Pennsylvania K4 Repaint

[ACL1504]

This ACL pacific has been painted but not weathered.

[ACL1504]

The K4s boiler is now finished except for decals and the final semi-gloss finish. The finish on the loco as you see it is only the Langford black mix baked on.





I painted all the ACL cab windows with green and all others red. The ACL is special.


Continued -

[ACL1504]

I'll have more later this afternoon or tomorrow. Depends what I get into.

[ACL1504]

Thanks for the good thoughts Chip.....you are almost 100 % right.....I'd never chip, drool or leave prints on one of Tom's great paint jobs, sag a little, but NEVER chip, drool or print. 

Greg,

You left yourself open for this one. You didn't mention anything about elbows.

Tom

I didn't mention our elbows because I haven't seen any foam on your steam engine collection. 

Okay, I'll give you this round.

T

[tom.boyd.125]

Tom,
Saw your paint mixes mentioned on this thread...are you using the new Scalecoat I paints now available from Minuteman Scale Models or an older stash on the shelf ?
If some one asked this question already my bad....
Tommy

[GPdemayo]

Thanks for the good thoughts Chip.....you are almost 100 % right.....I'd never chip, drool or leave prints on one of Tom's great paint jobs, sag a little, but NEVER chip, drool or print. 

Greg,

You left yourself open for this one. You didn't mention anything about elbows.

Tom

I didn't mention our elbows because I haven't seen any foam on your steam engine collection. 

Okay, I'll give you this round.

T

I don't care what all the other guys say, you sir are a gentleman and a scholur.    .....and the engine looks great. 

[ACL1504]

Tom,
Saw your paint mixes mentioned on this thread...are you using the new Scalecoat I paints now available from Minuteman Scale Models or an older stash on the shelf ?
If some one asked this question already my bad....
Tommy

Tommy,

The answer is a big NO. The new Scalecoat paints aren't as good from what I've heard from two other painters. Nothing against MSM but I've not used their paints. Maybe someone who has done so can comment. Two other painters I know have mentioned the new Scalecoat paints are of a lesser quality then the original.

The brand is the same but the paint mix/formula is much different.

When I heard Scalecoat was selling, I ordered a pack of six of most colors. I gave two of the original Loco Black to Thom Driggers.

Even the original Scalecoat changed over time with respect to their formula. After baking the paint any handling of the loco and the paint wore off the sides.

I'm using new old stock from my stash. This old stash paint can be handled without any wearing of the paint off the running boards or other parts.

Tom

[deemery]

Tom, thanks for the chip.  It'll be interesting messing with the weathering over top of the Scalecoat 'graphite'.  Right now I'm priming with light grey, maybe I should prime with white....


dave

[Zephyrus52246]

I assumed since you painted the "chassis" separately, you'd paint the boiler/cab and then combine them.  Do you mask off the wheels when you're doing the boiler/cab?


Jeff

[ACL1504]

Tom, thanks for the chip.  It'll be interesting messing with the weathering over top of the Scalecoat 'graphite'.  Right now I'm priming with light grey, maybe I should prime with white....


dave

Dave,

You are very welcome. Let me know if you need anything else.

Tom

[ACL1504]

I assumed since you painted the "chassis" separately, you'd paint the boiler/cab and then combine them.  Do you mask off the wheels when you're doing the boiler/cab?


Jeff

Jeff,

Great question. Everything was painted separately and then reassembled. In the photo below you can see all the main parts and the three drivers in the upper portion of the photo. Only lazy or inexperienced painters will leave the drivers on the chassis and paint.



The boiler cab roof and smoke box were painted and then taped off. The loco boiler was then painted black, tape removed and then baked. The firebox graphite was hand painted and then the piping was touched up with a brush using the black paint.

In the next photo the boiler is just sitting on the chassis and the pilot and trailing truck are just sitting under the loco for the photo.

[ACL1504]

Just prior to painting the tender, I noticed the brace was not soldered properly. Actually the solder joint was weak and not very good. I ran out of Tix solder and had to wait for a new shipment from Micro Mark.

Yesterday the package arrived and the tender brace was resoldered, cleaned again, baked dry and painted.



Both the tender and boiler are now painted with Scalecoat Gloss and ready for decaling tomorrow. They are in the oven in the cool down stage at this posting.

[RWL]

Tom,
Again, nice step by step, baking temperatures and times. I have used the new Scalecoat from MSM and I agree the formula has changed, but with a bit of Xylene in the mix it comes out hard after baking. Are you lettering the K4 for the A&S?
Bob

[T.C.]

If I may ask a question that may or may not apply here ?Do all the paint types require baking after painting ?For example I have recently bashed a metal boiler with a plastic cab and I don't think the cab is going to take kindly to being put into an oven ?I used old formula Floquil to paint it after a coat of etching primer.
T.C.

[ACL1504]

TC,

Great question.


Paint can be air dried. Even brass can be air dried. I've used aluminum mail boxes, sun, and room temp to dry paints.

With a metal boiler and plastic cab your best bet is let the paint air dry and cure. Dry to me means dry to the touch and cured means you let it dry for several days until the paint is cured (dried) all the way.

Hope this helps.

Tom