painting chrome?

To paint them black, paint them black.

Now, enough of my smarta** remarks:

Paint them in place. With small brushes. Bit of masking tape under them to avoid the "Aw, fooey!" moments.

Modern enamels or acrylics stick well; the cheap "Hobby Lobby" $1.25/bottle craft paint

is great stuff for porous materials and weathering (I have a bunch), BUT you want something like Model Master if you use acrylics. The cheap stuff does not like shiny.

Plain black Rust-O-Leum enamel from your garage should do well. If it is not flat enough, hit it with Dullcote after it dries.

Spray paints can be shot into the cap and applied with a brush - usually takes a few coats.

This applies to Dullcote, too.

Don't over-think it - but experiment on a similar scrap surface before you use non-model

products. Let it dry; check it out. Be mindful of compatibility. I said all this stuff because it can apply to more than horns, and who knows what else you'll be doing?

Thanks, I will try and not to over think it. Just clean it off, mask it and paint.

Dan 

If you take them off, a very easy way to remove the chrome is to soak the part in Clorox for a while.

...or white vinegar, which will put an etch onto the chrome surface for better paint adhesion.

If you feel you must leave them in place and paint them.....use 3M Post-it notes as a masking. Just slide it under the horn...cut and shape if needed. Don't apply too much paint....the Post-it should just be a 'safety net' to keep paint off the loco if you mis-step. 

I'd remove them, bleach to take off the chrome and spray paint them the color needed.

Dan,

I would think about it for a little while. Then go forward with your choice. A little haste now, often leads to a mess. A mess that in most cases will take up to three times longer to correct. It's your railroad, those who offer advice do so out of experience. 

Thanks for the advice Pappy, I have always wanted to get rid of the chrome, just really never had the time, still working on the 1-1 railroad to much, but that should come to an end in July, I think.

I have painted with an air brush but haven't done that in a number of years. I am thinking I will try and pry the horns off the cab roof and soak them to get the chrome off. Even though it is not something that would get touched much, I just don't think that painting right over the chrome would be a good surface for paint to stick to.

Thanks to all who have responded for their suggestions. 

PS: I just looked at the picture of the units I was going to do, it has two horns.

 I really wanted to replace them with one set of 5 chimes horns like the T&P units had, but the only ones I found were about 20 dollars a pop to put together. I just can't see that for the little bit of difference it would make, I would be the only one who knew!

Dan

In the picture, I painted the MTH GP18 (was a TC&W GP20), but have a pair of stock T&P MTH geeps that have the chrome horns.

Dan, Like D500 says don't over think this. Acids like vinegar might etch the chrome but it won't remove it for years. Remove them and hit them with a good enamel paint and they will last forever. If the body was chrome and subject to handling then I would use a self etching primer but its not likely the horns will get handled once reattached to the engine.

Pete