Does anyone use any paint other then Floquil, It seems to be the standard for the hobby just curious to if there are any alternatives
Thanks
Floquil is a lacquer based paint, Scalecoat is another. Floquil does not have a "binder" in it, meaning it dries flat and fast; Scalecoat does have the glossy binder, and dries nice and glossy, ready to apply decals.
Acrylic paints appear to be taking over from lacquer paints as their fumes are not hazardous. Badger, Polly S and others make lines of railroad colors. Some hobbyist have been using craft paints for structures and many other things too. It is acrylic too, and really cheap - $1.00 or so per 4 oz bottle.
Visit a hobby shop to see what they offer.
Bob Boudreau
CANADA
Visit my model railroad photography website: http://sites.google.com/site/railphotog/
More poeple are using acrylic paints rather than the solvent type paints. Model paint brands are: PolyScale, made by Floquill, (Poly S was discontinued 15 years ago), Modelflex, made by Testors and ModelMaster, also made by Testors. The first two offer a lot of RR colors, ModelMaster has a more general selection of colors, covering cars, marine and military. All work very well, but if you've been using solvent paints, there is a bit of learning curve when it comes to spraying with acrylics, but no fumes, and cleanup and thinning is done with water.
Once cured (a couple of weeks) acrylics can be even more durable than the old solvent paints, especially when used on plastics.
Jay
C-415 Build: https://imageshack.com/a/tShC/1
Other builds: https://imageshack.com/my/albums
Well if you can by Poly Scale for $1.00 I'll take every bottle you have. The cheapest I've found it for is around $4.29/oz they are all made by Testors. I presently use both Floquil Poly scale & solvent based paints I am just looking for an alternative
I haven't bought any of those expensive modeling paints ya'll talk about, though I've seen them in hobby shops when I travel, no hobby shops near me. I wouldn't know where to use it, except if I were to rebuild a loco, I rather like the acrylic paints, I wouldn't put on good lacquer on rolling stock, then use dull coat and or weather it so the good paint is covered up, I would feel like I didn't accomplish anything. I sure don't want glossy on my train layout. Even when I build building kits, I paint with acrylics, cheap I might add from walmart craft's department, and I use the air brush. I still apply the dry transfers or wet decals on the buildings as needed.
Where do you guys use the lacquer or "good" paints for $4.29 an once, that's about $130 a quart. The best automotive lacquer paint don't cost that much.
I do realize these paint company's such as floquil makes the color scheme of the railroad company you model. But I personally can't seem to be that particular besides I mix colors to get the color I want, mostly faded or grimy shades. I was a sign painter in my life off and on.
I prefer oil base. I use mostly Floquil, but have recently tried some Scalecoat II and I'm quite happy with it. I'll use craft paint for structures, but I really don't like the Polly Scale stuff.
I would like to see how Testors is making all those expensive little bottles to see just how bad we're being ripped off!
Allegheny2-6-6-6 Well if you can by Poly Scale for $1.00 I'll take every bottle you have. The cheapest I've found it for is around $4.29/oz they are all made by Testors. I presently use both Floquil Poly scale & solvent based paints I am just looking for an alternative
I didn't say Polly S paint was available at $1.00, I said craft paint. It is available at Wal-Mart, Michaels and such CRAFT stores.
My favorite:
Polly Scale RR acrylics
other good one:
Model Master
on my black list:
testor 1/4 oz. paints. I tihnk they're enamels, they're just way too thick for me.
Sawyer Berry
Clemson University c/o 2018
Building a protolanced industrial park layout
I like the Pollyscale and Badger Modelflex acrylics. User friendly and good color hiding.
For metalizing only; I prefer Scale Coat II Gloss colors as it cross links well with the Alclad II Chrome metalizer.
"I like my Pullman Standards & Budds in Stainless Steel flavors, thank you!"
