Parafilm Vs liquid masking for painting canopies. Which?

Hints here for painting, decalling, weathering and displaying your finished models.
Post Reply
User avatar
CementNotGlue
Active Participant
Posts: 687
Joined: May 4th, 2011, 8:53 pm
Location: Martlesham Heath

Parafilm Vs liquid masking for painting canopies. Which?

Post by CementNotGlue »

Hi all
Thinking of investing in Parafilm and some rubber-tipped material shapers to paint 1/72 canopies. In the past I just covered the clear part in Humbrol Maskol prior to painting. Since then, Windsor and Newton masking fluid has replaced Humbrol Maskol as the preferred masking medium.

What are folk's preferences and why?

Are there situations where one technique is better than the other?

For those of you who have not heard of it, and I hadn't until a few days ago, here is a link:

http://www.2spi.com/catalog/supp/parafilm.php;

CNG
User avatar
TobyC
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 5540
Joined: January 15th, 2013, 2:13 pm
Location: Cobham, Surrey. Blighty

Re: Parafilm Vs liquid masking for painting canopies. Whic

Post by TobyC »

I bought some parafilm a couple of years back and used it once but found it too fiddly and haven't used it since. I may have some left if you want to try it first.
Enjoyment over accuracy. That's my motto
User avatar
fredk
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 6194
Joined: May 1st, 2012, 6:25 am
Location: Donaghadee, N'rn Ir'n

Re: Parafilm Vs liquid masking for painting canopies. Whic

Post by fredk »

I tried some parafilm once; I thought it was very similar to cling-film. Patience is required in modelling, but I found parafilm pushed it
Al speling misteaks aer all mi own werk..
Its not just how good your painting is, its how good the touch-ups are too.
User avatar
JamesPerrin
Looks like his avatar
Posts: 13619
Joined: April 5th, 2011, 8:09 pm
Location: W. Yorkshire
Contact:

Re: Parafilm Vs liquid masking for painting canopies. Whic

Post by JamesPerrin »

Mike Grant swears by Parafilm I swear at it. It does require some practice to get it right and probably not why you have an immediate need to mask something.

I'm old fashioned though and have stuck to Tamiya tape, a cocktail stick and a sharp knife, with reasonable success.
Classic British Kits SIG Leader Better to fettle than to fill
(2024 A:B 5:1) (2023 13:8:7) (2022 21:11) (2021 15:8) (2020 8:4:4)
User avatar
splash
Senior Service Rotorhead
Posts: 13828
Joined: May 1st, 2011, 11:02 am
Location: Somerset England

Re: Parafilm Vs liquid masking for painting canopies. Whic

Post by splash »

JamesPerrin wrote:Mike Grant swears by Parafilm I swear at it. It does require some practice to get it right and probably not why you have an immediate need to mask something.

I'm old fashioned though and have stuck to Tamiya tape, a cocktail stick and a sharp knife, with reasonable success.
I agree with you James, I have had mixed results with it, I think for the price its good value it just needs lots of practice to get it to work properly.
My work bench is starting to look like Portsmouth Naval Dockyard.
User avatar
flakmonkey
Modelling Gent and Scholar
Posts: 3484
Joined: April 6th, 2011, 9:58 am
Location: Down in the tube station at midnight
Contact:

Re: Parafilm Vs liquid masking for painting canopies. Whic

Post by flakmonkey »

Regular masking fluid will make a mess of any Klear/ Future you have applied to the canopy, as it's often ammonia based. Gunze's Mr Masking Sol seems to be ok in that regard. My own preference is for Mr Masking Sol R. Paint it on all over, let it cure, then trim it with a new blade. It's like painted on tape.

Parafilm just makes me swear a lot. Life is way too short to be dealing with that stuff.
Would ya like to learn to fly? Would ya? Would you like to see me try?
Michael modeller 48

Re: Parafilm Vs liquid masking for painting canopies. Whic

Post by Michael modeller 48 »

I tried Microsoft liquid mask, it goes on well and dries, but to cut the canopy lines you need a steady hand. I am going to practice marking and cut my own

canopy masking. I also tried eduard masking kit very good easy to use but new a good modelling budget to use all the time.
Post Reply

Return to “Finishing Tips”