Painting Nose Cone Tips?

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Kruegon

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I've seen several kits that require the tip or top half of a nose cone to be painted a different color. Often silver. It not always. Ogive nose cones curve two directions at once. How can I securely tape off the tip to get a clean line on my paint?

Hand painting is out of the question. I don't want it to look like a three year old finger painted the tip. And that is a very gracious description of my hand painting skills. Yes, I'm ashamed of that fact.
 
I've used orthodontic rubber bands (the small ones used for braces) also as dhbarr said, a centering ring or cardboard with a hole cut in it. I have also done it the tedious way, measure and mark the length of the area to be painted, apply small pieces of 1/4" masking tape (Tamiya) around the tip following the marks. If it's done right you can get a decent, straight curve around the tip of the cone.
 
I've tried both methods and the masking tape one seems to work better. The problem I had with using a ring over the tip of the nose cone was getting a good paint seal. It was hard to get a clean line. So what I ended up doing was using the ring as a guide to draw a line and then masking off the cone with blue tape. I did not have the 1/4" stuff so I just cut thin strips so it would curve easily. It worked well enough but of course you have to make sure the underlying coats of paint have fully cured, I got in a hurry on one and the tape messed up the paint.

I have thought about but never tried using a hole cut in a plastic sheet and then pulling that over the nose cone. Might be worth an experiment.

Good luck,


Tony
 
I've tried both methods and the masking tape one seems to work better. The problem I had with using a ring over the tip of the nose cone was getting a good paint seal. It was hard to get a clean line. So what I ended up doing was using the ring as a guide to draw a line and then masking off the cone with blue tape. I did not have the 1/4" stuff so I just cut thin strips so it would curve easily. It worked well enough but of course you have to make sure the underlying coats of paint have fully cured, I got in a hurry on one and the tape messed up the paint.

I have thought about but never tried using a hole cut in a plastic sheet and then pulling that over the nose cone. Might be worth an experiment.

Good luck,


Tony

I agree with Tony this method works best for reasons stated.
 
Ok those brought a new perspective to what I'm looking at. It's an original Big Daddy paint scheme. Three inch nose cone, base of black, yellow tip. It's a pretty significant yellow tip. Based on the package photo, I'd say between 1/4 and 1/3 of the length.

So would it be better to paint and mask the yellow first or the black? My thought is that most of us hang our nose cones to paint them. This will cause most any paint running to move towards the tape and increase any ridge at the paint line if the yellow was painted first. But then again, I could place it upright in a spare tube so the run chance goes away from the tape.

What are your thoughts on this? Either way, I'll pick up some tamiya tape this week. I expect to be painting within the next two to three weeks. I've still got a few things to do the nose cone.
 
For cutting curved blue tape I use the glass from an old picture frame. Tape your circle pattern on one side. Cover with blue tape on other side...overlapping as necessary. Shine light from bottom side so you can see pattern through tape. Cut tape with an xacto knife. The blue Edge Lock tape is more translucent than the regular blue tape.
 
I would paint the tip first. That way you don't have to curve the tape, just wrap it around and let the tape hang away from the cone. A piece of paper rolled into a loose cone shape can then be slipped over the tip and under the tape.
 
I've layed out paper shrouds, then used them as templates to cut masking tape. Another choice would be to use the very narrow Tamiya modeler's masking tape. It can be curved pretty easily, and is excellent for masking paint lines. I use it exclusively now for masking. Cover the narrow tape with wider tape and paper to get sufficient protection from overspray.
 
I have had success by marking with a ring and then taping with electrical tape and allowing the tape edge towards the bigger nose cone diameter to curl up. About 1/3 of the tape width was actually stuck down. It has to be warm as in mid seventies to allow the tape the flexibility to do this. I painted it right after taping in case the tape moved though.

Greg
 
Recently I picked up some Tamiya Masking Tape for Curves and I find it pretty easy to work with. Given a circle drawn around the nose where you want the paint border to be, it would be pretty easy to tape around it with that stuff. You do have to be somewhat careful to really burnish the edge down, though, to avoid seepage.
 
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I've always cut a Transition template that is transfered to masking tape (3m Fine line or Tamiya), apply the cut arched tape to the Nose cone and Paint.
In your case I'd Paint the entire cone YELLOW first as it takes 3 to 4 consistent timing application to get a good yellow coverage. Do NOT try to get a consistant color by eye you will never get the coverage even. Pay attention to the distance from the surface of the cone to your nozzle or can. Pick a application passing rate and repeat it with each stroke. Start your stroke from well before the tip or shoulder of the cone, proceed with constant rate all the way beyond the other end of the cone. 1/4 turn the cone and repeat. continue all the way around the cone. Repeat at least 3 complete curcumferences of the cone. Only after 3 complete coats do you even look at the cone. If your coverage isn't even and consistant all the way around the cone. Add a least one more complete coat.

