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AK Xtreme Metal - Masking?


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Hi All,

 

Looking for some help.  I used AK Extreme Metal - Aluminum for the first time on a complete airplane (Eduard P-51D), and like my other experiences (on parts, not a whole airplane), the finish was spectacular!!  I sprayed it over a gloss black base (Mr. Color Uneo Black GX-2), which was also my first time using THAT, and it, too came out spectacular.  I waited 24 hours for the Aluminum color to cure, and then used Tamiya masking tape so I could spray the wings with Tamiya X-11 Lacquer.  All was going well, until I tried removing the Tamiya masking tape (which I did immediately; the masking tape having been in place no more than 1/2 hour or so).  However a nightmare occurred!  A great deal of the adhesive from the tape adhered to the aluminum finish.  I was heartbroken...tried to clean up the adhesive with thinner, and as you might expect, it made a horrible mess, and I've written off that airplane as a lesson learned.  

 

I've since calmed down after raging at my own stupidity, for not doing any pre-masking testing.  But now I'm worried about future masking over Xtreme Metal finishes.  My future P-51 projects will also require masking, but now I'm frightened of how I can do so without repeating my experience.  I admit that I'd not tried to minimize the stickiness of the Tamiya kabuki masking tape, and perhaps that was the problem.  I had no idea that I would run into this problem.  So, what went wrong?  Did I not wait long enough for the metal color to cure?  I did not press the maskings tape onto the painted surface, but it appears to have stuck incredibly well (a negative, in my case!)  Should I try to minimize the adhesive properties of the Tamiya masking tape, by first placing the sticky side on my skin, as I have seen some folks do on videos.  Should I use a different kind of masking tape?  Once thing I noted is that I used some white Tamiya 'masking tape for curves' on some of the areas, and that tape did not seem to have this problem, but it was a small enough area that I can't be sure if this tape was okay, or if it was just the small area of use that made it appear okay, plus, that stuff is too pricey to use over a large area, even if it doesn't do this.  I've NEVER had an issue with Tamiya masking tape doing this before, so I'm thinking it's either not waiting long enough for the paint to dry/cure, or the making tape is too strong over metal color paint?  Of course, again, I blame myself for my failure to test before committing to masking over a good portion of the model.  

 

Any bright ideas for the future?

 

 

I've since did a bit of research on my topic.  Others have encountered this problem, and some of the 'solutions' were a follows:  1. Use as thin of a layer of Xtreme Metal paint as possible; 2. Leave the Xtreme Metal paint to cure over 5-7 days (not just 24 hours, as I did); or 3. Try to lift off the adhesive 'goo' left behind by applying and lifting off other pieces of Tamiya masking tape.  Are there any other ideas out there?  I LOVE the Xtreme Metal paint, and don't want to abandon it...

Edited by Curt B
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I had the same issue. I used Tape almost completely de-tack-a-fied...is that a word... anyway it worked. Just put the fresh tape on/off the back of your hand several times til it gets less tacky but still enough tack to mask and when you take it off no residue is left to annoy you...HTH

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1 hour ago, viper730 said:

I had the same issue. I used Tape almost completely de-tack-a-fied...is that a word... anyway it worked. Just put the fresh tape on/off the back of your hand several times til it gets less tacky but still enough tack to mask and when you take it off no residue is left to annoy you...HTH

Your suggestion is what I should have done in the first place!  Thanks a ton!

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20 minutes ago, Collin said:

Post-It notes or extremely de-tacked tape is a must. Had the same lesson years ago in a 1/32 P-47 build.  
 

The joys of building NMF!!

 

Cheers

Collin

I second (third?) this.   If you follow those steps, the AK finish is actually extremely durable.   These are now my main go-to metallic paints.  

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Glad you got it sorted out. Xtreme Metal is a really nice paint....Now if new Eduard decals would cooperate I could great finish on their P-51. I saw some post on youtube to deal with the clear film. You let is sit for 24hrs.  Then with a white/mineral spirits soaked Q-tip you rub off the film. It's supposed to ball up and lift off with no damage to the decal or surface. Not sure how AK-EM will react so I plan to test this before I start rubbing it all over the painted surface... I have a feeling it may not be compatible but we shall see.

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On 9/26/2022 at 6:19 AM, viper730 said:

Glad you got it sorted out. Xtreme Metal is a really nice paint....Now if new Eduard decals would cooperate I could great finish on their P-51. I saw some post on youtube to deal with the clear film. You let is sit for 24hrs.  Then with a white/mineral spirits soaked Q-tip you rub off the film. It's supposed to ball up and lift off with no damage to the decal or surface. Not sure how AK-EM will react so I plan to test this before I start rubbing it all over the painted surface... I have a feeling it may not be compatible but we shall see.

 Interesting...I'd not heard about the white spirit thing to deal with the new Eduard decals.  Definitely something that needs experimenting/testing before using for real.  Your last point, '...may not be compatible', I'm sure is quite likely.  One never knows, though.  Thanks for posting.

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