Hi again folks.
I am back from my wonderful vacation. I'm about 8 lbs. heavier , but the food was so delicious that I couldn't resist .
While I was away I spent some time figuring out what my next steps would be. The first thing I'm going to do is see how difficult it will be to strip the brown automotive primer from the shell. I'm not holding my breath because I expect that after two weeks it will be as hard as a rock.
If the stripping doesn't work then I'm going to give the shell a very light coat of white and then apply the Polyscale Special Oxide Red in several thin coats. I really hope the automotive primer hasn't messed the paint job up.
Cheers!!
Dave
I'm just a dude with a bad back having a lot of fun with model trains, and finally building a layout!
Welcome back, Dave. I was just about to give in and start watching re-runs.
Brent
"All of the world's problems are the result of the difference between how we think and how the world works."
hon30critterThe first thing I'm going to do is see how difficult it will be to strip the brown automotive primer from the shell. I'm not holding my breath because I expect that after two weeks it will be as hard as a rock.
While it doesn't work on all types of paint, I've used methyl hydrate as a paint stripper. Canadian Tire, has it, as do most paint stores.
If you try it, wear nitrile gloves, as it's readily absorbed through the skin. An old toothbrush will help on some of the hard-to-reach places, but a few hours in a sealed container usually gets the paint removed from plastic or metal.
Wayne
Hi Brent and Wayne,
Now that I'm back I hope to make some real progress on the plow in the immediate future.
I tried stripping the paint first with 91% isopropyl alcohol. It didn't touch it. Then I tried Testors ELO (Easy Lift Off) paint and decal remover. It only worked on the cupola which is part resin and part styrene. It was very difficult to get the paint out of the grooves in the styrene boxcar siding that forms the walls of the cupola.
I decided that attempting to strip the main shell would be a nightmare because it uses the same styrene boxcar siding as the cupola. I'm going to apply a very light coat of white followed by as few thin coats as possible of the Special Oxide Red. I'm worried that, if I don't apply a white background coat, the dark brown primer will affect the final colour.
It was too hot in the garage today to use the air brush, but I did manage to start painting the boiler. The colour is Tamiya Black Green. The green doesn't come through in the photo:
Yes, the steam dome and the smoke stack aren't properly aligned, but when the shell is on it isn't as obvious. The smoke stack will actually be taller and larger in diameter. What you are seeing is the core pipe that fit into the flange. I can't straighten it because it lines up with the hole in the roof. Besides, some fool applied a drop of CA to it without realizing that it was crooked.
I think I'm going paint the wrapped pipes to look like dirty asbestos. If I paint them black they will dissapear. The valve handles will be bright red. I'm not sure about the top of the steam dome. The throttle (not installed yet), whistles and other bits will remain brass.
It really looks great, Dave. Sounds like it may be too late anyway, but have you tried using debonder on that CA that someone applied in an untimely fashion?
We're all glad to be getting back to our regular ration of the Side Discharge News, but we're just as glad that you had a great vacation.
John
Attuvian1Sounds like it may be too late anyway, but have you tried using debonder on that CA that someone applied in an untimely fashion?
Hi John,
I'm sure I could break it loose, but the problem is that I cut the smoke stack hole in the roof of the body using the crooked pipe as a reference. If I straighten the smoke stack I will have to move the hole. That will be a real PITA. I'm going to live with things as they are. It will give people something to criticize.
Thanks for the suggestion.
It's still too humid to use the air brush in the garage. We received almost 2" of rain over the last two days with more expected. That's a lot more than we usually get from a single low front. Patience is a virtue!
In the interim I'm going to work on brush painting the details on the boiler and engines, and I'm going to work on mounting the decoder.
Dave,
Have you listed the number of "buddies" sitting on the sidelines and hectoring your project? Well, here's the unsolicited suggestion for the day: you'll really need to find a couple of figures to pose in the right expeller for photos. Just like the photo at the head this epic string. Surely Preiser must make something appropriate. Just make sure its not any of their product that comes without clothes!
Attuvian1you'll really need to find a couple of figures to pose in the right expeller for photos
I have tons of HO figures. Most of them are garbage. At best, they will get their legs chopped off to populate passenger cars.
However, I do have several sets of Woodland Scenics engineers and mechanics which I'm sure will yield some suitable figures. I plan on repositioning arms, torsos and head angles so that they don't all look the same. I'll also have to make them look like they are dressed for winter weather.
Putting a couple of removable figures on the blades would be cool, as long as somebody warns them to get off before the blades start rotating!
Those projects are way down the road.
I am amazed! This thread has had 25000 views!
