correct? In that case I would cover it roughly in low-tack aluminum foil (see my Canopy masking with Cheap Chocolate Foil tutorial, or use BMF foil). Then put the spinner on its base on your table, so you can spin it around manually. Next, take a very sharp knife blade, and lay it down horizontally on anything at hand (cardboard, plastic card, a deck of cards) at the right height. Slowly rotate the spinner against the blade, cutting through the foil. Repeat that for different height levels where you want your rings. Remove the foil where you want to paint the spinner, and voila, you have your perfectly masked spinner.


Rob

Link to post
Share on other sites

Why not use the compass cutter to cut rings of black decal ??

 

You don't need to cut all the way through the decal paper - just enough to cut through the decal film.

 

Then - paint the spinner yellow as above - but apply the black decal 'rings' rather than Kabuki rings and paint.

 

Just thinking out loud - never tried it myself - might be difficult to get rings of consistent width.

 

One trick I have used when the compass cutter won't go down far enough for small circles - but the circles are too big for

the punch and die set.

 

Get some brass tube of the required diameter and sharpen one end with a circular file to a sharp edge - place some wide Kabuki tape on a piece of plastic and use the sharpened brass tube like a punch to cut circles of tape.

 

I used this method to make the circular windows on my Space Ship One......

 

ss1_023.jpg

 

ss1_032.jpg

 

Ken

Link to post
Share on other sites
On 1/4/2017 at 11:38 AM, jbryan911 said:

Check out this technique. http://www.clubhyper.com/forums/forum.htm

 

On 1/4/2017 at 11:38 AM, jbryan911 said:

Check out this technique. http://www.clubhyper.com/forums/forum.htm

Is that a joke??? The cry baby technique on diaperscale or something???? LOL. Just wondering since the link goes to today's posts. I don't see thread on circle cutting so just curious.

Edited by 86Sabreboy1
Link to post
Share on other sites
43 minutes ago, 86Sabreboy1 said:

 

Is that a joke??? They cry baby technique on diaperscale or something???? LOL. Just wondering since the link goes to today's posts. I don't see threat on circle cutting so just curious.

 

Wow.  Given that you're constantly trying to sell airbrushes (and currently begging for parts) on Hyperscale, it seems like a really stupid move to actively insult your customers like that.

Edited by MoFo
Link to post
Share on other sites
On 1/1/2017 at 8:03 PM, Alternative 4 said:

Hi guys

 

I am currently on my fourth attempt at painting (admittedly there have been paint issues too) the spinner on my 1/48 Mustang, double trouble two. This baby has been sitting around since 2009 and I finally want to finish it.

 

For those who don't know, the spinner alternates yellow and black rings. For the life of me, I cannot figure out how to mask a ring that is A: consistent (both in width and position) and B: doesn't let paint bleed through.

 

Does any one have any tips or tutorials?

 

Thanks.

 

 

Try this link here I forgot that forum is flaky trying to copy links:   http://www.network54.com/Forum/149674/message/1330875101/Painting+rings+on+

Link to post
Share on other sites
  • 1 month later...
2 hours ago, Spectre711 said:

How small a diameter are those circle cutters good for?  I'm looking to mask some wheel centers on 72 and 48 scale planes.

I don't know where you live but. For what it's worth,,, I've been known to raid the sticker isle at craft stores like Michaels, Hobby Lobby and AC Moore stores. A lot of times a little smiley sticker makes a pretty good mask for a wheel hub. Pricing dots from stationary stores work pretty good too. I'll take specific wheels and try to match up stickers that should fit. Even if they are not "perfectly" sized but close,,I can make them work. I have a whole box of nothing than little circular stickers and pricing dots.

 

Even if stickers have a bit more "tac" to them it actually works in their favor as there isn't much surface contact with most aircraft wheel hubs. Just the curve of the tire lip and the main assembly in the middle. 

 

Edited by 86Sabreboy1
Link to post
Share on other sites
21 hours ago, Spectre711 said:

How small a diameter are those circle cutters good for?  I'm looking to mask some wheel centers on 72 and 48 scale planes.

 

Mine goes down to 1/2 inch,probably a little big for most aircraft. I also use a punch set I picked up at Pearl Harbor Freight. Gets a little smaller but might still be too big for some 1/72 wheels, especially nose gear. 

I've used balls of blue tack with good results. Just roll a little ball, stick it on the hub and squish it till it completely covers.  

Link to post
Share on other sites
23 hours ago, Spectre711 said:

How small a diameter are those circle cutters good for?  I'm looking to mask some wheel centers on 72 and 48 scale planes.

The ultimate for this is a cutter device. I use a Silhouette Portrait cutter with Inkscape as the vector drawing program. You can cut backed masking tape, Frisket, and decal paper.

 

Here are the masks for Cross Pattee for an Albatros (left are tail and right are the lower wing).

Cross-Pattee-Mask_zps47805c22.png

And wheel masks for hubs on a MiG-21MF.

 

wheel-mask_zps62ezmfox.png

Edited by dnl42
Link to post
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...