Jaime and Gregor! Thanks!
Tonight I have a little party-trick to show. Or at least a masking trick but that might be more appropriate around here π ! Hang on!
A few years ago I bought a box of plastic erasers, I suppose I meant to use them the common way: for erasing... However, since most of my work nowadays is done in 3D in the computer (all erasing done electronically, simply great π ), they just sat there until I figured out that they could come in handy for modelling.
Since then, I have used them in all kinds of ways, the two favourite ones being cutting them into custom-made contoured sanding sticks for those hard-to-reach places and for masking.
First time I tried it was on a 1/144 scale Draken, a lot easier than to mess around with tape in this size!
Cut an even slice of eraser the width you would like your prop tip bands. Make a slit through it with a scalpel blade (backing the eraser with your thumb will offer a nasty surprise by the way...) (Slicing the eraser to measure makes it easier to judge the width of the band since you just stick the blade through the slit until it is level with the outside of the masking slice but I suppose the eraser can be cut wider and the distance to the edge of the band can then be measured from the spinner out as well!)
I suffer badly from paint paranoia: I add bits of masking tape to protect the tips of the prop. Even if I paint carefully I am convinced that I would end up with brown-edged prop tips if I didn't add the tape...
Painting. I consider this method quite safe but I do try to avoid spraying straight towards the intersection between the eraser and the prop blade.
And the final result! Fairly even but maybe a bit wide, I'll have to adjust this later.
Regards
Magnus
