Liquid Mask or Tape?

[Thommo 1217]

Ford F150 (TA02T) is a 4 colour box art paint scheme and I have decided to do this first. I have done plenty of 2 colour schemes and I have always used masking tape and never had any trouble like bleeds.

Would liquid mask be better given the added difficulty or should I stick with tape, boom boom. There are plenty of succesfully painted originals on here so I would be interested to know how people have achieved best results?

Any advise on this would be great, thanks in advance.

[WillyChang 1814]

can u draw a perfectly straight line freehand? if not & u haven't used liquidmask beforem suggest u not start now

cutting liquidmash into straight lines is possibly the hardest modelling skill out there,

you also have to avoid scratching/nicking the lexan as every score makes a weak point

where your different-coloured areas will easily snap off

[Japanscaledriver 14]

I did mine with tape, just remember to paint the colours in the correct order... unlike me...

for the center of the spare wheel, cut a circle out of tape, lay it on the body, then masked the blue and black area, paint the white, peel off the blue mask and paint the blue, peel off the black mask and do it

ideally you should do the silver after the white... to make the white "pop" and stops the white from gaining a "bluish" tint...

it's a lot of tape, but works well...

[SteelRat 46]

I'd heard good things about liquid mask until I tried using it myself. I think there is definitely a knack to getting it right, and a knack that I totally failed to grasp! If it wasn't for some rather extensive sticker useage to cover up all the botch ups, I'd have had to throw the shell away.

I'd say stick to tape for now, but maybe get yourself a couple of cheap Kamtec body shells for practising with liquid mask.

That's what I'm going to do!

[LoBiSteR 0]

You could use Frisket masking film. Comes on a roll and you can cut any shape you like out of it. Its not paper so you get little to no bleed. Its also flexible so contours nicely. Have used this on numerous helicopter canopies before in the past and the sharpness of the lines are excellent. It is relatively low tack and is easy to remove.

[WillyChang 1814]

have used selfadhesive vinyl book covering too, same effect

with liquidmask, you need to apply it very thick otherwise its impossible to peel cleanly.

Usually need to slap on 3-5 coats to build up enough thickness, takes a few hrs to dry between each.

[TamiyaDan 8]

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[LoBiSteR 0]

Frisket, Frisket, Frisket!! Low tac vinyl. Stretchy, flexible and soooo easy to use. Google RC helicopter custom pain jobs, you'll see the results. Its a winner.

[prplehz 0]

The way I look at it is. Liquid mask is like paint since it is liquid. If I need tape to make a line straight, I sure wont be able to make a straight line with liquid mask any better than I would paint. So I stick with tape. But there are those times when it does come in handy.. And use the slow light coat method to seal the tape. It works wonders, patience is a virtue...

[TamiyaDan 8]

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[WillyChang 1814]

Buy good tape, apply it properly (don't leave it under tension) and it won't lift.

Go over every edge with fingernail just before painting anyway.

this is my masking arsenal...

there's different tapes for different jobs

- some tape is better going inside corners (crepe),

some better for outside (stretchy vinyl).

Mainly use the 6mm Tamiya tape for straight lines as it doesn't stretch.

if you're real picky you can cut tape on a piece of glass for cleaner sharper edge,

but if you store your rolls without damage (CD silos!) the edge stays straight enough.

as for the $2-Shop masking tape... use it only to tape objects to handles, holding down dropsheets etc

[TongueTied 56]

I use them all on the same project. Each has its benefits. For straight sections, tape is great but has the potential to bleed. Frisket is really good for larger areas but doesn't curve much, particularly where you have compound 3D curves such as the roof of a car. It is great if you are transferring a design onto the body. Liquid Mask is also good in places where you have curves or difficult recesses that need to be covered. One technique I use sometimes is to lay down some tape and then paint over it with liquid mask. Cut out my designs and where a straight line is needed, I just cut along the edge of the tape.

By the way, most liquid masks are water soluble even after they dry. So, if you your mask was too thin or you are having trouble getting it off, you can always wash it off and reapply or even apply more over top. I do have to admit, it does take some practice to get used to the stuff. However, if you don't try, you'll never learn so why not try it and see.

[Thommo 1217]

Thanks for all your help guys. Here's how I did it and without removing the overspray film as suggested in the body sheet. Always wash the body in soapy water, I also use isopropyl alcohol to wipe away fingerprints before spaying each colour.

First I used liquid mask on the spare wheel only with 4 coates over 4 nights, freehand drew the circle with a permanent marker then cut the circle with a hobby knife. In hindsight I should have just brush touched it with silver and not masked at all.

To achieve the sweeping edge that runs beneath the red stickers, I pre-cut the stickers leaving the backing on. I mock placed them with some electrical tape then freehand drew the line on the overspray film by slowly lifting the sticker and running a permanent marker on the overspray film as I lifted the sticker.

Then masked windows and masked the white section using Tamiya masking tape for the edge and filled in with regular masking tape. Then masked the blue area, again using the Tamiya masking tape for the critical edges. This came out easy in that last sentance but actually took two nights work to mask.

Definately spray several light coates, spray from behind the leading edge and yes prplehz patience is a virtue.... Spray the black. Lift the blue area masking being very careful not to pull against the leading edge of the white area mask where it overlaps so as not to pull it up (important) spray the blue. remove the liquid mask circle for the spare and spray silver. Remove the white area masking and bomb with white. Here is the result.

It's almost a shame to plaster racing stickers all over it but I did want box art on this. The only variation from the body sheet is the white rear bumper, I did this to help define width at the rear. It was common practice in the muscle car era to fit full width tail lamps or a mould on the bootlid in between wrap around tail lamps to make the car look fatter from the rear. It works.

Thanks again gang, couldn't of done it without your help, especially WillyChang, Rosey and TamiyaDan. Cheers.

[BrAtKo 0]

Hello all. I'm newbie and I have this F150 kit box at home and Im looking forward to build it up. I have few questions to painting. I thought the silver coat is quite dark to apply it as very first. Id like to use silver color painted by brush (spare wheel and rims). I thought it will be easy to mask around rims and wheel and paint with brush. What is your opinion please for this ?

I plan to mask out the lights too (for later light cups istallation). Did you pained the front grill to black too ?

Thank you for answers.

[Zac_F83 117]

blue painters tape is all that should be used- liquid mask is a horrible mess and never fully comes up after trying for days to peel the stuff off

6 colors all taped off with blue painters tape-

first blue streak

second white

third yellow

fourth orange

fifth red

final the whole underside black

[calicool 27]

Definitely masking tape...Also use Tamiya and 3m blue tape but my current favorite tape is the 3M automotive refinish line specifically their Yellow Masking Tape great stuff! allot like Tamiya tape but cheaper.

[bromvw 744]

I swear by tamiya masking tape . I've tried other products but for scale work its the best IMO .

[Thommo 1217]

Hello all. I'm newbie and I have this F150 kit box at home and Im looking forward to build it up. I have few questions to painting. I thought the silver coat is quite dark to apply it as very first. Id like to use silver color painted by brush (spare wheel and rims). I thought it will be easy to mask around rims and wheel and paint with brush. What is your opinion please for this ?

I plan to mask out the lights too (for later light cups istallation). Did you pained the front grill to black too ?

Thank you for answers.

Definately brush paint silver detail first like spare wheel rim and cross bars if you want. Then mask off and spray the grill and the bed black before using your colours. Good luck.

+1 Tamiya / 3M Blue masking tape.