Clear Canopies - how do you mask?

I used to paint the frames freehand, but more often than not the raised detail wasn't very and I ended up with a mess. My most recent efforts have been with Tamiya masking tape which have worked better but still some bleed as curves tend to fold the tape and the paint leeches into the folds.

Has anyone any better methods?
How about 'liquid mask'? I haven't used this before, is it worth buying for the job?

While some may yell "Too expensive - a real modeler wouldn't spend so much!", I use and much prefer Bare Metal Foil for canopies. Sure, it's more expensive than tape but you're sure of the results; it adheres well, burnishes to reveal every frame line, cuts cleanly to reveal said frame lines and releases easily. Since discovering it years ago, I always use it for close masking, like canopies.
Just my $.02 (and my spendthrift attitude shining through!).

Frank Kranick
IPMS/USA 20352

Usually I put the canopy on after the aircraft is painted. Beforehand, I painted up some silver or green decal in whatever the color the canopy is.
Then I cut the decal in thin slices, and decal on the canopy frames. Kim M

Operation American Freedom- Where is our regime change?

You can't get straight lines with liquid mask. Instead, try 'Cheap Chocolate
Foil' as explained on my Stuka page:
http://www.sml.lr.tudelft.nl/~home/rob/models/stuka.htm

Copied from the page: "I used adhesive aluminium foil, not expensive Bare Metal
Foil, but Cheap Chocolate Foil. It could be different in other parts of the world, but in Europe, chocolate bars are usually wrapped in aluminium foil, followed by a printed paper wrapping. In many cases the aluminium foil is white on the inside, and this is the type of foil you need. This foil can be split in a thin aluminium layer and a paper layer (a fiddly job!), and the aluminium layer remains slightly tacky after the split. It is perfect for masking canopies, much better than Bare Metal Foil because of its much lower tackyness.
But for permanent foiling I wouldn't use it, I guess. I have to add that the splitting is relatively simple with some types of foil, and near impossible with others. You may have to shop around a little."

Examples are also shown on other pages of the site (Komet, Super Etendard,
YF-22). Try it - it is nearly free!

Rob de Bie

My models: www.sml.lr.tudelft.nl/~home/rob/models.htm
Me 163B site: www.sml.lr.tudelft.nl/~home/rob/me163.htm

One more thought - for natural metal aircraft - is to use silver decal film. I used this very successfully on a Monogram B-26, an AM SBD-1 and a Tamiya P-51D.

Frank Kranick
IPMS/USA 20352

...There'ya go...

Frank Kranick
IPMS/USA 20352

I did the same thing with the RP-38E Swordfish conversion, since all the
Execuform kit gave me was one long clear cockpit cover, and the real thing had about a dozen frame bars adding the front cockpit and the back. It's the only way to go with an NMF bird AFAIC. Not that I do much
NMF.