Masking Tape Blue (40 mm / 18 m)

Tamiya blue masking tape, 40 mm wide, 18 m roll

This is a modeling masking tape from the Japanese brand Tamiya in a blue finish. The roll is 40 mm wide and holds 18 m. It is not a paint or an accessory for a particular kit but a consumable that gets used over and over in the modeling workshop: whenever you need to separate two areas of color or protect finished paint from the next coat.

Use

• Covering large areas — wings, fuselage, roof or body sides — when spraying the second shade of a camouflage.
• Protecting areas that have already been sprayed and dried during a multi-color paint job.
• A base for cutting your own stencils: the wide strip is stuck to the part and the shape is cut out directly on the model.
• Covering glazing, gear bays and openings that must be kept free of paint and primer.
• A companion to narrow tapes, which suit curves and edges, while the wide tape covers an area in a single pass.

How to work with the tape

• Stick it to a perfectly dry and degreased surface, otherwise the paint will creep under it.
• Press the edge of the tape down with a fingernail or a toothpick, because that is exactly where ragged transitions come from.
• Spray the paint in thin coats and rather across the edge of the mask than under it.
• Lift the tape slowly, at a sharp angle, ideally before the paint has fully hardened.
• Store the roll dry and out of direct sunlight so that the adhesive does not harden.

Who the tape is for

For anyone who sprays with an airbrush or a spray can, from aircraft and vehicle builders to car modelers and figure painters. The wide version pays off especially in large scales and on multi-color camouflage, where piecing narrow strips together would take an unnecessary amount of time.

The manufacturer does not state the exact composition of the tape, the type of adhesive or its resistance to individual types of paint. Before working on finished paint, a test in a hidden spot or on an offcut is recommended.