Painting Brass

Don't they make hobby masks with fresh air piped in?  That's the safest.

I have a friend who used water-borne paint on an airplane.  Full body suit and fresh air - that stuff was everywhere! 

A friend who paints professionally used Vellejo acrylics. I have never tried it but his results are at least as good as any you see posted here.

https://acrylicosvallejo.com/en/

Pete

How’s your booth vented?….does it pull to the outside, or is just static?….creating a draft should eliminate 99% of vapor and fumes, and on the plus side, improve your final product with minimal overspray …..if you’re having a vapor cloud hang around your work, then it ain’t venting……the air should be exchanging constant, fresh air passing by you and your work piece, and the nasty stuff vented to the outside. Cheap household AC filters used on your exhaust will trap nearly 100% of the environmentally unfriendly stuff,….if you pull a good vacuum across your booth, a simple dust mask should be more than adequate PPE for yourself,…..you’re not using any kind of accelerator in Scalecoat, so no need to worry about catalyst emissions…….so in layman’s terms, get a strong fan, zip tie an AC filter to it, and have it pull the exhaust out,…..easy peasy, and you don’t have to surrender that good Scalecoat paint…..😉

Pat

I use a Passche spray both in my basement vented outside. Decent size with 2 fans. Think I paid close to $400 for it. I do wear a 3m mask with catridges. I take the mask off when I’m done and don’t notice anything objectionable. I use Scalecoat 1.  These probably won’t be the last 2 pieces you ever do. For what your going to pay a pro to paint these. You could buy a really good spray booth.

As far as acrylics. There’s plenty out there. I use them for weathering or small jobs. Not so much to paint an entire car. Some work better than others for me and if you do a lot of painting I’m sure you get use to them. I just get better more consistent results using Scalecoat 1.

@Norton posted:

A friend who paints professionally used Vellejo acrylics. I have never tried it but his results are at least as good as any you see posted here.

https://acrylicosvallejo.com/en/

Pete

I have started to use Vellejo acrylics as well especially for weathering. I still like best ScaleCoat 2 for plastics.

Dick

I have a spray hood that is ducted to the outside. Even still, I paint with a 3M respirator on, especially with scalecoat. The thinner for scalecoat is xylene based. Its nasty stuff.  I usually leave the fan running for a while while the piece dries and then the window open even longer than that.

My paint booth is custom built to flush fit into the basement window. I used the largest kitchen stove vent fan I could find at Grainger on it and am pleased with the results, quite a draft. Also, per the earlier posts, I leave the fan running for at least a good hour after painting too. A pro-grade 3m cartridge mask specific for filtering enamel, xylex, acetone, lacquer vapors etc., as well as latex cloves, are a must too.

I love Scalecoat.

I wait until the weather outside is good for spraying with the airbrush now.

When I sprayed inside I found that I had to have an open window or door so fresh incoming air could come across to the exhaust fan / paint booth to be exhausted  outside.      Of course the incoming air might be damp or cold so it was hard to find a day when it was suitable for painting.      Kind of a PITA.

I want to see more of your track work.

Everyone has already spoken to your work setup.

For my money acrylic paint just doesn’t compare to the adhesion and paint coat quality that a good lacquer or enamel has on brass.

Solve your ventilation and use the ScaleCoat for better results.

Thanks to all for your insights. I've decided to keep with the Scalecoat product. Just ordered a 3M respirator and will continue to use the spray booth that is ducted to the outside. Painted the underside of the caboose with the Scalecoat 2 black last nightand it turned out very nice and even. Good product.

@harley rider posted:

I want to see more of your track work.

Harley...Im happy to share photos, But, the layout is in the early stages and there isn't actually much more to show at this point. My train "season" is about to come to a close this month. I just don't do much with the layout when the weather is nice. If I make any more progress this season I will upload more photos.

Thanks so much for asking.

Ralph

@Dave_C posted:

I use a Passche spray both in my basement vented outside. Decent size with 2 fans. Think I paid close to $400 for it. I do wear a 3m mask with catridges. I take the mask off when I’m done and don’t notice anything objectionable. I use Scalecoat 1.  These probably won’t be the last 2 pieces you ever do. For what your going to pay a pro to paint these. You could buy a really good spray booth.

As far as acrylics. There’s plenty out there. I use them for weathering or small jobs. Not so much to paint an entire car. Some work better than others for me and if you do a lot of painting I’m sure you get use to them. I just get better more consistent results using Scalecoat 1.

Do you use acrylics over the Scalecoat?

Yes I have. Usually wait a week before decaling. I’ve used different paints to seal them. Not always Scalecoat. When I weather I usually go with what I have on hand. I just find it easier to switch up colors using acrylics. The one knock I have on Scalecoat. The caps are a pain to get off the bottles. Never had any ill effects going over it once dry. Plenty of modelers weather using acrylics over factory paint. My go to acrylics. Are Vallejo and Mission Models.

