Painting Cannopys

[Nightwind]

How in the world do you paint them i mess mine up every time i have tried. Whats the best way to paint a cannopy Thanks!

 

[Elm City Hobbies]

What I have always used is Bare Metal Foil.

Very thin...conforms to irregular surfaces very well.

You can use one big piece, or multiple smaller panels. Use a new blade to cut, it is thin enough that just the weight of the knife will pretty much cut it.

Works like a charm!

 

[TheJackal]

I use Tamiya tape and a sharp knife to trim it.
Then very light coats of paint to avoid seapage under the tape.
Oh and remember to spray the inside colour first if it is different to the outside colour.

 

[Grendels]

You are going to find there are as many techniques for this are there are grains of sand on a beach. I use to use painters tape, for my next one, I am going to give Frisket film a try. This stuff is kind of like a thin transparent tape. I cut out a piece, lay it down and then use a sharp knife to cut around the edges. If you use this product, just make sure you press it down really well before paint.

recently I saw a YouTube video about this, the person who posted it hand painted the canopy, no masking. They let it sit for an hour or two. Not enough for the paint to cure, but enough to handle it. Then they cleaned up the excess with a wooden tooth pick. I tried this last night and it did work!

HOW TO: Paint and fix canopies on to your models (A Basic Tutorial, Pt.1)

 

[ministuff]

great! Looks simple enough so will have that one a go for the next cannopy. Thanks for the link!

/Markus

 

[sunsanvil]

Then they cleaned up the excess with a wooden tooth pick. I tried this last night and it did work!

I've done that before, especially with smaller, well defined clear pieces (cupola periscopes for example). I thought I was the only one. LOL.

 

[Nightwind]

Cannopy Video

Can some one make a cannopy video on how to paint the lines on them. Thank you so much! Tim ;D

 

[13aceofspades13]

Aah.... i remember when i first started making model airplanes, the canopy.... ah yes.... SCREWED IT UP MOST EVERY TIME! i have learned over my time of model building

i use the normal testers glue in the red tube, i use only a little and make sure my hands are clean before installing the canopy, i apply glue on the aircraft where the canopy goes, not on the canopy, if you put the glue on the canopy, your are almost guaranteed to fail in canopy installation. and only use a little bit, too much will get all over the canopy. Also what i like to do is, make sure i know how to attach the canopy before hand, think of a game plan, make sure it has a smooth fit in the spot, if it does not make it fit smooth before installation, if it fits, or when it is made to fit well, then i apply the glue, and install the canopy, usually it works out well. one of my most sucessful canopies was on my P-51D mustang "Patriot",its almost perfect.



not a spot of glue on it

And like everyone ells says, free handing your canopies will always lead to disaster, i would place masking tape in the spots you do not want painted, and only apply the paint in light coats so it does not... seep through the tape, also as many have stated here, make it one of the last, if not the last installation of the aircraft, so you don,t have to work around it in fear of screwing it up, beacuse you probably will!

also its a good idea to make sure the surface you apply your canopy to does not have paint on it if your using glue... beacuse paint tends to soften up when glue is applied and could get on the canopy and ruin it.

sad part is for me, lol... these are all things i have learned the hard way! but Patience and practice makes perfection just like my P-51! hay thats a lot of Ps...

 

[the Baron]

I painted them free-hand for the longest time, but I'm getting better at masking them. My latest effort is an old Monogram F6F in 1/48, and with this kit, I'm using low-tack painter's tape from the hardware store. On the rigid plastic of a styrene canopy, it was very easy to work, laying tape over sections of the canopy and cutting away with a new #11 blade.

I used regular masking tape, but it's a little thicker, and I found it harder to cut.

I've also used Parafilm, but I used it on a vacuform canopy, removed from its carrier plastic, and it was just too flimsy to allow good cutting. I still want to try the Parafilm, but on a rigid styrene canopy.

I have found it easier/better to apply the masking to the canopy, before it's glued in place, wherever possible.

That's what I've learned so far, hope that helps!

 

[JMac]

I like Mr. Hobby liquid mask for those weird shapes. Works well when used in conjunction with good old fashion masking tape.

 

[MrNatural]

I like Mr. Hobby liquid mask for those weird shapes. Works well when used in conjunction with good old fashion masking tape.

I use a similar product called Magic White Mask Liquid Frisket you can get it at any craft store where they sell painting supplies. my masking jobs improved tremendously after discovering this stuff. works great on canopies and other odd bendy masking jobs.

 

[DreamKnight]

I just mask my canopy with masking tape or Parafilm and blast it during painting.

 

[Static Addict]

It has been my experience that a great masking job will usually yeild a great paint job. It's all about the headspace for me. I concentrate very hard on getting a precise and thorough masking job. After that the painting is relatively easy. I figure if a person has the patience and hands to put down good masking (regardless of material used), they can usually lay down a smooth even coat of paint. I like to plan a masking and painting job carefully. I think the old saying is true "a paint job (or any job) is only as good as the prep work". Most importantly.....Be sure to have fun!!

 

[Steve_L]

I use 6mm and 10mm Tamiya tape and a sharp knife to trim it. Usually I start spraying black and then I move on with the outside color.

Another way is to use a liquid mask (Humbrol Maskol), but I prefer tape masking.

 

[Quaralane]

I still tend to paint them by hand with a fine brush.
Can be tricky at times, though