Looking for a paint suggestion

[Soulman]

Happy New Year.

Santa brought me a D&RGW narrow gauge flatcar kit this year. Does anyone have a suggestion as to which brand of paint I should use to finish the kit? When not in use, the car will be stored indoors.

Thanks,

Soulman 

 

 

[ttrigg]

Soulman: I like to use Krylon Spray Paints for everything wood and plastic. For plastics use a Krylon Fusion primer (designed for use on plastics, and works very well.) then color coat with the colors desired. Krylon has a rather interesting and varied color selection. Krylon goes on thin enough to preserve any texture on the materials surface, i.e. brick and boards. It stands up very well to outdoor environment, rain, sprinklers, direct sun, etc.

[altterrain]

 Which kit?

Plastics can be painted with acrylics (badger modelflex or even craft type acrylics) 

Metal bits can be painted with enamels, flats are best. Can all be even spray painted before assembly. Some metal parts are better just treated with Blacken-It.

Wood parts can be painted with either, stained and/or treated with a india ink-alcohol wash.

 -Brian
 

[g. gage]

Hi Soulman. I use spray cans for painting, Krylon is good. I've had problems with some Rustolium paint nozzles clogging. I can get different effects with spay cans. On plastic brick buildings holding the can at an angle and spraying from the building bottom up will leave the mortor lines unpainted when viewed from a high angle, for  example. I also suggest looking at the Colorado Model website for painting and masking tips. One last rule from an artist, never paint acrylic over oils it will cause eventually cracking.

Good luck, Rob

[ttrigg]

One tip when painting plastics. Remove the "mold release agent" that always covers the plastic. A quick wash with turpentine or denatured alcohol and let air dry. Paint will cover better and last much longer.

[Soulman]

Thanks guys.  The kit is from Phil's Narrow Gauge...all parts are wood, white metal (?) and brass; I do plan on giving the metal and brass parts a bath in Blacken-It.  By the feedback, it seems most are happy with the results from Krylon....I'll give it a shot.

Is there a particular Krylon formula I should/should not use?

I'll post some pic's with my progress. Again, thanks to all.

Soulman 

 

[altterrain]

 I have seen the PNG kits and they are quite nice. Clean all the metal parts in a alcohol bath before the Blacken It and you'll be better results.

I can't get Krylon much more around here but I have had good results with Rustoleum. I particularly like the High Heat paint made for BBQ grills (comes is a dusty flat black, an almond tan and I have heard a green) and the camo colors as both are very flat colors. The red (oxide red) and gray primers work well too. During cooler weather I usually warm up my spray paints in a bucket of warm water to help prevent clogs.

The cedar board deck on this car was sprayed with camo dark earth  and then scuffed with sand paper -

Have fun and post pics of your project!

 -Brian

[ttrigg]

Soulman

Is there a particular Krylon formula I should/should not use?

Myself I use it all. The "Krylon Fusion" is specifically designed for outdoor plastics, like patio/lawn chairs & tables. Really adheres to "clean" plastic buildings. Fusion also has a "directed" spray nozzle, which makes "dusting" and "griming" weathering of buildings go a lot easier. On wood, I always start with a red oxide or flat black (primer), and then color coat with what ever I have a fancy for. I have a 32"x49" shelf packed with cans of Krylon, the only duplication is the primers. The most important thing is to ensure that all the painted surfaces are clean. If you think it is clean, it probably is not, so clean it again.

[kstrong]

For most of my wood cars, I use the inexpensive bottles of acrylic craft paint. "Folk-Art" is the brand I've had the best luck with. They come in quite a variety of colors, including shades close or even identical to most of the "railroad" colors we use. They go on smoothly (even more so if diluted just a bit with water) and are fantastic for weathering, too.

The advantage of the brush paints is that you don't need to mask as you would for spraying, so the insides of gondolas can remain unpainted, such as in this example.

I'm also a fan of Krylon for larger projects, or where brushing would be entirely too tedious. BTW, don't buy the Wal-mart brand. The stuff is so thin, it takes three or four coats just to cover. Spend the extra money, get the good stuff, and cover it in one coat.

One comment--the warning about acrylics over oils isn't something that I think you need to worry about in terms of model building. Perhaps if you're using an oil-based artists' paint or something of that nature, but acrylics over spray paints? Not that I've ever encountered. I do run into the occasional problem with spraying a lacquer-based spray over an oil-based one, but that's it.

Later,

K

[Soulman]

One of the recent issues of GR reviewed the PNG drop bottom gondola, which was completed with Krylon "Ruddy Brown". The color looks pretty close to me; I'm leaning towars that finish.  I also plan to "Blacken-It" the metal parts, India Ink and alcohol the decking, and use weathering chalk to add a bit of wear and tear.

This will be my first attempt at project such as this....thanks again to all of you for your advice. I'll keep you posted.

Soulman 

 

[altterrain]

 In case you can't find Krylon, Rustoleum Red Primer is a close match as seen on the "rusty" roof of the Soggy Bottom MIne -

 -Brian
 

[ttrigg]

kstrong

BTW, don't buy the Wal-mart brand.  K

Kevin;

I work for wallyworld, and I assure you and anyone else out there that the WalMart brand is the best possible paint for painting the bottoms of rocks that is made. It does a most execelent job waterproofing the bottom of the rocks so that gound moisture does not "wick up" into the rock and cause fracture damage.  I have never seen a rock that has been waterproofed with walmart paint with anykind of weather damage.