Guys, You all have seen the "graphite" on factory steam locomotives, such as the Bachmann Spectrum "Russian" decapod, or the like thats REAL graphite shade of paint "graphite". I have been struggling with this for some time! I want to get that SAME shade effect on all my custom painted steamers that requires a graphited color smoke box, what are some of you guy's thoughts on this? Anyone know of a company that makes it in a spray can, or a way to mix colors together to get the same effects that can be sprayed through an air brush? If so, what are the colors used, an the part to part mix!? I just can't seem to get this down to the art of that "exact" shade that Bachmann Spectrum uses, which is really authentic to what the real railroads used! And I have quite a few steamers that I custom painted, that calls for that exact shade of graphite on the smoke box. I've tried everything I know, an exhausted it to a full extent, an it comes out either to dark, almost black, just slightly different, or way to light, to silvery..... Which is to bright! an looks almost white in pictures or under bright lighting! Anyone have some insight? [ 21. November 2003, 07:41: Message edited by: 7600EM_1 ]
Ohh an one other thought I forgot to mention, I had head of using "Gunmetal Gray" as graphite! BUT, who makes that shade, for like modeling military models that can be had in like a spray can, or well a larger 1 or 2 ounce bottle to have some type of quanity? Anyone tried ths? or know anything about it?
Hi John, Model Master has a line of metallic paints, a couple of which may be useful to you, depending on your taste. I will attach a link to some photos of one of my locos using one of their paints, I don't remember which one it was tho. The one I used is lighter than Bachmann's, but one of the colors is likely to match closely. My LHS stocks these paints. I hope the link will be clickable, I tried once before and although the address appeared, it wasn't clickable. Too computer illiterate to know why. http://www.the-gauge.com/forums/showthread.php?s=&threadid=5549&pagenumber=1 Gary PS You may remeber I talked to you about adding a traction tire to this Athearn loco. When Athearn wouldn't sell a spare driver set we abandoned the idea.
THANKS guys! I appreciate it... Gary, your link opened fine, your server may have been slow or just hesitate.... Thats computers for ya! Mine does evil little things like that once in awhile. Kill the little computer gremlins, an we all be ok! CoalTrain, Good idea! I didn't even give that a thought! I'll be looking into all this! Gary, I like how that looks, altho, I need it slightly darker in color, What for paint did you use, I know toy said you can't remember, but that shade you used would look good on my Western Maryland steamers, where as I need the slightly darker stuff for on my B&O steamers, (they were VERY slightly different), you would have to look close to see the difference! THANKS again guys! I appreciate it! Anyone else with any more insight????
Hey John, just get that silver stuff out and mix some real West (by God) Virginia coal dust into it . Ought to work real well.
It be even more prototypical that way Jim! but as small as HO scale is, I'm not sure the WVA coal dust would be fine enough
Robert, You have a way to show me what the results look like? I'd like to see, an all so I can "match it" to the "looks" i'm trying to achieve. I do alot of painting, an this is one thats stumped me for years, I can't seem to get it right, one times its to dark, almost black, an the next its to light, almost silver. Its got me fustrated. I wish some paint company would bring it out in either a spray can or a bottle to be sprayed with an air brush! at least, it be a continuos color....
Here's one engine with the smokebox done: Another, but the camera shot shows the smokebox a little darker than it is: You can experiment with the mix till you get the tint just right.
Thanks Robert! I'll have to see what I can do, mixing concoctions together to get the shade right. It be nice to see Bachmann Spectrum bring out the shade they use in a bottle for an air brush, or a spray can of it, or even both, one to spray an the other for touch up..... I like the shade they achieved with their 2-10-0 "Russian" Decapods!
Having experimented on other types of projects, I'd say that starting with black and adding the silver would be a great way to go. I've used this technique to simulate darkly tinted auto windows on solid resin kits though my base was testors rubber. Comes out with just the right shine. Again though there may be a Model Master paint that would be a great place to start as well.
