Okay - I just got ten of the new Athearn 40' C&O hoppers - so now I've got to paint a couple F7's to pull them. I have Bachmann Plus F7's on hand, but have two Life-Likes on the way. Think I'll use the Life-Likes because they have dual headlights. Anyway - I need suggestions for paint colors. I want to do the "high wave" yellow and blue. Also, would like suggestions on how to mask the wave - I might try using Bare Metal Foil. Thanks.
I beleive someone makes Enchantment blue, im sure decals are available. Im not sure of what shade of yellow C&O used. Oh and It would look much cooler if those Hoppers we're behind a pair of GP-9's.
I am re-thinking using Life-Like F7s - I measured them and they're closer to FP7 dimensions. I have ordered some body shells from Bachmann, which look more like F7s! I think I'll strip the paint, spray them with Badger 16-68 C&O yellow. I'll let them dry a few days and try to figure out how to mask them for the C&O "wave", and paint with Badger 16-115 dark blue - this blue seems like it might look better than Enchantment blue - something about the way darker paint just doesn't look right in smaller scales...
Polly Scale has C&O Enchantment Blue #F414260. For yellow just use Reefer Yellow #F414122 with just a drop of signal red #F404091. For masking I have used Tamiya tape with good results. You can find it at www.squadron.com. [ July 14, 2005, 01:08 PM: Message edited by: BNSF7173 ]
I airbrushed a GP7 using Badger paint, which turned out OK - I haven't used Polly Scale since the 1980's - how is it to airbrush with? How do you thin it and what pressure works good?
Look at the pictures of the Kato releases.... I am pretty certain that they did them a while back... Harold
I would dearly love to get a couple Katos in C&O - they're in VERY high demand! Why in the world doesn't Kato do another run of these for crying out loud!
Tim, airbrushing Polly Scale is real easy. I recommend using the Polly S thinner #F546008 in the dry air months as it has reducer in it and helps the paint flow better as water can dry too fast and lead to all sorts of problems. Most of the time distilled water works fine as a thinner. I mix my PS 75% paint to 25% thinner for most colors, while light colors and silvers I only use 10% thinner as the lighter colors are thinner. The overcoats (Flat, Semi-Gloss and Gloss) work well right out of the bottle. Never never shake the bottle always stir the paint as acrylics settle differently than solvent based paints. I spray my PS at 16-18 PSI as this allows me the most spraying time without the airbrush clogging. Anything over 20 and you will have a poor paint job and a clogged airbrush. For the Aztek airbrush I use the White, Red and Yellow nozzles (wide flow) and for Badger, Iwata and Paschee I use a #3 needle. If you have any other questions on using PS or Aztek, feel free to PM me. Jim.
Thanks for the advice, Jim. I got the A-B-A shells from Bachmann today - now I have to remove the horns, windshield, number boards and headlight. Think I'll try 91% alcohol to strip the paint - almost a shame - the B&O paint on these looks pretty good...
Tim, the 91% works well on Kato and Atlas, but I have had better luck with Polly Scale Easy Lift Off #F522142 in a 2 Oz. bottle. Just apply the ELO with a brush and wait 10 minutes until the paint crinkles, remove with an old paint brush, rinse with water and repeat the process as needed. Just don't soak the shell in ELO as it will eventually ruin the plastic. Try the 91% alcohol first and if it doesn't work try the ELO.
Thanks BNSF - maybe I'll give the ELO a shot. I will probably need to prime these - looks like the plastic is black - any primer suggestions? Hopefully something acrylic.
My favorite acrylic primer is Polly Scale Undercoat Light Gray #F414134. Mix it 75% paint to 25% thinner and spray at 16-18 PSI. It worked great on my MRL SD40-2XR. It was originally a Conrail unit. I stripped the lettering of with alcohol and painted the Undercoat Light Gray over the Conrail blue. Even with three layers of paint I lost no noticable detail, Kato does an excellent job with their painting.
BNSF - Nice!!! I'm on vacation next week - hope to have time to get an A unit done. I'm going to visit the hobby shop tomorrow and see if they have the Polly Scale paints. I'll take some pictures along the way. Still not sure how to handle masking the wave...
The project moves forward - both A units and B unit have been stripped using 91% alcohol. Gray primer was applied today - found out one A unit needed additional filling around the roof area where I cut off the air horns. Filled with Testors putty, dried with a hair drier, and another coat of primer applied. Hopefully tomorrow I'll spray on the C&O Enchantment Blue (Polly Scale).
Nuts!!! I spent considerable time masking the wave on the nose - sprayed two coats of yellow on the blue - removed masking - LIFTED PAINT!!! Looks like I'll have to start from scratch again. I used Great Planes EZ-Mask flexible tape - has clean edges. Anyway, used a hairdryer to dry blue paint and then waited a day to mask. Wonder what I'm doing wrong?
Tim, here are a couple of observations: 1. Always spray the light color first in this case Yellow, then follow up with the blue. 2. Try placing the masking on a clean piece of glass first and pulling it off a few times. The mask you have has too much tack to it and will pull the paint off. Also when pulling off the paint, pull towards where you just painted. Tim and everyone eles with Floquil questions, please feel free to call me here at the office. I work Monday to Friday 7:00am to 4:00pm. I'll pm you my number. Jim
The new plan is to go with yellow first - it's just a major pain to do the masking for the wave this way! My brother-in-law and I have done some C&O F and E units in HO - we find it so much easier to mask with blue on first. The Polly Scale C&O Enchantment Blue looks almost perfect, especially in N scale. I have my "failed" units on top of my monitor right now - I almost had it! Oh well, I have learned over the years to be patient, and sometimes you just have to learn from your mistakes! Jim - got your number - thanks!
Just realized that I never posted a pic of the "finished" F units. Still need to come up with a decal for the EMD builder's plate before I dullcoat and weather them...
