Painting N scale Diesels

Well, I've got three diesels I'd like to paint. I've worked on a kitbashed Geep 10, and I want to paint it in the orange and white ICG scheme. Its an ex UP diesel I stripped, and so there is still some paint showing, but not much. I need to know how to mask off half the long hood after I paint it white so I can spray it orange. I've used masking tape before, cutting a cleaner edge with a razor on a piece of glass for a KCS SD, but the line was still a little fuzzy. Maybe I didnt burnish enough, and maybe it was because that loco still had some residue since it was Ex UP too. I was satisfied with the results, but I want a cleaner edge since on the Geep it will be more visible. Any ideas for masking this? Also, the plastic should be grease-free, so I used toothpaste and an old toothbrush. I think it did a pretty good job of getting rid of skin oil, but I was thinking that it may be leaving flouride or the like behind. Any thoughts? The other two diesels are undec. Geep 40-2s that may also be painted in the ICG white and orange scheme. I hope I rattled off enough info for you guys to help...thanks a lot!

Dave

 

I use "fine line" masking tape for the painted edges. It is somewhat flexible and conforms to irregularaties such as doors along the long hood if you use an embossing tool (small blunt screwdriver) to force the tape into the spaces between the doors. The tape is semi-transparent and will darken as it sticks to an edge. Hope this helps.

 

dave something else you might try is angle the shell at about 45 degrees with the spot you're doing away from you the farthest that way it doesn't get the brunt of the spray, it tends to keep from pulling the fibers in the tape not allowing the fibers to get paint soaked. when those fibers are pulled out it sometimes lets the paint bleed into the tape.

 

Thanks a lot guys. By the way, I've done most of my painting with the big Krylon cans. The KCS locomotive I did was painted with white primer, and they also have an "Ultra flat black" in their camoflage line. It works really great for underframes and trucks, with absolutely no gloss like new locos right out of the box.The menards by my house has lots of colors, so I think I will have no problems looking for the colors I need. I need to order MoPac decals and find a blue to match, too. For the same price as a small testors can of spray paint, I get about 200% more with Krylon! Thanks a lot again...if anyone has any more ideas I would be very grateful.

btw-the only problem I have with spray painting is I have no booth, so I have to wait for it to warm up...or find a open, heated area to work.....darn

Dave
(the only guy crazy enough to spray paint locomotives??)

[ 10 January 2002: Message edited by: NSBrakeman ]

 

Spray painting in cold weather - open back door, stand in the doorway, and paint somewhat sheltered from the cold by the warm air coming out of the door.

 

Hi Dave,

I use Tamiya's masking tape and cut a fresh edge on it as Eagle2 does. Also, I use a piece of balsa wood to burnish the tape into door seperation lines, etc. and will sometimes give it a shot of base colour over the tape before doing the second colour.

If you are begiing to do a lot of spray painting, I would recommend investing in an airbrush and compressor. It will allow you to use more prototypical colours than you could get from spray cans and give far more control, particularly when weathering.

Gary.

 

Dave, There's another reason to use "model" paints instead of Krylon, etc. I read somewhere that model paints have a much(!) finer grind for their pigments than commercial spraycan paints. Therefore model paints can conform to minute details with a very thin layer of pigment, but spray can paints, being thicker, can fill in tiny areas with mounds or slopes which can obscure details like rivets, etc.

 

Thanks guys, I didnt know about the finer grains in model paints compared to Krylon. Even so, I think my spray-painted locomotive looks as good as my weathered ready to run locomotives. Once the spray painted locomotive was weathered, it looked as good if not better than my factory-painted locomotives . The results are far better than I expected. And yes, I need to buy an airbrush but for now, I dont have that much painting to do which is why I use spray paints. Thanks a lot again, guys.

Dave

 

I was thinking of doing some units in IC garb. Which orange and white did you use testors? Also what decal set have you used on your engines, mircroscale #??

 

If you want to use a spray can, I've found Floquil railroad colors to work well.

By the way, can anyone suggest a paint remover that will remove all sorts of paint?

 

I thought about brake fluid, but wouldn't that leave the surface oily so it would be hard to paint it again? Any ideas there?

I had been told to use Easy-Off oven cleaner, but it's not very effective. Once it's been sprayed, it has to sit for a couple hours, and even then you have to scrub it to get the paint off, and run the risk of damaging details. In fact, I did accidently remove some rather important detail. Now I've got to buy another $10 etched brass detail set just to get that one tiny flake of brass. Not something I can readily make myself.

[ 11 January 2002: Message edited by: RidgeRunner ]

 

plain old pine sol, not the citrous!!!!!!! citrous- bad!!!!!!!!!!!! pine sol works the best with kato and atlas shells, soak for about 10 minutes and start working with a toothbrush dipping it in pine sol frequently to remove old paint for it.

 

hemi use pine sol it is the safest on kato's i've found, make sure to use rubber gloves when you do it though.

 

I didnt paint anything yet, but I ordered the decals and I have to go pick them up tomorrow at the store. I ordered a couple schemes too. IC black (non-op lfsvr) and the orange and white scheme. AND!....I ordered a sheet of american flags to put on my locomotives (the shop forces are quick on my railroad! ) Anyways, I have a digital camera so if I ever end up painting them, I'll try to post them on here if anyones interested. Microscale even has a special "bin laden" decal set...you have to see it, I cant explain! I suppose the thickness of brake fluid doesnt really have anything to do with the paint removing abilities, but will it melt the details or shells if its left on too long? Thanks. Later guys!

Dave

 

Well, I got back from the store and I picked up my decals and spray paint. For the ICG orange, I think Floquil reefer orange will be a close match, and engine black for the IC black. I got the space heater out, and its heating up my garage right now, and I'll test spray an old caboose to see what the orange comes out like. Anyone know how much time I should put between coats? I tend to rush these things, so I want to be sure the paint is dry and set up enough for the masking job. How much longer after its all painted, do I need to wait before decaling? Thanks again. Later guys!

Dave