Removing lettering/numbers from locos - updated with photos

I believe you can polish the dull coat to get a bit more shine if it's too dull.

OK Zett, if I may: been there, done that - black metal tenders, that is.

 

Now that the letters are gone, regardless of the method, you have a small mess. You do

not need "Lionel" paint - you need satin black from the hardware store. Krylon or the

like (DO get a "name" brand). Paint the ENTIRE SIDE of the tender, or at least break/mask at a logical point. There's no "matching"

 

That's what I do and it works. Sand, with sanding film, the area with which you have been fiddling. Do some basic and minimal masking of trucks and other areas to be avoided with the paint. I put my tenders flat on their sides, cover the trucks with blue painter's tape,

wrap a friendly old - but not oily - rag (like a hand towel) all around the top and ends of the tender, and paint away. I have several "painting towels" that are useful for casual masking.

 

Be patient. A couple of light coats. Usually the paint sheen matches nearly

perfectly - it's a steam loco, for pete's sake. (The method on the rear, if there was a number removed, is similar.) After the first side dries and is satisfactory - a couple of hours - turn the tender over and repeat. If the next day it looks like another coat is needed, do it.

 

Let the paint cure for several days; decal. The protective overspray is an issue - Dullcote is too dull to be "satin", Glosscote is too shiny, hardware store brands are dangerous. I use Dullcote; again, it's a steam locomotive.

 

I've done many. I wish that Testors made a canned "Satincote".

I looked up Bestine online and one source described it as being basically n-heptane, otherwise known as zero-octane gasoline. That should make it a really good solvent, but probably something to be careful with around heat sources, sparks, or flames. It would be a lot more volatile and flammable than, say, any common form of alcohol. I may try a can next time I get by the art store, or maybe they have it at Ace. If it works as well as some of you say it does for taking off lettering without damaging underlying paint, it's worth a try.

@ rattler Tender looks a little too clean in your photo to belong to that engine.  Although given the fact most local switcher crews took pride in the engine they used every day.

Zett,

I think D500 has given you the best advice at this point, since the salvaging effort is not working out.

 

Concerning gloss, flat, and satin; I have mixed POLLY Scale clear finishes (an acrylic) to achieve the desired sheen. You will have to look around to see if they can still be found, or find a suitable substitute. If you're using an airbrush.

I will post a picture if you would like to see the result.

 

Dave

This is my current project, a scale Lionel USRA 0-8-0. It arrived badly beaten up as if someone threw it in a dryer and let it spin and bounce around for about an hour. The body of the tender was stripped and repainted with PJ1 Satin Black. The coal bunker is original paint. Color and sheen is pretty close.

This was sprayed directly from the rattle can. It comes out fairly heavy so you have to move fast. For detail work I spray the paint into an airbrush bottle where I have more control and finer spray.

 

 

 

Pete

@ Norton, which paint manufacturer is PJ1?  Looks excellent.          Thank you-

Paul, PJ1 is the brand name. A lot of motorcycle shops stock it. Thats where I first found it. Its very durable and covers well. I have used their black gloss on frames for its resistance to chipping. You can also google it. I have found it on Amazon.

 

http://pj1.com

 

http://pj1.com/c-1057646-power...erosol-coatings.html

 

Pete

Thanks for the great replies!!! I really appreciate it.

Norton do you know what stores sell PJ1? I've been looking online and it looks like WalMart does...

Also what specifically are you using to sand? Is the final picture that you posted with the dull coat applied as well or just the paint? Also how many coats of dull coat do you use?

Thanks again for the input all. I really want this to turn out nice.

Ok if you go to PJ1s webpage you can do a dealer search. It looks like Wal-Mart carries a very limited collection of their product. I did a search an a Harley shop carries this product 2 minutes from my house, so thanks for the suggestion Norton.

Zett, Wal Mart may sell it. There is a Honda dealer less than a mile from me that stocks it so I have easy access.

After stripping I don't sand. This paint cures similar to epoxy. The finish you see is the paint. I will dull cote it after the decals are applied.

 

Pete

Norton, PJ1 is pretty much like Tamiya PS spray paints for polycarbonate materials. I've used For handrails, etc. One drawback is that it is almost impossible to remove. Scalecoat stripper wouldn't take it off. Tamiya also makes a TS paint for regular plastic.

Norton I am so glad you replied to this topic. The PJ1 paint is way closer to a match than I could have hoped for, this is coming out fantastic. Some pictures are below. I have a little work to do on the cab where a paint line developed by some rivets. 

 

 

Wow, it made a huge difference! 

 

Though I don't 'follow' this thread, I do check it for daily progress.  Lots of great ideas here.  And, that's what it's about, helping each other!

Nice work zett.

 

Ahh, too funny! I just googled pj1 to see what the can looks like. My roommate is a bmx, & mini bike nut & buys it regularly at the shop. There are already a few cans in my garage, and I painted my iron fence with some mid-summer.

Zett, I am glad the paint worked for you. One caveat though as I just found out on my tender pictured above, if you plan on using decals vs dry transfers you will want to spray some gloss over the area the decals are going. Decaling directly on the satin paint will leave a haze under the decal. Microscale or custom might not be as bad since they are much thinner but Champ will cause you grief if applied right on the PJ1.

 

pete

I'm posting the finished product in the vinyl thread here:

 

https://ogrforum.com/t...14#37470279623269714

 

overall the PJ1 paint is fantastic. I sprayed 4-5 coats on my reprinted areas and it blends in extremely well with the rest of the engine.

Well, I tried the finest wet-dry sandpaper I could get on one of Bachmann On30 ten-wheelers, to remove road numbers from the cab and sand dome.

You can tell where it's buffed underneath where I'd sanded it, but I think with the new road # decals in place, a little light weathering and some dusting of dullcoate, it should look good after that.