Let’s say I “have a friend” who needs to paint some undec rolling stock but isn’t quite ready to use an air brush. Any helpful hints on doing a good job when brush painting? My his main concerns are getting good even coverage (avoiding streaking) and avoiding runs. I’m probably going to use Polly Scale paints.
Yes, I know I need to give airbrushing a try. It’s just something I have a block over. “We will try no new technique before it’s time.” Right now I just need to be able to brush paint on without making a total mess.
Ed, I think “he’s” almost better off using spray cans, if he can find the right color. Is he in N scale?
A single brush stroke can be very rough. If he insists on using a brush, he should find the softest bristles he can, probably red sable. They will leave the fewest marks. Also thin the paint slightly, though it may take a couple of coats.
The only brush painting on large surfaces that I have had any reasonable success with, is by using Floquil, applied quickly and with a good size brush. Lap marks and brush marks are bond to show. Don’t even think of going back over to touch up until dry.
Airbrushing or spray can is the way to go.
Bob K.
I’ll second Virginian. Don’t. If you get a variety of good quality brushes you’ll have invested a good percentage of what a cheap air brush would have cost. If you already have a compressor you’re all set but if not and you live near a gas station that has air hoses, all you need is a portable air tank until you can afford a small compressor. Having already recomended(kind of) a cheap air brush I’ll conradict myself and advisr getting the best one you can afford, ideally Paasche double action (VL).
For most model painting, I highly recommend the $25 retail Badger 250 “Mini Spray Gun”. It’s an external mix, single action, airbrush, that is easy to operate and clean. No needles, or other complicated workings to clog up.
It’s as easy to use as a spray can, gives better results, and is far less “finicky” than a quality dual action airbrush.
I will second that. I don’t like the fancy ones either. Pain to clean, clog and spit. Most of the work model railroaders do is solid color, or masked anyway. The secret to a quality job is not the air brush itself, it’s your technique. Even and complete coverage takes a little practice, but it isn’t that difficult. Light coats and multiple passes from all angles should be the goal.
I have the cheaper badger airbrush mentioned above. I coupled it with a compressor that has a 2 gallon tank which I got for $100 at lowes. I got it for christmas this year and its a great tool. I use it to paint all of my Southcross & Western stuff and use it for weathering. I havent replaced any parts or anything on it. Its a good way to go.
I forgot to mention, I have 3 of the Badger 250’s hooked up right now…One of them is at almost 30 years old! I use one for light colors, the old one for dark colors, and one strictly for white. As JPM mentioned, I have never had to replace anything on any of them! I do , however, remove the stock cork gasket that seals the jar when new, as the gasket on my ancient one started to come apart using the laquer paints I spray the slot car bodies with, so to avoid any coontamination of the paints, I use no gasket at all. It’s never been a problem not having the gasket.
I used the ancient one to paint a El Cheapo 2-8-0 loco (Tyco? Mehano?) and a consist of Lifelike cheapie heavyweight passenger cars to turn them into a reasonable Southern “Southern Crescent” train that I run for railfan excursions, although I know it’s not actually truely prototypical. It was my first attempt at painting a model train. The paint turned out real nice! .
As for air, you can use Badgers Propel, which is basically canned air, a small air compressor, or a portable air tank. Badger even has an adapter to screw onto the valve stem of the spare tire of your car!
I have mine hooked up to the air system in my race car shop, powered by a 6HP 80 gallon shop type air compressor. Make sure you use a regulator, preferably with a dryer/water trap. You want to spray at 25-40 psi, depending on the paint you are using.
I bought mine in a little kit that came with a can of propel. I used it to paint 2 engines and it worked OK. Obviously the pressure drops as you go with the can. And every time I put a coat of paint on the engines. The depressurizing can would get very very cold. Make Ice out of the moisture in the air and freeze itself to the garage floor! Not a big deal, but its… well… interesting.
Placing the can of Propel in a pan of warm tap water will help the pressure drop, and keep the can from frosting up.
Home Depot, Sears, etc, sells small compressors for around $100 that work great for airbrush work. Badger sells the adapter to hook the airbrush hose to standard 1/4 pipe air fittings for $4.
I agree about both avoiding brush-painting engines and rolling stock (learned from bitter experience) and also about the “cheapie” airbrush–I have both and prefer the single action, external mix with few moving parts. I spend most of my time messing with tips, springs, and cleaning the more expensive one, no matter what type of paint or how thin it is. One engine I did with the Badger was mistaken for a “custom paint job” by the dealer I traded it to in Virginia. It looked that good. Technique is key and the only way to get good technique is “practice, practice, practice.” Also, an air compressor is a great investment (I have one) but the “Propel” cans are good for small jobs. The fear of the first spray on a $100 plus engine never goes away, however!
If you are painting surfaces that are flat with little detail (aka rivets, door latches, etc.) you might approach the finish of a spray gun by using make-up sponge wedges. These sponges are solid rubber (free of the swiss-cheese like holes or regular sponges) and thus will provide a paint layer free of brush marks. However, details will tend to get drowned in paint. I found this technique worked fairly well on a Bowser T-1 tender (smoothe surface) but would not put paint in between the slats on a cattle car.
If you are going to paint different kinds of rolling stock, now is the time for the airbrushing technique.
since my harbor freight seven dollar airbrush exploded, and failed to operate properly after throwing against the wall, i can symphathize with your plight. i too have put airbrushes on hold for the forseeable future.
keep in mind that handbrushing is a limited artform, and you may have to resort to spraycans for your high-end stuff (locomotives, and smooth sided passenger). freight cars and buildings can be handbrushed; especially if made of wood. styrene seems the toughest to work with unless precoated with a primer (back to the spraycan). water based paints work the best.
styrene seems to bring out the surface tension in water, and minimally should be scrubbed free of it’s release agents. primed is even better.
buildings and freight cars are subject to weathering, and weathered items have an irregular color scheme. this, along with basic watercolor techniques, will allow the use of a brush for finishing.
i usually begin with a thinned out wash and coat the entire model until it is dripping wet. paper towels can be used to “backup” from a potential mistake. the “wetness” is controlled by varying the alcohol/water content of the wash. until you get a feeling for this concept, plan on an overthinned wash with many applications to get the desired final shade.
next, realise the sun will fade an object into three catagories: 1. sun shines on it everyday throughout the year (the desired final shade), 2. the sun never shines on it ( the surface facing north, and under the eaves), and 3. sun shadows that wax and wane through the seasons and time of day. #1 has been described. #2 will get the opaque color the wash was made from, and #3 will be a fade transition area.
for that even solid color that is so difficult to achieve: make it a stronger wash or overthinned opaque and seek an even “wetness”. use a paper towel to soak up unwanted puddles where color will concentrate.
there is a compresor at walmart for about 60$ it’s a 2 gallon 100-150 PSI( can’t remember) the water filter for it is just a little bit down the aisle from it and is made by the same people. Don’t go with the canned air it just really really sucks. and if you want an airbrush you can play with and not worry about messing up there is a 10$ one right here http://order.harborfreight.com/EasyAsk/harborfreight/results.jsp
but you said ya wanted to try the brush first so my only recommendation would be to not thin the paints with a brush, I think the idea is to do as few layers/strokes as possible.
O and if you seriously want to get into airbrushing try the anthem 155, they’re really easy to clean just run paint thinner thru it after every painting session. dixieart.com is pretty cheap, just order over 45$ worth of stuff and shipping is free (the badger is 50-70 depending on the kit you go with)