I use Floquil my self for many things. It brushes well and dries without brushmarks. I also use auto primer in rattlecans from the auto parts store. Red auto primer makes an excellent box car red and a good brick red. Dark gray is just right for steam locomotives and caboose, milk car and passenger car roofs, as well as the under body of any car. Light gray is good for covered hoppers and weathered wood, and under bodies. The auto primers stick well to metal, have enough pigment to cover anything in one coat, and dry dead flat. Contrary to conventional wisdom, decals will settle down nicely on the flat primer, especially with a dab of Solvaset.
David Starr www.newsnorthwoods.blogspot.com
Packers#1 testor 1/4 oz. paints. I tihnk they're enamels, they're just way too thick for me.
Speaking of airbrushing, right now I use craft paints only for weathering or rough textures (e.g. muddy tracks on a bulldozer, dirt covered trash piles, rusting pipes, etc), but I have seen images on this board of air-brushed craft paints on vehicle models, and the coveraged looked very smooth & even (extremely important when dealing w/ vehicles, rolling stock, building trim, etc.) - does anyone know the secret to getting such a nice finish w/, say, Ceramcoat (thinning media, ratio, air pressure, distance from model, etc.)?
I"m a laquer guy. I much prefer Floquil to the acrylic paints. I wasn't impressed with Poly Scale, which does have a long cure time. The only real advantage is the easier cleanup.
BTW, has anyone tried Future floor wax as a finishing coat? I ran across this topic on another forum.
Nelson
Ex-Southern 385 Being Hoisted
SteamFreak I"m a laquer guy. I much prefer Floquil to the acrylic paints. I wasn't impressed with Poly Scale, which does have a long cure time. The only real advantage is the easier cleanup. BTW, has anyone tried Future floor wax as a finishing coat? I ran across this topic on another forum. http://www.ndrr.com/rmr_faq/models/Future-Floor-Wax.htm
http://www.ndrr.com/rmr_faq/models/Future-Floor-Wax.htm
The time it takes for paint to dry and for it to cure are two different things. When paint has cured, it has reached it's final hardness. With acrylics, it only takes about two weeks, with oil based enamels and laquer paints , suchas Floquill or Scalecoat I & II, it can take as much as a month or more. Acrylics also beat the solvent paints in drying time, most are dry to the touch in 10 minutes and can be masked in 30. They are also non-toxic.
It does take some adaptation to learn how use acrylics if all you've ever used is solvent paints, maybe you just didn't give it much of a chance?
I believe that the latest Floquil Paint is now an enamel rather than a laquer. It dries shiny and takes longer to dry than my old Floquil Paint. I prefer Scalecoat for Metals and Wood and Scalecoat II for plastics now in place of the Floquil. Also the colors seem to be more constant in tinting than the Floquil have been lately.I will phasing out my Floquil paints as I use them up.
I tried spaying Polyscale or Flopaue or whatever they called it I used. I did not like the finish, the thinning or the cleanup. Give me solvent based paints. (I use a respirator and ducted paint booth, to avoid the fume problems).
Rick
Rule 1: This is my railroad.
Rule 2: I make the rules.
Rule 3: Illuminating discussion of prototype history, equipment and operating practices is always welcome, but in the event of visitor-perceived anacronisms, detail descrepancies or operating errors, consult RULE 1!
Not to disrupt anything, But I have used cheap thin Tempera Paint sucsessfully for genral weatherig by useing brushes. I can get photos if you want to see the results.
modelmaker51It does take some adaptation to learn how use acrylics if all you've ever used is solvent paints, maybe you just didn't give it much of a chance?
It may simply be inexperience, as as you said, or a bad bottle. I bought some Poly Scale silver for to try as as a touch-up, but it never seemed to lose its tackiness and was easily peeled off, so it made me leery of them. I always make sure the item to be painted is thoroughly washed and degreased.
Living in Europe i use totaly different brands then you all do. Gunze and Tamiya mostly, Gunze has a vast choice in matt paints and i only use glossy if the color is not available in matt. I also use acrylic spray cans in the basic colors white, grey, black and a matt red/brown i use for most building walls. For weathering i use acrylics, ink washes and pastel powders.
