Estes Saturn V Build Part 48 Masking Reduction

This is a tough part of the mask.
Those raised nubs on the reduction wrap are rounded and not very high. Trying to get tape to adhere to the angled sides will take some extra consideration.

First, a thin band of Scotch tape was tried. No luck.
I ended up using a strip of standard masking tape cut to 1/8" wide.

TIP: Don't use masking tape right off the roll. Chances are, the sticky edge won't be clean or give you a sharp line.
A strip is torn off and set on the glass patio door. A new, clean edge is cut with a strait edge.

This 1/8" wide strip was wrapped around the four nubs on the reduction wrapper. Right now the tops are open, but to match the small curves, you need the flexibility of a thinner strip.

Clear Scotch tape was used on the straight lines going down the adapter. You can see where the clear tape was marked with a Sharpie first - off the model.
Masking tape strips were used going around the adapter.

NOTE! The masking lengths in the Estes instructions are wrong! On the reduction wrap the height should be 1 3/16", not 1 1/8".

I can only guess these are the masking area measurements from the older Estes kits. The instruction measurements don't fit the raised masking areas on the Centuri vacuform wraps.
Molded into the corrugation on the wraps are raised areas to make the masking a little easier. Lay your tape separation masks on the raised areas, not at the 1 1/8" suggested spacing.

Going around the reduction wrap can only be done with a flexible tape. The less wide the strip, the more it can follow the curve. 1/8" wide strips of masking tape worked well.

In the BMS Peter Alway Saturn V kit, you are give a pre-cut vinyl wrap for the reduction adapter. At first, I wasn't too hot on the idea of the vinyl wrap, but it turned out great! Certainly a lot easier than masking a straight line around a tapered adapter.

After shooting the black, the mask didn't look very pretty.
I used Rustoleum Painter's Touch 2X coverage. I'm used to it and get pretty good results.
I know it's gloss - for now. Decals lay down better on gloss paint.
Planning ahead, I might hit it with a dullcoat after decals are applied.

Time spent on build: 1:30
Total time on build so far: 48:00