Gentlemen:

Another thought: 3M makes a line of tapes, in varrying widths, for masking
which is used in the auto industry. THe tapes are a polymer based, not
paper. A little bit more expensive, but the results are great. Nice sharp
lines.

Also, there is brand of tapes from Japan called Nichiban. We use this
almost excusively when we do mutli color paint schemes on our projects. It
is a rice paper product. Very thin. It's awesome stuff. It comes in
widths from about 1/16" to 2".

Leaves a crisp line, and the adhesive does not leave a film that other tapes
sometimes do, when it is left on the model for a bit.
Jon

I use "Post-it" notes for masking straight lines and where there is no need to "snuggle down" over rivets. I use the low tack adhesive on the notes to mask pier panels on multi-color schemes like the Daylight. And as mentioned previously, this must be done with solvent-based paints, not water-based paints.

Where curves need to be masked, I use "Chart Pak" black matte tape. It is available in thicknesses as thin as 1/32". Before computer artwork, artists and illustrators used this kind of tape to create presentation boards. The matte tape burnishes beautifully over raised detail and rivets. Removal of tape should be as soon as paint has dried, and tape should be peeled off carefully by drawing back along the line masked so that the potential for "lifting off" is minimized (create maximum shear stress to "tear" paint edge). Again I would recommend solvent-based paints for this application.

Despite the plethora of success stories and testimonials to the new acrylic paints I still have deeply-rooted psycological hesitiations (friends don't read any more into that statement please) to switch to them because of a couple nightmare experiences when they first came out years ago. I tried thinning with water, rubbing alcohol, etc., to no avail. This was with the first Polly S paints. I remember having to strip several projects and redo with Floquil. I also ruined one airbrush because I failed to completely remove the acrylic paint during cleaning, and I try to completely clean my airbrush between uses. I had to rebuild the (double-action) airbrush with new parts.

I hate to sound like some middle-aged fuddy duddy "set in my ways" with solvent-based Floquil, but when you find a system that works for you and you get consistent results I tend to stick with a winner. I also tried Scalecoat applied per manufacturer recommendations and found that upon close observation with a magnifying glass Scalecoat's effective paint layer appeared thicker to me than Floquil's, the Floquil paint rendering finer detail on parts such as brake reservoirs and brake wheels. Now I have heard the testimonials to both Scalecoat and the acrylics, and the other "ink-based" paints as well. I would love to experience the great results that I have read in this and other email groups, including multi-layer paint schemes in one evening, etc.

Like everyone else on this list, when you put the time and expense into assembling a resin kit with fine details such as photo-etched roofwalks, brake system castings, fine trucks, rivet strips, ribs and corrugations, etc., one wants to finish with the thinnest layer of paint possible so one does not obscure these details. I love dry-brushed acrylics for weathering, but still can't take "the leap" with freight car red. Hopefully one day I will find the courage to try again. (Probably when solvent-based paints are no longer available).

Paul
Valencia, CA