Canopy framework painting

[Guest]

It is the help line calling.

It is driving me insane. Painting the frame lines on canopies & at the moment I have all those on a Lancaster to do. Just removed all the work I completed this afternoon as not good enough.

This is my fifth model & in general all things modelling are slowly improving model by model. But this one although a little better than the first is not the standard that I want. Also the canopy stands out like a sore thumb if it is not right & spoils the rest of the model however good.

Considered maskol but this relies on steady hand just as much as painting by hand & eye & seems unreliable to me.

Tried masking with Tamiya tape & cutting but found great difficulties in cluding getting accuracy. Also taping the across framework & painting then the front to back framework & painting.

Problem I have found is that Tamiya tape however thorough you are lets at places paint underneath it. Tried Klear coating before hand but found the Tamiya Tape does not hold well on the smooth surface.

Just at the moment trying B & Q blue tape which seems to have a more stick to surface. Not advanced enough for results.

Also tried painting invisible sellotape & then cutting in strips & sticking on. Paint cracks when taken around a curve.

Woe is me. Perhaps that is the problems it is just me. Any bright ideas including those above & how best to go about it.

Laurie

[spanner570]

Ah Laurie, the joys of aircraft canopy painting!

Everyone has their own favourite method.

I have tried masking, but am too ham fisted and found it too fiddly and I always made and arse of it, so I do mine freehand using a 000 size pointed brush and a magnifying glass, then just try and steady my mitts....

I always thin the first coat, this allows the paint to run into the 'frame grooves' moulded into the canopy plastic and makes the final thicker coat easier to apply 'cos I can see the frame lines far better second time around.

Sounds long winded, but I am happy with the results....

I hope this is of some use. Good luck and keep smiling through!

Cheers,

Ron

[Guest]

As above, you have to find a method that works for yourself.

I use a couple depending on the size of canopy and number of window panels, if something like a bf109 canopy at 72nd with not obviously raised frame lines or 144th (Sweet) i'd typically Klear it first then paint by hand cleaning the edges with a cocktail stick once dried.

My preferred method where possible is masking tape, use generic automotive tape, it's tackier, the ONLY worry with tape tackiness is if sticking to paint, in this case it's not a problem, (that said I use automotive tape exclusively and have yet to have a lifting problem).

So if the panel lines are obviously well raised lay as large a piece as you can without it wrinkling, burnish it down well with the end of a cocktail stick cut at an angle then using a new or nearly new sharp scalpel blade cut along the panel lines and peel the raised sections, burnish again then paint.

[Dave W]

I mask my canopies with Tamiya tape.I mask each pane one at a time with thin strips of tape and trim along frame lines with a scalpel (New blade).Then i fill in areas with more tape.If you rub along the edge of the tape when its on the canopy with a cocktail stick you wont get paint creeping under it.

[Guest]

Dave W uses the same method I do. I learned it from Swanny's website.

Stuart

[Guest]

I've found that spraying the canopy area with TS-13 clear after masking helps with bleed thru 'creep'. I also use Daves method and have had success with it.

[Vaughan]

Hi laurie

I agree with you I to find it frustrating masking canopies. Dave W's method is most probably the best but still very fiddly. It's a shame that all kits don't come with pre-cut masks, but unfortunately they only come with the more expensive models. I would be happy to say pay a little bit extra if models included the masks as standard. I know that you can buy after market masks for certain models but these can be quite expensive and to me seem over priced. Here's my attempt at masking my Bf109G6 using Dave W method still yet to paint so will wait and see how it comes out.

Vaughan

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[Dave W]

Just read your first post again Laurie.you say you tried masking a canopy that had been treated with Klear?.I tried this once and found the Tamiya tape wouldnt stick very well to it.So i dont Klear the outside of canopies.

[stona]

I mask pretty much as every other tape user above.I haven't had a problem with tape not sticking to a canopy dipped in Klear. I like the Klear treatment because if everything goes horribly wrong it makes cleaning and starting again much easier!

If you are really struggling with masking and painting you can apply strips of decal,in the correct colour, to represent the frames. This is particularly handy on small scale or badly molded kits where the framework can be indistinct. I remember a Hasegawa Ju87 kit sometime ago in which the canopy frame decals were included though I didn't use them.

Cheers

Steve

[Dave W]

Looks like we've confused you over the Klear treatment.I'd go with what Stona says as his models are better finished than mine!.Plus i'm a bit of a Klear virgin (still experimenting with the stuff).

[Guest]

Interesting use of words there Dave W !

Yes I had problems yesterday with Tamiya tape not sticking well to the Klear. But today after advice above I have burnished with a cocktail stick & that seems to be the answer to my difficulty.

Thanks to all you blokes for the detailed info. Thanks Vaughan for the pictures which illustrate it all.

To day seems rosy compared to yesterday as all is going well ? Except for a visit to the dentist later. Its not the physical pain its the reckless abandon they delight in in wrecking my bank balance.

Back to the canopies & cocktail stick.

Laurie

[stona]

Quick tip Laurie,slice the end of the stick off at about forty five degrees to give a chisel shape. You'll be able to burnish the tape down against the frames with less chance of ripping it.

Cheers

Steve

[Guest]

Dave, as per steves comment, I always Klear canopies before painting, not had a sticking prob but I do use automotive masking tape, as Steve says, if you make a complete mess you can strip the whole thing with an ammonia solution and start again

[mossiepilot]

I bought some Humbrol maskol but used it all over the canopy on my Airfix 1:72 zero . But when i tried to take off the masking i didn't need (on the frame) the maskol came away from the glazed parts too. i'm doning it wrong obviously but dont know what i'm doing wrong. I'm a bit of a virgin at detailing, can you guys help.

[stona]

Hi Tony. I don't use Maskol as it is ammonia based and this ruins my protective coat of Klear varnish. However,to answer you question,you would need to use a good sharp blade to cut around the canopy framing before removing the mask from the frames. I prefer to use masking tape and a new scalpel blade.

Cheers

Steve