Making Your Qwn Paint Masks

[Supercoolin]

After I started building the PL 1/350 Enterprise Refit with my Grandson, I began to have problems getting the paint masks which led me to look for alternatives on various forums and I found a thread on this forum which I made an inappropriate comment on (And again, I apologize doing it). But because of the content of that thread I contacted Wally @ Starfleet Model Academy to find out if he had masks for sale. Wally explained that I could make my own if I had a scanner and a vinyl cutter. Thankfully my Daughter is a scrapbooker and owns a Brother Scan-n-Cut frisket cutter and uses a free software program that allows you to scan and cut masks of off any picture. As Wally explained, all you have to do is scan in the decals that come with your model, have the program cut between the different colors and wallaa, you have your own masks. You can cut a mask for each color and change them when you change the paint in your airbrush. Here is the results before sanding with 1500 grit wet/dry and touching up the bleed through. THANX Wally for letting me know how to make my own masks. Also US Cutter makes a complete system for less than 200.00 that will allow you to make masks for any project and allow you to replace any decal with actual paint.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/NEW-14-USCut...-/300881421655

I have started scanning all the PL decals and cutting the Aztec masks and they are turning out incredible! I am making a full mask set for each of the water based iridescent colors that I bought from McKenzie Taxidermy Supply. Once I get my refund for the mask set that I ordered, I will have paid for half of my own personal mask cutter.

THANK YOU WALLY!!

 

[Supercoolin]

Scanned in the blue decals and cut the rest of the them for the main engineering hull. This is the result.

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[Supercoolin]

Just a progress update. After ordering the Aztec Dummy mask set and salvaging with Orbital Drydock 2 color set, scanning, stretching and sizing them with Sure-cuts-a-lot software, we were able to produce a half decent set of masks to finish up the hull section and the nacelles. Still prefer OD masks over homemade or others, but when you have to do with what is available, the results are still quite acceptable.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gVdODX7aETM&feature=youtu.be

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YE5IKXOJlLY&feature=youtu.be