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Paint Matching

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  • Member since
    May 2003
  • From: US
  • 148 posts
Paint Matching
Posted by leewal on Thursday, October 21, 2021 6:14 PM

I'm looking to match the dark maroon color of Chicago & Alton E8 diesels for touch-ups.  My paint of choice is usually Scalecoat ll. They don't list a C&A exact match but many of the "maroons" on their on-line color chart are close.  I believe the LifeLike Proto GM&O DL109 is the same color scheme.  Any suggestions?

  • Member since
    January 2017
  • From: Southern Florida Gulf Coast
  • 18,255 posts
Posted by SeeYou190 on Friday, October 22, 2021 12:55 AM

leewal
Any suggestions?

Touch ups are tricky. The picture below shows an NMRA Heritage Series model that required a hefty paint match. This model becomes VERY brittle with age, and the ladders, doors, and other parts are pretty much unusable.

I built the kit with new doors and details, but then I needed to paint it to match. I was fortunate that I had the original doors to experiment with.

Start with the closest color you can find that is slightly darker than your target color. Try lightening the paint with yellow, orange, and/or red. Lightening with white will make it look pinkish. White rarely works with reds or browns. Mix with drops at a time and try the mixture to see what it looks like. Make notes of the ratios as you go along.

When you find the right ratio, mix a batch and spray the model.

On this model I masked off all the lettering and shot everything else. If you look carefully around the reporting marks on the left you can see where the mask was applied. It cannot be seen when the model is in a train.

Good enough!

-Kevin

 

Living the dream.

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Friday, October 22, 2021 1:24 AM

SeeYou190
 

Touch ups are tricky. 

Start with the closest color you can find that is slightly darker than your target color. 

Love the Chicago & Alton.

I agree with Kevin that touch ups are tricky. I am trying to touch up the dark green on a Chicago & North Western E6 right now.

I have some Pollyscale CNW Green but it is not an exact match. As Kevin suggests, start with the closest color you can find that is slightly darker than your target color. And then just hope that it is "good enough".

Rich

Alton Junction

  • Member since
    January 2010
  • From: Chi-Town
  • 7,712 posts
Posted by zstripe on Friday, October 22, 2021 5:40 AM

Rich,

Take a look at Tamiya Dark Green XF-70 paint, a flat Acrylic. Microscale Floquil color chart says it's a match for Floquil CNW Green:

http://www.microscale.com/Floquil%20Color%20Chart.pdf

Take Care! Smile, Wink & Grin

Frank

 

  • Member since
    September 2014
  • From: 10,430’ (3,179 m)
  • 2,311 posts
Posted by jjdamnit on Friday, October 22, 2021 6:38 PM

Post Deleted

"Uhh...I didn’t know it was 'impossible' I just made it work...sorry"

  • Member since
    September 2004
  • From: Dearborn Station
  • 24,281 posts
Posted by richhotrain on Friday, October 22, 2021 7:24 PM

zstripe

Rich,

Take a look at Tamiya Dark Green XF-70 paint, a flat Acrylic. Microscale Floquil color chart says it's a match for Floquil CNW Green:

http://www.microscale.com/Floquil%20Color%20Chart.pdf

Take Care! Smile, Wink & Grin

Frank 

Frank, I will look at that Tamiya Dark Green. Thanks for the tip.

How are you doing stranger? Life treating you well?

Rich

Alton Junction

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