Repo tinplate paint

Give Harry Henning a call, he carries the whole palet of colors.

http://store03.prostores.com/s...lor-Paint/Categories

James

I have never used the Hennings line. Reviews are mixed. I have used the repro spray train enamed from Charles Wood and find it to be excellent.

Hennings paints are not available in spray cans if that is important to you. Charles Wood sells his paints in cans and sprayhttp://www.trainenamel.com/. He offers every possible color from Am Flyer, Ives and prewar Lionel. Here is the link: http://www.trainenamel.com/

Regards,
Mack

I am interested in spray cans if available. I have not yet mastered air brushing. Plus I am not looking for restoration quality. This car isn't worth anything and I am just looking to get a little glossy look back into it. So spray cans will work for me.

Thanks,
Ed

For what it's worth, 7 of the 8 cans of Wood's paint I purchased at York last year either didn't work or sprayed blobs out of the nozzle, that's why I went to Henning's. If you buy Wood's try to test it before you take it home.

James

quote:

Originally posted by MrNabisco:
IMO Charles Woods paint are next to garbage... Thick, slow drying and spray very heavy with spotting and dripping. Plus none of the colors match originals.

I have used the Woods paint many times with good results and none of the problems indicated here.

Jeff Davis

So far I've had good luck with Woods paints, although I did not get the level of gloss I wanted without using a clear coat.

Steve

quote:

Originally posted by Ed Walsh:
I am interested in spray cans if available. I have not yet mastered air brushing. Plus I am not looking for restoration quality. This car isn't worth anything and I am just looking to get a little glossy look back into it. So spray cans will work for me.

Thanks,
Ed

If you are not looking for exact, I found a reasonable match with Rustoleum 7794 Antique White for the cream on the Blue Comet. Krylon also makes a good water based match. It was the silver, gunmetal and grey from Wood's that gave me grief. Could have been a bad batch or the metal flake in the paint could have been a problem, but at $8.00 a can I expected better. Your experience may be different with lighter colors, test it before you buy.

James

Thanks everyone for the tips. I checked Henning's site and his color chart shows the color I am looking for ( or at least it is very close ). Since in this case I am not looking to do an accurate restoration, close is OK. Good to know about Henning's. Over the years I've picked up a number of postwar operating accessories, some of which could use a new paint job to bring them back.

Thanks,
Ed

I used to restore items and tried to get exact color matches. I tried every paint I could, and I found that Hennings paint was the closest to original color and a better paint that Woods train enamels, which aren't even close, in my opinion.

The other thing I found about Woods paints is that they are an alkaline based enamel. I noticed that it took days for this stuff to air dry. It needs baked, otherwise, you need to keep it in a dust free environment for a week or so.

If an air brush is not an option for you, and color match is not important, then just get some cans of paint in colors you like, and you should do fine.

Another option, which I have used, is to go to an automotive paint specialty store and match the paint to an auto paint. They may be able to scan and get it very close, or you can choose from a book of colors. They generally can put the paint in a regular spray can for you as well.

By the way, no one can seem to get Lionel gunmetal paints correct. If you get into that, you'll probably have to paint the whole item, not just a part.

Have you checked out Weavers Scalecoat I restoration colors? I have customers that like it, although I have yet to try it myself.

I've used both Woods paints and Hennings. I agree Woods takes forever to dry and your model should be covered ASAP after applying. I use a single stage Paasche H model and have to use a #5 tip and thin at least 50% to get it to spray.
The upside its a near perfect match and has a pretty good gloss.
Henning's paints are easier to spray and dry a bit quicker but for best results cover to avoid dust. Over a period of a few days the paint loses some of its gloss. I prefer it for Post War restorations. Woods for Pre War due to the better gloss.
BTW a single stage airbrush is as easy to use as a spray can and will give consistently better results due to its finer mist.

my $.02
Pete

quote:

Have you checked out Weavers Scalecoat I restoration colors?

I have not but I'll look into it. Thanks for the info.

Ed

quote:

BTW a single stage airbrush is as easy to use as a spray can

I've got a double stage air brush that I have been trying to master. The results so far are less than pretty. I've seen other people use them it it looks so easy. But of coarse it is only easy after you learn how.

Thanks,
Ed

quote:

Originally posted by Ed Walsh:

quote:

BTW a single stage airbrush is as easy to use as a spray can

I've got a double stage air brush that I have been trying to master. The results so far are less than pretty. I've seen other people use them it it looks so easy. But of coarse it is only easy after you learn how.

Thanks,
Ed

Ed, I've been using automotive spray guns and airbrushes for many decades now. I have both single and dual stage airbrushes and have yet to master the dual stage. A single stage works just like a spray can with an adjustable nozzle. Once set, just press down. When its time to weather a model, then a dual stage has some advantages. Otherwise a single stage will do what you want here.

