American Flyer Royal Blue 350--repaint

[Darth Santa Fe]

Here's Portline's page for AF paints: http://64.251.10.24/~worldofw/cgi-bin/shoppl.pl/page=results.html/SID=231258380/category=Paints

They have quite a large variety of Royal Blue paints, and don't give any idea of the differences (besides spray can or bottle).

And here's the paint I used: http://www.acehardwareoutlet.com/ProductDetails.aspx?SKU=17062

Again, it has an amazing finish, it's cheap, and it's an extremely close match to the original paint (which was the darker variety on mine).

[Timboy]

Mr S:

I like how you think!  How many times have I done that myself!  Advice is nice.  But there is nothing like seeing and believing.  I have always found a use for the paints that I have "rejected" for a given project.  If nothing else, I will use them for an underpainting.  It's so much easier to paint the "right" blue as a final coat over a single experimental light coat of the "wrong" blue.  Not too many coats though, or you gotta do that strip-down thing again!  I hate that strip-down thing we all do!!!!!!!!  Dang!!!!!!!!!!

Regards,

Timboy 

[Mr. S.]

lol

I'll probably get some of that portlines royal blue...if I can find it on their site!  Someone needs to tell them what year it is, it's certainly not 1997.

Might someone be able to post a link to their paints?

In fact what I may do is a real visual test...buy the three I have in mind, give 'em all a spray and see what looks the closest.  Just for fun.  No rushing this time, the winter's been a long one!

Thanks!

[Timboy]

Mr. S:

Hard to tell.  I looked.  One could be a little dark and one could be a little greyed-down.  Without buying one sample from everyone and testing it, I think the RB color is a tough one.  It isn't as simple as CNW green - a real RR color that Gilbert matched spot-on.  I can't tell you how many RB's I've seen that were many various subtle varieties.  Maybe they all oxidized in various ways through the years.  Of course, you could just bag all of them and go with the PRR color of Brunswick Green.  You know what that is; one drop of green in a 55 gallon drum of black.

Seriously, though - good luck and please let us know what you decide!  That's so I can repaint mine, or not - depending on your outcome.

Regards,

Timboy, The S-Gauge Nerd

[Mr. S.]

Actually Timboy you're right, I probably will strip it down again, and I'll check out Portlines paints for their Royal Blue match.

I always thought that Conrail Blue or CSX blue were darn close from the Floquil site (at least on the screen):

http://www.testors.com/category/133505/Railroad_Enamels

Thanks!

 

[Darth Santa Fe]

I recently refinished a prewar Royal Blue. I had also tried some 350 Royal Blue paint originally, but it didn't turn out quite like I wanted. This time, I used Krylon "Now" Royal Blue, and the finish is absolutely fantastic! The Krylon paints may come in rattle cans, but the quality of the finish is equal to an airbrush. That, and they cost less than $3 for 9oz.

http://cs.trains.com/TRCCS/forums/p/183352/2006260.aspx#2006260

The first photos are pretty washed out from the camera's flash. I have one with the paint's true color a few posts down. It did take 2 or 3 coats to get a nice bold color, but that's pretty typical of blue paints.

[Timboy]

Mr. S.:

At this point I think I would strip it back down again.  I'm afraid you might lose what little die-cast details there are on that shell.  I believe Portlines Hobbies has a good RB match.  While you're at it, why not drill out the smoke stack and buy a smoker chassis to pop in there.  If you do, just make sure that chassis has the correct linkage post on the center wheel!  I did that very project a couple years ago - with the wire handrail variety - and have been very pleased ever since.  I also added slider shoes to the tender pick-up trucks from an old junker 293.  Nice!

Keep us posted!

Timboy, The S-Gauge Nerd 

 

[Mr. S.]

Hi there,

I am back revisiting this painting project of mine.  Let me preface by saying I search the forum for info some folks may have posted, but despite my best efforts couldn't find it anymore.  So...

I'm doing a repaint of a Flyer 350 Royal Blue, the earlier version with the handrails, etc...painted it once maybe three years ago with Charles Wood's Flyer Royal Blue 350 color but found it a little too light, maybe a better match for the later 350s which look lighter to me.

Anything in Testor's that's a good match for that darker blue in anyone's experience?  Like I said if someone already answered that like a year or more ago I'm sorry about that, couldn't find it.

I like the airbrush enough now that I think I'm going to stay away from the rattle cans.  I actually ordered a jar of his 350 again, but it's been weeks and haven't gotten anything.  Truth be told, I did just paint it; used a different Royal Blue of his I just found on the shelf but it's not much of a match, it was probably a Lionel color.

I did bake it to dry (on the basement furnace--couple days for sure), and just figured I'd steel wool it down so I don't have to strip and prime it all over again, although I've never actually tried that before and wonder if it would work if I wind up sticking with Charles Wood's paint.

Well let me know if anyone has any opinions.