snjroy....I have definitely noticed a difference bewteen older and newer models. These days, manufacturers use paint that is a lot thinner than in the past...
You may be right,, Simon, although most of the newer cars that I've bought were undecorated....a couple from Tangent and a dozen-or-so from Accurail.I've always been a scrounger for "used" items, but there's only one hobbyshop within an hours drive from here, and they don't deal in used items at all. All of the others, perhaps 10 or 12 within that driving radius, are long gone. Train shows are a good place for getting used stuff, but the current situation has seen those shut-down, although one has been announced for this coming June...I'd like to attend, but likely won't. I'm getting to a point where I'll not likely "need" to buy any more.I have a few scratchbuilds on my to-do list, along with a bunch of locomotives, but I'd like to get back to work on my layout, too.
Wayne
Wayne, I don't know which is most impressive, your mastery or your patience to take the time to post quality pictures and share your wisdom...
About the OP's question, I have definitely noticed a difference between older and newer models. These days, manufacturers use paint that is a lot thinner than in the past. So just covering it with black primer hides most of it. Especially if you intend to put a decal over it. Older models is another ball game.
Simon
Thanks for the kind words, oldline1. I find the Rivarossi cars to be nice starting points for adding details or changing them into other types of cars, but I've also found Athearn's somewhat shorter cars to be useful fodder for making head-end cars.
(Click on the photos for a larger view)
This one was, I think, originally an Athearn coach...
...while this one was a Pullman...
...both were re-worked to match photos of the real cars.I'm also a fan of Model Die Casting's Pullman Palace cars, but often modify them, following photos of real cars, for a couple of my free-lanced lines. The combine shown below has been shortened, in addition to the other changes, and the truss-rod underbody changed to one with a steel fishbelly underframe...
I'm currently working on another 17 or 18 passenger and head-end cars, in a drive to finish that aspect of my layout. Several of them are being done for a couple of friends who have provide some of the cars and some parts, too.
doctorwayneI'm getting the impression that a lot of these manufacturers change paint-brands regularly.
I think you are on to something.
I have stripped a handful of Walthers cars for various projects. A short time in DOT-3 worked well for what I was doing.
Then I tried to get the paint off of a couple of Mount Vernon circus flat cars from Walthers. NOTHING would get the paint off.
-Kevin
Living the dream.
I wish I had had that result with my AHM cars. These were cars from the early 1960's so it is quite possible they changed paint brands along the way. That's a good reason why one should test out any kind of stripper to see the reaction. I never had any big issues with Athearn BB, old MDC or old Atlas but haven't tried any of the newer products they make now. Accurail is pretty easy to strip along with T-M.
Wayne, I really like your modified passenger equipment!
oldline1
oldline1I had several AHM/Rivarossi passenger cars I wanted to strip a few years ago. Tried iso alcohol, brake fluid and the old Chamelion (SP?) stripper and nothing worked well.
I'm getting the impression that a lot of these manufacturers change paint-brands regularly, as I've stripped 6 or maybe 8 Rivarossi passenger cars using methyl hydrate, and they were done in no time, with very little effort. Likewise for Athearn Blue Box cars, as on many of them, the paint began to blister within a minute or two, and five minutes later, an old toothbrush would finish the job...
Most of the Rivarossi cars reacted in the same manner....
This Rivarossi combine is the only picture I could find of one of my cars stripped, but not yet repainted...
wjstix Easiest way might be to go to the Bachmann website's parts area and see about buying an undecorated cab and tender shell for the engine you're working on. It can be hit-and-miss sometimes but you never know.
Easiest way might be to go to the Bachmann website's parts area and see about buying an undecorated cab and tender shell for the engine you're working on. It can be hit-and-miss sometimes but you never know.
wjstix,
Funny you should mention that! I just ordered a couple painted items from Bachmann just for the purpose of trying out different stripping methods. Their parts inventory is getting very thin so if anyone needs parts I suggest you order soon.
Wayne,
I had several AHM/Rivarossi passenger cars I wanted to strip a few years ago. Tried iso alcohol, brake fluid and the old Chamelion (SP?) stripper and nothing worked well. I finally got busy and forgot they were submerged in brake fluid for a couple months. When I scrubbed them with a brush all the paint on the bodies came off......EXCEPT where they were lettered! The paint used for the stripes and lettering was totally unaffected by all of this stuff. Amazing! I finally would up bead blasting them which left a grainy surface which was very hard to hide. I used some Scalecoat II on one car and it was thick enough to level out that grainy look. Floquil just seemed to magnify the grainy look.
Hopefully when these parts arrive from Bachmann I'll find a good way to strip the engines I need.
Thanks for all the suggestions and advice.
Thanks to both of you for your kind words. I must confess, though, that while I have 10 Spectrum locomotives, none of them were lettered, and I'm not sure that any of them were painted either. The majority of train stuff on my layout was bought undecorated, too.I have had good success with Super Clean as a paint remover, though. I recently needed to strip a couple of Rivarossi passenger cars, one factory-painted, the other painted by, perhaps, the previous owner.
Neither responded to methyl hydrate (which in earlier times would strip paint from almost everything), nor did Super Clean have any effect on them.I decide to try Polly S ELO (EASY LIFT OFF).
Using an older brush, I carefully painted some onto one of the cars...nothing seemed to be happening, so at least it wasn't destroying the plastic (I used it once on an Atlas diesel, and the shell came out almost unidentifiable).I continued along the car's side, then the other side, but when I looked at the first side again, it was a little sticky, but otherwise dry.I painted on some more, and this time, the paint partially began to lift. I did the rest of the car, and, after seeing the same, put the car into a container of Super Clean. Over the next couple of days, I worked the car over with a toothbrush, and finally got all of the paint off. The second car needed the same procedure, and took equally long...two different unknown paints, both apparently very durable.
Many have mentioned that ELO (not the band) is mostly brake fluid. If you want to try it on a plastic item, I'd suggest that you buy brake fluid - my can of ELO, bought probably close to 30 years ago, cost $11.98, while a similar amount of brake fluid is likely less...been a while since I've bought some. Put a little of it on the interior of the tender, to see if it affects the plastic...if there's no visible damage after an hour, it's probably okay to use it as a paint stripper.
If you're a little leery about ELO or brake fluid, do try the Super Clean.
After all the paint has been removed, use dish detergent and fairly warm water to clean all of the chemicals off the body shell, rinse it thoroughly, then set it aside to air dry.When it's time to paint, nitrile gloves are a good idea to keep skin oils off the plastic and keep your hands clean if you're airbrushing.
Finally, let us all know how you make-out, and what you used to remove the paint....I'm as eager to learn more as anyone else, I think.
Kevin,
I have to agree with you about doctorwayne. He has always been helpful and accurate to folks as well as inspiring with his conversions and layout.
doctorwayneI've found Super Clean to work well for removing most paints
I will 100% agree with this.
If you are looking for advice from someone who knows what they are doing, I will say Doctor Wayne has never given bad advice. Listen to him.
i just sharpied over the cab numbers & renumbered them , easist way to do i t
Pruitt How about just removing the lettering and decals, without stripping the paint?
How about just removing the lettering and decals, without stripping the paint?
They don't use decals and everything is painted on. What would be the best way to remove the numbers/lettering then? I have tried the Solvaset & eraser with little good results.
Mark P.
Website: http://www.thecbandqinwyoming.comVideos: https://www.youtube.com/user/mabrunton
I've found Super Clean to work well for removing most paints, without damaging the plastic, although some paints may need to soak longer than others.
What's the best stuff to use to strip paint/lettering off Specrum steamers?