10-28-2011, 11:38 PM
Lots of good suggestions here.
For your PATCO car, the order in which you apply the colours is as important as the masking. To eliminate worries about masking the fluting, apply the paint for the flat metallic areas first, and apply it to the entire car. After it is fully cured, mask-off all of the non-fluted areas, then apply the Alclad. The black areas are a straightforward masking job, with the upper colour separation at the rain gutter - top and edge of the gutter silver/grey, bottom of the gutter and below black. Apply the lower edge of the tape to the gutter at its highest point and burnish it only at that contact point. The bottom of the black area will be separated by the red stripe, so the only crucial area to be masked is the vertical that extends from the drip edge of the gutter to the red stripe. I use regular masking tape for both lacquer-based and acrylic paints, but always apply it first to a sheet of clean glass, where I trim away both factory edges - these get nicked and collect fuzz and dust, and, since they're exposed to air, the adhesive is weak.
Window and numberboard gaskets can be done with a small brush or a Sharpie marker.
When masking over raised or depressed details, the tape should be applied and burnished as you work your way along the carbody, not after the strip of tape is in place. To do this and still maintain a straight line, I first apply a strip of tape over the area which is to be painted. Use calipers or dividers to determine where the colour separation will be in relation to a known straight line: for instance, the eave line of the roof or the bottom edge of the carbody. Cut a strip of tape exactly the same width as that area, then apply it without any burnishing, as it's merely a reference line to keep the actual masking tape straight. Apply the tape for masking, burnishing over details as you follow along the guide strip, then remove and discard the guide tape. As mentioned, cut thin strips where you need to curve the tape, then fill in with wider strips or individual pieces where necessary.
For your E-units, I'd make a guide as outlined above before applying any paint. The crucial area is at the colour separation between the lower green area and the grey/silver band at the nose. First, use your dividers to determine the full height of the lower green band and cut a strip of tape to that width, then apply it to your model - it doesn't need to be the full length of the body at this point, as you're merely determining the shape of the curve, but it should extend a little past the mid-point of the nose, where the band ends in a point. Make a vertical pencil mark at the point on the nose, and another pencil mark where the curve begins, which appears to be at the leading edge of the small walkway on the cab's side. Remove the tape and, using a straightedge, place it back on the sheet of glass. Use a pen or pencil to trace your estimation of the curve onto the tape, then cut along the line and re-apply the tape - you may hit it accurately on you first try or you may need several attempts. When you're satisfied with its appearance, apply the tape to a piece of paper (or thin styrene) and cut the paper/styrene following the curved edge of the tape. Use this pattern to prepare two strips of tape for each loco, flipping the pattern to do the opposite side of the loco.
Next, paint the entire loco grey/silver and when the paint has fully cured, apply the curved alignment tapes, starting at the nose and working to the rear of the loco. Cut thin strips of tape to mask the edges of the curve (you'll need your dividers to plot the path of upper curve, keeping it parallel to the lower one) and fill in with wider strips and bits. You can apply the straight part of the band as either a single strip of tape or as two medium-width ones along the upper and lower edges, with a third piece to cover the middle area. Burnish the outer edges as you apply the tape, following the guide tape to keep things straight. When the band has been masked, remove all guide tape and spray the green. You can do the stripes with decals, but if the correct colour isn't available, you could also paint them, using the methods outlined.
The tape should be removed as soon as the paint is dry to the touch. To avoid lifting previously-applied paint, pull the tape back over itself at as sharp an angle as possible - this puts the least stress on the painted surfaces.
If, despite all precautions, you still have some bleed-through, allow the paint to fully dry, then, if the problem areas are somewhat three-dimensional, scrape them gently with a sharp blade. The tip of a #11 works well for small areas, while a #17 blade works better for wider "oopsies" - hold the blade perpendicular to the surface and lightly drag it, non-bevelled side first, over the area. Use a small brush to touch-up any areas needing attention - don't apply too much paint and don't overwork it - two or even three light applications, with ample drying time between, will yield better looking results than one heavy one.
For your airbrush problem, the restriction may be a plugged or partially-plugged vent hole in the siphon cap - this results in reduced and/or irregular paint flow.
