PinehillJoe

I'm starting the Hobby Boss 1/48 Devastator. I'm still working on the mask, but wanted feed back on the approach. I don't see a copywrite marking on the stencil provided in the kit, so thought just use it as a starting point. I peeled back the surrounding material from the masking that came with the kit. Placed this on a black sheet of paper and scanned. The result was a good image with the masks in black and the surrounding in white. I scaled the image against the original, then uploaded to Silhouette Studio. Silhouette Studio did a good job using the TRACE function. I cut a test piece with Oracal (the less tacky film). Spot checking the results look better than I thought. Next step, I'll clean the plastic parts, make a mask with Oramask 810, apply and paint. I love the canopy green house of the TBD. I'll post the final files in the Canopy section when all looks good.

I had time to complete the canopy mask for the Monogram TBD. I used multisided polygons for the shape. Took many iterations to get the the pilot's sliding canopy right, with its ogive shape. Let me know what you think!

TBD Canopy Monogram 1_48 Rev 04032026 A canopy mask for the Monogram TBD. I used Oramask to print and mask. Some clean up needed with a tooth pick to remove a little paint, but overall I think it looks fine. Comments welcome! File Information Submitter PinehillJoe Submitted 04/03/2026 Category Canopy Masks View File

thank you, I realized it was the wrong location after posting. The cutter and masking adds new options for the hobby, thanks for hosting the site!

I've finished my Buffalo project. Its been a learning tool. I painted it as a USMC F2A-3 at Midway. The final has been uploaded.

More work in the F2A. I used Oramask 810 for the insignia, and like the material more than Tamiya paper sheet, and its a fraction of the price. The mask lines are nice and crisp, no capillary seeping.

A rainy weekend in Northern Virginia, I tried creating a mask for the Monogram 1/48 TDB. I searched the web for other masks, and came up with few, and used those as a starting point. Using machinist rule, I was able to get close to the proper scaling using the JPEGs found on line. Then created cut lines in Studio. Made several test cuts with printer paper, fine tuning the masks. Then test cuts with Oramask 810 and applying, seeing where each needed to be tweaked and fined tuned the individual masks between cuts. Results are pretty good. The kit is next on my list. After I use the file to actually mask and know its good, I'll upload. The Douglas TBD canopy is symmetrical, so I test fit one side then replicated for the other.

Tamiya 1/48 Hien Canopy mask Mask for the Tamiya Hien, traced from the mask included in the kit. File Information Submitter PinehillJoe Submitted 02/19/2026 Category Canopy Masks View File

Tamiya 1/48 P-38 J/L I traced the mask sheet from the Tamiya canopy mask. This is a kit on my shelf, and have not built and tried the file. File Information Submitter PinehillJoe Submitted 02/19/2026 Category Canopy Masks View File

Scanning a mask sheet provided in a kit, and tracing cut lines is straight forward. How do you make canopy masks from scratch? Is there no easy way other than taking the canopy and using a scale or micrometer and draw the masks, then transfer to your cutting software, cut and test fit, and repeat refine as needed? On my shelf is a Monogram B-29, with its green house canopy. Any tips you can provide?

The canopy is symmetrical, I was able to trace one side and mirror/copy to make the opposite side. The multi solid polygon is the fast way to go. I'm working on tracing Tamiya's P-38 kits now. I'm old enough to have worked when CAD was transitioning in replacing drawings on the board. Early CAD like Prime Medusa models circles as multi sided polygons to save memory with the dimensioning symbols taking care of the details. V/R Joe

@Kevin Futter Kevin, sorry I tried uploading, and I think don't think I followed your site instructions, I accidently made multiple uploads. If you delete my uploads, I'll try again. I think I made a mess on your site at uploading

Tamiya 1/48 Buffalo CanopyFile updated to include marking for a USMC F2A at Midway. File Information Submitter PinehillJoe Submitted 02/17/2026 Category Canopy Masks View File

I'm working on a Buffalo. I scanned the sheet Tamiya provided in the kit, and imported in the Studio. I used the scan to trace the and make the cut lines. I started trying to use the arc shape tool, then for me the eureka moment was just enlarging each piece of glass to full screen, and essentially drawing multi sided polygons using the line tool. With connected lines, it was simply to fly through each shape. At 1/48 there's not difference between a polygon arc and a true arc in my opinion. I printed with Orcal 810. With the canopy under a magnifier lamp, I pealed and applied using a #11 blade, tweezers, toothpicks, and cotton bud. I sprayed Tamiya paint, and gently removed the masking about 30 minutes later. I will upload the files when I'm done with the insignia and squadron markings. I plan to paint as a Marine F2A at Midway, even though the kit is a different variant, a little artistic license. This method takes a lot of frustration from painting canopies, you just need patience and technique, not artistic ability IMHO.

SBD Dick Best Rev 20250103 Stencils for the 1/48 Monogram SBD. The letter font is USN_Stencil. File Information Submitter PinehillJoe Submitted 02/15/2026 Category Aircraft - Military View File

I'm done with the SBD. I built it out of the box as Monogram designed it years ago. All the insignia and numbering are painted using stencils, along with stencils used for wheel masking Stencils were cut from Tamiya sheet stock. Thank you for all the input from this forum! Next on the bench is a Tamiya Brewster Buffalo, I will paint with Battle of Midway markings. FlickrIMG_8771 FlickrIMG_8774 (1)

Excellent, thank you for sharing the link. It looks like you used Orcal 810 for masking material, its translucent.

When you paint roundels, how do you center the next color you are masking?

Well done! What tips can you offer when painting roundels? How do you ensure the next stencil you apply is centered, simply use the Mk I Eyeball?

thank @Henrik . I ordered material from McLogan. I printed stencils for the Monogram SDB and tried my first painting. Its a learning process. The underwing insignia came out fine. The white bleeded through fuselage and upper wing stencil. I'll try and touch up, but its probably easier to simply respray with the base coat and start again. I'm using the old Monogram kit as learning tool.