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Painting and detailing an N scale GP30 for the CB&Q


MODEL PHOTOS BY THE AUTHOR UNLESS NOTED


After the GP30 shell had been washed, primed and painted red, the lower part of the body was masked with Tamiya’s low tack masking tape in preparation for applying the gray paint along the top (above). Note that the cab was masked and painted separately (right). A small, inexpensive foam brush works well as a handle.


acrylate cement you can, applying it from the inside of the shell when possi- ble to attach the metal parts.


Airbrushing with acrylics With the main detail parts added, it is off to the most important step for a good paint job. Wash the shell in a solution of warm


water and liquid dish soap, let it soak for a bit, then rinse it in cold water. A one-inch wide artist’s camel’s hair brush will help get things clean with- out damaging the model. Note that some modelers use rubbing alcohol for the final rinse. Let the shell air dry completely before priming the body. Priming is important if you have metal and brass detail parts, and it also pro- vides a uniform base for the final paint job since the body was molded in dark gray, which can be hard to cover. I used Floquil Aero Light Gray


Primer. Although this is a spray can, the nozzles used in the newer Floquil sprays have a much finer spray head and can be used on N scale items with a minimal loss of detail. This primer is an enamel, so spray in a dry environ- ment. Humidity can affect enamels and ruin your model with bubbles. I gave the shell a few light passes and left it in my workshop for 24 hours to cure. The paint will “dry” in ten min- utes or so but requires 24 hours to al- low all the solvents to evaporate. This enamel primer is compatible with the acrylic paints used for the color coats. After 1958 the CB&Q colors were a light gray and Chinese Red. Polly Scale does not offer these colors, so a bit of research was required. The gray was easy, as it was a standard light gray without green, blue or yellowish tones in it. I chose Polly Scale Reefer Gray. The red was a bright, vibrant red, but as the locomotives aged the color on them ranged from red to almost orange. For an older unit I would use Polly Scale SP Scarlet, but since the GP30 in the


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photo was relatively new I chose their Caboose Red. This is a “pure red,” but not as bright as Polly Scale Signal Red. For painting, hold the shell with a


small foam paint brush, the kind sold at any paint or hardware store. The foam holds the shell snug without de- forming it and the wooden handle al- lows one to move it around and reach every part with the airbrush. For Polly Scale paints set your com- pressor at 16-18 p.s.i. under load. I use a No. 3 size needle for acrylics. Stir, don’t shake, the paint to avoid air bubbles. I also thin acrylics for spraying. While ten modelers will give you twen- ty ideas about what to use, Floquil (not surprisingly) makes a thinner for its paints and it (not surprisingly) works well: Polly Scale airbrush thinner. Yes, it mainly has an alcohol base, but it also has a reducer to improve the paint flow. Mix the Caboose Red 75 per cent paint to 25 per cent thinner and stir. Usually, I just use a color cup with the paint in it, add the thinner, then stir. (It is like cooking. When you start


PRESTON COOK: PACIFIC JCT., IA; OCT., 1972


you measure everything, but after a while you know how much a recipe needs.) I have used both eye droppers or syringes in the past; I still use the syringe so I can add a few drops of thinner if necessary. Work in a properly-vented spray booth and wear a good quality respira- tor designed for painting. The latter are sold at paint and hardware stores. Also, although the solvents in acrylics are not as nasty as those in lacquers, you don’t want them on your skin. Wear gloves if you are working close to your hands. With your compressor, airbrush and paint ready, hold the brush three inches away from the model and move across it at a smooth, steady pace. Start the paint flow before the tip reaches the model and stop it after it is past the work. Build up the coats, and don’t try to cover the surface completely on the first pass. If you do develop a run, acrylics are easy to fix if you are using a dual-action airbrush. Hold the trigger all the way back and lightly hold it down to release more air than paint.


FEBRUARY 2012


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