Masking cockpit techniques

[Valeron]

Just wondering how people go about masking cockpit canopies and similar things.

I've build a few 1/72 aircraft over the last few years and on 2 occasions purchased cockpit masks. I do find them quite expensive in relation to the cost of the model. And on occasion the mask was rubbish and didn't work anyway.

On other occasions, I have free hand painting the cockpit but find this very difficult and messy.

Mostly I have applied Tamiya tape to the cockpit and then using a sharp hobby knife have cut out the pieces not to be masked. I often end up scratching the cockpit and on the last occasion completely butchered my Airfix Stuka canopy.

Any advice would be welcome


Mike

[Mark1]

Preferably I will use a mask set I find cutting my own very tedious and start to rush it and the that'll do attitude starts to set in, you could try some liquid mask, ive had varied results with.

[Tworrs]

I have had some success with Micro Mask, although I mostly hand paint and try to clean up the edges with a sharp toothpick.
tbh neither one is perfect, but there is no way that I will pay to import masks.

[boatman]

WELL Mike i also find them masks exspensive an dont fit great as on my big tomcat canopy the masks let a small amount of paint under the edges even though i pressed them down firmily so on my hornet i will be usein i think just humbroll maskol as so far ive found that this is the cheapest way to go about maskin a canopey with about the same results as buyin an fittin masks an esayier THATS my take on the subject
ATB
chrisb

[Andy T]

I generally use the method you mention. It's slow and fiddly but gets me there in the end.

If there are lots of panes of the same width I'll use my Infini cutting mat to cut strips of the correct width to make life a bit easier, but otherwise I'll just lay a piece of tape down that's close to the right size. I rub it down well with a cotton bud first then work the edges with either my nail or a cocktail stick to really highlight where the frame is. I then use a fresh blade (15a is my favourite) to cut it out. I do one pane at a time usually.

If the glass is very curved I might edge it out with 1 or 2mm tape first, then fill in the middle.

[Valeron]

I generally use the method you mention. It's slow and fiddly but gets me there in the end.

If there are lots of panes of the same width I'll use my Infini cutting mat to cut strips of the correct width to make life a bit easier, but otherwise I'll just lay a piece of tape down that's close to the right size. I rub it down well with a cotton bud first then work the edges with either my nail or a cocktail stick to really highlight where the frame is. I then use a fresh blade (15a is my favourite) to cut it out. I do one pane at a time usually.

If the glass is very curved I might edge it out with 1 or 2mm tape first, then fill in the middle.

That's kind of what I do Andy. But when I've rubbed it down well, I cut it in situ on the canopy. And sometimes slip and scratch the canopy.

Do you remove it once you have the impression and cut it on a cutting mat, then apply the cut piece to the cockpit?

[Tim Marlow]

I use Eduard masks if I can get them. I find them most effective, probably because they are made out of the same Kabuki tape that Tamiya use. Montex I’ve found are poor in relation, they stretch, they don’t stay put, they curl up, and they creep out of position. Otherwise I use the same method Andy has mentioned, though I use a number 11 scalpel blade I don’t worry about the cost of the masks as I find they save me a couple of hours fiddly and awkward work. If I’m cutting manually I do that on the model, but angle the blade into the angle between frame and Perspex at about 45 degrees. I cut gently because I feel several light passes is more controlled that trying to cut through in one go. Some people use bare metal foil to mask up windows, but I’ve never tried it.

[dave]

I use bare metal foil to mask canopies I find it works well. Place over the canopy as much as you can depending on the curves. Then use a blunted cocktail stick to rub it in and make sure that it is firmly into the corners, then use a small scalpel to cut along the edge of all the glazing bars and peel off the bars. Once finished painting use a sharp cocktail stick to lift a corner , grab with tweezers and peel off.

[spanner570]

Because of the crazy prices of these masks, I must confess to always free handing my canopy framework etc.

Once dry, I gently remove any wayward paint adrift from the frame line using a sharpened cocktail stick. A free, quick and easy method.

I recommend it to the House!

[colin m]

I can take days to mask a canopy - because it really can be a bit tedious. I do use masks, but also cut my own think strips for following the edges of the glass. Then I do a bit at a time. This is part of a B36, that
certainly did take days
.

[rtfoe]

Hi Mike, canopy masking has to be approached when you're calm and in a dry cool place...I have sweaty palms. But managed quite well with Tamiya tape, tooth pick and new sharp blades.

Prepare the canopy by cleaning it of any finger grease and dry properly. Tape your tape onto a glass or ceramic surface, cut the tape with a straight ruler and discard the outer edge bits as these would have flocking, dust and finger grease residue.

My method is to cut thin strips of tape 1 to 2mm thick and run long lengths along the inner side of the frames. The tape will crisscross and overlap each other which helps steady and strengthen to bond to the canopy. The panels are then covered with thicker tape normally cut in lengths shorter than the panel size. I will tape these half covering the earlier strips until the panel is covered all the while using sharp tweezers to place and press them down. Compound curves are worked with tape strips as thin as you can cut them. The new stretchable Tamiya tape should make this easier although I've never tried it yet. I would normally pinch the original Tamiya tape at as many areas depending on how sharp the curve is.
Now with the sharp blades I press and gently slide the blade cutting the access crisscross tape overlapping the frame. If you feel not comfortable working with a straight edged blade you can use a curved blade and do a rocking motion as you press down on the tape. Lift the access tape with the tip of the blade.
Just before spraying paint do a light press down on the edges. After spraying remove the tape just before the paint cures to get a sharp edge and no cracks.

Hope this works for you.

Cheers,
Wabble

[Waspie]

I’m still experimenting so reading the various comments is making me think I’m moving in a common direction.
I’m using a combination of tape and liquid mask.
Good topic by the way.

[rtfoe]

Another thing to add is masking allows you to reverse paint...layering the interior colour, black, primer and then the surface colour. This ensures an opaque frame.

Cheers,
Wabble

[Scratchbuilder]

The canopy will normally come with a slightly raised or engraved outline.
In the past I have used either normal masking tape or Tamiya type masking tape.
I first take a pencil and sand the lead into a chisel shape on a piece of wet n dry sandpaper.
I then place a piece of tape onto the canopy and with the pencil I follow the line of the canopy - the chisel point follows the canopy frame and leaves a pencil line for you to follow plus it pushes the tape into the corner.
Then when happy I use a sharp scalpel blade to cut along the pencil line and remove the excess tape.
You can then run the pencil back around the edge of the tape which will push it down to make hopefully a good seal.
HTH
Mike

[Waspie]

Another thing to add is masking allows you to reverse paint...layering the interior colour, black, primer and then the surface colour. This ensures an opaque frame.

Cheers,
Wabble

Thank you for that tip. Too late for current build but logged for future use.