Masking question:

I'm tired of using tin foil and modeling clay to mask areas that I don't want sprayed - before I upgrade my masking technique (which can only go uphill from what I am currently using) - my question is which liquid mask should I use.....Kaiju Taro sell both a Mr Masking Sol Neo M132 and a Mr Masking Sol R....which one is better?

Do I place liquid mask directly on the figure or on say.....a table/flat surface then do cutting with an exacto knife from there?

Thanks for any suggestions

depending on the situation, i use either liquid mask (neither of those brands) or tamiya tape. most cases, I prefer to use tamiya tape. you can cut whatever shape you want with an exacto...

tamiya tape rules..

I need to get myself Tamiya tape.
Fucking using some ghetto painter's tape.
And I'm high as a kite right now.
Need a new cartridge for my respirator.

So glad I ordered the Tamiya tape on a whim when I placed my vcolor order...I was using the playdoh masking system as well!

liquid mask - what would yo uall suggest I buy - any particular brand that works well for you all?

what is the PDP masking system?

I was using PlayDoh brand modeling compound as a cheap, infinitely formable mask.

ooohhhhhhhh.....lol......thought playdohpunk had some cool masking system....!!

didn't realize you were using real playdoh..!! interesting. does it work well?

I used it for this:
viewtopic.php?f=19&t=19552
The only problem was that some of the playdoh would stick in the crevices of the "fur" on the Joe. So anything with a lot of texture may be problematic. I had to pick out little bits w/ a Q-tip for awhile.

when you use acetone on a clear vinyl toy, it like scuffs it or clouds it or something

will the same thing happen if you use acetone on clear colored vinyl?

I think it will ghost any vinyl - clear or solid. It comes down to how much you scrub the vinyl when removing the paint. That said, paint can be removed without any clouding if done carefully.

what would you use to remove the paint without clouding?

You'd still use acetone. It's just the method I believe. I'm no expert on this but have had some luck by simply doing it in stages. The acetone softens the vinyl so if you're too aggressive in trying to get the paint off it will cause the clouding to occur. I've simply used a Q-tip dipped in acetone - removed some paint - rinsed the figure and repeated this process until the figure was clean.

What about using 90%+ rubbing alcohol? That works for the vintage Japanese stuff I'm into; 99 cents a bottle and at worst you need to soak or maybe scrub with a cloth.

I just want to add that I use the triangular shaped makeup wedges instead of cotton balls. I find that they offer more stability because they hold their shape when wet, and have an edge.

Phil

hmmmm, will have to try the triangel wedgies...

thanks phil...

wicked post! Now I can become the next best custom

i use painter's tape for masking...but with my clammy hands, they sometimes don't stick too well and my paint job goes to hell

I just wanted to chime in and add another very malleable masking option: Silly Putty. Some of the top guys I know in the garage kit community use it regularly for quick and easy masking. It's great for just blocking off large areas (teeth, etc), and also great for effects, like doing alien/monster skin patterns. Though I rarely paint kits these days, I've also used it and can attest that it works like a charm. Of course, especially when using solvent-based paints, you don't want to let it sit too long on your model or toy after you've sprayed (by too long I mean, say, six to eight hours or more), but other than that its a snap to work with.

Have any of the VColor guys used these clay/silly putty methods of masking? I'm wondering how the vcolor and thinner affect the clay. I use tape because it is what I am familiar with but the use of something malleable might yield some very interesting results that would be very difficult to do with tape.

i'd like to try this Silly Puddy method. Is it reusable?

I use a liquid mask that works ok, but you have to apply, then wait 24 hours before you can paint. it's a hassle.

Totally- just peel it off, knead it up and stick it back in the egg for later.
I've used the same little ball for about ten different projects over the last three years (toldja I don't get to paint much)...still works great...

awesome. thanks Ungawa.

will have to try this out.

There's going to be a shortage of silly putty soon...