Bill, if I may... a tip .. not sure why you toil over the thin masking strops. Instead of that you could stick one but solid piece of masking tape.
Here an example. I used a windshield of Academy 1/72 scale Typhoon IB. Usually ( also the canopy of your Spit ) the glazing has the frames either "protruding" from the surface or made as the very fine lines. It can be used for making of the masking.
stick the piece of masking tape to the glass..
then , use a soft but sharp ended pencil .. outline or cover with the pencil the inner shape of a glass . The protruding frames will help with limitation in moving of the pencil for the only needed area . For large scales it is enough to outline the shape of the glass inside , along the frame edges but for 1/72 covering with the pencil may be a better way.
Having that done , unstick the masking tape and cut out the marked area as accurate as possible. I use a very sharp scissors. Also it may be stuck to the cutting mat, if you have of course, and cut out with a scalpel for instance. Then using a pair of tweezers to pick up the mask and stick to the glass precisely..
Thanks for all the tips, and them photos.
Can always count on yous to come thru with the goods.
Wurger, I used to do that very thing, but always missed the framing and made a mess of things.
At an IPMS meeting workshop this was demonstrated and both filled with liquid mask or additional tape.
It does work best for me and me oldtimer eyes. So I have remasked the back extension.
Painted the prop, just so I feel like I is makin headway.
1/48th is starting to feel like Giant scale!!!!!!
I see Mate. Using of the thin strips is a very good way for masking edges of a surface ( especially if curved ) that is going to be painted. Also it allows to save some of the masking tape because the most of surface is protected with the liquid mask. What is more the liquid mask can be removed much easier than the masking tape. But for masking flat surfaces one-piece masks seem to be the better way of protection.
Some how masking canopies has never been one of my dislikes, I do the thin strip as well but I like to fill in the middle with masking fluid, I've given Vallejo's a try and it seems to work good although I've cheated lately and bought some masks.
Well, this canopy is bigger than me, I give!!!!!
I stripped the mask.
Then sanded out the cut marks.
Then polished with my sanding sticks!
Then re-masked as best I could.
That's it for this bugger of a thing............
I may add some MrSurfacer 1200 in the gaps to put the framing back in!!!!