Reading the different philosophies regarding paint has been very interesting. Here's a slightly divergent concept. When railroad equipment, even steam locomotives, come from the builder or the shop, they are glossy! Prototypical engine enamel is very bright stuff. After the equipment has been in service for awhile the gloss begins to fade and weathering grime accumulates but it goes on over the gloss. For my locomotive fleet is seems reasonable to have some engines really dirty, some a little less dirty, and a few almost pristine as in just out of the shop. Floquil paints are best for the weathered look and Scalecoat for the pristine look. Scalecoat is much easier to decal over. Finally, is it my imagination or is Scalecoat a little less glossy these days compared to when it first came out? Seems like it to me.
I have been using the Badger ModelFlex since it first came out and I am very happy with it. It goes on easily, cleans up great, and no odors in the house. It does handle differently and requires some different techniques to use properly. First everything must be clean, really really clean and free of mold release etc. I just painted some plastic cattle and went back to touch up, and the new paint crazed the dried paint, even thought I had washed the cattle with hot water and dish soap. Apparently didn't scrub enough.
I spray between 28-35 lbs of air. ModelFlex is ready to spray right out of the bottle. Polly Scale needs to be thinned, use distilled water. Some suggest alcohol, but I am not so sure.
Clean up is with hot water, 140 will cut the paint pretty quick. Then spray a little Windex through the airbrush. The ammonia in the Windex will cut fresh dried paint. Just remember this paint is designed to dry fast, so you can't leave the airbrush sit round with paint in it.
I have had ModelFlex paint go bad, even bottles never opened. Just call Badger, they have a great replacement policy. One problem is the paint can freeze, which makes it go bad. I try not to order paint in the winter, as it may sit on the UPS truck or my door step to long and freeze.
Also be aware that acrylic paint dries very fast, it will dry in your airbrush. It also clogs the tip, which must be wiped off periodically while painting. You should also use the largest tip available for your airbrush or get one designed for Acrylic paint. The paint is "thicker" due to the water and needs the "larger" opening to get out of the airbrush. But once dry it is as thin or thinner than enamel or lacquer based paints.
Someone asked about Future Floor Covering. It works, use it straight out of the bottle, no need to thin. Future is 100% acrylic and dries to a nice gloss finish, perfect for decals. To get a flat finish you can add "flattener" from Tamiya or use talc power. It also be used to resurfaced the scratched surface on "clear" plastic glass.
I have also used some of the craft store acrylics: ie Dreamcote, Apple Barrel, etc. They are cheap, offer a wide variety of colors. But they are thick, need to be thinned for the airbrush. They are great for doing structures, scenery, painting rail, and other jobs where large quanities are needed.
Doug Harding
As to Future Floor Wax, also now marketed as Pledge Future, I have had good luck using it to cover and apply decals, but would caution that one should wait AT LEAST 48 hours before continuing. This has also been the subject of many posts in the Fine Scale Modeler forums.
Sorry to be so long in response but I am in Belize and only get to WiFi infrequently.
I have fallen in love with Badger Modelflex. It is so easy to work with and clean up. So good for weathering. SO GOOD!
I still use oil based for brass. I have always liked Scalecoat. It thins and mixes very well. It bakes well in the oven (useless info if you paint plastic) I like the gloss finish. Nice for decals and weathering (not chalk, which I have never used).
I usually use acrylics to paint my structures. Mainly because the fumes don't stink up the house...and they clean up with soap and water. Haven't attempted to spray any locomotives with them yet. In the past, I'd use Floquil. However, even that has gone water-based for the most part. Anyway, my paint of choice is Tamiya's acrylics, and occasionally, Testors. Almost forgot that I use automotive (gray) primer, or Tamiya's white primer most of the time.
Why does one bottle of Polly Scale dry very glossy and another very flat? Both were new stock from the LHS, mixed the same and sprayed during the same session? Example, the SP scarlett looks like flat primer while the CSX new gold is very high gloss.
Presuming just a matter of spraying the red with a high gloss clear before decaling?