MASKING TAPE

There are many painting jobs where masking tape can be useful, even essential. Protecting parts of a locomotives or item of rolling stock while painting is an obvious one, but you can use tape for scenic painting too, protecting delicate items during layout construction or simply as an extra pair of hands while glue is curing. Household DIY masking tape does have its place, but Tamiya’s range of low-tack tape is recommended. The ordinary ‘yellow’ tape comes in different widths from 6mm to 40mm and it also offers fine, white tape designed for curves that comes in thicknesses between 2mm and 12mm. The dispensers are particularly useful!

Masking tape is perfect for keeping paint off the parts of a point that require good electrical contact.

Masking tape is also useful for holding pieces of a kit or model together overnight while glue dries. In this case it’s securing the elastic thread.

It’s also handy when painting scenic items, as well as when painting trains. Here, I’ve used it to mask the edge of a platform so I can paint the edge.

Masking tape is a cheap way of achieving a neat edge to ballast. Remove it within 30 minutes of adding the glue, or it will damage the ballast when you lift it.