@HudsonORailRoader posted:

Thanks to all for your insights. I've decided to keep with the Scalecoat product. Just ordered a 3M respirator and will continue to use the spray booth that is ducted to the outside. Painted the underside of the caboose with the Scalecoat 2 black last nightand it turned out very nice and even. Good product.

Ralph - if you still feel uncomfortable with vapors not being captured by the spray booth place a desk fan (lowest setting) behind and to the side of you and aim it towards the spray booth. The fan should push any vapors escaping the spray booth back into it.
I work in my garage. I don't have a spray booth so I set up a spray table in front of a screen door to the back yard. I have the fan behind and to my right. I also use a M95 mask. I can see the particles in the air being forced out the screen door.
Also if there is a screen in the spray booth make sure you vacuum or clean it periodically. It is amazing how much powder it collects.
Joe

Dave, Scalecoat bottles are a dual cap with the top one that has to be pressed down over the one that actually seals the bottle. You can cut the top one off. I found that out by accident when the top one broke on one of mine.

Pete

  Pete, I took a hobby saw to one of mine when I absolutely needed a certain color. I don’t know if it’s my age or the age of a used bottle. They can be a bear to get off. When new they aren’t bad. Lately I’ve been buying the smaller size. Probably not as cost effective but the bottle gets used up quicker.

For weathering purposes the Vallejo brand is just to easy. It’s usually my go to for that. I did give True Color a try. It flaked off my rods on a steamer. Could have been they weren’t squeaky clean enough or how I painted. I still get the most consistent results with Scalecoat 1. Switched over when Flouquil was no longer available.

I just tried Scalecoat on my last build. I like it a lot. Very forgiving and easy to apply.

I had switched to Tru Color when Floquil became unavailable and never found it as consistent as Floquil. Thinning ratios are more critical.

Pete

People , how do you prep the brass surface ?

A good friend of mine used to use a light acid etching method by using , I think it was vinegar , before aplying a prime and finish coat. 🤔

@Dallas Joseph posted:

People , how do you prep the brass surface ?

A good friend of mine used to use a light acid etching method by using , I think it was vinegar , before aplying a prime and finish coat. 🤔

Many still advocate the use of vinegar, and I'm sure others will way in on whatever it is that they use.  Just one thing, no matter what you use make sure it's really clean; for example: vinegar has to be removed and neutralized.......

I treat the brass using phosphoric acid. You can get this at home depot. I used to use a product call metal conditioner made by Dupont. This is no longer available as Dupont combined the etching chemical into the primer and eliminated the metal conditioner product. Phosphoric acid will do the same thing. It will clean and etch the brass surface helping the paint to stick.

I used aircraft remover which is water based. I then media blasted and followed with Scalecoat.

@Joe Fauty posted:

Ralph - if you still feel uncomfortable with vapors not being captured by the spray booth place a desk fan (lowest setting) behind and to the side of you and aim it towards the spray booth. The fan should push any vapors escaping the spray booth back into it.
I work in my garage. I don't have a spray booth so I set up a spray table in front of a screen door to the back yard. I have the fan behind and to my right. I also use a M95 mask. I can see the particles in the air being forced out the screen door.
Also if there is a screen in the spray booth make sure you vacuum or clean it periodically. It is amazing how much powder it collects.
Joe

Joe, good idea. I may do some painting in the garage this spring. But, being in Ohio, we tend to get some humidity. So, it will need to be just the right weather.

@HudsonORailRoader posted:

I used aircraft remover which is water based. I then media blasted and followed with Scalecoat.

Aircraft Remover is amazing stuff, I love it, especially on brass and cast car bodies; moving layered coats of paint off what the other stuff won't budge for weeks.

Need to mask, goggle and glove up tight though if employed, it's like EZ- Off on steroids, very nasty, though my perception is certainly not as vaporously lethal as Acetone.

@atlpete posted:

Aircraft Remover is amazing stuff, I love it, especially on brass and cast car bodies; moving layered coats of paint off what the other stuff won't budge for weeks.

Need to mask, goggle and glove up tight though if employed, it's like EZ- Off on steroids, very nasty, though my perception is certainly not as vaporously lethal as Acetone.

If y’all like Aircraft stripper now, you’re eyeballs would’ve popped out if you saw it work when it had Methylene Chloride ( MC ) in it….that stuff could dissolve paint as it got near it….😉

Pat

Good booth ventilation is necessary.  IN ADDITION, wear a 3M or equivalent respirator.  Replace the cartridges frequently.  Even if you use water based paint, you want to wear the respirator.  You don't want to breath in an particles.

Brad Kowal