03-30-2010, 06:49 PM
About the only time that I'd take the drivers out of a loco before painting is to paint the frame when it's not already a suitable dark colour - as perhaps for a brass loco with an unpainted frame. Even then, it's usually easier to brush paint the frame with the drivers in place, then airbrush the running gear while the wheels are turning in order to get any spots missed by the brush. To clean the wheel treads after painting, I connect power leads to the loco, then, with it upside down and running slowly, I carefully apply some lacquer thinner to each wheel tread in turn, using a brush. This is followed immediately (before the thinner evaporates) by holding some clean paper towel against the turning tread. For non-powered wheels, the same procedure works fine except that you'll have to manually turn the wheels. Do not use lacquer thinner on traction tires and I'd advise against alcohol, too, as it may dry out some of the ingredients that make-up the tire compound.
Clean the treads immediately after you've cleaned your airbrush, before the paint cures. Lacquer thinner will remove both lacquer-based paints such as Floquil and Scalecoat, and water-based paints like PollyScale.
When painting wheels with an airbrush (and this includes weathering) the wheels should be turning, whether it's a car or a loco. For powered locos you can either place it on a powered track and run it back and forth as you paint or attach power leads and support the loco with the wheels in the air (either upside down in your hand or a cradle, or right-side up, on blocks, with the drive wheels free).
Another method (the one I prefer) is to disengage the wheels from either the gears or motor, so that the loco will freewheel when pushed.
Wayne
Clean the treads immediately after you've cleaned your airbrush, before the paint cures. Lacquer thinner will remove both lacquer-based paints such as Floquil and Scalecoat, and water-based paints like PollyScale.
When painting wheels with an airbrush (and this includes weathering) the wheels should be turning, whether it's a car or a loco. For powered locos you can either place it on a powered track and run it back and forth as you paint or attach power leads and support the loco with the wheels in the air (either upside down in your hand or a cradle, or right-side up, on blocks, with the drive wheels free).
Another method (the one I prefer) is to disengage the wheels from either the gears or motor, so that the loco will freewheel when pushed.
Wayne