Hi - another numpty question from yours truly!
I have put the base coat down and am now going to use Blu Tac for the camo - should I apply a coat of Klear before I use it?
thx

There's absolutely no need to apply Klear or whatever before masking with Blue-Tac (or any other pata-tac).

ok good to know - thanks!

I wouldn't use the blue kind, only the white. The blue kind can stain paint and it's a pain to get off.

I use the blue kind from Business Depot/Staple, their generic brand, and I have never had it stain the paint, or have I had any issues getting it off. Do me is just not as sticky as the brand name "Blu-Tack".

I've been using "poster putty worms" for years to mask tight, soft edge camouflage schemes. Take the word of someone who has tried many brands and colours, make the effort to get genuine Bostik Blu-Tack. It is definitely worth the expense. Nothing else comes close to working as well.

For rolling, try this little trick using a ceramic tile and scrap of clear acrylic (which allows you to see the worm while rolling).



I've used Blu-Tack on enamels, lacquers, and acrylics with no hint of staining or difficulty removing.

Yeah, I know this sounds like a Blu-Tack commercial but I am in no way affiliated with them. Just someone who has tried them all and knows what works best!

HTH

Cheers,
Eric

I haven't tried Blue Tac, or similar, for masking but it looks interesting. What do you use for masking areas between the Blue Tac outlines - more Blue Tac? Or are you just very careful to avoid overspray? Do you thin your paint even more and use a low pressure (below 10 psi)?

I mask between the putty worm outlines with tape. Small strips of Tamiya tape following the curves then more Tamiya or 3M blue painters tape for the larger areas.



I don't thin paint any more than usual (about 50/50) and spray around 15 psi. The trick is to keep your airbrush at a 90 degree angle to the surface. If you aim away from the worm, you'll get a fuzzy line, toward it, and you may end up with a sharper line than you want.

Really, the best thing to do is experiment to see what works best for you.

Oh, and no matter how careful you are, there will always be spots needing touch up. In those cases, I just roll a new worm, apply along the existing outline, and respray. In those cases, I usually thin the paint more and drop the pressure a few psi for greater control.

HTH

Cheers,
Eric

Thanks. I'll give it a try.

This is the stuff that will stain and is a pain to remove.

I have had staining once when using Blu Tac. I forget who told me but apperently sometimes you can get staining because of the oil in your fingers going into the Blu Tac when its being rolled. I use gloves now when using Blu Tac and havent had the problem since. I am not saying thats the reason for some staining just thought I would mention it

G

No problems with blue-tac without clear. Here is what I painted yesterday. Not aircraft, but OK as an example.



removed the masks 20 minutes after

I am learning to use an airbrush, and I used blu-tac on my first camo pattern for the BAe group build. My subject is a Harrier GR.3 and i was quite happy with the result.
Masking:


The end result: