Airbrushing bands on a spinner.

Hi Guys,

Has anyone any bright idea how to paint circular parallel bands on a spinner?

It is virtually impossible to mask something in the shape of a cone.

I usually do something like this freehand, but it always involves a lot of touching up.

I am all ears and eyes.

For which plane is the spinner and what scale? Is it just a parallel band or spiral. I think that you can find ready made masks.

J

ready made masks are the best option. If not available i think the best way is to spray the band color on the spinner, then using circular cut strips of tamiya masking tape to mask the band followed by the application of the spinner color. Not easy, but can be done. I did it but did also several trial and errors

Joseph wrote:For which plane is the spinner and what scale? Is it just a parallel band or spiral. I think that you can find ready made masks.

J

It is my Mosquito I am talking about, in 1/32 scale.

It has a couple of parallel bands not like the 109 which is spiral. When the bands are parallel it is very difficult to mask the spinner because of its shape, you need to crease the tape considerably to produce parallel lines. For that reason I don't think they make masks like these, but I will check with Montex.

FJ wrote:ready made masks are the best option. If not available i think the best way is to spray the band color on the spinner, then using circular cut strips of tamiya masking tape to mask the band followed by the application of the spinner color. Not easy, but can be done. I did it but did also several trial and errors

I will check if ready made masks are available, if not I prefer to mark the bands on the spinner and delicately fill in by hand.

If they are concentric mount the spinner on a steady shaft and while turning slowly hold the brush on a block obviously with paint.easier said than done but in theory should work.

as a variation to David's idea, you can still do the same but mark the lines with pencil on the spinner. Then you have a guide for masking the spinner with tape.

Hi Cyril...

I'm Posting a Tip by Rodney Williams as it was published on our website www.helmo.gr

I hope that will solve your problem...

[size=13pt]"HOW TO PAINT YOUR PROP SPINNERS"[/size]

by: Rodney Williams
---------------------------------------------------------------

For decades I had problems painting my prop hubs, when it came to applying more than one color on them.

I would use masking tape, which work's sometimes. You can go to LSP's web site and look up my 1/24th scale P-51D Mustang; "NOOKY BOOKY- II." Boy-O-Boy, did I have a problem painting that spinner. This story was posted sometime in 2006.

Recently I got the bright idea to do the following:

I have several sizes of "Evergreen Styrene Tubing," so I selected a tube which has a inside diameter of about 7/16"/21mm.

I sanded the inside of the tubing at a 45 degree angle then "dry fit" it to the spinner.





It looked like I could use it to paint two different colors on the spinner, but how will I secure it?

I added some thin-downed ELMER'S white glue to the insider of the tubing..

I just eye-balled my alignment, then let the glue dry over night.

The next day I checked the alignment and it looked ok.

I put some water inside the tube to dissolve the glue, then removed it.

I cleaned up the spinner and tube, then let the parts dry.

I sprayed on the lighter color of my Tamiya paint onto the spinner and let it dry overnight.

The next day I applied my section of tubing and then added the thin-down white glue.

I just followed the above procedure then sprayed on the black color.

After the dark color dried, I added some water to the inside of the tube and took it off.



My last photo shows the front of the model, which to me, meets my expectations for a nice looking two tone prop spinner.



Look at my first two photos : The black paint looks like it has "orange-peeling" on the blades. This is due to the paint not being thinned enough. I sanded the blades with some 800 grit wet/dry sandpaper, then repainted them with some "thin-downed" paint.

"THE END"

hi Alex, how i love the work by Rodney Williams, he is a true master, some of his builds are really amazing.

David wrote:If they are concentric mount the spinner on a steady shaft and while turning slowly hold the brush on a block obviously with paint.easier said than done but in theory should work.

Thank you David,
I think this is the best way to do it, and also as Brian suggested, with the pencil lines is even better.
It does away with all that horrible masking.

Hi again Cyril,

You can use something better than masking tape...

Go to someone there who wraps cars using Vinyl. (i've seen a lot in Malta). Ask for a piece of that material (Avery or 3M) Its a very expensive polymeric vinyl that can take any shape you wish like a condom, using a hair dryer.

Cut the bands in width you need... Apply them by the same way you do with masking tape..Warm it by your wife's hair dryer (hot) and push the gaps with your finger...You will be surprised!!!

PS. Make some tests before you do it on your spinner. The spinner MUST be VARNISHED with enamel before you apply the Vinyl...

Alex Kontiveis wrote:Hi again Cyril,

You can use something better than masking tape...

Go to someone there who wraps cars using Vinyl. (i've seen a lot in Malta). Ask for a piece of that material (Avery or 3M) Its a very expensive polymeric vinyl that can take any shape you wish like a condom, using a hair dryer.

Cut the bands in width you need... Apply them by the same way you do with masking tape..Warm it by your wife's hair dryer (hot) and push the gaps with your finger...You will be surprised!!!

PS. Make some tests before you do it on your spinner. The spinner MUST be VARNISHED with enamel before you apply the Vinyl...

Hi Alex,
I don't know what you are refering to, what do you mean by "wraps cars using Vinyl"
I am not with you man. The condom part is OK

Hi Alex,
Joking apart, I don't understand what material you are mentioning, I have never seen it being used.
But I understand the principle and it would definitly do the trick, but I do not know what material you are refering to.

Hi Cyril...

Car Wrapping is the way a car is "dressed" with a picture using a material called Vinyl

Take a look:



This is not airbrushed but printed Vinyl used to "dress / wrap" the car overall...

I've seen some of them at Malta...

This material is very elastic and can take the shape of any surface is applied on...ANY kind of surface...

I use this material to mask surfaces on models that can not be masked easily with a simple Tamiya's masking tape. (like canopies, etc...)

I can send a piece of this material for free...Just write your address.

Ok?

Cyril, Alex is referring to the material they use to cover cars and buses with adverts. It clings to the body but Alex is the expert.

Hi Alex,

Now I understand the material you mean, as Brian also said it is also used for advertising over here.

It is very kind of you if you can spare a piece. I will send you my address

Thanks.

Cyril

Most big signshops in Malta do car wrapping, practically you find these guys all over the isle now, but if you are seeking the near one to you on Yellow Pages check out it is CAR WRAPPING and not SIGN CUTTING as it is a different approach ...

Ivan

Cyril, with all due respect i think that you are exxagerating this thing. just mark out the spinner using a pencil as i told you and go for a good tamiya masking tape i am more than positive that it will work. I managed to spray on a spiral on a luftwaffe spinner with a mask i did myself. Bands should be miles easier to accomplish and masking tape should do the trick for you. give it a try. Just take your time to mark out and position the tape and you should be ok.

bcauchi wrote:Cyril, with all due respect i think that you are exxagerating this thing. just mark out the spinner using a pencil as i told you and go for a good tamiya masking tape i am more than positive that it will work. I managed to spray on a spiral on a luftwaffe spinner with a mask i did myself. Bands should be miles easier to accomplish and masking tape should do the trick for you. give it a try. Just take your time to mark out and position the tape and you should be ok.

OK I will call it quits, just give me time to try it out.

I respect everybody's suggestion.

Sorry for late post but I'm not very present on the forum (or anywhere else for that matter).

I use a similar system to the tube but since I work with 1:72 I use punched discs of varying diameters and stick this in the spinner. Sometimes, you need 3 colours: a base colour closer to the shaft, another colour for the top cone and a band in a different colour in between. I get this by using a thicker insert and have the spinner pre sprayed in this colour. Done it many times and works well every time. You may need to touch up but minimally.

Hopes this helps.

Aldo wrote:Sorry for late post but I'm not very present on the forum (or anywhere else for that matter).

I use a similar system to the tube but since I work with 1:72 I use punched discs of varying diameters and stick this in the spinner. Sometimes, you need 3 colours: a base colour closer to the shaft, another colour for the top cone and a band in a different colour in between. I get this by using a thicker insert and have the spinner pre sprayed in this colour. Done it many times and works well every time. You may need to touch up but minimally.

Hopes this helps.

Hi Aldo,

Yours is also a good method as the time involved is only to produce the discs.

Hi Cyril, did you try any of the suggestions? Did it work? Let's see this mosquito at the club!!

bcauchi wrote:Hi Cyril, did you try any of the suggestions? Did it work? Let's see this mosquito at the club!!

No Brian, I have not yet found the time, as my daughter and husband are over for the festive season, we are hardly ever in.

I look forward to try out the suggestions soon.

Let us know when you do try it out and in the meantime, happy new year!!