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Post by justGO on Feb 15, 2015 18:58:57 GMT -5
Here's a question from a beginner. Is it best to airbrush as many details as possible if you are going that route? OR are there some details you can hand paint with a small brush? For example some people seem to airbrush grabs, others paint them with a toothpick. For the walkways should I hand paint them or brush? The black sunshade color on the nose of an engine? I have seen this airbrushed but would I hand paint it as an option? I'm sure there is no right way, but I'd love to hear some thoughts. thanks
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Post by slowfreight on Feb 15, 2015 21:56:56 GMT -5
Hand painting is best for wire detail parts, the occasional small thing like a bell, and weathering. In N scale, you struggle with paint buildup being visible, so you don't want to make it worse by using a brush.
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rudy
Probationary Member
modelling Canadian and some US railroads
Posts: 18 
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Post by rudy on Feb 16, 2015 9:50:58 GMT -5
Here's a question from a beginner. Is it best to airbrush as many details as possible if you are going that route? OR are there some details you can hand paint with a small brush? For example some people seem to airbrush grabs, others paint them with a toothpick. For the walkways should I hand paint them or brush? The black sunshade color on the nose of an engine? I have seen this airbrushed but would I hand paint it as an option? I'm sure there is no right way, but I'd love to hear some thoughts. thanks Hi, I used to model GO in Nscale and I too made an F59ph from a Life-Like F40 as a base, then adding an SD60W cab. Most of what you did, I did too. It had working ditch lights and even had fiber optics to operate the red tail lights while in push mode. But I finally realized that there is so much more available in HO and the level of detail and work required is much easier. I too had a pair of original LL F40s' in the 'GO' exclusive run. Now I have most of the GO stock, but in HO. I'm currently finishing an FP7 APCU. I have plans to kitbash the HO F59 into the correct F59ph, almost exactly the way you did yours. A few of the guys advised that I should just get the Kaslo shell, but it seems like they need lots of modifications to the HO Athearn F59 chassis. I hate cutting that zinc alloy stuff....it seems to always cause problems. Airbrushing grabs and rails before assembly is best, but I've hand painted them with thinned paint, with good results also. You probably know to to test fit them, before paint and final assembly. I also leave the last sixteenth of an inch or so, unpainted so that the CA glue adheres better and stays in place. Some modellers leave extra length to protrude into the shell and have them bent over. That will definately secure them, but I don't always do this. Walkway sections seem best with airbrushing. Adhesion promoter sprays may be used to give the paint some 'tooth', but mostly it's how the locomotive will be handled, that will demand if protection is needed for wear and/or chipping paint. ( I am assuming you are asking about the common Celecon plastic rails/railings. Looks like you are doing a terrific job with your GO goodies! Good Luck. Regards, Rudy. |
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Post by iomalley on Feb 16, 2015 11:37:17 GMT -5
That's what the old Floquil paints excel at, brush painting with excellent coverage. I wouldn't hesitate to paint a whole cab roof with floquil engine black with a brush, and it blends in nicely.
I also brush paint with modelmaster enamels as well. I've had some luck with darker Tamiya acrylics, but most acrylics suck at brush painting, especially lighter colours, and acetone-based paint isn't much better.
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Post by justGO on Feb 17, 2015 3:26:57 GMT -5
Here's a question from a beginner. Is it best to airbrush as many details as possible if you are going that route? OR are there some details you can hand paint with a small brush? For example some people seem to airbrush grabs, others paint them with a toothpick. For the walkways should I hand paint them or brush? The black sunshade color on the nose of an engine? I have seen this airbrushed but would I hand paint it as an option? I'm sure there is no right way, but I'd love to hear some thoughts. thanks Hi, I used to model GO in Nscale and I too made an F59ph from a Life-Like F40 as a base, then adding an SD60W cab. Most of what you did, I did too. It had working ditch lights and even had fiber optics to operate the red tail lights while in push mode. But I finally realized that there is so much more available in HO and the level of detail and work required is much easier. I too had a pair of original LL F40s' in the 'GO' exclusive run. Now I have most of the GO stock, but in HO. I'm currently finishing an FP7 APCU. I have plans to kitbash the HO F59 into the correct F59ph, almost exactly the way you did yours. A few of the guys advised that I should just get the Kaslo shell, but it seems like they need lots of modifications to the HO Athearn F59 chassis. I hate cutting that zinc alloy stuff....it seems to always cause problems. Airbrushing grabs and rails before assembly is best, but I've hand painted them with thinned paint, with good results also. You probably know to to test fit them, before paint and final assembly. I also leave the last sixteenth of an inch or so, unpainted so that the CA glue adheres better and stays in place. Some modellers leave extra length to protrude into the shell and have them bent over. That will definately secure them, but I don't always do this. Walkway sections seem best with airbrushing. Adhesion promoter sprays may be used to give the paint some 'tooth', but mostly it's how the locomotive will be handled, that will demand if protection is needed for wear and/or chipping paint. ( I am assuming you are asking about the common Celecon plastic rails/railings. Looks like you are doing a terrific job with your GO goodies! Good Luck. Regards, Rudy. WOW great info thanks! yeah I have the old Life Like F40PH in HO and N scale, I got them back in the 80's after my family took a trip to Toronto I was hooked on GO. I decided on N scale since I don't have a lot of space and the scale appeals to me. I've got the Kaslo F59ph kits and started one of them, they take a while to interpret the directions. I would love to see your F59ph kit bash. Any pics? It was a big challenge for my first detail attempt. I'm learning as I go and these boards are a big help. I have some GO stuff in HO, a couple sets of cars and engines but I'm not sure I'll ever run them, I was just collecting them. I have various GO memorabilia I've collected over the years. Anyway I'd love to see some pics of your stuff, I'll be doing the green in a couple weeks and I'll post pics then. I think I'll use Floquil to do the hand grabs, any idea what yellow you used for the grabs on GO? I'm going to be working on the Hawker Siddeley Cab car soon, I am gathering the parts, but customizing the pieces is going to be a real challenge for me. Any ideas on fine sanding? I find it challenging to get smooth results on custom parts. I have some sanding sticks and get ok results, anyway thanks again for all the info. |
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