Painting an Atlas Undecorated RS-1

[richhotrain]

tstage

Hi Rich,

Scalecoat has a handy "Recommended Steps of Application" section at the beginning of their color chart.  At the top of the Scalecoat II heading on the right side of page 2 it states that Scalecoat II is "designed for use on plastic without use of a primer".  I don't know if that's true for other manufacturer's enamels like Testor or Tamiya but it seems to clearly imply that you do NOT need to prime the shell.  Just make sure it's oil-free and dry BEFORE you paint.

Tom

 

Thanks, Tom, that is very helpful.

Rich

[richhotrain]

Doughless

Rich, I don't know how much painting you've done, 

I have never sprayed a locomotive. I bought this one because it is near impossible to find an Atlas C&WI RS-1, the only HO scale C&WI Loco to be manifactured that I know of.

I have used spray paint on flat surfaces like HO scale sidewalks and roads, but that is it.

Rich

[tstage]

Hi Rich,

Scalecoat has a handy "Recommended Steps of Application" section at the beginning of their color chart.  At the top of the Scalecoat II heading on the right side of page 2 it states that Scalecoat II is "designed for use on plastic without use of a primer".  I don't know if that's true for other manufacturer's enamels like Testor or Tamiya but it seems to clearly imply that you do NOT need to prime the shell.  Just make sure it's oil-free and dry BEFORE you paint.

Tom

[SeeYou190]

1. Should I wash the shell with soap and water?

     YES! No amount of preparation and cleanliness is not well spent.

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2. Do I need to prime the locomotive as it is painted gray already?

     This depends on the paint you will use. My general answer is yes.

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3. As I don't have a sprayer, I plan to use a spray (rattle) can of paint. Any issues with this approach?

     No. I have had many good results with spray cans. Just take more care to avoid runs because you cannot control the volume of the paint. Keep the can moving at all times.

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4) I will be using C&NW Green. Any recommendation as to the best brand of spray paint?

     I prefer "Martin Senior" brand paints sold in NAPA auto parts stores. These have a metal spray tip and needle valve and atomize the paint pretty well.

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If you have a NAPA body parts shop in your area they can get you touch up spray paints in virtually any color you can imagine. CNW green is pretty close to what is commonly called "Kelly Green", so it should not be too hard to get something close enough. When in doubt go lighter than prototype colors. They will look better under normal lighting and in worst case will just appear faded.

.

-Kevin

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[Doughless]

Rich, I don't know how much painting you've done, but you'll need a tool to hold the shell parts while you paint them.  I use a coat hanger bent in an x shape so the tips widen against the inside of the part and holds it while I squeeze the bottom half of the hanger.  I hold the part out and rotate it in all directions and upside down to get maximum coverage from different angles.  I paint from rattle cans outside, as long as its not freezing.  And to state the obvious, I wear rubber gloves to protect from overspray.

[BigDaddy]

Maybe I misunderstood what I was told by Dr Holtgrewe.  You don't have to paint it tonight, wait for Doc Wayne to opine.

I'm not sure there is a downside to using primer unless you put it on too heavy or have an incompatibility problem between different types of paint.  In MRVP they alway prime. 

 

[richhotrain]

Doughless, thanks for that advice. I appreciate it.

Rich

[richhotrain]

The link that Henry provided indicates that Scalecoat II is a solvent based enamel paint for plastics.

Does this mean that I should apply a primer coat first?

Rich

[Doughless]

Not sure who specifically makes CNW Green since I use generic colors from Krylon.  My experience with model paints in rattle cans is that they come out a bit runnier, so when they suggest multiple THIN coats, that's a good advice to follow.

Also, remove the cab from the body as well as the sill and paint them separately.  Don't paint the shell whole.  The Atlas classic is a multiple part shell, so it makes it nice for painting.

One thing about painting with rattle cans is that you can miss the creases and crevasses where surfaces meet.  You may never truely reach it with a rattle can and if you try to keep hitting it with paint you'll probably just build up the paint thick all around it while still missing the target, if you follow that.  Stairs can be a tricky place since there are multiple surfaces and angles that come together

Rattle can model paint comes out glossy.  I think all rattle can paint sticks well, but glossy paint might need a primer to be safe.

 

[richhotrain]

Thanks, Tom, for that advice. I have read somewhere that placing a spray paint can in warm water for about 5 minutes will help to provide a smooth application.

Rich

[richhotrain]

Henry, thanks for that info and for the links. Most appreciated.

I hope to avoid priming the locomotive but let's see what the Doc Wayne has to say.

Thanks again.

Rich

[tstage]

Rich,

To answer your questions:

1. Yes, I would wash the shell in a mild soap & warm water mixture (e.g. Ivory) to remove any mold releases on the surface then let it dry throughly before painting
2. No, you shouldn't need to prime the plastic shell if you will be using acrylic paint.  If you plan on using enamel paint, be sure it's plastic-friendly.  I used lacquer-based paint (Model Master) for repainting some express reefer trucks and it turned out quite nicely.  The lacquer paint dried quickly and in thin layers so that important detailing didn't get lost.
3. The only issues with painting with a rattle can are humidity, temperature, and wind:

• Humidy - 40-50% is the optimal window but you can spray as high as 80%.  Above 80% is not recommended. 
• Temperature - Warmer temperatures are better.  The spray can I just looked at recommended 70 degrees.  I would think that down to 60 degrees would be okay.  It's also best to spray out of the sun so that the paint doesn't dry too quickly.
• Wind - Obviously, the calmer; the better

Other things that come to mind:

1. Be sure to shake the rattle can well before AND during use
2. When you've finished a painting "session", turn the can over and press the nozzle to clear all the access paint out.  This will keep the nozzle from clogging.
3. Paint in several "thin" layers rather than fewer "thicker" layers - I've had good results with the Model Master paints.  Tamiya cans are tops for achieveing thin, even spraying.  If you can find an acceptable C&NW color in their palette, I would go with them in a heartbeat.
4. Acrylic, enamel, or lacquer - Make sure you are in a well-ventilated area

Tom

[BigDaddy]

1. Should I wash the shell with soap and water?

Always. There is no downside to cleanliness.   They use some sort of mold release on the shell, and people, of uncertian hygiene, handle it and the oil on your fingers and theirs is bad for paint adherence

2. Do I need to prime the locomotive as it is painted gray already?

My understanding is that acrylic paint doesn't stick as well as solvent based paint, so I would. But then acrylic paint may not meet the criteria of coming in a spray can.

Anything Dr Wayne says supercedes my comments. 

But back to paint, solvent paint and all the usual thinners aren't good for you so I try to use only acrylic, but it's hard to find all the colors I want.

As you probably already know, most rattle can paint comes out fast and heavy. 

These days the only paint that calls itself C&NW green that comes in a spray can is Scalecoat 1 https://www.minutemanscalemodels.com/product-p/10366.htm

Edit or a Scalecoat 2 https://www.minutemanscalemodels.com/product-p/20366.htm

 These websites are just the first that popped up on a google search.  You may be able to do better on price elsewhere

 

 

[richhotrain]

Today, I received an Atlas Undecorated RS-1 that I intend to paint and decal.

Several questions about this process.

1. Should I wash the shell with soap and water?

2. Do I need to prime the locomotive as it is painted gray already?

3. As I don't have a sprayer, I plan to use a spray (rattle) can of paint. Any issues with this approach?

I will be using C&NW Green. Any recommendation as to the best brand of spray paint?

I would appreciate any comments or suggestions.

Rich