CoalTrain, I went to a local hobby shop, an all, and looked into the Tester Model Masters paint, on the Metalizer line. I have a question, how does the stuff work? I need to know if you mix it in with a color or something for an air brush! As I seen it said for air brush use. I'm not sure how this stuff works. You have any insight on how to use the metalizer paints from Testers Model Masters? Being I have found a shade, that will give me the results, I'm just not sure how to use it.
Also, another thought. I have seen an tried Testors Model Masters "Graphite" spray paint, its to dark almost black! You can bearly tell the difference from it to the locomotive black. However, can the same color of paint be bought in say a 2 ounce bottle, an then the same type paint, say, if Testors Model Masters make it in a 2 ounce bottle, an you bought a 2 ounce bottle or smaller bottle of silver of Tester Model Masters, an mixed it into the Graphite shade paint to lighten it. This would work too! However, I need a bigger bottle of paint then a 1 ounce bottle to have it on hand an all, so that I don't have to keep mixing it an then that would keep a relative shade on all the engines as much as possible. Anyone know?
John, I 've never used their spray cans, and I don't think you'll need to mix a color to get what you want. The line has quite a selection of colors, many of which are close to the same. One thing tho, make sure you have their cleaner before airbrushing. It airbrushes nicely but only cleans up with their cleaner.
Hey John, I was just at my LHS and I checked out the Model Master spray paint, I think either the Titanium or Gun Metal should be about what you want. Check them out. Gary
You might also want to check out the Tamiya Acrylic colors. Tamiya do a couple of shades that would go VERY close to what you want, and its water clean up. I'm thinking 'X-56 Metallic Silver' would be the color for you.... Its quite a dark silver, but ligher and 'less green' that gunmetal, but considerably darker than aluminum. Tamiya paints are widely available here in Aus, and should be over there.... You can also mix Tamiya paints together quite easily, but make sure you mix the jar of paint REALLY well....even though its acrylic, it does seperate quite a bit.
Gary, THANKS! I had seen the "Gunmetal" shade in a bottle, an thought it was really close! However, I will be giving it a try! On something, just to see what it looks like an to match it up. BEFORE I paint anything major with it, an it not be right! However, this "Gunmetal" shade by Testors Model Masters, is it the regular paint, or the "Metalizer" line? If its the Metalizer line, I'll be waiting on that an all. Because, I'm not sure how that line of paint works! So, I'm trying to find out if any of you all have used the "Metalizer" line, to let me know on how that stuff is ment to be used an all. As it doesn't seem to work like a regular type paint. disisme, I haven't ever seen Tamiya paints in the hobby shops I been to in or around my area, (within 250 mile area). Or, I would look into those as well! Anyway, THANKS guys! Anyone know if Testers has a website, an what the URL would be?
John, I guess I'm not understanding what you mean by how it works. If you buy the spraycan it should apply like any other spray can. Just test it first as you've mentioned. If you buy a bottle to airbrush, then as I mentioned before, make sure you also buy their cleaner (thinner) I didn't have to thin it to airbrush it. It covers well. I see no reason to expect you'd have any problem. By all means, test airbrush on some scrap styrene first. Gary
Gary, I'm sorry, I should have made myself alittle more clearer as to what I was meaning. See, the Testors Model Masters line of paint offers a "Metalizer" paint, in a bottle for air brushing. BUT I'm not sure if its a paint to be thinned like regular paint an sprayed through an air brush or not, or if its a paint addtive to be added to a shade of paint to metalize it, see? I don't know how the Testors Model Masters "Metalizer" line of paints work! I know how the rest does however. Thats pretty much a no brainer. As for the spray can paint, this is Testors Model Masters, "Gunmetal" color? You've seen that shade an name on a spray can? I'll have to look for it, as all I seen was Testors Model Masters "Gunmetal" in a 1 ounce bottle, not in a spray can, but then again, I didn't really look for a spray can of it either! So, I'll be a man on a mission looking for that color in a spray can. However, I have a question on it tho, do you know if its a gloss finish or if its flat?
