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Talking steam power now, I want to find out exactly how a very good painter manages masking in pursuit of painting a different smokebox color adjacent to the boiler color. I see examples of where there are several items which mount partially or entirely within the masking realm of the smokebox but are painted the main boiler color...are such components (headlights, marker lights, equipment boxes etc.) brush paint after spraying the smokebox color perhaps? Also is there any advantage in doing the smoke box first or last within the entire process? And what is the preferred masking material in pursuit of a nice job. Good advice welcome, I really want to do this myself verses paying a pro.

Thank You

Bob

Last edited by flanger
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Good question.  When you find out, let me know.  I have a Challenger ready for that step this weekend.

I have done it the ways you outline, and additinally have simply brushed on the graphite.  That works, because graphite was actually put on the metal by hand, and has (or had) in lots of cases texture resembling our paintbrush.

Norton posted:

Its been a while but I have always sprayed the smokebox first, then use a liquid masker. For years it was Walthers Magic Masker. Now I use a product from Micro Mark that works well, Mask-it Easy. Avoid Microscale's liquid masker as its very difficult to remove.

Pete

Thanks Pete...I really had not considered any of the liquid masking potions to be honest. However it does sound reasonable since I just cannot visualize doing a thorough masking with a tape product.

Bob

Bob, Magic Masker has been around for years. I was using it back in the '70s on my HO engines. Then Walthers discontinued it maybe ten or more years ago. I heard they may have resumed selling it but have not checked. It was the easiest to use. It was essentially a thin liquid latex similar to the liquid used to make molds. Easy to brush on and then peal off.

The Micro Mark product is different but still pretty easy to remove.

Pete

bob2 posted:

I have done it the ways you outline, and additionally have simply brushed on the graphite.  That works, because graphite was actually put on the metal by hand, and has (or had) in lots of cases texture resembling our paintbrush.

I pretty much agree with that. I have masked off the boiler behind the smokebox and sprayed everything "graphite", then detail painted the parts that are not intended to be graphite. I have also hand painted the graphite color on as bob2 says. I guess it all depends on how "clean" the smokebox area is. If the area is a "pipefitter's nightmare" good luck.
I would be wary using liquid masker, only because the one time that I did, it was hard to remove. But, think about it, depending on the situation,  why paint with liquid mask when you might as well paint with...paint? 

Plan not great.  However, the finished product will be ok with some touch-up.

Next time pipes will get sprayed graphite or silver, then touched up with black from either a brush or one of those paint pens.

I did get some silver overspray on things that should be black.  Maybe tomorrow I will see if it will compound off with a litle light rubbing.

I am generally not terribly picky, but this is a fairly good Challenger - it was a project of my buddy Peter Cozens (RIP) of San Mateo.  It got some PSC accoutrements.  I will clean it up, decal it, and provide some photos.  Ultimately it will get some "weathered black" out of an airbrush, and some chalk weathering.  Not soon.

Big Jim posted:
bob2 posted:

Plan: mask with blue tape.

I like to use a low-tack tape such as "drafting" tape or Tamiya masking tape.
Years ago I used regular masking tape to mask the driver tires on an HO engine. The nickle plating on the tire came off with the tape...ouch!!!

I also use Tamiya masking tape to cut in all the edges as I have them in all of the width sizes available.
Blue painters is used to fill in the large areas from the cut in taped areas back.
Make sure you go over all the masking by pressing it down looking for exposed areas.
Just make sure the first coat that you are going to mask over is completely dried (I usually wait a week or so) this way when you pull of the tape the paint will not go with it.
As stated above, painting the smoke box first is a good idea as it is a smaller are to mask off.

I usually pull the tape off after the paint dried a bit to make a clean edge.
The prep work/masking takes the longest time so do not rush.

 

This is a good Challenger, but painted exclusively with rattle cans.  I can always re-do it with the airbrush, but I have not fired up that tool in two years - losing my touch.  All masking with garden variety tape, touch up with a variety of things including rubbing compound.  The locomotive is a Lobaugh kit, started by my friend Peter Cozens (RIP), and finished here.

Rods will get a dull silver, and drivers and running boards will get silver or white.  Some day.  Pops and whistle get painted gold.  Oh - and driver leaf springs.  I have a whole bag of them ready for drilling and attaching.

 

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OGR Publishing, Inc., 1310 Eastside Centre Ct, Suite 6, Mountain Home, AR 72653
800-980-OGRR (6477)
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