01-02-2009, 03:00 PM
Josh, one thing that wasn't mentioned in the replies in this thread has to do with the order you paint colors. Yellow is probably the worst color for covering other colors, red is a close second. You can check this out next time you are in a hobby shop that has some factory decorated SF blue and yellow freight locomotives. Usually the cabs are painted yellow over nothing and show the correct color yellow (except for Kato which is very hit or miss on North American railroad colors). If you look at the long hood on a Gp locomotive where the Santa Fe lettering is, it will appear very greenish because the yellow doesn't cover the blue very well. I read somewhere, it may have been here, that some modelers using decals for the lettering on Santa Fe diesels will put two decals on, one over top of the other to get the blue covered.
The point of all of this rambling is that if you paint the red first, the white may appear pink. If you paint the white first as a primer, then spray the red on top, you will get a much more accurate color.
A warning on isopropyl alcohol, test it first. I've found on some water based acrylics that 70% isopropyl will actually "shock" the paint resulting in bits of sawdust like dried paint particles throughout the paint. I've heard that 90% isopropyl doesn't do this, but I don't take chances. I use denatured alcohol in gallons from Home Depot, Lowes, etc to thin water based paint. I also use it for paint stripper. Brake fluid is denatured alcohol mixed with lubricants and perhaps some additives to keep neoprene brake seals soft. The part of brake fluid that disolved the paint is the denatured alcohol and you don't need the rest of the additives that might leave a film on the model that would keep it from taking paint if you don't get it completely cleaned off.
Stein, when you paint that 44 toner, you will probably want to use Model Flex because of the flexible plastic handrails. Any other paint will probably flake off the handrails if they bend or flex. Another thing that you can use to mask the windows is the same latex modelers use to make rock molds. It will cover and seal the windows, and then peel off easily after you finish. There used to be a product on the market called "Magic Masker" that was in a jar that you painted on. It went on kind of reddish and then dried to a tan color. It was simply latex, but I haven't seen it in a while, so the company that made it may either no longer be in business or simply dropped the product.
The point of all of this rambling is that if you paint the red first, the white may appear pink. If you paint the white first as a primer, then spray the red on top, you will get a much more accurate color.
A warning on isopropyl alcohol, test it first. I've found on some water based acrylics that 70% isopropyl will actually "shock" the paint resulting in bits of sawdust like dried paint particles throughout the paint. I've heard that 90% isopropyl doesn't do this, but I don't take chances. I use denatured alcohol in gallons from Home Depot, Lowes, etc to thin water based paint. I also use it for paint stripper. Brake fluid is denatured alcohol mixed with lubricants and perhaps some additives to keep neoprene brake seals soft. The part of brake fluid that disolved the paint is the denatured alcohol and you don't need the rest of the additives that might leave a film on the model that would keep it from taking paint if you don't get it completely cleaned off.
Stein, when you paint that 44 toner, you will probably want to use Model Flex because of the flexible plastic handrails. Any other paint will probably flake off the handrails if they bend or flex. Another thing that you can use to mask the windows is the same latex modelers use to make rock molds. It will cover and seal the windows, and then peel off easily after you finish. There used to be a product on the market called "Magic Masker" that was in a jar that you painted on. It went on kind of reddish and then dried to a tan color. It was simply latex, but I haven't seen it in a while, so the company that made it may either no longer be in business or simply dropped the product.