Let this dry completely overnight or two. do a sniff test to ensure the yellow is dry. Apply the masking along a line you draw with a compass with the needle tip on the apex of the cone. Apply the tape to cover that portion of the yellow tip. Seal the tape edge with Testors Dull coat. Allow to dry, Check the dull finish all the way around the tape edge. if necessary add another coat to ensure a good seal. When Dry apply your black to the remainer of the nosecone.
 
I use a centering or similar object to mark the location, but instead of using masking tape, I use a piece of rubber sheet with a small hole punched in it

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I stretch the hole over the nose tip until it lines up with the alignment marks. No tape is necessary since the rubber seals tightly around the surface.
 
Most of the time I paint the tip first then use a scrap tube like the one that comes to push the thrust block in place. Tape one of the open ends up and firmly place the tube on the end of the nose cone making sure it is straight. Then I paint the base coat of the nose cone. Looks great if you take your time.
 
Pinstripe conforms easily to contours.

New guy here,
I concur with the pinstripe tape method.
It stretches and bends easily, and can conform to unusual surfaces.
Get the single stripe version (if you can't find a single stripe, you can use a double but you'll need to split it manually), press it on, remove the carrier film and then tape off the rest of the model with whatever masking tape you want.
Warning: the longer pinstripe tape stays on a surface the better it adheres.
Remove it as soon as you're confident the paint is well cured. I've gone 24 hours without it removing any of the base color.

BAD
 
New guy here,
I concur with the pinstripe tape method.
It stretches and bends easily, and can conform to unusual surfaces.
Get the single stripe version (if you can't find a single stripe, you can use a double but you'll need to split it manually), press it on, remove the carrier film and then tape off the rest of the model with whatever masking tape you want.
Warning: the longer pinstripe tape stays on a surface the better it adheres.
Remove it as soon as you're confident the paint is well cured. I've gone 24 hours without it removing any of the base color.

The Tamiya masking tape for curves is basically the same thing. It's quite flexible and is shaped easily. No carrier film or anything to deal with. I would expect it also has a less aggressive adhesive, since it's made to be removed after all.
 
Most of the time I paint the tip first then use a scrap tube like the one that comes to push the thrust block in place. Tape one of the open ends up and firmly place the tube on the end of the nose cone making sure it is straight. Then I paint the base coat of the nose cone. Looks great if you take your time.

I've done this and it works.
I have also put masking tape on the cone then ran a ring or body tube down onto the tape, cut your tape and peel off what you don't need. I always shoot a bit of clear or base to seal edges.

Oh, yellow over black no so easy. Black over yellow much easier.

Mikey D
 
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Paint the point end first, no taping required.
After a few days of drying time...
Put the cone in the BT, put it in a piece of L angle (or where table meets wall, or similar), hold razor blade next to end of angle where the tape line should be on the nose cone.
Rotate and make a light cut in the nose cone. Use plastic tape, the blue stuff works best and tape at the cut, just leaving the cut show.
Wet sand and dry, and paint the bottom half of the nose cone.
The cut will stop bleed under the tape, and leaves a nice clean edge. If you don't over apply paint to the lower section at the tape line, it should be pretty smooth transition between colors.
Clean coat if wanted.
 
I've seen several kits that require the tip or top half of a nose cone to be painted a different color. Often silver. It not always. Ogive nose cones curve two directions at once. How can I securely tape off the tip to get a clean line on my paint?

Hand painting is out of the question. I don't want it to look like a three year old finger painted the tip. And that is a very gracious description of my hand painting skills. Yes, I'm ashamed of that fact.
 
For doing curves, such as nose cone tips, I bought a roll of 2mm wide Tamiya tape (white, not yellow -- not sure if it means it is more stretchy, but it is easy to apply). It is easy to curve for laying down around a nose cone tip. I've never had bleed-thru using Tamiya tape, whether the narrow white stuff for curves, or the traditional yellow. I do always go over the tape to make sure it is pressed down firmly.

I buy 3-packs on Amazon, pretty reasonably priced.
 
For doing curves, such as nose cone tips, I bought a roll of 2mm wide Tamiya tape (white, not yellow -- not sure if it means it is more stretchy, but it is easy to apply). It is easy to curve for laying down around a nose cone tip. I've never had bleed-thru using Tamiya tape, whether the narrow white stuff for curves, or the traditional yellow. I do always go over the tape to make sure it is pressed down firmly.

I buy 3-packs on Amazon, pretty reasonably priced.
If you do get any bleed AND if the colours are similar you may be able to use a Sharpie paint pen to clean up the edges. I have black, white, silver, gold, and red.
 
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