Painting Steam Locomotive Wheels

@HudsonORailRoader posted:

I've got a brass B&O 2-8-2 that I plan on painting in the next year. So, how do you paint the driver wheels? Are the outer rims (tires) removeable?

Sort of, but I sure wouldn't go through all that trouble to remove them (press them off).

Don't want paint on these.

Why not. In the prototype world the driver tires were generally black, except some passenger steam locomotives had white tires.

Are they pressed in place?

Yes.

Can they be removed?

Yes, but you might not get them to fit properly upon reinstallation.

Taping around the wheels seems difficult.

Might not be all that difficult, especially since you don't want paint on the tire tread.

Not sure this is the best plan.

Probably not, i.e. removing the tires, especially the insulated tires.

Or, is it?

Your experience is appreciated.

Ralph

I put a drop of oil on all crankpins and moving joints, get the mechanism running, and carefully shoot a lacquer based flat black on everything.  Then I take a few Q-tips with lacquer thinner on them and hold them up against the tread until shiny.   I usually leave the rods black, but you could wipe them as well if you want shiny.

Real pros disassemble, mask tread, crankpin, and axle, and paint, then re-assemble.

For my method, it is better if the main frame was blackened before assembly.  I don't always do that.

Never remove a tire from a driver unless the insulation has failed or the tire has cracked.  New tires is a precision operation requiring some skill.

Is this the Overland Heavy Mike?  I think I can post a photo of one I painted.

@bob2 posted:

Is this the Overland Heavy Mike?  I think I can post a photo of one I painted.

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This is the Samhongsa. Any photo is appreciated. Thank you.

Bob’s suggestions are good, and I have done just as he’s described as well, but if you want to get more involved, you can remove at least the rods and the gear box, this will allow the wheels to roll in your hands…….most auto parts stores keep on the shelf, or can order for you 1/4” fine line masking tape. Being able to roll the wheels with your hands makes masking the tires fairly simple,….be sure the areas you’re painting are properly prepped so paint isn’t lifted when you unmask……more than one way to skin a cat,….

Pat

Bob,

What brand of flat black lacquer spray do you use? Duplicolor, Tamiya? Spray paints from the big box stores such as Krylon or Rustoleum are of questionable quality these days.  

Rob

I have not done one lately - but for rattle cans I would use only DupliColor.  The rest have weird nozzle patterns and clog quickly after the first use.  But I always used Floquil engine black in a Paasche model H.  I wonder if there is an equivalent.

The reason I get them running before spraying is that I do not want paint clogging up things like bearings etc, so I let the model run until pretty much dry.  This is truly a lazy man's way, but ya know, I win prizes with these things.

I did not look up the guy in New Jersey I sent a heavy Mike to - that was a stab in the dark.  I had several of these, and the one below got some serious modifications:

Why does it reverse my order?  The lower one is a much-modified Overland Heavy Mikado, and the top photo is the same model finished using my quickie method.  You may be able to detect a flaw here and there in the paint, but I never claim that I am a perfectionist.  Matter of fact, sometimes I wish I could move halfway up the OCD scale - bet I could do good work!

I have painted the wheels - sides of tires not the treads.    I have done this with a brush, and also masked and sprayed without removing the rods.    Both ways work pretty well.

The last 4-8-2 I did last fall did not have a blackened frame.   I brush painted all the visible areas on that one.

I do take the shell off the chassis, and remove any screwed on parts to paint separately.

However, I was told a new product about 6 years ago that I have used since for wheels and rods.    It is called "NEO-LUBE"     It is sold by Micro Mark now,    BTS models used to sell it too.    It is an alcohol based product with graphite in it.    It does two things that paint does not.   First the mfg claims that it is conductive, and hence not an insulator.    Second the graphite is also a lubricant so if it gets in the bearings it just helps.

It goes on as a sort of metallic grey.    On shiny rods, it makes them look like steel.    I paint all the silver part with this using a brush.   and on that recent mountain, the drivers were unpainted brass, so I did them with NEO-Lube also.  

I have never tried spraying it.   When I brush it, it does not come out totally  uniform.    It is very thin, so it is smooth, it is just kind of translucent.     Also, you can remove it with alcohol and it will rub off with handling.   I don't find the rubbing off to be an issue.   It just makes the rods look a little shinier in places.

I also did a 2-10-4 over the winter and used Neo-Lube on it.

I just did the drivers and siderods on a newish USH PRR Mountain 4-8-2. The cast frame is already blackened. I brush painted Floquil Graphite, which is very dark gray. Which is a start on weathering. Any paint on the tread surface was taken off with a cotton swab and thinner. Like Bob I lubricated everything first.

The pix shows mostly done with second coat touchups to do.

@PRR Man posted:

I just did the drivers and siderods on a newish USH PRR Mountain 4-8-2. The cast frame is already blackened. I brush painted Floquil Graphite, which is very dark gray. Which is a start on weathering. Any paint on the tread surface was taken off with a cotton swab and thinner. Like Bob I lubricated everything first.

The pix shows mostly done with second coat touchups to do.

Looks good. Do you weather with chalks or air brush or both?

Depends. This engine is commission work. The owner will decide what weathering will be done. We decided against gloss black on the drivers.

I favor powders and light airbrush.

Here's a photo of my Q4.

Nice trackwork!

@bob2 posted:

Nice trackwork!

Thank you.

@prrjim posted:

I have never tried spraying it.   When I brush it, it does not come out totally  uniform.    It is very thin, so it is smooth, it is just kind of translucent.     Also, you can remove it with alcohol and it will rub off with handling.   I don't find the rubbing off to be an issue.   It just makes the rods look a little shinier in places.

Ununiform may be the way to go especially if you plan on weathering. I think it adds realism as nothing out there in real life is perfectly uniform.