Anyone use liquid Frisket/watercolor masking fluid for masking?

[Helper Monkey]

I have not tried it but I have a ton of the stuff sitting around cause I also paint in watercolors. Wondering anyone has any experience with it.

 

In addition are there any masking tapes/ films that are superior to others. I was thinking of getting some standard Frisket sheets instead of masking tape.

[peteski]

I use the liquid latex mask stuff (smells like ammonia) all the time. But I only use it for things like masking areas or holes which will be gluing surfaces for attaching other parts after painting.  I do that since glue works best on unpainted surfaces.  But the mask used for water colors is too liquid (too thin).  I actually ged much thicker masking liquid from electronic parts distributors. That stuff is used for masking areas of electronic printed circuit boards (to protect them from liquid solder) before passing them through wave soldering machine. Sometimes that masking fluid is too thick so I thin it with the stuff you use.

 

Here are some examples. It is a 1:43 scale 289 AC Cobra molded in yellow plastic.

If you look at the headers with the blue-painted cylinder heads you'll see bare yellow plastic on the cylinder heads. Before painting them blue I masked the top of them with liquid mask (where the valve covers will attach) . Once painted blue, I peeled the masking off exposing the bare plastic. Same with the bottom of the engine block in that photo. The area where the oil pain will be glued on was masked with liquid masking before painting it blue.  I find it easier to just apply the liquid mask than to cut pieces of masking tape. Plus liquid masking is easier to apply on uneven surfaces.

Here you see where I used liquid mask on the areas of the front suspension where the wheels will be glued on.

 

As far as masking tape goes, I used to use standard blue Scotch masking tape but since I found Tamiya masking tape I never looked back at any other brands of tape. Tamiya tape is *THAT* good!

 

 

[Helper Monkey]

Thank you for your feedback.

What do you use to remove the masking fluid? Traditionally I have used a Rubber Cement eraser when I watercolor. Not sure if they would cause problems.

[jrherald420]

That Cobra is sweet, is there more pictures somewhere?

[peteski]

Liquid mask is just latex rubber - the dried liquid mask peels right off the smooth plastic parts - not need for any special removal technique.

 

Thanks James, one of these day I'll post a writeup on that Cobra. If you like to see more photos go to my Cobra album: http://s1068.photobucket.com/user/peteski7/library/Cars/289Cobra

 

[Helper Monkey]

thanks. 

Had to ask, when i use my fingers to remove masking fluid from paper for watercolor my fingers always end up transferring some kind of oil, dirt and sometime paint into the pristine white area negating what I just did. Wasn't sure if this happened on the models.

[peteski]

Depends on the area masked - sometimes I pick the edge with my fingernail then use my fingers to pick it off the plastic part, other times (or if the masked area is small (like a small hole I masked) I use pointy-tip tweezers.  Like I mentioned, the masking agent I use is slightly more viscous than the stuff you use for watercolors, so it goes on in a thicker layer.

My hands are very clean when I handle freshly painted model (when I pick the masks off).  During the final assembly I often wear thin cotton gloves not to leave fingerprints on the car's body.  The kind used by museum staff to handle delicate museum exhibits.