Pete

Pete,

I am convinced - I am going to get a single stage air brush. I got the double stage as a gift and I think they thought double was better than single so we'll get him the double. It is the thought that counts.

Any recommendations on a decent brand? I know nothing about the different brands out there.

Thanks,
Ed

Get a Paasche single action air brush. I think the double action is a bit much for what you are trying to do.

Scalecoat is good paint, however I believe that you'll need to clear coat it for gloss.

The other brands, well, it's a personal choice. I have always found the Henning Collector Color better in color match, and ease of use, and have never been satisfied with the color, gloss, or long dry time on Woods paint. To me, it always was off on color and had a "fake" patina look to it.

When doing this work, I generally get colors mixed, and use automotive acrylic enamel. I do best that way, when I decide to paint something, but there are suitable over the counter colors, as well.

One thing I do use Woods gunmetal for is blending for prewar gunmetal. I have been pretty successful shooting something like a steam chest or boiler front with a semi gloss black enamel(not Krylon semi flat), and then while the black is wet, spraying it with the Woods 385 gunmetal, and then baking. It took a bit of practice to get the right amount of gunmetal to blend with the black, but I can get the darker or lighter gunmetals using this technique. It's better than anything else I have been able to come up with when trying to duplicate gunmetal, and it's pretty easy.

Ed, I am using the same Paasche Model H single action that I bought in the early '70s. I used to have a Binks Wren but these are NLA and I have a Harbor Freight single action that I got on sale for 5 bucks. That I use for scenery. I have never used any of the other brands so I can't compare.
This HO engine was painted and weathered with the Model H. By changing tips, air pressure, and paint mixture strength you still have a lot of flexibility.

http://www.majhost.com/gallery/klr08/6420/s12crop.jpg



Pete

I've had a Badger Model 200 bottom feed single action airbrush for years. It's a great air brush.

http://www.badgerairbrush.com/BADGER_200.asp

I also have an Iwata dual action air brush, but find I use the Badger model more.

http://www.iwata-medea.com/index.php/products/cm_c

I think the Eastwood Company still sells their refillable spray can. I have used them in the past to restore my 1965 Impalla and my 1953 Jeep CJ3B and they worked very well. I let my brother use mine and it is no longer with us so to speak. Harbour Freight also sells a small touch up gun for around 10 bucks that holds less than a quart of paint and thinner. This little gun paints better than my Binks gun that cost 15 times as much.


Glenn

I was able to match a color I needed in Benjamin Moore Impervo High Gloss Enamel and have some of it put into a spray can. The quart was just over $20 and the spray was $10.00. There is a LOT of paint left in the quart also.
If your local paint store can't do the spray can, one nearby should be able to do it.

I wanted blue roofs and underframes on an all orange MTH passenger car set to match an MTH Celebration 255E.

This is the result:

http://youtu.be/qcDKBfiPy4k
http://youtu.be/T861fVrrsJ8
http://youtu.be/5_yRaOFrmJY

Enjoy!

quote:

Scalecoat is good paint, however I believe that you'll need to clear coat it for gloss.

According to the Weaver website, the scalecoat paints dry to such a high gloss finish as to facilitate easy application of decals; well, at least that is what is claimed. Have not used Scalecoat but am tempted to try their tinplate colors in the spray cans.

Mack

As always, lots of good advice and help.

Thanks,
Ed

One more thing to consider. You stated that the car you are thinking of repainting is a nice looking piece. It may not be a good candidate for a repaint, as an original piece in even a low C-6 (nicks and scratches) condition is probably worth as much or more than a repainted car.

Early in my collecting, I basically destroyed some decent original pieces by restoring them, when they were actually good prewar pieces. I just didn't realize it.

Anyway, it may be more useful to you to find a straight car with bad paint, etc, and use that as a starting point, rather than a decent car. It's just an opinion, but it comes from a bit of experience.

jsrfo - You make a good point. The car is the Baby Ruth boxcar. Oddly, the sides and bottom are in really nice shape. The top however is dinged and scratched up pretty badly. That is why I was just going to paint the top. I don't about value, I picked it out of a box of junk. I was just looking to get it to look nice again. Thanks for the insight, it is something to think about.

Ed

I'd say you're safe on the repaint for the Baby Ruth roof. Those cars are plentiful, and redoing the roof can't hurt. I may have an original roof around here somewhere, and I'll look and let you know. Yours for the cost of postage, if I have one, and if you want it.

quote:

Yours for the cost of postage, if I have one

jsrfo,

That is a very generous offer which I will take you up on if you have it. I don't now if I mentioned this but the car I have is 0 gauge and not standard.

Thanks,
Ed