Yellow leading edges on 1/48 Tamiya Spitfire

[Neil]

Hello,

So I made a bodge of my first attempt (too hasty I think and I wasn't wearing my glasses), I've cleaned that out but I was wondering if anyone has any tips for getting a nice clean yellow edge?

I can just use some tamiya masking tape, but I was wondering if it is worth creating a "letter-box" effect in some masking tape, cut the box shape out and fit that over the wing?

I am using a brush - well I have to use a brush as I don't have a an airbrush yet, but I think the problem was not sticking the masking down well so it bled quite badly.

Neil

[colin m]

Normally it's easier to paint the yellow first. Then mask over the area you want to keep yellow, and paint the rest as normal. However, as your doing it the other way around, using a brush, don't load it up too much. This may help reduce the chance of the yellow bleeding under the tape.

[Neil]

Well as it bled and I cleaned it off I need to touch up the other areas anyway, I can try the yellow and then mask that when dry.

However, I'd have thought it was more fiddly to mask off a small area than a large one?

Still, thanks for the tip I'll try it that way and see what happens.

[Guest]

I paint the edge of the tape with Klear to seal it somewhat. Or you can try some clear varnish just along the edge of the tape which should have the same effect.

[Guest]

Biggest problem Neil is that yellow is an awful paint to get depth of colour. A good number of coats and the paint heaps up at the tape edge.

Do not think the letter box will work as the Tamiya Tape stretches. I would use a Tamiya tape straight. Best is to get as wide a tape as you have lay it down on a shiny surface, so it releases easily, and cut the edge from the tape. This gives a really sharp edge. The edges are not all that sharp and get battered when handling the tape rolls. Found this then gives a sharp edge and also the sticky part is also sharp and you will have a better chance of the paint NOT going under the tape.

May also be better for the first two coats to use a brush which will stop the edge build up against the tape. Also to tilt the wing slightly forward to stop paint puddling.

Yellow is the very devil. On the Catalina which had long black wing edges I found after stripping the tape some bleed through. I waited a day then with a Morton knife cut on the demarcation edge a fine line then scrapped the excess off and that worked well. At least with Vallejo. Enamels may be different.

Laurie

[stona]

I don't know how much painting you have done, but I always paint the yellow first. The yellow stripe was only 4" wide, which in 1/48 is only 2.2mm. Once the yellow is sprayed you can simply apply a strip of masking tape of the relevant width along the leading edge of the wing. Leave it there until all the other painting is done and the remove to reveal a nice stripe.

It's how it was done on this Tempest:



Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Sometimes I use post stick notes' adhesive side to mask it for yellow edges. It is surprisingly effective and not an expensive method.

John