01-05-2011, 05:17 AM
That's a great idea Charlie - thanks. I bought some Model Master spray paint in gloss black and medium grey (for a primer) yesterday and once I get the lower walkway and coupler housing areas clean of red paint, I'll be ready for the black coats. The logic is...I thought of using the Model Masters grey spray paint as a primer, then spraying the Model Masters high gloss black over the top. But since that grey isn't really a primer (it's just grey paint) wouldn't spraying two coats of high gloss black accomplish the same thing?
On the first attempt at building a high hood GP30, I sprayed black over the BNSF green and orange colors that existed on the Atlas GP30 shell - as well as the decals. The black covered the paint wonderfully, and without a primer coat. But the paint bubbled and curled the decals under the paint. Fortunately, I was able to salvage the unit by applying the Micro-Sol products to remove the bubbling...but on hindsight...I should have removed the old decals completely and sprayed a coat of black again.
Leraning from my past mistake
...I removed all the decals on this second GP30 attempt as well as the paint. So I'll have a clean shell body to spray. The only items that will still be colored in the original Burlington-red are the handrails, as they're molded in red.
So I'm really thinking of just trying to spray this model with the high gloss black and see how it goes. I do plan on using "canned" spray paint (but agree this is the perfect job to use an airbrush for) and feel pretty confident that I can get an even coat of black on. I've painted all but a few of my buildings with spray paint, as well as some weathering on cars and repainting of an engine, so I've got my "system" down. I usually warm the paint up in hot water first to help the paint atomize better, build a painting booth out of cardboard boxes, and use a trigger on the paint can to help hold and spray evenly. (The real trick will be to do the painting on a warm enough day with little or no wind.) I've got some absolutely tiny putty holes to fill (so small they can only be seen under the magnifying glass), the lower walkway to strip, then I'll be ready for the paint shop.
On the first attempt at building a high hood GP30, I sprayed black over the BNSF green and orange colors that existed on the Atlas GP30 shell - as well as the decals. The black covered the paint wonderfully, and without a primer coat. But the paint bubbled and curled the decals under the paint. Fortunately, I was able to salvage the unit by applying the Micro-Sol products to remove the bubbling...but on hindsight...I should have removed the old decals completely and sprayed a coat of black again.
Leraning from my past mistake
...I removed all the decals on this second GP30 attempt as well as the paint. So I'll have a clean shell body to spray. The only items that will still be colored in the original Burlington-red are the handrails, as they're molded in red.So I'm really thinking of just trying to spray this model with the high gloss black and see how it goes. I do plan on using "canned" spray paint (but agree this is the perfect job to use an airbrush for) and feel pretty confident that I can get an even coat of black on. I've painted all but a few of my buildings with spray paint, as well as some weathering on cars and repainting of an engine, so I've got my "system" down. I usually warm the paint up in hot water first to help the paint atomize better, build a painting booth out of cardboard boxes, and use a trigger on the paint can to help hold and spray evenly. (The real trick will be to do the painting on a warm enough day with little or no wind.) I've got some absolutely tiny putty holes to fill (so small they can only be seen under the magnifying glass), the lower walkway to strip, then I'll be ready for the paint shop.
Mark
Citation Latitude Captain
--and--
Lt Colonel, USAF (Retired)
Citation Latitude Captain
--and--
Lt Colonel, USAF (Retired)