Thinning Scalecoat II

[loathar]

Just got my 6 pack of Scalecoat II weathering colors and was wondering if you even have to thin this paint?? (I bought a pint of the proper thinner) This stuff seems REALLY thin compared to Floquil. Almost as thin as my Badger Modelflex which is airbrush ready.

To anyone considering buying this weathering color set, I would recommend against it. Pick your own colors and buy them instead. The dark grimy black is the only usable color for weathering. Their two rust shades are more like bright barn red and maroon. They don't seem to have much pigment in ANY of the colors. Glad I bought some Floquil weathering colors too.

[Southwest Chief]

I'm not familiar with the weathering 6 pack, but I'm very familiar with Scalecoat II paint.  It's my favorite paint, although I've only used it with my G scale trains so far.  This caboose repaint I did uses Scalecoat II paints on the exterior.

As far as thinning Scalecoat II paints, (assuming you're thinning to airbrush), be sure to use the Scalecoat II thinner, and not Scalecoat I thinner.  Especially if you use both of their paints (Scalecoat I for metals, and Scalecoat II for plastics) and forget to look closely at the thinner cans.  Don't ask me why I know this

My preferred thinning formula for Scalecoat is 50% paint, 50% thinner.  So what you're describing does not sound like the typical Scalecoat.  My guess is the weathering paints are prethinned like Polly weathering colors such as Polly Scale Dust.

I'm guessing it's prethinned since you compare it to Modelflex.

Try airbrushing the Scalecoat II weathering paints as is on a test piece and see what happens.  Likely they are prethinned and ready for light weathering.

One other thing that should be noted about Scalecoat paint is it dries to a high gloss sheen ready for decals.  So you have to dull it after applying decals, otherwise it usually looks too shiny for most applications.  In fact here is that same G scale caboose before lettering and you can see the glossy sheen, especially on the roofwalks.  I like to use Krylon Matte finish for a sealer coat and a dull coat all in one.  But again this is qualified as G scale painting which does not need to be as thin as HO.  I do both and like Testors dull coat for HO.

[cjcrescent]

Southwest Chief

...  Don't ask me why I know this

 

Well, SC, I'm asking. I'm not being sarcastic or anything like that. I used both Scalecoat paint types in my painting sideline, (custom painter 28 yrs), and I never had a problem with either type paint and thinner combo. Many years ago, I started mixing my own "Scalecoat" thinner using the two common ingredients in both thinners, tuolol and xylol. Nowadays I just use xylol, (xylene), as tuolol is hard to find at times. BTW, Floquil's Diosol also contains(ed) these two chemicals as well, and either one will thin Floquil.

[Southwest Chief]

I used Scalecoat II paint with Scalecoat I thinner for some plastic large scale rolling stock.  I didn't know anything was wrong until the paint started to dry.  On one of the cars I noticed small little sections where the plastic appeared to have been dissolved.  Very strange and I attributed this to using the Scalecoat I thinner.  But maybe it was something else since you don't seem to have ever had any problems.  However using Scalecoat II paint with Scalecoat II thinner since this I've never been able to reproduce the plastic dissolving.

I like your advice on xylol/xylene.

[caldreamer]

I will be getting brass passenger car sides.  Should I prime them after cleaning, prior to painting or just use Scalecoat paint on the clean brass?

[ATLANTIC CENTRAL]

Southwest Chief

One other thing that should be noted about Scalecoat paint is it dries to a high gloss sheen ready for decals.  So you have to dull it after applying decals, otherwise it usually looks too shiny for most applications.  In fact here is that same G scale caboose before lettering and you can see the glossy sheen, especially on the roofwalks.  I like to use Krylon Matte finish for a sealer coat and a dull coat all in one.  But again this is qualified as G scale painting which does not need to be as thin as HO.  I do both and like Testors dull coat for HO.

 

Scalecoat has clear gloss and clear flat that can be mixed to get any sheen you desire. Why would you risk a great paint job on a spray bomb? In any scale?

Like David I only use Scalecoat for my rolling stock paint work.

Sheldon

[maxman]

Southwest Chief

I used Scalecoat II paint with Scalecoat I thinner for some plastic large scale rolling stock.  I didn't know anything was wrong until the paint started to dry.  On one of the cars I noticed small little sections where the plastic appeared to have been dissolved.  Very strange and I attributed this to using the Scalecoat I thinner.  But maybe it was something else since you don't seem to have ever had any problems.  However using Scalecoat II paint with Scalecoat II thinner since this I've never been able to reproduce the plastic dissolving.

 

The problem was not that you were mixing the Scalecoat II paint with the Scalecoat I thinner.  The problem was with the thinner attacking the plastic.  Had you primed the model with a plastic compatible primer prior to painting with the paint and SC 1 thinner combination, you should not have had a problem.

I think that there is a way to use the SC I without a primer, but that involves applying very light coats of paint on and managing to apply the paint so that it dries almost immediately on contact.  But it probably takes a lot of practice to make this happen.

[Foamer2]

2 Questions.  I have some old Scalecoat paint, it does not say 1 or 2.  Am I to assume it is more like 1?  Second, where can Xylol/Xylene be purchased?

[el-capitan]

If it just says scalecoat, It is scalecoat 1. Scalecoat 2 didn't come out until later (early 90's?).