Airbrush Repainting of Already Painted Locos and Rolling Stock

Model Railroader
1

This is regarding using Only an Airbrush.

Do you have to strip off the original factory paint first?

Or can you just paint over the original factory paint?

I know in HO scale at least, you want every detailed feature of the raised or depressed
plastic to be sharp and not blurred with too much paint, IF you are going to take photos.
Nothing worse than seeing a photo with an air vent blobbed over with too much paint.
Getting that fine sharp look of a feature would be the goal, at least IMO.

1 Like
2

I bought 12 new Walthers Mainline passenger cars that were painted silver.

I sprayed an acrylic primer over the entire shells of the cars and then masked and sprayed them with acrylic paints. I used Tamiya primers and paints. It worked just fine with no loss of detail.

IMG_1220
IMG_12201920×2560 422 KB

IMG_1222
IMG_12221920×1440 281 KB

IMG_1228
IMG_12281920×2560 520 KB

3 Likes
3

Here are the finished cars.

IMG_1257
IMG_12571920×2560 489 KB

IMG_1260
IMG_12601920×2560 550 KB

4 Likes
4

The one thing to watch for is the factory lettering. Most times it is pad printed and if you spray over it, it can still be visible as a ghost image. So, the best option would be to remove as much of the factory lettering as possible.

Dan

1 Like
5

Good point, Dan. I should have mentioned in my reply that those Walthers Mainline passenger cars were unlettered.

Rich

6

Pad printing is flat compared to what O gaugers deal with–heatstamping burns the lettering right into the model!

1 Like
7

What is the best way to remove pad printing lettering?

1 Like
8

Just the lettering, or the lettering and the paint?

1 Like
9

I don’t know.

The guys here are saying that the pad printing will show up if you paint over it before
removing it. Does that include the paint?

“The one thing to watch for is the factory lettering. Most times it is pad printed and if you spray over it, it can still be visible as a ghost image. So, the best option would be to remove as much of the factory lettering as possible.”

Dan Raitz

1 Like
10

We’ve had threads about selectively removing pad printing, using selective solvents and very fine abrasive. This is a bit different from just removing the printing, as you don’t care if the underlying paint is thin or its surface is damaged.

1 Like
11

using selective solvents and very fine abrasive. This is a bit different from just removing the printing, as you don’t care if the underlying paint is thin or its surface is damaged.

I don’t understand what you are describing?

1 Like
12

Search community history for removing pad or raised printing. I would try a moistened ‘magic eraser’ type of product.

1 Like
13

Although, if you’re already going to be going to the trouble of removing the lettering, you might as well strip the whole thing.

1 Like
14

:+1: :+1:

15

if you’re already going to be going to the trouble of removing the lettering, you might as well strip the whole thing.

Good point!

16

Where is the Forum info on best methods for stripping all the paint & lettering?

1 Like
17

Go to the Search Box (i.e. the magnifying glass) and type ‘stripping paint’. Several older threads will be listed.

18

Thanks!

1 Like
19

Thanks—Got it.

ALSO

What is the best paint manf. for Athearn plastic shells with an Airbrush?

Several decades ago, I used “Floquil” with a paintbrush. Aside from the thickening around
details, (mainly boxcars) it looked pretty good if you were not getting too close to look.
Adding all the real world type decals and numbers made it look even better.

1 Like
20

I use Tamiya Acrylic Primer and Tamiya Acrylic Flat Paint. I really like it.

Rich