Custom Loco Painting

[Anonymous]

Is there anybody who will custom paint a couple of GP-38's for me? I have tried doing art before and I stink. I am pretty new to THE hobby and finally found the railroad that I would like to base my layout on, The Central Oregon & Pacific Railroad operating beetween Eugene Oregon and Black Butte California, unfortunately I have not seen any models that come in this flags colors....... So if I bought a couple of GP-38's and shipped them to you and payed you some money (how much?) to do the proper scheme (link below, and go to current roster) and road numbers would someone be interested in this job?

http://www.alpharail.net/corp/corp.htm

[howmus]

I would check with your local hobby shop. Most know people who either do what you are asking for their own pike, or as a small business. Some hobby shops have people in the store that will paint rolling stock for you. I would be very uncomfortable packing up my stock and sending it to someone out there I did not know or wasn't at least recommended to me by someone I trust.

Good Luck!

Ray

[Anonymous]

A guy on Ebay offers custom loco painting-$75 per! I think I would find a different road or take some night classes and do it myself. $75 is not chump change.

[Anonymous]

The gray and red in the pictures? It doesn't really look like it would be too hard for a beginner. Finding the right decals might be tricky, but the gray/white stripe/red I think would just require a little practice and planning with masking.

I already have my first painting project decided (out of necessity because that's what I'm modelling and I've only seen custom ones), and it should be terribly easy. IC black:
http://pages.sbcglobal.net/msts-ic/photos/6125c.jpg

[rrinker]

I would consider using a decal for that white stripe. Thus it becomes an easier two-color paint job, and if the seperation line is a bit ragged (not sloppy) the white stripe decal will hide it.
In fact, you might be able to make the stripe decal by taking BLANK decal paper and cutting the strips out.

--Randy

[ndbprr]

Let's consider that $75.00 charge and if it really is too much. In this case two bottles of paint @ say $3.50 is $7.00. What about the frame and trucks? Want that painted also - probably black or silver add another $3.50. Want glossy so you can decal add another possible $3.50 so we are at $10.50 to $14.00. Decals $5.00 and we are up to $15.50. Best case scenario 1/2 half hour to apply one of the colors and clean the air brush. !/2 hour to mask the engine for the second color and another half hour to apply it so we have an hour and a half in time plus say an hour to go getthe paint in the first place so it is 2 1/2 hours. Add another half hour to remove the masking and apply a gloss coat so we have three hours. Now apply the decals for another half hour so we have 3 1/2 hours plus the cost of decal setting solutuion. Now put a dull coat over the decals (add another $3.50 for the dull coat and another half hour). So we are up to 4 hours time minimum and almost $20.00 - $30.00 for materials. Want weathering? Add some more paint cost and time. Even without it that $75.00 cost is down to $55.00 or less after supplies divided by 4 hours is roughly $13.00 per hour in the best possible scenario. Decent return - possibly. Have a problem and need to do some changes or correcting? Add some more of your time. I once told a guy complaining about the cost of custom painting I would paint his engine for $5.00 if he bought the materials. When he gathered them up and realized how much it was he went to the guy advertising $25.00 for a single color. It was cheaper.