Is there a big difference between floquil paints and other acrylic paints ( hobby shop paints ) Where I live there are none of this brand of floquil paints available I need to paint the mine a redish color as you can see I’m wandering if I can just use any acrylic paint for this task and use a mixture of india ink and alcohol for the other parts .
Is the floquil paints suppose to be the norm among model railroaders or do you’s use other manufactures products.
This is a bass wood model.
The kit says they used a boxcar red which I believe is a floquil paint [:)]
[:)]
personally, i mostly use Floquil but it’s an oil based paint that has to be thinned with a paint thinner, there are two other brands that are also popular, poly -s (polyscale) which are acrylic paints and I’ve used them before , and scalecoat (which i wouldn’t give a plug nickel for)…you may be able to mail order the floquil if it’s not available in your area…Testors flat paints can also be used if you mix the colors right and are using a bru***o paint it with …check www.internettrains.com , www.discounttrainsonline.com also, check a current issue of MRR magazine, look in places like “trainworld” or “standard hobby.”…they may have the floquil paints you need…chuck
Usually, I can only find Floquil/Polly Scale paint at a hobby shop dealing heavily in trains. Most others carry Testors and Tamiya. Testors is enamel and Tamiya is acrylic.
You might also try craft acrylics. I use them with success on buildings and scenery. You can find them at AC Moore, Micheal’s, ect.
Nick
The main reason for using model railroad paints on engines and rolling stock is that they supposedly have their pigments ground finer, so that the paint has a thinner coat and won’t hide detail.
For buildings, figures, etc, you can easily use acrylic paints found at any arts and crafts place (such as Hobby Lobby or Michael’s, if you happen top have one nearby). They usually have a wide range of colors available, or you can mix a couple to get any shade you want.
Depending on the brand, you may want to thin them a bit with water.
Regards
Ed
So any acrylic paint will work like ceram coat which is a craft store item? Would you or could you cut it with alcohol beacuase it is being applied onto basswood or would I just cut it with water ? Would a red minwax stain give same effect as acrylic paints ?
if it’s acrylic you can cut it with water…if it’s an oil based paint a good paint thinner will work…alcohol isn’t very good for thinning paint because some paints will clump into little balls when in contact with alcohol…alcohol works well with india ink but not with most paints…if you’re going to use a stain, don’t mix it with paint…it is oil based so thinning it with paint thinner will work…alcohol and stain will also clump into little balls…the only time I’ve used alcohol as a thinner is with poly s paints and applying it with an air brush…the alcohol helps reduce the drying time of the poly s brand paint …chuck
It’s not just about the fine pigments - quite often the only way to get an accurate paint shade is to use the RR-specific ones rather than standard Tamiya or Games Workshop paints (both of which I use extensively). In my experience acrylics are not all the same - the Tamiya is a lot harder to use than the Games Workshop stuff as it seems far thinner and more prone to separating out in storage.
Ah so I learned something new only cut india ink with alcohol. Now next question is is there any difference between one manufacturer of india ink to another?
i’ve only purchased two bottles of india ink …it goes a long way with just a small amount…i don’t remember the brands of ink but they both worked well so i don’t think the brand name matters…it does matter how you mix it with alcohol …too much alcohol will dilute the india ink too much and render it pretty useless…I use a heavy mixture on structures and a light mixture for shadow effects on rock faces…chuck
Great so I’m good to go I never even thought of using india ink mixture on rock faces I’m doing my gorge in the ceilinging tile method (stacked ontop of another to form a rock wall ) would you brush it on ?
After getting double vision a few times from paint thinner fumes, and having a very scarey episode of temporarily losing the use of my hands and feet from toxic nerve poisening, I’ve standardized on non-toxic water-based paints.
I’m a big fan of Modelflex paints produced by Badger. Modelflex has almost no odor. People at hobby shows have told me the stuff is totally non-toxic and and it sets up really fast, so any overspray simply falls to the ground as colorful dust – it’s about that toxic.
And they have a nice selection of railroad colors, so I’ve sworn off Floquil completely at this point. For a Modelflex railroad color chart, see:
http://www.badger-airbrush.com/images/RailRoadChart.jpg
stain will give a very different effect than paint . paint tends to cover the surface and stain soaks in a bit . if the kit includes any plastic or metal detail parts they will have to be painted as stain doesn’t work well with them (if at all) .
staining the wood red and then giving it a light india ink/alcohol wash would give a very nice look to the building , however you should do a test on a scrap piece of wood to see if you like it
Boxcar red will be a color which you can find in any line of paints which are intended for use by model railroaders. Polly S, Scalecoat, Floquil all have colors with that name. Model Flex has two Tuscan Oxide Reds. The lighter of the two seems to be a good match. Perhaps Joe Fugate would want to comment on that.
Whatever name is used, each of the paint manufacturers will definitely have that color in their line, since it was used as a standard color for so many boxcars in the past. It’s just a matter of finding it if they don’t name it boxcar red.
The easiest thing to do would be to go to the Floquil, Scalecoat and other websites and compare the color charts.
Floquil, Polly S, Testors www.testors.com
Scalecoat www.weavermodels.com
Modelflex www.badger-airbrush.com
That way, you’ll be able to satisfy your own judgement as to whether that’s the color you want for the job.
-Ed
wickman:
All great posts and solid information! As far as I know!!
You mention Floquil and a comment was made that it is solvet base…One comment that I didn’t see, was a caution with using a solvent base paint on a plastic models. Some plastics (actually, most all) are VERY un-compatible, with the solvent attacking the plastic…sometimes to the point of no return!!
I agree with jfugate regarding the Badger Modelflex paints. I too use them, almost extensively. They are very easy to use…No mixing, thinning, nothing, just use it straight from the jar! I do use a few drops of their retarder when I want to extend my painting time, or I’m doing a number of cars at once…it seems to help keep the airbrush running well too!
Another point worth mention when doing any thinning of water base paints is to use distilled water; this assures that you are not adding anything that could clog the airbrush or make for deviations in the color. I have also used it to thin down India Ink when I don’t want the sometimes added dulling/whiting effect that alcohol can have on Dullcoat, for example.
Regarding the “craftshop” acrylic paints: I use them all the time on structures and in my scenicing. I get the cheap .79 cent bottles and thet last a long time. I use them straight and mix them too. Mixing shades is simple and thinning with water to make washes and even stains for wood works well.