I need to lay a coat of textured primer down to represent anti-skid texture to my Challenger. The disks I need to make are smaller than my circle cutter allows. Blue tack tends to pull away from edges and I can't replicate a scale pattern to cut the circles out of tape. Liquid masking agent and hairspray won't lift, after the primer coat. Does anyone have suggestions on how to make the circles/disks?

Use a circle template as a stencil. Find the right size circle, mask off the rest, tape paper to the stencil to prevent overspray if needed. Hold it on the model, Shoot, and zappo! Nice crisp circle of paint on the model.

I need to cover circles, not mask around them.

I just found Archer's generic US treadplate and I think I can use that.

http://www.ebay.com/itm/390331635327?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1438.l2648

No way connected to this but maybe this is what you're looking for. Was thinking of picking it up for a Stryker build.

HTH

Matt,If you have any brass tubing the right size you can make a punch.Cut a short length,and file or grind all the way around one end to get a sharp edge.Place the sharpened end on whatever you are using for mask,tap with a hammer,and there you go.Hope this helps,I do it all the time.Jeff T.

How big would it be your circle?

For small diemeters (from 2mm to 4.5mm) you can use a belt hole puncher



You have just to clip the masking tape and use the circle that you get

I use this tool also to make little circles made on thin plasticard

Otherwise you can use a circle template and you can cut the tape using a needle

cheers

For really small circles (like to mask off lenses, etc), I put a piece of blue painter's tape on a piece of waxed paper, then use my punch and die set to punch out holes on the tape/waxed paper.

The waxed paper will peal off the tape (or vice versa) leaving neat positive or negative circle shapes.

HTH,

If you are looking for small discs which could be used as masks - your household or garage "screws / nuts / WASHERS" jar or can may be able to help! Or a visit to an old-fashioned hardware store or RadioShack or TV-repair shop or similar place. Of course, if you happen to know someone who fiddles with old radios and TVs and the like, you can get all sorts of flat washers from him or her!

Metal or resin or phenolic or treated paper washers are available in all sorts of sizes from maybe 1/5 US inch up to, well, huge. The washer can be stuck in place with a tiny blob of tack - which can also be arranged to block the hole. It will mask a "perfect circle" and is about as reusable as anything a guy can have!

Cheers! Bob

Thanks Bob. I hadn't even thought of that. I have several washers in my garage.

Would a paper punch for binder paper holes be too big?
I use this method sometimes for soft edge camo.(hold it at various distance from target surface for variety).
cheers!

I'm going to cut octagons a little larger than the pieces I need to mask. This will allow the circles to be masked while allowing the paint to snug up against the edges.

Hi Matt,
I agree with Mauro, the leather punch is the way to go. You can use it with masking tape, or with peel-off labels for painting. It also works great on thin styrene sheet, and I've used it for making dial faces on instrument panels, small pulleys, headlight lenses, any place where you need a wide range of small disks.
Good luck with your painting.
Cheers
Dick

I have used Elmers glue to mask and it comes of fairly easily

I used a circle template and a multi-punch. The template cuts came out a little rough, but usable. I put some masking tape on a piece of plastic for the multi-punch.

What about modelling clay? Couldn't you roll that up in tiny tiny balls and press them down with a tweezer and make sure you spray from the top down as to not blow them away?


Also, what about attaching small tack nails (head down) to cover the circles?

I used a circle template as Matthew suggested. It worked pretty well. Maybe a little rough around the edges, but it got the job done.