Modelers or painter's tape - which is best?

[Ron]

I've used the yellow Tamiya modelers masking tape for years and have been very pleased with the results:

- it's thin enough to "see through" when masking over multiple colours and a colour reference is needed for masking placement
- it's not too thick so its easy to work with
- it cuts very easily
- it's sticky enough to adhere to both painted and unpainted styrene and resin model surfaces and prevent paint bleed, yet it comes off very easily without pulling paint (especially after a long period of time)

Lately I've seen various photos (mostly the 1/350 Enterprises NX-01 and Refit) that have been 'test fitted' together with blue painter's tape. The only painter's tape I've seen up to now has been the green stuff, but now I can find blue, purple and white painter's tape in the hardware stores/sections.

Does anyone know how the painter's tape compares to the Tamiya tape, and if there's any one that's better (or worse) than another.

At $6.00 for a roll of 6mm Tamiya tape, if I can spend $4.00 for a substantially larger roll of painter's tape that does the same or better job I'd like to know first if its worth the effort

[Digger1]

I like the blue painting tape. I don't know for sure, but I think the purple and green are just the same thing as the blue.

Also, I like the 3M vinyl tape. Leaves real sharp lines.

I tried the yellow Tamiya tape. It didn't adhere that well and there was a lot of bleed-under.

[Joseph C. Brown]

The Tamiya tape is really great stuff, it's just pricey for what amount you get... much like their paints. For the larger areas to cover, I'll use the blue tape, and use the Tamiya tape for really critical areas.

[Lt. Z0mBe]

I use white painters' tape with no problems. I mask it over a color, lightly burnish the edge, and spray a light coat of the same color, or Future, over the edge of the mask to seal the edge. Then I lightly spray on the desired color. I have no bleed under.

Sticky notes work great too, especially for panels and with pastel masking.

Of course, this methd assumes the surface of the model was properly prepared prior to painting. Say that ten times fast.

I hope this helps.

Kenny

[TimeScape]

WRT painter's masking tape, I am not sure if the colour means anything. It could be just different manufacturers or one possibility may be that the different colours are of different tackiness. The Tamiya masking tape is less tacky than painter's tape and also the edges tend to be much less ragged than painters (due to the paint viscousity).

I use a varity of masking techniques:

Tamiya tape for demarkation lines, with painter's tape to mask the large areas

paper towel/kleenex lightly stuffed into openings (such as cockpits and landing bays) with the edges taped

frisket for reuse masks (ie Aztec)

Bare Metal foil (this work great for compound areas, apply, cut to shape; very good technique for raised panels or sunken areas. Problem is removal, however, I found that dabing the area with painter's tape (the sticky side) helps lift up the edges where you can get under with tweezers to lift.

Masking liquids but haven't much success with these.

[Kylwell]

You also forgot Parafilm-M.

I use Tamiya for most everything. Blue for bulk coverage and Parafilm-M for detailed masking.

[Jonas Calhoun]

I've used Tamiya, blue tape, Parafilm, and Press-n-Seal.

Personally, I use the Tamiya for the detail with Blue tape or Press-n-Seal behind the Tamiya. Haven't gotten the hang of Parafilm yet.

Dan

[Kekker]

I've used the yellow Tamiya tape for edges and small, detail-y masking. For larger areas I edge first and then cover the rest with stretched Parafilm. For long, straight or mildly curved edges I also use the blue plastic tape from MicroMark.

Kev