(Edited to clarify that my struggle with this isn't Fujiwara's-san's technique but the paint suggestion is)
After a lot of review of forum material, I decided to use MC Fujiwara's paint suggestion a try: Got me a can of Valspar Blindfold ($5 rattle can) and shot all five tracks of the station. Looks good, it's not very dark, but the color is similar to a semi-dried grease from a diesel so great for a heavy use mainline.
Personally I was just a bit "figure out as you go". The product is thin, but its still pretty thick, hard to get on to the rail web and did have perceptible impact on detail (eg the fishplate on the tie that holds the track).
Taking it off from the rail head was a royal pain. A kitchen towel dipped in alcohol wrapped over a 3/4 wide wood strip (get both tracks) works well.
One turnout (out of 9) got stuck, I must have shot too much paint on it... It's slowly getting better with regular treatment of alcohol.
Thought I would write a review of what I did and how it worked as I am sure there is general interest.
NP
LION has used flat black rattle can, and various accrylic paints that I brushed on. In either case, a thumb nail or a scraper (if you have claws nstead of thumb nails) takes it right off with no effort.
LION recommends bursingin it on, however, since him can make a plalate of many similar colors and dabble from one to the other while painting the rails. Noting gets a suniform coat o f paint.
ROAR
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Here there be cats. LIONS with CAMERAS
I prefer a Model Master brown. You need to spray lightly and cover the area of the turnout with the throwbar and come back in with hand painting there. With Model Masters I put a bit of thinner in a paint bottle and then spray into it till I get the right consistancy for the hand painting part, if mixed properly that touch up bottle will be good for arround 6 months.
NP01 Taking it off from the rail head was a royal pain. A kitchen towel dipped in alcohol wrapped over a 3/4 wide wood strip (get both tracks) works well. Overall, the status of the "most annoying thing yet" for track painting hasn't changed. Thought I would write a review of the technique as I am sure there is general interest. NP
Overall, the status of the "most annoying thing yet" for track painting hasn't changed.
Thought I would write a review of the technique as I am sure there is general interest.
I've asked Rob Spangler about how he painted track, and got the paint off the rail head. He reported he scraped it off with a blade rather than kitchen towel as you did. I haven't painted my track yet, but I think that sounds like less of a pain. Maybe try that before you write your review?
Rio Grande. The Action Road - Focus 1977-1983
Scraping the dried paint from the railhead is much easier than trying to dissolve it. When I try the later, its hard not to have the towel/cloth wrap around the rail head and remove some paint from the inside of the rail...which is where we want the paint to stay.
Be careful not to dig into the rail with the scraper. A plastic edge like a credt card works well.
- Douglas
riogrande5761I've asked Rob Spangler about how he painted track, and got the paint off the rail head. He reported he scraped it off with a blade rather than kitchen towel as you did.
Yup, and I got the idea from MR author Pelle Soeborg. I typically drag a used utility knife blade along the rail head for most cleanup, and finish with a track eraser. The blade does no damage to the rail as I don't push toward the cutting edge. It works, and goes fast.
Here's track after cleanup with a utility knife blade. Paint isn't removed from anywhere but the rail head.
Rob Spangler
I wipe just after I spray with a dry rag, don't get too fussy though as a briteboy will finish the job once dry.
Sounds great and preferable to wiping off with a rag.
Rob, how did you apply your ballast and fasten it down? (those PFE reefers make a nice backdrop for the track scene - :-)
riogrande5761Rob, how did you apply your ballast and fasten it down?
That's sand applied with a spoon, and dressed with a one inch paint brush with soft bristles. I wet it with water and a few drops of dish soap, then glued with white glue diluted 50:50 with water.
Try a foam brush, I find it works better as individual brisels can toss ballast.
wp8thsub riogrande5761 Rob, how did you apply your ballast and fasten it down? That's sand applied with a spoon, and dressed with a one inch paint brush with soft bristles. I wet it with water and a few drops of dish soap, then glued with white glue diluted 50:50 with water.
riogrande5761 Rob, how did you apply your ballast and fasten it down?