I'd better get to work to keep people happy.
Dave, you and I both joined the forum in July 2006 and you have brought me endless enjoyment from your builds. I still think of the Mckeen project often. Your slow and steady threads are a staple for me on this forum, no need to rush as long as it keeps coming. I only wish I lived close enough to help you get the trains running on your layout.
BATMANyou have brought me endless enjoyment from your builds. I still think of the Mckeen project often. Your slow and steady threads are a staple for me on this forum, no need to rush as long as it keeps coming. I only wish I lived close enough to help you get the trains running on your layout.
Hi Brent,
Thank you for those very kind words!
Indeed, I do need to get back to working on the layout! Once I have finished the snow plow project, I fully intend to do that. After all, I do have to have some place to run the plow.
BATMANthink of the Mckeen project
Mike
Water Level RouteBATMAN think of the Mckeen project I had that thought when you started this thread Dave, and instantly reached the conclusion that this would be magazine worthy work. You are proving me correct.
Hi Mike,
Now you have me blushing!
Somehow I doubt that Model Railroader would be interested in doing a magazine article. These days they want articles that are short and sweet. It would require some major trimming to reduce this thread down to two or three pages, and I'm not sure how many modelers would want to undertake the task in any case. I will probably do a condensed version of the thread when the project is done.
In addition, some of my methods were not very accurate (read: crude), like getting the gearbox to run smoothly. There was a huge amount of trial and error involved (remember the "...one step forward...three steps back...?" episodes). Making the gearbox 'easy' to assemble would require a complete redesign and some very accurate measurements. I don't think I'm knowledgable enough to come up with proper specs. How do you quantify "...take a pair of pliers and twist the assembly, and if that doesn't work, twist it the other way...".
Thanks Mike,
The humidity finally dropped to the point where I could spray the shell with a light coat of white. Senior's moment: I could hardly get the airbrush to put out any paint. Then I realized that I hadn't turned the compressor on (Duh!!) After I flipped the magic switch everything went fine.
I'm going to let the paint dry overnight and then I will apply the colour coat. I had intended to use Polly Scale Special Oxide Red but then I found a bottle of Rapido's Proto Paint in CPR Mineral Brown which I like, so that will be the new colour. It is slightly more red than the Special Oxide Red which is what I wanted in the first place.
I swear I will never use rattle can spray paint on a model ever again!!! They are all headed to the curb where hopefully someone who can use them will pick them up.
hon30critter I'm going to let the paint dry overnight and then I will apply the colour coat. I had intended to use Polly Scale Special Oxide Red but then I found a bottle of Rapido's Proto Paint in CPR Mineral Brown which I like, so that will be the new colour. It is slightly more red than the Special Oxide Red which is what I wanted in the first place.
Rich
Alton Junction
richhotrainNooooooo! Special Oxide Red is my favorite color. How dare you abandon it.
Hi Rich,
I offer my sincere apologies! Do you need me to send you some Kleenex?
I really like the red colour of the Rapido paint, and it turns out that the Rapido paint has a gloss finish so that will save me from having to glosscoat the shell before decaling.
I will say that I prefer using Poly Scale paints. The Rapido paint is thinner than the Poly Scale which I am used to, so it looks like it is very prone to runs. Fortunately I didn't have any on the first coat, but I think I came close. I'll use a lighter coat the next time.
Now I need to decide what decals I should use. The prototype was lettered for 'The Ideal Snow Plow Company Limited, Toronto, Ont.'. If I use that name I will have to order custom decals. My hands are simply not steady enough to use individual letters like doctorwayne does.
There are other options. I have decals for the 'Algoma Eastern' which is my favourite short line that ran between Sudbury, Ontario and Little Current, Ontario (Little Current is on the Manitoulin Island and the AER built the famous swing bridge at Little Current to connect the island to the mainland).
I also have lots of CPR decals. CPR field tested the plow but they never adopted the design.
I'll let you know what I decide.
Maybe Dave will send you what's left of his Special Oxide Red stash. I have three bottles of it (one opened) and another 40-or-so of other Pollyscale paint colours. The one I'm missing is black, with three brass locos ready to be painted starting today, another two soon to be ready for paint, and another six that will require a lot of modifications to match specific prototypes...one will be very close to a complete scratchbuild.I'm still disappointed that no one saw fit to maintain Pollyscale paints.
hon30critterNow I need to decide what decals I should use. The prototype was lettered for 'The Ideal Snow Plow Company Limited, Toronto, Ont.'. If I use that name I will have to order custom decals. My hands are simply not steady enough to use individual letters like doctorwayne does.
