I am getting ready to install my newly hand built Fast Track switches, and I have a “which came first the chicken or the egg” question. Is it recommeneded to stain the wood ties, paint the pc board strips and rail stock before or after affixing the switch to the layout?
I have some Micro Engineering rail weathering solution that I plan to use on the rail stock so that it matches the weathered ME rail that I am using on the rest of my layout. I also plan to use tie stain that I purchased from Micro-Mark. However, I am not sure how this color will match up against the ME weathered ties that I am using? As for the pc board strips and solder, what type of paint and what color or mix of colors should I use? Should I continue with my plan to use the ME weathering solution and the Micro-Mark tie stain, or do you have other recommendations?
I don´t know what you will be using to affix your turnout to the ties, but just remember that the wooden ties won´t stain where you have put any glue. As for color matching, I guess you will have to do a little experimenting to find the right match!
Staining, as opposed to merely using acrylics and washes (meaning more time, but better realism), will largely be covered during the weathering process, unless you want nicely weathered/painted ties in really pristine, new ballast. If you want the complete ‘package’, with tracks that look like they have been in place and used for 30-40 years, pre-painting will only show so much after the ballasting and gluing. And true, stains, as opposed to paints, will look very bright over glue, whereas once the first application of paint has dried, you can go over it and build up depth to make it look darker. Or so I have found.
Taking a page from Joe Fugate’s book on track completion, I placed the track, used acrylic paints in various tones of brown and grey, and painted groups of ties as if they had been replaced in bunches during previous years, whereas some were much older, some new. When I ballasted, glued, and then weathered both the rails and the ballast, the result was very realistic, as Joe feels it should be.
It wouldn’t hurt, though, to try if for yourself. Set up two places and try both methods to see which you like best when you lift your materials and tools away for the final time, do a quick vacuum, and then see what is left.
-Crandell
I pre colored my rails and stained my ties before assembling my Fast tracks turnouts as mentioned stain doesn’t stick to white glue an I figured why not take advantage of the bare rails to get a better coverage of the M.E. weathering solution. What I did was make up a tank of sorts out of PVC tubing with a removable cap at one end and filled it with the M.E. solution I then take the rails and place then in the tube at least 2 dozen at a time. I even use the same tube to do flex track. I check the track ever 15 minutes or so until I get the look I want. Of course you should wash them all off with soap and water first I have found the best place for this is in the bathtub when the wife isn’t around or watching Desperate Housewives or something as dopey. You want to get off any grease and oils on the metal. Once their cleaned I handle them only with latex gloves just like when our painting something to avoid contamination. I do the same thing using one of those plastic shoe boxes for assembled turnouts less the ties. The stuff conducts electricity but if you color them after assembly the solder doesn’t show. Another method which i haven’t tried yet but am wanting to is Neolube Micromark sells it and it helps conduct electricity and darkens metal
Hi from Belgium,
I use also Fastrack semi handlaid turnout in Nscale.
I have try to use stained ties for the produced turnout but I was not happy with the results.
So I come back with the old paint; I glue the ties on a paper copy of the turnout (avaible on www.handlaidtrack.com) I glue the skeleton of the turnout on the ties whith pliobond.
Now I have a fine scale ready to run turnout which I lay whith the rest of the track.
I use ME track in code 55 and like in the past, I spray paint all the track Polly Scale rail tie brown whith a airbrush after I have lay it and checked, checked and checked again all the track.(don’t forget this procedure it will avoid many tracks problems in the future; don’t work in a hurry to lay and paint the track).
When the tie brown is dry I come back with a brush and I handpainted here and there some ties with some dark brown, earth color brown and gray; it’s break down the uniformity of the color of the track.
I also washed the track whith a very diluted light gray which faded the color and make a used look.
I also paint the rails of the track a rust color with a fine brush; it’s quicker than you think.
The ballasting come now slowly -it’s time consumming - and when it’s dry I airbrush a fine line of black in the middle of the track to simulate oils and grease; I also lightly airbrush black around the moving parts of the turnouts to simulate the grease.
All it all it’s very easy to do and quick; the results are impressive.
Marc