Ah ok. Tried and true methods! Very good. I have saved an old make up "blush" brush with very soft bristles for that very purpose but might need something even softer.
wp8thsub That's sand applied with a spoon, and dressed with a one inch paint brush with soft bristles. I wet it with water and a few drops of dish soap, then glued with white glue diluted 50:50 with water.
Do you sift the sand and color it? I do need a cheaper ballast solution ...
NP.
rrebellTry a foam brush, I find it works better as individual brisels can toss ballast.
I've used both. I prefer bristle brushes, but it's an individual thing.
NP01Do you sift the sand and color it?
I use a few different sources of sand, with no change to the color. Some of it requires sifting a few bigger pieces out, some doesn't. If needed, I use a cheap kitchen shaker for sifting.
NP01 (Edited to clarify that my struggle with this isn't Fujiwara's-san's technique but the paint suggestion is) After a lot of review of forum material, I decided to use MC Fujiwara's paint suggestion a try: Got me a can of Valspar Blindfold ($5 rattle can) and shot all five tracks of the station. Looks good, it's not very dark, but the color is similar to a semi-dried grease from a diesel so great for a heavy use mainline. Personally I was just a bit "figure out as you go". The product is thin, but its still pretty thick, hard to get on to the rail web and did have perceptible impact on detail (eg the fishplate on the tie that holds the track). Taking it off from the rail head was a royal pain. A kitchen towel dipped in alcohol wrapped over a 3/4 wide wood strip (get both tracks) works well. One turnout (out of 9) got stuck, I must have shot too much paint on it... It's slowly getting better with regular treatment of alcohol. Thought I would write a review of what I did and how it worked as I am sure there is general interest. NP
After I reading your post closer after your edit, I see that you are trying to remove rattle can paint with alcohol. I don't know what brand the author reportedly used, but whenever I try to remove rattle can paint from the painted surface, it requires mineral spirits or some type of solvent. Alcohol barely does anything.
When I paint track with a rattle can, I first take a household type light oil (still using a 50 + year old can of Mobiloil) on a Q-tip and run that on the top of the railhead.
Most of the paint then just wipes off the railhead with a rag or paper towel, particularly if you get to it before the paint has totally dried. For stubborn bits of paint that remain, assuming a fingernail can't bring it up, I usually use a piece of 1/4" x 1/4" balsa wood soaked in paint thinner. The balsa is just abrasive enough to bring up the paint, but not so abrasive as to cause any scratching, even light scratches, in the metal rail.
For turnouts I have 1/4" wide masking tape that I use to protect all surfaces on the points and stock rails that touch each other for electric contact. That is slightly persnickety work but worth it.
I usually paint my track and turnouts outdoors before installation. When I need to touch up track that is already laid I have created a sort of unventilated spray booth or stage made out of a very large plastic jug used for 20 lbs of kitty litter. It is shaped to fit exactly over the rail and roadbed and has sides and a back to prevent spray paint from going where I don't want it. I work in a well ventilated room. Usually we are talking about one isolated "spritz" of spray paint, not an extended application.
Dave Nelson
You might try this next time you go to paint turnouts.
http://mrr.trains.com/videos/expert-tips/2009/11/video-how-to-paint-turnout-points-on-model-railroad-track
Its not the one I remember, must be a MRVP video. Anyway mask off the parts that move and conduct electricity before you paint the track.
dknelsonFor turnouts I have 1/4" wide masking tape that I use to protect all surfaces on the points and stock rails that touch each other for electric contact. That is slightly persnickety work but worth it.
It's not really THAT persnickety, especially when using power routing turnouts. I bought a couple of those adjustable wire brushes, available from MicroMark. They work pretty well for cleaning the backside of the turnout and the stock rail, where they make contact. Scratch brush
Marlon
See pictures of the Clinton-Golden Valley RR