Dave, an easy aid for composing words with individual letters is to put a piece of masking tape beneath the site where you wish to add the lettering. I usually use dividers or measurements on a ruler to ensure that the tape is on a true horizontal. Another aid to make the lettering look professional is to look-up the term "kerning", which deals with the spacing between particular letter combinations.If you're using decal letters, make the cut at the bottom of the letters all at the same distance below the letters, as that will ensure that the words will easily follow the guidance of the masking tape.
If instead you'd rather use custom decals, I'd highly recommend Circus City Decals - they can do pretty-well anything you need, and the cost is reasonable. The lettering will definitely enhance your project.
Thanks Wayne,
I'm definitely going to use custom decals with the prototype name. Handling small parts has become a real challenge, and that's when my hands are not shaking.
I found a company called Bedlam Creations which does custom decals for very low prices. They will print decal sheets as small as 2" X 3" which is enough space for me to get two copies of the logo. Their setup fees start at $5.00 and the price for a 2" x 3" sheet is just $10.00. I have asked them for a quote. I want to get two sheets so I will have the option of lettering a factory if I can fit one in.
Apparently they are using ALPS printers so the quality might not be up to modern standards, but if the lettering looks a bit faded that will be fine.
I almost got the second coat of Rapido paint on the plow. I say almost because the airbrush ran out of paint before the coat was finished. That left a couple of flat areas on the roof, but I have enough paint in the bottle to finish the job. It needs a third coat anyhow.
The airbrush spit out a couple of tiny bits of solid paint while I was painting the shell. I thought that I was doing a very thorough job of cleaning the air brush each time I used it (I always take it completely apart, even between coats) but apparently that wasn't the case. What I did differently was that I used Windex as a cleaner. I normally use lacquer thinner but I had run out.
The Windex apparently works differently from the lacquer thinner. The lacquer thinner dissolves the paint residue whereas the Windex seems to peel it off in rubbery bits and pieces. I used a microbrush to get into the nooks and crannies and I kept getting more and more bits of paint residue out of the brush. The climax came when I used the Windex to clean the siphon tube on the paint reservoir bottle. I got a huge length of gooey paint out of the tube. It looked like something out of a swamp! Hopefully I have learned my lesson about how to properly clean an airbrush!
hon30critter richhotrain Nooooooo! Special Oxide Red is my favorite color. How dare you abandon it. Hi Rich, I offer my sincere apologies! Do you need me to send you some Kleenex?
richhotrain Nooooooo! Special Oxide Red is my favorite color. How dare you abandon it.
I need a crying towel.
doctorwayne richhotrain Nooooooo! Special Oxide Red is my favorite color. How dare you abandon it. Maybe Dave will send you what's left of his Special Oxide Red stash. I have three bottles of it (one opened) and another 40-or-so of other Pollyscale paint colours. The one I'm missing is black, with three brass locos ready to be painted starting today, another two soon to be ready for paint, and another six that will require a lot of modifications to match specific prototypes...one will be very close to a complete scratchbuild. I'm still disappointed that no one saw fit to maintain Pollyscale paints.
Maybe Dave will send you what's left of his Special Oxide Red stash. I have three bottles of it (one opened) and another 40-or-so of other Pollyscale paint colours.
The one I'm missing is black, with three brass locos ready to be painted starting today, another two soon to be ready for paint, and another six that will require a lot of modifications to match specific prototypes...one will be very close to a complete scratchbuild.
I'm still disappointed that no one saw fit to maintain Pollyscale paints.
richhotrainKleenex? I need a crying towel. Rich
Hi Rich!
Wait until you see the finished product! I might just convert you!!
Seriously, the next time I need to paint a car red, I will use the PollyScale Special Oxide Red. It seems to be so much easier to work with.
My problem with the Rapido paint is that it's surface tension causes it to recede from sharp corners leaving a bit of the white primer showing through. I might be applying too much paint at once but I don't think so. PollyScale doesn't have that problem. It stays where it's put.
