Tamiya Acrylics - Masking

[Neonblau]

Looking for a bit of advice.

I've recently done a couple of paint jobs that required masking up of hard edges. I'm using Tamiya acrylics, thinned 50% for airbrushing (X-20A thinner), with fresh Tamiya masking tape. I've made sure the tape has been well stuck, flatted etc. and have sprayed at right angles to the surface.

I'm getting what appears to be "creep" under the tape, in some places almost the whole width.

Any ideas what is happening - is it paint concentration, spray pressure or something else?

[The_Jackal]

Try spraying a light coat of Future over the masked edge first. This will stop bleeding and not affect the paint job.

[SlipStream77]

Also, try spraying lighter coats, especially if the paint is very thin.

[perdu]

Both of those methods will help

If you spray light coats and pause between them (don't ask ME how I know this matters) the drying layers will holdback any further creep unless you make the paint so wet it almost has no choice but to spread

A light coat of Clear or Future will seal the tape edges too

Rubbing the tape down hard helps but it is not guaranteed to stop creep

Cutting the tape edge before you lay it down helps too, the manufactured edge has slight machine feathering (you can see it if you look in closely) that encorages creep under too

Not quite a good clean seal from it

[dr_gn]

I'd say cutting the factory edge off the tape and burnishing down with a cocktail stick should guarantee a good result from a masking point of view.

50:50 Tamiya acrylic: Tamiya X20 thinners I think is way too thin. Try it at 20% - certainly no more than 30% thinners.

[Neonblau]

Thanks for all the tips - dr_gn, I did feel the paint mix was way too thin and I'm now using about 25% which goes down better.