Revell Voyager - slow progress!

[custardchris]

SO I've not made much progress since the last update, but I have been trying to tidy up some of the paint. And everytime I do it, I always have a bit that goes over the edge of the masking tape, as in the picture. This is with a Badger airbrush using Tamiya paints, thinner and masking tape. When I go the other way to fix this, i'm using Tamaya primer from a can, which doesn't do this very much at all.

What am i doing wrong with the airbrush? it's driving me crazy!

 

[urumomo]

Try spraying down lighter coats and build it up slowly so you don't have the bleed problem .

 

[trekriffic]

Before spraying brush some Future along the edge of the tape to seal it. It will fill in any voids along the mask and prevent paint bleed.

 

[urumomo]

Whoa - Trek !
I believe that's asking for other issues . You're going to end up with a secondary border ... I don't recommend that at all .
The rattle-can isn't giving the same bleed problems because it goes down in a finer mist and that lacquer dries much faster than water based coatings . It doesn't have the chance to migrate under the masking . It doesn't have the time or the volume .

Spraying " away from " the masking is also a solid technique . So your spray is not focused in a way it can undermine any loose masking material .

From what I see from the photos , it's just too much paint .

 

[custardchris]

Thanks guys, I will try to get a thinner spray out of my airbrush

 

[urumomo]

Keep us updated with your results !.

That much bleed is either from the tape / masking not adhering properly due to contamination of the substrate or just a flood of paint overwhelming the barrier .
I have no doubt Trek can make what he's saying work for him but in my opinion it's just adding another layer - another discipline - to the mix .

Most masking issues I encounter are the masking removing the layer of coating you're attempting to protect .
That again is usually from very poor adhesion of the protected coating due to substrate contaminates or just too little time allowed for proper curing .
Water based coatings can deceive you into thinking they are ready to go since their " handling " qualities are achieved very quickly , but they do require longer than can be apparent to achieve their proper mechanical properties as a " cured " film .

 

[Hagoth]

Custardchris, Have you tried a different type of masking tape? I have found that 3M blue painters tape sticks well enough and doesn't pull up the surface you are trying to protect if properly cured. Seems to cut easier for me when trimming against details. The best general tip is what Urumomo mentioned with multiple light coats and spraying away from the edge instead of into it if it can be helped.

 

[trekriffic]

Tamiya tape works best for me. For large masking jobs I might use a combination of blue painter's tape with the Tamiya tape reserved for the edges only as it's expensive when compared with the blue.
As far as Future creating a secondary border... I personally have not experienced that. It goes on very thinly, almost as thin as water. Unless I am not understanding what uromomo means. Many modelers have used Future over the years to prevent paint bleed with great success. Perhaps the key is not to get carried away with it. Too much might cause a buildup along the edge which may be what urumomo is referring to.