hon30critter I almost got the second coat of Rapido paint on the plow. I say almost because the airbrush ran out of paint before the coat was finished. That left a couple of flat areas on the roof, but I have enough paint in the bottle to finish the job. It needs a third coat anyhow. The airbrush spit out a couple of tiny bits of solid paint while I was painting the shell. I thought that I was doing a very thorough job of cleaning the air brush each time I used it (I always take it completely apart, even between coats) but apparently that wasn't the case. What I did differently was that I used Windex as a cleaner. I normally use lacquer thinner but I had run out. The Windex apparently works differently from the lacquer thinner. The lacquer thinner dissolves the paint residue whereas the Windex seems to peel it off in rubbery bits and pieces. I used a microbrush to get into the nooks and crannies and I kept getting more and more bits of paint residue out of the brush. The climax came when I used the Windex to clean the siphon tube on the paint reservoir bottle. I got a huge length of gooey paint out of the tube. It looked like something out of a swamp! Hopefully I have learned my lesson about how to properly clean an airbrush! Cheers!! Dave
I use Protopaint and other acrylics on a regular basis with my airbrush. Never had the problems you are referring to. I filter the paint first, using a mesh sold for sink drains. When painting, I always have two bottles: one of the paint, and one for distilled water. After each coat, I flush my airbrush with water to remove most of the excess paint. It takes seconds. Fills time while waiting for the paint to dry... When done, I take the airbrush apart and wash with hot water, and finish the job with Windex. It leaves my (45 year old) airbrush nice and clean.
As for the gaps left by Pollyscale, I have turned to craft paints for just about every job I have. For steam engines, I add a bit of black to the "graphite" color, and it's pretty close to grimy black. A light coat of primer before, and a coat of dullcoat after, and it gets the job done.
Simon
snjroy use Protopaint and other acrylics on a regular basis with my airbrush. Never had the problems you are referring to. I filter the paint first, using a mesh sold for sink drains.
Hi Simon,
I use lacquer thinner to clean the air brush if I'm going to be using it again soon (i.e. in a few minutes).
snjroyAs for the gaps left by Pollyscale, I have turned to craft paints for just about every job I have. For steam engines, I add a bit of black to the "graphite" color, and it's pretty close to grimy black. A light coat of primer before, and a coat of dullcoat after, and it gets the job done.
I am fortunate enough to have a pretty decent selection of PollyScale paints, but I will keep your suggestion in mind when the PollyScale starts to run out.
Thanks,
EDIT:
Here's the problem that I'm having with the Protopaint thinning on sharp edges. It is not glaringly obvious in the photo but it shows clearly to the naked eye. If you click on the picture twice it will expand. The top left edge is the worst. Maybe I'm just not applying enough paint:
This afternoon it dawned on me that I had forgotten to apply the rivet decals to the tender and various parts of the plow body. I'm glad I discovered that before the name decals were put on!
Speaking of the name on the plow, I have ordered the custom decals from Bedlam Creations (somehow the name appeals to me!). The owner, Josh Muma, has been very nice to deal with. The proof sheet will be emailed to me within the next few days. The final cost is a bit higher than I had hoped, but that is the price we Canadians have to pay to do business south of the border.
hon30critter snjroy use Protopaint and other acrylics on a regular basis with my airbrush. Never had the problems you are referring to. I filter the paint first, using a mesh sold for sink drains. Hi Simon, I use lacquer thinner to clean the air brush if I'm going to be using it again soon (i.e. in a few minutes). snjroy As for the gaps left by Pollyscale, I have turned to craft paints for just about every job I have. For steam engines, I add a bit of black to the "graphite" color, and it's pretty close to grimy black. A light coat of primer before, and a coat of dullcoat after, and it gets the job done. I am fortunate enough to have a pretty decent selection of PollyScale paints, but I will keep your suggestion in mind when the PollyScale starts to run out. Thanks, Dave EDIT: Here's the problem that I'm having with the Protopaint thinning on sharp edges. It is not glaringly obvious in the photo but it shows clearly to the naked eye. If you click on the picture twice it will expand. The top left edge is the worst. Maybe I'm just not applying enough paint:
snjroy As for the gaps left by Pollyscale, I have turned to craft paints for just about every job I have. For steam engines, I add a bit of black to the "graphite" color, and it's pretty close to grimy black. A light coat of primer before, and a coat of dullcoat after, and it gets the job done.
snjroyProtopaint does require several coats. I use a fan to speed-up drying between coats.
Thanks for clarifying that. I think my problem is that I am not applying enough coats. However, that brings up the question of how much paint is required to complete what is essentially a two car project? I started with a full bottle of Protopaint. I only have about 1/3 of a bottle left, and I can see using the rest to finish the paint job. That seems like a lot of paint to do a small project. When I did a fleet of eight cabooses for my Algoma Eastern RR a few years ago, I used less than half a bottle of PollyScale to do 16 car sides.
You raise another interesting question. How long do I need to wait between coats? I am in the habit of letting each coat dry for about a day before applying the next coat. Do I need to wait that long? Also, how long does the Protopaint take to fully harden? I just sanded a few spots on the plow and tender to get some small impurities off of the surface, and the paint is still quite soft.