wonwinglo

The humble roll of masking tape has many uses in model building,whether it be just holding parts together whilst the adhesive sets or holding your plan to the workbench,it has far more uses than its intended paint masking properties and proves the handy ever ready third hand.
Firstly always remember that masking tape is available in two grades,low tack and high tack,the first has obvious uses on delicate paint finishes but you should never leave tape on the surface until the paint sets,pull it away as soon as you have applied the colour,always pull at a sharp angle away from the colour line.
Before applying colour run your finger along the join and apply a thin coat of clear varnish or clear dope,Johnsons Klear is ideal when using with enamel paints or acrylic finishes,any seepage under the tape stops the colour from creeping and forms an effective barrier.
I think that everyone knows the trick whereby folding over a small portion of the end of the tape ensures that you can find the end when required.
Whilst low tack tapes are really the answer for painting,if you only have the higher tack then simply draw your fingers through the tape to remove some of the harshness before applying to the model.
Masking tape has many uses for making scale details such as seat harnesses or canvas cockpit covering where delicate electronics are protected from the sun on modern jet fighters,just use your imagination,if it looks like a canvas finish in real life then masking tape will emulate it to a small scale.
Should you need to cut out designs then stick the tape to your self healing board,mark out the design and cut out with your craft knife,carefully lifting the edges with the edge of the blade and transferring it to the model.
Dont forget that pre-cut narrow strips of tape will take a radius more easily,you can then fill in with more tape or run a bead of masking fluid right up to the edge before painting takes place.
It is also possible to cut out designs with the tape actually placed onto the model first,but beware of cutting too deeply or your skill at doing so.
It goes without saying that the surface of your model must be chemically clean,any pre-mould manufacturing release agent or grease on the surface needs to be washed off with a weak solution of washing up liquid or better still baby shampoo,allow to dry before masking up and painting your model.

__________________
'And there I was oil on my goggles from a broken pipe,then I looked at the altimeter,all I could see was the makers name !'
www.wonwinglo.scale-models.net/