I don't think I've ever met an 'airbrush ready' paint that I didn't end up thinning anyway. Luckily, the TCP thins quite nicely with Mr. Color lacquer thinner, which I always have on hand. Unfortunately, my LHS didn't have any SP colors, so I had to order them online. I was hoping to have it painted and ready for this week's club running session, but I guess not.
Well, consider me a Tru Color fan! My paints arrived this morning, and I was able to get most of the parts painted before the afternoon. I still need to paint the headlight housings and clean up some masking errors, especially on the nose where the curve made lining up the tape difficult. Then again, half the prototype photos I've seen look like they were repainted into Bloody Nose colors at 4:45 on a Friday afternoon, so maybe my overspray is accurate
It just wouldn't be a real project without at least ONE screwup in the home stretch! With the decals mostly finished, I added the grab irons to the nose using the same technique I've always used; a styrene strip to space the grab irons away from the shell, and a dab of CA glue inside the shell to secure them. I've never had any problems in the past, but THIS time enough CA glue wicked through the holes to firmly glue the spacer strip to the nose of the locomotive. I was able to pry it off, but it took a big chunk of paint with it. Miraculously, the damage didn't extend to the decals OR the red nose. So I sanded the area, masked the surrounding areas off and sprayed some new dark gray. The new paint stands out a bit, but another fine sanding and a final coat of gray should blend everything back together and then I'm on to dullcoat. But I think I've used up my luck for today.
Your work is outstanding. I'm still having a hard time seeing this as n scale because the details, paint and decales look fantastic on such a small work area. Just think of all the prototype locomotives and equipment that look like the paint was patched with a can of spray paint from the hardware store or just shot with primer. Even if you could notice it, it just makes your locomotive look even more prototyical. But even now it would be difficult to really see it if not pointed out. Again great work, Ralph
Thanks y'all! A little weathering goes a long way, so a lot of weathering must go even further, right? I tried something new for this project, dabbing some blue and orange oil paint onto the gray and red respectively before fading everything with a white oil wash. That provided just enough tint to replicate the way the prototype paint tended to fade and discolor. While the first layer of weathering cures, I'm getting the numberboard assemblies caught up with decals and fading, and looking into advanced primers to help alleviate the eternal problem of unpaintable handrails. Once I have those painted, it's grime time.
Okay, I will suggest you try Reaper Miniature's line of paints for handrails and such. They are not well known outside of the gaming cimmunity, but are superb paints, the equal of Vallejo or any other brand. I wish they could make Railroad colors, but look at their paints, especially their Liners.
Don't waste your time and effort looking for advanced primers for the handrails. Get a can of Plastic Adhesion Promoter. It's a mild form of an etchant that body shops use to paint plastic bumpers. Your paint will not flake off. If those handrails are like what Atlas and Kato uses for theirs, this stuff works great. I picked up a can of this from a local body shop supply house years ago, it was about $15 a can, and it's more now. I shot some Kato SD40-2 handrails with it and the paint is still hanging on. I recently used it on the U33B's and GP35's that I'm working on now. I shot Floquil on the SD40-2's and TCP on the recent models. Do a search for "Plastic Adhesion Promoter" But don't buy the stuff that's listed for $10-$12. Spend the $ and you won't be sorry.
Thanks Allen, the adhesion promoter looks to be pretty much the same stuff as the specialized hobby 'plastic primers' I've found, but unlike them it's actually in stock without going to the ends of the Earth. I think I'll pick up a can after work today.
I don't recall the exact instructions that was given by the modeler who mentioned it years ago, but I do remember that you clean the parts, let them dry, then spray on a good covering coat, enough that everything is wet but not dripping, let that dry (a few minutes) then mist another light coat and let that dry. Then don't touch it with your bare skin due to any oils, then just paint as normal. You can actually bend the plastic handrails and the paint will crack but not come off. Of course, YMMV with each brand and be sure to read the instructions carefully. Good luck.
I picked up a can of Rustoleum adhesion promoter at the auto parts store, and it turned out to be just the ticket. After I painted and installed the handrails they needed minor touch-ups where the tweezers had scraped paint off, instead of the entire paint job peeling off in a single handrail-shaped piece like I'm used to! I ended up having more trouble with the phosphor bronze front/rear handrails. The extension of the main handrail on the fireman side turned out great too, although I'm sure a stiff breeze will pop it off. The only task left is to add the missing lift tab next to the exhaust stack. I still can't find another one of the BLMA parts I used for the other three, so I will make do with styrene. Once that's ready and painted to match everything, this loco will be ready to roll on the layout!
