Issue with Liquid Mask

[Wacker 2]

Hi guys, I hope somebody may be able to help...

A while back I got myself an airbrush to have a play around at spraying some shells... I got myself some liquid mask and all was great. But I wasn't doing any 'fading' with paint so only using solid colours with a nice clean design... as a result I sold the airbrush and have been painting with Liquid Mask and normal spray can paint.

The problem I'm having is that the paint doesn't seem to be sticking to the liquid mask very well... as a result, when you try and peel a peice of liquid mask off it doesn't break along the paint line and the liquid mask pulls out from underneath the paint. Starting to get on my tits as its causing a lot of inperfections in the end result.

I've tried Tamiya paint, and Fast Finish paint... tried applying thin coats and thick coats... tried drying with hair dryer, leaving on a radiator or just air drying between coats but nothing seems to work.

I've done a shell this evening and at one point I was able to peel a chunk of the paint off whilst leaving the liquid mask on the shell.

I've tried RCS Liquid Mask and Bitty Design Liquid Mask and both do the same.

Hoping somebody else out there has had a similar issue... any suggestions on what I'm doing wrong... or if its the paint I'm using is there any suggestions on which spray can paint is best to use... or a prefered Liquid Mask to use?

Many thanks for any help
Jon.

[bigred5765]

sounds like your applying to much paint or building it up two thick, I spray 2-3 very light coats just enough so the colour is constant, no need for it to be solid if its slightly transparent that fine remember your going to back it after

[Dr Fly]

yeah, i would go with your paint layers are too thick. I tend not to use spray cans as i always end up putting too much paint down per coat.

For solid colours, i am using a 0.3mm nozzle £10 airbrush from amazon. it spits to much for any detailed work, but just to get the paint on the shell i cant fault it. No issues with the masking lines either.

[Wacker 2]

Cheers guys... I'll certainly try the thinner coats.

I really didn't want to go down the route of airbrushing again... I know you can pick up some cheap airbrushes but its all the cleaning and having to buy all new airbrush paint. Plus I'll need to get either a cheap compressor or keep buying compressed air cans.

I tried spraying a shell last night... and I still think the issue is the paint not sticking to the liquid mask... I was able to peel a layer of paint off the liquid mask and leave the liquid mask still stuck to the shell?

I'll keep playing around.

Thanks, Jon.

[jonmiller]

Sorry for the delay in responding to your PM (although am just posting here instead now)

As others have said, sounds like your paint is going on too thickly. Especially if you are doing it with any brand mask you use.
Try going easier as Carl suggested and let us know how you get on.

[Wacker 2]

Will do, cheers Jon

[andys]

Also - make sure you thoroughly wash the inside of the shell with some hotish water and washing up liquid as any grease from your fingers will spoil things and stop the paint adhering.

I have in the past also dulled the inside of areas of the shell with abrasive (brillo or scouring pad - but be careful to consistently dull it...) this 'keys' the inside of the shell and helps the paint have something to grab onto as opposed to a perfectly smooth surface - although I don't bother as much these days.

The Solvent based rattle tins should 'eat into the shell' as I used them a lot before going to water based and once they are on - they are ON - so you must be putting too much paint down - patience is key

[Wacker 2]

The paint sticks perfectly to the lexan... but it doesn't stick to the liquid mask.

So when I've paint a bit, I've got paint sticking to the lexan where I want it to... but the excess paint just seems to almost sit on top of the liquid mask I haven't pulled up yet. As a result, when I come to peel a section of liquid mask off the paint doesn't come up with it and so the liquid mask almost peels out from underneath the paint.

Difficult to explain... but basically it results in the paint not peeling off with the liquid mask... this prevents a clean 'break' line between where I've painted and where I want to paint next.

[Wacker 2]

Would it be anything down to the temperature where I'm painting?

I spray it in the house which is usually pretty warm.

[PaulUpton]

personally I never think rattle can paint and LM get on well together, once you've sprayed the rattle can and its dried you could score the liquid mask again with knife to break the paint before pulling the liquid mask.

[andys]

Hmmm.

I kind off see what you mean now. All I can tell you is that when I painted with solvent based paints, they did not sit on the liquid mask anywhere near as nicely as the water based.

As suggested, maybe the rattle can paints from the spray tins do not work well over liquid mask and you are a bit snookered...

[jonmiller]

pulling angle and speed when lifting the mask can vary results.
rather than lifting, maybe pull the mask away at a more perpendicular angle to the shell. try a different approach to what you are doing at present and maybe you will find a 'technique' that works better for you.

[julianb]

I'd say almost definitely too much paint. The same thing can happen with the airbrush when paint really gets layered up with complex designs and floods the edge of the mask. A light coat from a can is very much heavier than one from an airbrush. My general rule of thumb is if the coats look wet, then I'm building in the same issue you're experiencing. Most often see it after laying down too much fluoro paint to quickly, then backing it - the backing can pull away as you describe.

An airbrush sounds the ticket.

cheers

J