I am a rank amateur compared to the modelers that contribute to this site, but the one thing we all share is the love of the build. I bought the Tamiya Mid Production Tiger 1 and I am wondering if anyone can give me a good tip on the painting of the road wheels? Mainly the black rubber component. My first attempt at the initial production version last year was hand painting the rubber after spraying the road wheels.Barely ok by my low standards and I'd like to to better on this kit. Any advice I could get would be greatly appreciated.

Go to a drafting supply store and pick up a good circle template with lots of holes.First you spray the rubber color,then find the appropiate sized hole to mask the edges,then carefully spray the wheel color.Aferwards just clean the template with thinner or water to make sure overspray don't build up too much.Be sure to get a good one with a lot of diffrent size holes.

Some people use a sharpie,or buy wheel masks.I'd rather hand paint or use the template

Tony's solution works - but sometimes it's a challenge finding the circle-template with the right sized holes for your kit - There are a couple of stainless-steel wheel templates out as well, and these work super-well. By me, the template is the way to go - quick and easy, and if you have a stainless-steel item, easy to clean regardless of what paint(s) you are using.

Bob

Excellent suggestions! Tony, Bob thank you.

Hi Dave,
I do it the old way with thinned paint and capillary action.
But if you want templates; Voyager do sets like this; TEZ034
This one is for various Tamiya kit wheels, including the Tiger:


They also do a set for Dragon kits; TEZ036.

Someone here on Armorama (I can't remember who) was using their Dremel and a paint brush to apply the 'rubber' paint to the wheels they'd already base-coated.

Always an option.