I got a request to cut a simple lettered sign for a friend and they wanted me to use masking to make it easier for them to paint. I dusted off the roll of Oramask and now that the sign is cut I remember why I disliked the stuff. On tight corners the adhesive starts to let loose plus on some of the letters there are shreds of the masking material hanging off the edge instead of being a nice clean cut. I was using a ball nose but it is relatively new and still pretty sharp on the edges.
I have plenty of blue tape around because that is one of my favorite hold down strategies, but when I have used it on the back of a piece with a lot of detail cutting, the blue shreds make a real mess.
What are people using successfully? To my mind it has to have good strong adhesive and be not too soft so it cuts cleanly. Oramask is not it.
I’ve only needed it for Vbits and end mills. You must leave enough beside a cut to hold it all down. Really thin strips will let up. Having said that, I have come back and repaired places with problems using the green masking tape before painting.
PS. Same as @gdon_2003 mentions “Easy Liner” is made by Duck Brand.
I use the Easy Liner Adhesive Shelf Paper. You can get it at Walmart and Lowes. I use the white. The key I have found is to use a J roller on the shelf paper to get a good adhesion. On very detailed v carving I get some fuzzy and sometimes the strings. I think that is just the nature of using a mask because the bits are causing the strings and fuzzies just like on wood.
I only use downcut endmills for any tool paths that will be cutting the masking material. I had too many issues with the masking pulling up around the edges of small details. If I need a nice bottom to a larger pocket, I will cut a very shallow outline of the pocket with a downcut endmill, then peel back the masking on the area to be cleared out, and finish the pocket cut with an upcut endmill.
I have found that applying OraMask and warming the surface either by setting it in the sun for a few minutes (or using a hair dryer/ heat gun) and then rolling/pressing/smoothing again followed by sitting overnight has decreased the likelihood of it peeling back on me. Using that process in combination with downcut endmills has given me good results.