Masking on cone

[Dissonance]

Would someone please share a technique for masking on a cone? I can't seem to get the tape horizontal all the way around. I'm trying to tape of the top 1 inch.

 

[OzHybrid]

Get a good line around the finished masking line with narrow masking tape or the better automotive striping tape. Then use lots of small pieces of masking tape to fill in the rest rather than wrapping one piece of larger width tape to finish mask. Looks like the larger tape has pulled your mask line out of place. Assuming the masking line was good at the beginning.
Norm

 

[Dissonance]

Get a good line around the finished masking line with narrow masking tape or the better automotive striping tape. Then use lots of small pieces of masking tape to fill in the rest rather than wrapping one piece of larger width tape to finish mask. Looks like the larger tape has pulled your mask line out of place. Assuming the masking line was good at the beginning.
Norm

Thanks! My Tamiya masking tapes are not very flexible, and the narrow tapes I have (I don't remember the brand) don't stick very well. I will order some automotive striping tape and try again.

 

[cls]

I use dividers (or a smaller diameter tube) to draw a pencil line around at the right spot. Then, follow the line with narrow tape (mine is Tamiya maybe), and then coarsely over that with larger rape (2" blue tape).

It's difficult to follow the pencil line, the thin tape wobbles and doesn't lie flat. So it's lots of wrap, peel, wrap some more...

 

[Azamiryou]

Apogee Newsletter article on masking nose cones

Basically, use a transition calculator to plan a thin transition cone section, and use that to cut the perfect curve in your masking tape.

 

[Dissonance]

I use dividers (or a smaller diameter tube) to draw a pencil line around at the right spot. Then, follow the line with narrow tape (mine is Tamiya maybe), and then coarsely over that with larger rape (2" blue tape).

It's difficult to follow the pencil line, the thin tape wobbles and doesn't lie flat. So it's lots of wrap, peel, wrap some more...

A smaller diameter tube seems like a great idea.

 

[hcmbanjo]

Here's some tips from my blog:
https://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com/2014/12/estes-equinox-build-part-14-nose-cone.htmlhttps://modelrocketbuilding.blogspot.com/2017/09/apogee-shrockets-skonk-wulf-build-part_8.html

 

[Dissonance]

Apogee Newsletter article on masking nose cones

Basically, use a transition calculator to plan a thin transition cone section, and use that to cut the perfect curve in your masking tape.

I had no idea. This opens up a whole new world of possibilities. Thanks!

 

[David Schwantz]

Just take a circle template, like from hobby Lobby, and put it over the NC. Level it and draw a light line and mask it off.

 

[bjphoenix]

If you don't have thin striping tape or thin Tamiya then I would lay a piece of normal tape down and use a straightedge to cut a thin strip from it and use that.
I have some very thin Tamiya tape and I think it is flexible enough to wrap around a cone.