Nautical Research Journal
6. Store your tapes in clean plastic zip-lock bags or in empty CD/DVD storage cases. Set the tape down on the top of the stack between uses to keep it off the bench top. T e Micro- Center store here sells empty cases for under $3. (Figure 1)
In all my writing I have always said that the common hardware store yellow masking tape should never be used when it comes to painting models. It is too
I did some investigating and found that some masking tapes are aff ected by solvents and others by water- based products. T e good news is that many tapes are compatible with both solvent-based and water- based paints. Solvent-based paints can aff ect the glue that holds the tape in place, partially dissolving it and causing bleed of the paint under the tape edge. Also, some tapes are aff ected by water-based paints that soſt en the tape itself. T e manufacturers make this information available, but one must do some searching for this information. T e paint being used can dictate the choice of masking tape. All the tapes that I mention in this article are compatible with both solvent and water-based paints.
Over the years I have relied on 3M Fine Line Tape and the very popular Tamiya Masking Tape for my painting needs. Both have excellent adhesion properties without danger of
liſt ing underlying 1.
sticky, too thick, and the edges are not smooth. Any one of these points alone is enough to say do not use it. It has uses in the shop but masking for painting is not one of them.
T e properties I look for in a masking tape are the thickness of the tape, the amount of stickiness, how smooth the edges are and its fl exibility. T inner is generally better, excessive stickiness is not good, and fl exible tape is generally better than stiff tape.
However, I recently became aware of another issue about picking the right masking tape for the job, when my friend, Steve Wheeler, had occasion to mask off some model window glass before applying a carefully hoarded supply of the discontinued Floquil #FL10015 Flat Finish to window frames of a 1:12-scale boat model and was leſt with a sticky residue of soſt ened adhesive on the glass aſt er removing the tape. We both had used this type of tape before, so I wondered what happened.
paints. Width for width the Tamiya tape is slightly more fl exible. Both tapes have very smooth edges so cutting a new edge is not necessary. Tamiya tape is available at all hobby stores, craſt centers and by mail order while the 3M Fine Line tape is available at some hobby stores, most auto parts stores and by mail order.
I recently started using some new tapes that I became aware of through my airbrushing contacts. T e tapes are made in Germany for an American company, FBS. I got my tapes by mail order from Coast Airbrush located in Anaheim, California (
www.coastairbrush. com) and they are reasonably priced.
T e fi rst tape is K-UTG Gold Tape. It comes in many widths from 1/8-inch to 3 inches wide and the rolls are 55 yards long. It is quite fl exible and narrow widths can follow curves nicely. It is semi-translucent, and the adhesive allows it to be liſt ed and repositioned several times without losing its eff ectiveness.
T e second tape is Auto Grafi x that comes in wider widths from 3/4-inch to 6 inches. T e 3/4-inch is what I use for masking wider spaces that do not require additional masking widths. I use it over the
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