What is the best way to paint these?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

In the past I cut/sanded the flash, sprayed some primer then painted. Kind of just slopped together with less than satisfying results.

This package came with a BTS engine house and I’d like to do better this time.

Can anyone provide tips for best results for prep and painting die cast detail parts? Or an article?

Thanks in advance!

T e d

2

wash with hot water and dishwashing soap , then i put into a white vinigar and distilled water solution till shine is gone, do not touch with bare hands after cleaning, then i under coat with black automotive primer .

3

I just wash in hot water and Dawn dish soap. Air dry, and use plane ole craft paints. No primer, Works for me, I believe the key is to wash em

I’ve built the Cats,grader and back hoe from WS.They get handled more then details, and no issues with the paint comeing off

4

clean up the castings. use blue tape to hold them on a paint paddle and rattle can flat black on anything that can be seen. last paint the items drybrush style. You can also highlight a bit with off white.

5

Thanks for the info so far…

I read a little about a product called blackenit for cast parts. Am I correct in assuming that it and other blackening solvents/solutions (I believe blackenit is no longer available) are not intended for this particular application, considering I’ll be covering most of the blackened metal with paint?

T e d

6

I clean metal parts with Automotive Brake & Parts Cleaner. I prime them with flat black after assembly and brush paint them using thinned Citadel and Vallejo Paints.

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-Kevin

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7

Ted,

I’ve used blacken it for under treatment of metal castings before painting - worked great, but an extra step that I tend to skip these days. I like to paint metal castings (after clean up) without primer as it can get too thick if you aren’t careful.

I usually use a fine paint brush and slightly thinned acrylic. I’ve also used an air brush with good results

Guy

8

This weekend I had a little railroad time. I chose only a few of the parts to work on first. Hopefully I’ll learn something and improve as I go.

After cleaning up the parts I washed with dish soap and hot water.

Then after washing oils from the parts I soaked in vinegar and distilled water for about 36 hours. Not sure if soak time should be longer or not.

I used a shim and green tape (my blue tape is green) to hold while priming.

Primed. I’m not sure if another primer coat will be necessary.

I haven’t handled them with my grubby mitts since before washing with dish soap.

T e d

9

I suppose you are going for the underpainting method of model details with the black base primer coat. IMO this may preclude you from using washes for the wood crates and pallets as they may look too dark. OTOH, it may look good if you are painting the oil drums steel/silver/metallics.
Lots of interesting videos for doing underpainting of wargamming models out there with different techniques (hey, doesn’t matter if the green you are painting goes on a Goblin General or a gas tank, third rule of modeling is always steal the best finishing techniques from other genres of modeling). Many different ways to finish beyond the standard “primer/base coast-full strength body color-thin dark wash-clear/dull coat” method.

10

This is great advice. I’m knew to trains but I am a long time miniature collector and painter and I often borrow best techniques from other areas of painting. Cruise youtube for tons of good advice out there. I also often reference http://www.necrotales.com/necroTutorials/

11

Thanks for the info. I’ll check it out.

T e d

12

Hi Two-Trains, welcome to the forum. I appreciate the the kudos for reminding everyone that we should alway be ready to think outside the model-railroad box for modeling tips and ideas - probably been happening for the past century, when the first post-tin-plate layout modelers started eyeing the ship modelers for techniques and ideas…

BUT… (always a but)

…Please let others know if you add a link within the context of another posters “quote” like you did above with the link to “theleisurepro.com” in my quoted text. Yes, we in this community will sometime fix links for other posters in their quote box, but also we make a mention of that. As for activating links to a site within a quote box without mentioning that fact, it makes it seem like, in this case, I am endorsing the linked site (Granted, in this case it seems to be an OK site) even when I may not want to, and as we used to say in the '90s, “That just ain’t cool, dude”