Wayne
For your PATCO car, the order in which you apply the colours is as important as the masking. To eliminate worries about masking the fluting, apply the paint for the flat metallic areas first, and apply it to the entire car. After it is fully cured, mask-off all of the non-fluted areas, then apply the Alclad. The black areas are a straightforward masking job, with the upper colour separation at the rain gutter - top and edge of the gutter silver/grey, bottom of the gutter and below black. Apply the lower edge of the tape to the gutter at its highest point and burnish it only at that contact point. The bottom of the black area will be separated by the red stripe, so the only crucial area to be masked is the vertical that extends from the drip edge of the gutter to the red stripe. I use regular masking tape for both lacquer-based and acrylic paints, but always apply it first to a sheet of clean glass, where I trim away both factory edges - these get nicked and collect fuzz and dust, and, since they're exposed to air, the adhesive is weak.
Window and numberboard gaskets can be done with a small brush or a Sharpie marker.
When masking over raised or depressed details, the tape should be applied and burnished as you work your way along the carbody, not after the strip of tape is in place. To do this and still maintain a straight line, I first apply a strip of tape over the area which is to be painted. Use calipers or dividers to determine where the colour separation will be in relation to a known straight line: for instance, the eave line of the roof or the bottom edge of the carbody. Cut a strip of tape exactly the same width as that area, then apply it without any burnishing, as it's merely a reference line to keep the actual masking tape straight. Apply the tape for masking, burnishing over details as you follow along the guide strip, then remove and discard the guide tape. As mentioned, cut thin strips where you need to curve the tape, then fill in with wider strips or individual pieces where necessary.
For your E-units, I'd make a guide as outlined above before applying any paint. The crucial area is at the colour separation between the lower green area and the grey/silver band at the nose. First, use your dividers to determine the full height of the lower green band and cut a strip of tape to that width, then apply it to your model - it doesn't need to be the full length of the body at this point, as you're merely determining the shape of the curve, but it should extend a little past the mid-point of the nose, where the band ends in a point. Make a vertical pencil mark at the point on the nose, and another pencil mark where the curve begins, which appears to be at the leading edge of the small walkway on the cab's side. Remove the tape and, using a straightedge, place it back on the sheet of glass. Use a pen or pencil to trace your estimation of the curve onto the tape, then cut along the line and re-apply the tape - you may hit it accurately on you first try or you may need several attempts. When you're satisfied with its appearance, apply the tape to a piece of paper (or thin styrene) and cut the paper/styrene following the curved edge of the tape. Use this pattern to prepare two strips of tape for each loco, flipping the pattern to do the opposite side of the loco.
Next, paint the entire loco grey/silver and when the paint has fully cured, apply the curved alignment tapes, starting at the nose and working to the rear of the loco. Cut thin strips of tape to mask the edges of the curve (you'll need your dividers to plot the path of upper curve, keeping it parallel to the lower one) and fill in with wider strips and bits. You can apply the straight part of the band as either a single strip of tape or as two medium-width ones along the upper and lower edges, with a third piece to cover the middle area. Burnish the outer edges as you apply the tape, following the guide tape to keep things straight. When the band has been masked, remove all guide tape and spray the green. You can do the stripes with decals, but if the correct colour isn't available, you could also paint them, using the methods outlined.
The tape should be removed as soon as the paint is dry to the touch. To avoid lifting previously-applied paint, pull the tape back over itself at as sharp an angle as possible - this puts the least stress on the painted surfaces.
If, despite all precautions, you still have some bleed-through, allow the paint to fully dry, then, if the problem areas are somewhat three-dimensional, scrape them gently with a sharp blade. The tip of a #11 works well for small areas, while a #17 blade works better for wider "oopsies" - hold the blade perpendicular to the surface and lightly drag it, non-bevelled side first, over the area. Use a small brush to touch-up any areas needing attention - don't apply too much paint and don't overwork it - two or even three light applications, with ample drying time between, will yield better looking results than one heavy one.
For your airbrush problem, the restriction may be a plugged or partially-plugged vent hole in the siphon cap - this results in reduced and/or irregular paint flow.
Wayne