Paint Match: A Happy Accident...

What did you use to mask the area you did not want to paint?  John in Lansing, ILL

If I remember, I just used blue painter's tape; it sticks well, but doesn't leave any residue when you remove it.

Plus, I learned a long time ago that when removing tape, pull slowly and straight up, not back away from the work; pulling straight up (and gently) lessens the chances that you'll pull off some paint...but you probably already knew that! 

Mark in Oregon

Mark:

I’ll take accidental paint matches over planning anytime!

I have a set of Williams Erie F3’s.  A few years ago; I had an issue with the powered unit and had to send it back to Bachmann for warranty repairs. Whatever the issue was, they couldn’t fix it and decided to mount my Erie shell on the frame and motors of another F unit, albeit without the yellow frame stripe my Erie unit had.  I figured “no problem” and, when I received the engine back from them, set about trying to find a yellow paint that would match.

What I thought would be easy turned out to be a chore.  I had purchased and tried four different yellows and none was a good match.  I took a break to come upstairs and fix a ham and cheese sandwich and when I grabbed the French’s mustard out of the fridge, had a eureka moment.  I compared the yellow mustard bottle to the frame stripe on the unpowered unit and it was a perfect match.  Went out that afternoon and found some mustard yellow paint and added the frame stripe to the replacement frame.  Haven’t had anyone yet look at these engines who could detect any difference between the original yellow on the shell and the paint I used on the frame.

Curt

...  ...great story!

You were indeed lucky. Yellow is the hardest color to match and apply. When I worked at a print shop, we always had to take extra measures to assure that the yellow we were about to run would match and cover correctly...

Mark in Oregon

PS: any lettuce and/or tomatoes on that sandwich?

Best sharp edge tape is not the regular blue painters tape but a blue tape called Edge Lock. Same company but you get much better results. A master carpenter showed it to me. He uses a small metal plaster tool to push down the edge after he places the tape. It cost a little more but well worth it. Tape #2093EL. Hardware stores have it with the other blue tapes. Don

One of you out there must know why some RRs painted the smoke box of their steam locos in that silver/pewter shade.  Was it functional or just cosmetic?

Mark, thank you for your response.  I have wondered about this for some time.

John

Strummer, by rule your Avatar is to be a picture of yourself.

Dennis

Okay, I will delete that beautiful picture.

BTW, you're pretty good at it... 

Mark in Oregon