Canopy framework painting

[Guest]

One method I have used successfully in the past was to stick some tape, high tack masking or some other type of sticky tape, to a piece of glass then paint the piece of tape in the same colour as the fuselage. Then using a brand new scalpel blade and a steel rule cut thin strips of the tape, the same width as the canopy frame. These thin strips can then be stuck to the canopy over the frame to colour the top edge of the frame.

[Guest]

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

I'm with stona on this one plus after burnishing the tape edges, paint the entire cockpit area including masking tape and framing with a light coat of Klear, this will stop the leaching of paint under the mask. Never fails. Cheers Derek

[Guest]

if you do use maskol, i have found that going round the outside of the canopy with thin lines of masking tape and then just filling in the larger area with maskol works better. maskol always seems to pull the paint of a little bit.

[Guest]

Hi Tecdes

I used to get the same problem with paint creeping under Tamiya masking tape. The way I get around it is that after masking I paint the canopy several times with a virtually dry brush and build the colour up slowly. With so little paint on the brush there isn't enough wet liquid on there to creep under the tape at any given point.

I also found that you can tidy up a canopy that has "bled over" with a cocktail stick. It removes the paint without scratching the canopy, and if you are careful you can recover a dodgy canopy perfectly.

Cheers,

Gaz.

[Guest]

Thanks for that Gaz. Very good tip will follow that advice on my next canopy. Really good advice through out this thread thanks to you all. Made a lot of difference on my last canopy. Not perfect but a vast improvement.

Laurie

[mossiepilot]

Hi Steve

thanx to all for info. i'm slowly getting new paints, filler, etc after restarting modeling. but Klear is unavailable in Darlington where i live, i read about an alternative on another thread but thats not available here either. I will give masking tape a go thumb fingers permitting :-)

cheers

tony

[Guest]

Hi Laurie

I share your pains too. I've been dealing with 1/144 and 1/72 scales only and don't think Im crazy, I mask and spray my canopies. One thing I did in the beggining was to use electrical tape or insulating tape, the stretchy type. it conforms well to curves and irregular areas and cuts really precise, leaving accurate edges. The only care I need to take with that method is to wipe off the glue residue with a cotton bud dipped in alcohol after painting and removing the masks. I'm also using blue tape and liquid mask more lately. I use thin strips of tape around the raised frame and fill the insides with liquid mask. I am using ammonia-based liquid mask which doesn't go well with Klear. To work around that problem I don't dip the canopy in Klear prior to painting, except that I paint the underside of the canopy with Klear. Then after spraying the canopy with several light thin coats of paint to avoid paint bleeding and build up I remove the masks and brush Klear on top of that job. I've been getting good results so far with this method even in such small scales. Cheers!

[mossiepilot]

Back again

Tried masking but wasn't happy with result so went with the klear ( using pledge floor wax stuff ) and free hand route. Another problem? Does anyone else have problems with enamal paint sticking to "Klear". Frame of my Stuka seems patchy, even after three coats. What am I doing wrong?

[Guest]

Hi all,

yes, yes, yes a proper bastard job (pardon the French) i have tried allsorts of masking tamiya tape etc, which works fine on bigger or straight panels. I mainly make armour but have ventured into the occcasional aircraft. Now this is where i openly admit the choice of model comes down to the complexity of the canopy, too hard and i shy away.I went on to youtube and typed in canopy painting or words to that effect and found an interesting video where the modellor sprayed the whole cockpit without masking with acrylic piaint. he then got a cocktail stick and scraped away the unwanted paint. The paint will not stick to the glass as it has no grip. This works for me but i do scalpel around the edges first and use a magnifier to see. This i find ideal for 1/72 or smaller as even if you do make a slight mess he oveall effect is pleasing. I hope this helps and i usually use a cocktail stick to scrape.

Regards

Tony

[Guest]

Hi Mossiepilot,

I have used pvc electrical tape but in a different way - I have cut a length of the tape strip, then stuck that down to the cutting mat then primered the surface, then when dry, cut strips of it into 0.5mm strips (or thinner depending on the aircraft canopy - good scalpel blade required for this!) and applied the strips to the canopy where the frame marks appear, the stretchy tape takes on the contours well and can be pulled tight as well. Some of the 'cheaper' pvc tapes are a lot thinner and are ideal. I've found it best to give canopy a coat of Klear first and left to fully cure, then when strips are applied correctly I paint the strips in the finished colour with a long haired 0 (or 00) size brush.

I did this on a 1:72 B24 Liberator with good success on the front and rear gunners and pilots canopy (which is similar to the 'greenhouse' canopy of the Lancaster). If the tape is burnished down well the result is very realistic and gives a true framed canopy appearence. Finally I give a coat of Revell clear varnish to the canopy, in between the strips which gives a very good high gloss glassy appearance and just nicely takes up any slight edge to the tape strips. The end result is a very realistic appearance to the model with a realistic looking frame. The beauty of it is if you don't like the finished appearance or it doesn't go well it can be all stripped off leaving a clean canopy. I have used this method on other smaller models with good affect. Hope this of some help.

[Guest]

Hi Mossiepilot,

I have used pvc electrical tape but in a different way - I have cut a length of the tape strip, then stuck that down to the cutting mat then primered the surface, then when dry, cut strips of it into 0.5mm strips (or thinner depending on the aircraft canopy - good scalpel blade required for this!) and applied the strips to the canopy where the frame marks appear, the stretchy tape takes on the contours well and can be pulled tight as well. Some of the 'cheaper' pvc tapes are a lot thinner and are ideal. I've found it best to give canopy a coat of Klear first and left to fully cure, then when strips are applied correctly I paint the strips in the finished colour with a long haired 0 (or 00) size brush.

I did this on a 1:72 B24 Liberator with good success on the front and rear gunners and pilots canopy (which is similar to the 'greenhouse' canopy of the Lancaster). If the tape is burnished down well the result is very realistic and gives a true framed canopy appearence. Finally I give a coat of Revell clear varnish to the canopy, in between the strips which gives a very good high gloss glassy appearance and just nicely takes up any slight edge to the tape strips. The end result is a very realistic appearance to the model with a realistic looking frame. The beauty of it is if you don't like the finished appearance or it doesn't go well it can be all stripped off leaving a clean canopy. I have used this method on other smaller models with good affect. Hope this of some help. Forgot to add this method gives a nice clean edge as well!

[saguy]

Hi there - I have made steady progress on my heinkel 111 ..... the dreaded canopy has now arrived and what a canopy the 111 has. the technique which i use is hand painting then armed with my trusty toothpick scratch away at the edges -- works reasonably well for me and the results are ok. I have read thru this thread at length and the one ? that I do have is :

is there a better type of paint to use ... is acrylic better then enamel.

should the first coat be thinned as one guy mentioned

or is it a case of prepare your self to do 2 to 3 coats or as many as it takes to make the result acceptable .... tx Lindsey

[Guest]

My experience Lindsay is to lay on thin coats.

Tried thick coats which covers well & looks good until I removed the masking tape. This tore off bits of paint from the canopy frame. Then more difficult to repair as the paint is thick. Some times it does it with thiner coats but not a disaster.

Think it is better with a very thin coat to begin. I have found it difficult to get the first coat to stick on all over & last up put on two very thin coats as a starter to give a bond. Easier with a thick coat but as said brings in its wake other problems.

Laurie