Anyone use Tru-Color Paints?

Thin and clean with Acetone. I have used it on a limited basis so am still undecided at this point. Guess I better figure it out since we just lost Scalecoat and Floquil. :-(

I've used it a few times. Still learning. So far the pros are it dries fast which makes it nearly run free. Coverage is OK but takes more coats than Floquil. Has more sheen than Floquil or Poly Scale. I would call it eggshell. 

Cons, it dries fast which requires you to spray it wet and keep a constant distance. Too far away it it dries before contact leaving sandpaper finish. Faster than most sanding primers. It is a poor choice for brush painting. Requires many coats to cover. The few colors designated for brushing are not much better.

 

Pete

I like the fact that it dries fast. Don

Drying fast is not good for airbrushing. I like it for hand painting details such as handrails, MU hoses, glad hands etc etc... seems to leave a "layer" of paint like a latex that peels off rather easily.

The paint is awesome, i use it all the time. The negatives people have pointed out are mostly just for airbrushing any type paint. There is a small learning curve, buy a bottle and spray something worthless and you will get the hang of it by the half bottle mark and give time to learn how to adjust airbrush. If your using a fresh bottle spray straight from bottle. No thinning is required. Its a great paint but like anything you have to put some effort in it, the complaints i have read are people just being lazy and trying shortcuts.

 I started using it when Flouquil was no longer available. I thin with Acetone. About 2/3rds paint to 1/3rd thinner. Sprays well and there is a huge choice in colors. I used it mostly for weathering. Did paint a brass caboose. It was previously painted. Just a basic scuffing off of the lettering and a cleanup. Covered well using NYC Brown. Painted some wooden buildings as well. Painted right over the wood and it covered after a few coats. 

 They are now offering a brushable line. Mostly in weathering colors. I'm guessing it's a little thicker to cover with a brush. It can be thinned for painting. The standard line is suppose to be spray able from the bottle. My airbrush would clog. Maybe the fact hat it's a double action brush had something to do with it.

 The only negative. Was painting bare metal or brass. I'm talking rims and side rods on a steamer. The rods were painted with the engine running. The paint stuck great to itself. Not so well to the rods. It came off in sheets. It could have been my prep work wasn't the best. I ended up using Neolube which seemed to work well. I decided to try Scalecoat on my next steamer project after reading how durable it was. Who knows where thats going now. Overall I'm very pleased with Tru Color. I've pretty much tried them all. For water base. I liked the Badger brand called Modelflex. The only reason I went away from it. Was after trying Floquil. I always got good consistent results with Floquil. Liked it so much I invested in a spray booth. I was really liking Scalecoat after trying it. As far as color choices and ease of use I think Tru Color is as user friendly as it gets as far as getting consistent results. I'm by no means a professional painter. Just looking to weather my trains.

2railguy do you even have a clue? Lazy? Take your comments and whatever name you happen to be using this month and shove it!

Spraying straight from the bottle don't work too well with a fine tip and needle... clogs to easy because of it drying too fast. I really miss Floquil and now Scalecoat II.... so Im going to have to make this new stuff work.

Their locator says I can get it in Lahaina but not address or store name. Don

Theres a shop called Harbor Belt Lines and he carries the complete line of Tru Color

The manufacturer said you have to shoot it at about 32-35 pounds of pressure (non-thinned) where floquil is around 25. I tested some and it does dry fast and it goes on thin.

 

Doug:

 

Thanks for the tip on a dealer. Whistle Stop in Pasadena is the only one nearby carrying it, but the selection is a bit on the light side.

They've been responsive to train folks ..... in developing railroad colors. They added the two old CNJ greens at Tom's Trains request.

 

I thin it with acetone. But, they state not too. Acetone is fine for clean up they state, but their own product is best to thin with. I'm going to buy some to see.

 

The gentleman I spoke to there was helpful to a novice painter like me.

I tried Tru- Color to use in small applications using a brush for handrails, touch-ups, etc. and I didn't like it. Dried too fast and the colors did not match. Badger Modelflex, with the extender, dried slower and smoother and was a much closer match to the paint I was touching up, BNSF green and CNW green. Also I found clean up with a water base paint was still much easier. Tru- Color reminded me of the old Accu- paint. I haven't used it in an airbrush yet.

Matt the Train Shack carries it too. Its in their old Floquil display stand.

Paul good comparison...very similar to Accu Flex.

Tried Mineral Spirits for clean up... didn't touch it. Acetone works great for clean up.

I plan to experiment with other solvents or additives to see if I can slow the drying time.

Their thinner might dry slower but its just as expensive as their paint and not a long term option for me.

 

Pete

Well i guess im just lucky? Or it could be i know how to prep a model, i can read the simple instructions on the bottle, and i'm able to adjust an airbrush. The bottle clearly says it can be airbrushed straight from the bottle. That's what i did on my rod miller redrived nyc k5. Guess what, came out nice and smooth, has worked great for the other 30 lococs and 100 freight cars i have painted with the brand. The problem is people dont follow instructions, then of course it cant be you cut corners or ability is not there, of course its the product. Always blame the product....

I also included picture of instructions on bottle so you can brush up on them.

And i only have 1 username and here is the k5 so you dont feel im still blowing smoke.




       
       

Thanks. They're closer to my office, too.