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Switch to Tamiya tape. :) Seriously, it is the best. Make sure it is burnished down real well and apply paint very lightly, building up to the coverage you need. Then stop. Apply only what you need to get coverage.

 

Hth,

Cheers,

John

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Switch to Tamiya tape. :) Seriously, it is the best. Make sure it is burnished down real well and apply paint very lightly, building up to the coverage you need. Then stop. Apply only what you need to get coverage.

 

Hth,

Cheers,

John

Ditto and Amen

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Guest Chrgr440RT

I'm not knocking Tamiya, cuz it really is the best. I have also had good luck the aforementioned blue tape. I lay a strip out on a piece glass and slice it lengthwise so it is about as thick a Tamiya. I use that to lay out the basic line and burnish the heck out of it. Then filling in the open space with small pieces. You can get a lot more blue tape for the same price as the expensive Tamiya.

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I'm not knocking Tamiya, cuz it really is the best. I have also had good luck the aforementioned blue tape. I lay a strip out on a piece glass and slice it lengthwise so it is about as thick a Tamiya. I use that to lay out the basic line and burnish the heck out of it. Then filling in the open space with small pieces. You can get a lot more blue tape for the same price as the expensive Tamiya.

The 3M blue tape I get at the store and use for some masking jobs is much thicker than the Tamiya tape. I am not talking width, but thickness. Part of what makes the Tamiya tape so good is how paper thin it is. This gives a very sharp line with little or no chance of buildup at the demarcation line. Frankly Tamiya tape is onoe of my top five modeling tools and supplies.

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I used Tamiya tape on my last project and I was very pleased. I need notice, and perhaps it was the width, that I had a problem with "turning the tape" i. e. making a curve.

 

For this I highly recommend 3M fine line. The widths I use are 1/4", 1/8" and 1/16". The tape provides a fine line and it will also stretch which proves useful when trying to make a curved line.

 

Andy

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I used Tamiya tape on my last project and I was very pleased. I need notice, and perhaps it was the width, that I had a problem with "turning the tape" i. e. making a curve.

 

For this I highly recommend 3M fine line. The widths I use are 1/4", 1/8" and 1/16". The tape provides a fine line and it will also stretch which proves useful when trying to make a curved line.

 

Andy

 

Where did you purchase 3m fine line? John

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Are you asking me? :) I am not sure... In any case 3M fine line should be available at Auto Body supply places. Be advised that is is not as thin as Tamiya tape. Tamiya tape is about as thin as it gets.

 

Avoid the green 3M fine line at all costs. it is no good for model use. The blue stuff is what you want. Note that it is a "plastic" tape, not like the blue 3M paper masking tape that is sold at home supply stores.

 

Tamiya tape may be hard to find. Depends on how well stocked your LHS is. Ordering it online is probably your best bet. I live in California and Hobby shops here do carry it, but I have no idea about your area.

 

If you need to make curved lines, I would suggest that you do what I do, which is cut Tamiya tape down into thin strips. Use a straight edge and some sort of hard, smooth surface (I use CD cases) and cut it into the size you think will make the bend you need. For 1/72 models you are probably going to have to do this no matter what tape you use. 3M fine line even at 1/16" will not make very tight curves. It is meant for use on 1/1 cars after all... You can then fill in the area behind this line that you want to protect with more tape. You could use your 3M tape for this, you only need the thin stuff right at the edge :)

 

Cheers,

John

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I must strongly disagree with the statement " it is no good for model use". I have been using 3M fine line tape for over ten years and have had nothing but good results. It does take some patience and practice to get the hang of manuevoring the tape around curves. I have used it on 1/25th auto projects as well as on ships. I first used it on full size cars many years ago and the transition from full size to models was not to difficult for me. It is available from your local auto jobber.

 

I'm not sure what color you would call what I have; it does seem to have a greenish hue. It is true that it was designed for the 1:1 auto world, but we as modelers have used many things designed for other purposes. The mean thing is through experimentation you can find something that you like.

 

As I said before, I used Tamiya tape for the first time and was impressed with it. I would have no problem using it for demarcation between straight lines.

 

For a sample of my work visit ecpmod.com . Look under members and click on the name. Follow the link to my page.

 

Andy Fulcher

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If you like it that's fine. I do not. I have plenty of experience with 3M products having worked for 15 years of my life in an Auto body shop. I do not choose to use it. Saving money by working with something I think is inferior is false economy, and annoying, in my opinion.

 

The original post in this thread asked how we would mask sharp lines. I stated my method. You stated yours. If you like your method, great, but I do not have to agree with it. Don't keep harping on it though, and let the person who asked for help make up there own mind.

 

Cheers,

John

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Come on guys lets not get testy. Everyone has thier opinion. We are supposed to help each other. Some have had good results with one product while it has not worked for others. I will take into consideration each answer appreciate all the input.

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Good results with one product. That was all I was trying to get across. Obviously, different people will have different results and thus must make a decision based on their experience.

 

Respectfully,

Andy

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