PAINTING!!!!!

[Anonymous]

What are some good paints to use when painting a locomotive. also what is a good technique for taping off parts??

[Gluefinger]

I use Scalecoat paints. They seem to mix the best. To mask, I use a roll of masking tape that is put down with the dull end of a blade.

[DTomajko]

bnsf4life, I also use Scalecoat II paint for 99% of my painting,it dries to a glossy,decal-ready finish,is easy to thin for sraying,(50/50 with Scalecoat thinner),brushes great right from the bottle,and the colors appear correct,(compare their PRR Brunswick Green & Conrail Blue against the competition's).For weathering,I use Floquil paints thinned with Dupont 3661s automotive lacquer thinner,(to slow down the drying time over Floquil thinner).For masking,I use 3M Scotch #218 auto body masking tape for the fine-lines and 3/4 regular masking tape to fill in between.The 3M tape comes in widthes from 1/16" to at least 3/4",has a clean edge,doesn't bleed under,(burni***he edges with a dry-transfer tool),and comes off easily without lifting paint or leaving residue behind.I always remove the masking within 24 hours of painting,before the paint fully cures,to lower the chances of flaking the dry paint.I also don't apply masking to fresh paint for usually 1 week after application,(if you can smell paint fumes,the paint hasn't cured yet).I haven't tried any of the new polymer paints yet,but some folks say they are easy to use and dry quickly between coats.Experiment until you find something you're comfortable with and enjoy yourself!Good luck and good modeling! DT,Pa.

[Anonymous]

I have a local custom painting business and I have totally abandoned all use off solvent based paint and switched to water soluble because even though I have a spray booth and wear a mask and gloves, I would still come in contact with the chemicals from time to time. I have become used to using the new acrylic paints and now would never go back. You do not have to wait for a week for the first color to dry before masking and spraying the second color. Many times I've painted the first color and two hours taped and painted the second color. Clean up is cheap, just use water. Most of the time the paint will spray right from the bottle without thinning, but if you want to thin the paint just use distilled water. Do not pour unused thin acrylic paint back into the bottle with the un-thinned paint. Only thin what you will use and throw away the unused. I have a small squirt bottle that I keep the thinning water in. If I want to thin the paint, I pour a small amount of paint into the airbrush color cup and a few drops of water into the cup and mix it right in the cup with a toothpick. I also use 3M masking tape but I just use the plane 3/4" wide stuff. I peal off a piece and stick in on a piece of styrene I keep around just for that purpose, and with a streight edge I cut a clean edge with a sharp knife. With the fast drying acrylics, just mist on the first few coats and avoid spraying under the edge of the tape. If you keep working around the model (right side, end, left side, end, top) by the time you back to the side you started the first mist coat will be dry. Keep doing that untill you get total coverage and give it a final smooth coat. By doing it that way you will not get any bleed under the tape edge if you don't get it all burnished down.

[Anonymous]

I agree totally with the last post! Acrylic paints are way faster to use than Scalecoat. Polyscale Railroad colors are very good. Their B&M blue is perfect!
I thin my paints for airbrushing (when needed)with 70% isopropyl alcohol though. It's "smaller" than H20, and dries faster.

[Anonymous]

I also use the acrylic paints. I use masking tape as well, but have gotten good results with scotch tape too. Both work well with a burnishing tool.

Having problems with tape edge leaks? As a safeguard for sealed edges, apply the masking to your model, then spray on a thin coat of the same color that is under the masking. That will completely seal your tape.

Works wonders.

Tom Klimczak
Lemont, IL

[AntonioFP45]

Much safer, less smell, washes off skin (or furniture!) easily, and far fewer complaints in the household!

ModelFlex Paints are pretty good also. We're starting to see them pop up in hobby shops here in Florida in greater numbers. I did read on another thread that shelf life can be short so after opening a bottle, make sure you cap snuggly to keep air out.


I bought the Santa Fe yellow and red "Warbonnet "colors. Perfect match to the factory painted Athearn colors.

[Jetrock]

After using enamel-based Testors model paint as a kid, and discovering the joys of acrylic paint in college when painting Warhammer miniatures, I definitely don't miss the reeky fumes of enamel-based paint and thinner.

The flexibility of acrylics is nice--I mostly use Polly S paints with the occasional bottle of Testors acrylic. If you use acrylics, be sure to keep plenty of toothpicks around to stir the paint--shaking to mix the paint can fill the paint with air bubbles and make it harder to use.

[AntonioFP45]

I was very hesitant at first to try Acrylics as I had bad experiences with them in the early 80s. Two years ago I tried the Polly Scale and the Badger ModelFlex.

Great stuff! Except for the Alclad Metalizer (solvent based) all of my model painting from now on will be with Acrylics! Even with Alclad, you can still apply and Acrylic base color to the car that you're metalizing.

10-4!

[Anonymous]

Would any of these paint adhere to the flexible plastic material used for most handrails (at least in N-scale)? If not, what would you use to paint handrails?

[andrechapelon]

QUOTE: Originally posted by mktrains

Would any of these paint adhere to the flexible plastic material used for most handrails (at least in N-scale)? If not, what would you use to paint handrails?

You could try Modelflex http://www.badger-airbrush.com/modelflex.htm.

Andre

[Anonymous]

I still use Floquil Regular and Scalecoat I & II, my only experience was years ago with PolyS was not pleasant. I have never had a problem with masking as soon as I was done painting etc. I do use drafting tape as it is less sticky for my masking. I also cut the tape with an X-Acto knife to get a good clean edge. After all tape is on I will paint the edge of the tape with the original color that is being masked so the next color will not bleed under the tape.

Good Luck

Rick