So I am getting ready to customize some undecorated rolling stock (I just like using that phrase - Makes me sound pro) - and I’m thinking about the best approach - Yes I checked YouTube Here is what I came up with. 1. Remove doors 2. Clean or wipe off with alcohol all surfaces. 3. Mask if need be, mask roof panels? 4. LIGHT coat of primer 5. Solid colors 6. Hand paint details 7. Decal application 8. Weather 9. Dull coat - Preserve Any tips or tricks?
Interesting, you posted this. I have finally over the past couple weeks come up with my own paint scheme for the 'Grey and Grandeur'. I had pretty much the same outline you have save only that I intend to * Practice and re-practice * Use paint brushs like when I painted miniatures * Only remove doors if readily possible * Paint the tops black and white so I can see them more easily And other aspects of visual enhancements for visibility to mitigate some of my limited vision
Your sequence looks good Christopher. That's how I do my painting. The only step that I do differently is to wash the models in warm water and dish soap. Keep us updated with your progress.
Ah yes, I did forget that. I also spray a paper towel with some alcohol and dab the primed surface to just make sure I don't have anything sticking to the prepaint surface or debris dust etc. Then I'll use compressed air to make sure I have all the alcohol evaporated from the surface. Initial coats completed.
I was able to remove the doors thankfully and they didn't break. Some light pressure on the bottom of the car, pulling down or pushing down, I can get the tab out and the door off. I'll be using my Tamiya Rubber Black to paint the doors. I swear there is no more useful paint color than Tamiya Rubber Black.
The part I'm not looking forward to painting is the brake wheel, and the small stuff like that. There's a black line going from the rooftop brake wheel to the bottom of the car, I may just leave that the car's color and paint the wheel only.
One thing I'm noticing is how helpful an airbrush would be for these small items. Tamiya spray cans put on a lot of paint and it can't be regulated obviously.
Regarding the break wheel. A friend of mine once put 8 distict colors on a 1/285 scale soldier, (representing himself). He used a single bristle from a brush. Still, if someone is close enough to notice their breath is probably on your car too. ☻
Unreal. BTW, I just dropped the brake wheel on the floor. It's gone. That's the last time I'll work near the edge of the desk! Unreal.
See if my tiny window from my Mansion ( that's what I call it ) I dropped last night is with it It's also gone! The vacuum will find it at some point.
Not going to lie I sorta like that the paint didn’t get every nook. It looks more real. The door I just didn’t cover all of it with paint and it already looks weathered.
Just get a cheap apron with a long front, a couple of squeeze clamps; wear the apron around your neck, and clamp the bottom-most part of the apron to the edge of your workbench. The ties for around your waist are unnecessary; you can remove them. This will catch most falling parts. Just don't try to get up to use the bathroom or get a snack without taking it off first... Ask me how I found out what happened next?
Micro-Trains has brake wheels available: https://www.micro-trains.com/index.php?route=product/product&path=104_122&product_id=487 I don't know if they have a minimum order amount, or what they charge for shipping. Maybe you could call them.
To find small parts on the floor let a 1yo crawl around. Um, of course, he will probably get it into his mouth *before* you retrieve it from him.
Pro-painters feel free to correct me, but when doing your decals, if the area you're applying decals to isn't gloss, give it a spray of gloss, let dry, apply decals, cover with another spray of gloss, dry, then dull. Gloss applications should be light and even so as to not obscure details, but the gloss helps blend the decal film / avoid silvering. Cheers -Mike
Same reason I have wireless headphones. Corded ones are not safe for me to wear. Ask me how I know that
Mostly true. You can shoot a satin or dullcoat over everything when done to seal everything in and further blend the contours of the decals with the painted surface. One thing I've found is I can lay thin decals like microscale on matte/satin finishes if the acrylic paints are thinned with leveling thinner (mr hobby). This is airbrushing the paint and using micro-sol to soften up the decals after final positioning. No issues with silvering.
If you are using oil based paints (including most spray cans), the condition of the surface isn't quite as important. Finger oil won't be a problem like with water based paint. When using spray cans, they will spray a finer mist if you heat the cans some first (I usually just set them in the sun until warm). Hole the can about 12" or more and mist the paint on the car. I remove the bigger things (like doors) but paint the brake wheels attached to the car. If you need them to be a different color, then try using permanent markers to add the details. Also, for light colors, Sharpie makes a silver marker that can be a base color. If I'm doing two different colors (like a reefer) I paint the entire car the light color first, let that dry, and then mask the darker color and paint that. I used to only use Floquil flat before decals but I can't do that anymore, so I use Tamiya semi-gloss and then decals. Use LOTS of Micro Scale decal setting solution...then use some more. If the entire decal isn't the same color, then part of the decal isn't sticking and will look bad when you seal the decal later. I also use the heat from a 'vintage' light bulb (not CFL or LED) after applying the setting solution to help soften the decal quicker and better. Seal everything with Tamiya flat after letting things dry for several hours (or the next day). Reassemble (usually just putting the doors back on) and you're done.
My process for painting most anything >>>>> Call someone who is good at it and see how much it will cost me !!!
