Painting and detailing an N scale GP30 for the CB&Q
the area just painted, any paint that bridged itself on the mask will lift off and fall onto the wet paint. Many times this paint will dissolve back into itself and never be seen again. This is the first reason to do this now. The second reason? Should you have too much paint on your mask and it dries, it will lift off with the masking and give you a jagged edge. Be careful not to get any wet masking on the shell.
Decals Flat paints actually have a rough sur-
face, and decals do not sit tightly on them. The “silvering” along the edges or a frosty look is the result. Consequently, a gloss overspray is needed. Polly Scale Satin is actually a semi-gloss, but it is ideal for this task. It does not need any thinning. I concentrate on the areas that will have decals rather than apply a complete coat on the model. Just a few light passes are needed. As a side note, I have had many peo-
ple say that this additional step will add too much paint to an N scale mod- el. Remember, an airbrush only lays down a fraction of the paint that a spray can or brush does; just do not flood the surface. You can also add clear gloss to your
paint. For Polly Scale, use 50 per cent paint, 45 per cent clear gloss and 5 per cent thinner. You can also use paint that dries glossy, like Scalecoat or an- other. Experiment with the thinning ratios that work with your airbrush and compressor. Once you have sprayed the gloss, let everything sit for at least a few hours, if not overnight, since decal setting so- lutions can sometimes attack an un- cured gloss coat. To apply decals one needs a small bowl to contain warm water, paper towels, a small cutting board, new No. 11 blades and a knife handle, No. 0 brush, small tweezers, and decal set- ting solution. I also use a small foam cradle made to hold N scale models. It protects the shell and stops the model from moving around. The setting solu- tions should be for the brand of decals you are using, though a bottle of Walthers Solvaset is also good to have on hand. They all come with directions. Work on one side at a time, finishing it completely and working off photos. Use the knife to cut out the decal; it
makes a thinner edge than scissors. Depending on the brand of decals you are using, you may have to cut as close to the image as possible, as some are one sheet of carrier film while others only have a slight edge of film around the printing. Still, for num- bers it is always a good idea to cut close to the decal.
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Everything needed for applying decals, the model, the decals, a sharp hobby knife, a fine paintbrush, a pair of tweezers, a paper towel, a bowl of water and setting solution, are shown here. Note the foam cradle for holding the locomotive body.
Since N scale decals tend to be small I use a tweezers to pick up the decal and dip it into the water for about ten seconds. Then I place the decal with its backing onto the paper towel for 30 seconds. Once it moves freely on the backing, pick up the decal by the paper only and place it next to the area where it goes. Next, dip the No. 0 brush in the water, blot it on the paper towel and use the brush to move the decal off the backing paper and onto the shell. If the decal is hard to move, you can float it with a little water on the brush. Move it into position and use a torn-off piece of paper towel to wick away ex- cess water. When you are happy with the location and the decal is still wet, use the brush to apply a dot of decal setting solution. The decal solvent will mix with the water and dry. The decal should snuggle down. If not, go back with a little more setting solution. If there is a bubble, pierce it with a knife point and re-apply the solution. Large logos or stripes on the long hoods with their hinges and louvers take patience, but avoid the tempta- tion to add solvent onto the hood before placing the decal. Doing that will soft- en the decal prematurely and make it irregular. Slide the decal onto the hood and position as before, using plenty of water to move the decal to where you want it. Blot up the excess water but keep it “wet.” You want some water un- der the decal to help draw in the set- ting solution. Apply it, take care to avoid moving the decal, then walk away. Let the solvent do its work. After the decal is dry, run a new No. 11 blade carefully between the door lines and apply another coat of decal
solvent. For stripes, follow the same procedure as above. A protective semi- gloss coat or flat overspray should be applied to protect the decals and hide the edges. The Polly Scale Clear Satin has a low sheen suitable for a locomo- tive in good condition and is a good base for weathering. Apply it to the en- tire shell.
Handrails I don’t know how many times I have
been asked how I get paint to stick to molded engineering plastic handrails (Delrin®
, etc.). Many of us, me included,
just left them black for many years. The problem is many railroads’ run- ning boards are the same color as the primary paint scheme and the hand rails are painted to match. Then, too, since the 1970’s the ends of railings have been painted a high visibility col- or like yellow or white. Here’s what to do. Buy a package of suitably-sized food storage bowls with snap-on lids at the supermarket, as well as a bottle of 91 per cent rubbing alcohol. You may have to look around for
this concentration. Put the
handrails into the bowl, cover them with alcohol, and snap on the cover. Soak them overnight, though longer does not seem to hurt. Delrin handrails have a lot of mold release on them and the alcohol soak takes care of it. Take them out and let them air dry. To prime them I use Pol- ly Scale Undercoat Light Gray, then the appropriate color. Even black handrails look better painted. Use locking tweezers to hold them while painting. Since it does not need mask- ing, you can apply the color after the
FEBRUARY 2012
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