What is the best method you have come across for painting the handrails for an Athearn blue box. I have several that need to be done.
If they are metal you need to clean them well, prime them with a good quality primer and then paint them. If they are plastic then I would scuff them lightly so the paint will stick and then clean and paint them.
To be honest, with the metal handrails, I’ve never primed them.
I used an acrylic enamel paint on them right onto the metal & haven’t had one flake off yet.
Gordon
I use Polly-S or Flo-quail both will work.I don’t prime the handrails.
Metal handrails - clean them thoroughly, isopropyl alcohol is good for this, the paint immediately.
I install them first…then solder them where the stanchion meets the handrail so that they won’t slide from side to side which after time, will remove paint…then i remove them as one unit, wash it in warm soapy water, let it air dry, and paint them with testor’s or floquil paints…never primed them before and the paint stays on well…once the paint dries for a day or so, I’ll put them back on by applying a dap of CA glue with a toothpick where they fit into the locomotive shell to keep them in tact with the locomotive shell…chuck
I have painted probably 30 or so Athearn BB handrails. I first attach them. After everything is all straight I put a small bit of glue on the tops were they are rounded. I NEVER prime them. I just paint them with cheap testors model paint and thats it (the kind that comes in the small bottle). I have never had one flake off or crack. They still look great even after 15 years. Below is one I just got done with.
Once put together and in situ i put a small dab of super glue on the stanchions to hold them in place then remove them and paint them with car aerosol paint, i don’t spray them i spray some paint into a small container then put it on with a small brush, it goes on a treat and dries super fast.
When you solder them installed has the stanchion ever gotten hot enough to have any effect the plastic shell?
I use silver solder, which has maximum load bearing strength. Place a piece of plastic between railing and shell to catch solder. Use a hot iron. Get in and out quickly. Clean excess solder with xacto. Remove and wash with alcohol. Paint with whatever you choose. I use Floquil with no primer.