Kingsbridge - paint shop

[Mike 84C]

Hi Noel, great paint finish and first class looking models,very well executed. The photos of the build are first class and a very helpful guide.

[Noel]

Hi noel how do you remove the numbers from a mm 141/071 to add different ones?

 

Hi Pastavenue. To be honest I'm not 100% sure yet, but will let you know afterwards. The current plan is cotton buds and T-Cut to gently rub the numbers off the plastic body, then a patch of gloss varnish, then decals for the new numbers with decalfix, then gently weather with acrylic paints, then a coat of matt varnish all over to seal the decals and weathering. But will have to see how it turns out! Noel

[Past-Avenue]

Thanks noel I don't think you can be 100% sure about anything in this hobby thanks again for your help

[DiveController]

Black'n'Tan fleet visit paint shop ... I have to renumber another B&T 141 to B142 and that'll make five of these babies.

I presume this is the look you're going for?

[Noel]

B141 is the second of four B&T Baby GMs in for light weathering

 

Had a trial of weathering powders but I didn't like the effect so wiped that off and started again. Just looked too scruffy on a nice model for my personal taste.

 

B141 after a light weathering with air brush. Sticking to what I've learned so far! Needs a few more touches to finish on fuel tank, roof, etc, but like B181 want it to look reasonably tidy for that period where CIE kept those locos looking fresh.

 

B141 newly dusted with a rake of IRM Ballast wagons

 

Dare I attempt to weather the lovely Ballasts? I kind of like the look of them pristine and the colours are subtle and almost look weathered already.

 

PS: On B165 and B188 I am going to attempt using washes for the first time but very lightly just enough to barely accentuate the panel lines and corners.

Edited July 21, 2017 by Noel

[jhb171achill]

That scene looks SOO realistic.

 

Pretty much everything in real life is weathered. A loco straight out of the paint shop will pick up at least a little dusting on its first ever run.

 

Station buildings and road vehicles - especially lorries, cranes, fork-lifts and farm or construction machinery actually look like toys on layouts if they are pristine.

 

My own next attempt at a layout will have everything weathered.

 

CIE did indeed keep things very much cleaner than on other railways in the "black'n'tan" era, but always some weathering, however light.

[David Holman]

Looks pretty darned good to me. Very sharp.

[burnthebox]

Hi Noel & well done on all your endeavours to date, you're certainly set the marker, now mind telling me what you think is best to use when respraying carriages & wagons, in regards to either enamel or acrylic paint, I'm kinda thinking in the enamel is best, as I may be wrong but if you use acrylic dos that mean you have to cover it with a varnish to ensure its protected from wearing off...TIA

Paul

[Noel]

. . . now mind telling me what you think is best to use when respraying carriages & wagons, in regards to either enamel or acrylic paint, I'm kinda thinking in the enamel is best, as I may be wrong but if you use acrylic dos that mean you have to cover it with a varnish to ensure its protected from wearing off...TIA

Paul

 

Hi Paul. Thanks. I don't know which is better. Personally as a newbie, I choose acrylics for spraying because they are water based and therefore more user friendly inside the house. I also perceived them as less harmful to health (i.e. vapours). The big advantage is ease of cleaning airbrush and paint brushes with just plain water instead of smelly solvents. In relation to covering, I think varnishing is needed anyway with either enamels or acrylics to seal the paint finish and especially seal decals. But I've about 10 wagons that I never bothered varnishing yet. My visit to Richie's two years ago, consolidated my decision to try acrylics after I saw how and what he was achieving with Acrylics. I'd never say never to enamels, just hadn't a use for them yet, but I may end up using some matt enamels to brush paint by hand the interior seating in coaches (i.e. no spray mist). May also use enamels to brush paint the wire hand rails for B121, B233 and B230. Reading between the lines on youtube and RMweb enamels may spray slightly finer than acrylics and clog airbrushes less, but the other advantages seem to have more folk moving to acrylics. Noel

Edited May 31, 2017 by Noel

[murrayec]

Hi Noel

 

Looking good,

 

do at least go at the ballast, I have an idea of brushing some pencil lead powder over it, a very small amount with a soft brush when I get mine...

 

Eoin

[murrayec]

I choose acrylics for spraying because they are water based and therefore more user friendly inside the house. I also perceived them as less harmful to health (i.e. vapours).Noel

 

Hi Noel, just to clarify on the hazards of acrylics;-

 

They are not water based, they are water compatible- they contain some water but they contain pretty nasty stuff to be spraying in the air that you n others breath;- ethyl acrylate, isopropanol and glycol ethers, the first being very very harmful to humans. It has been known and most acrylic labels carry warnings about getting it on your skin, in eyes- the worst, or ingesting, causing burns, chronic eye problems and serious illness. Also its highly flammable in gas form, which is what we do with spray guns- make gas!

 

Safety is a must spraying this stuff, the fact you mix it down with water helps but your still spraying diluted nasty stuff into the air. Spray booth, masks, open windows n closed doors, and no heating elements is the best approach....

 

Eoin

[Noel]

Safety is a must spraying this stuff, the fact you mix it down with water helps but your still spraying diluted nasty stuff into the air. Spray booth, masks, open windows n closed doors, and no heating elements is the best approach....

 

Thanks Eoin. Good advise. Had been using a mask and ventilation, but have since acquired a spray booth with an extractor fan with hose to the outside. I haven't used rattle can aerosols such as Halfords grey primer or Humbrol acrylic varnishes indoors, instead in well ventilated shed or outdoors. Noel

[burnthebox]

Hi Noel, just to clarify on the hazards of acrylics;-

 

They are not water based, they are water compatible- they contain some water but they contain pretty nasty stuff to be spraying in the air that you n others breath;- ethyl acrylate, isopropanol and glycol ethers, the first being very very harmful to humans. It has been known and most acrylic labels carry warnings about getting it on your skin, in eyes- the worst, or ingesting, causing burns, chronic eye problems and serious illness. Also its highly flammable in gas form, which is what we do with spray guns- make gas!

 

Safety is a must spraying this stuff, the fact you mix it down with water helps but your still spraying diluted nasty stuff into the air. Spray booth, masks, open windows n closed doors, and no heating elements is the best approach....

 

Eoin

Hi Eoin & thanks for the info, now dos that reading between the lines mean the Enamel paint is safer !! or equal to acrylic TIA

Paul

[Noel]

Hi Eoin & thanks for the info, now dos that reading between the lines mean the Enamel paint is safer !! or equal to acrylic TIA

Paul

 

Hi Paul

 

I found this FAQs document by Vallejo very helpful including the Health & Safety info in section 15. I presume Tamiya and Humbrol acrylics are similar as they are used by 'Hobby' users. I guess nothing is 100% safe, but reading between the lines I just felt acrylics were safer than enamels for spraying indoors, and far less smelly due to the lack of solvents.

 

http://www.acrylicosvallejo.com/en_US/model-paints/faqs/3

 

For painting stock I started using Tamiya and very happy with it (i.e. CIE B&T coaches), but have since moved to Vallejo 'Model Air' range (pre-thinned for airbrush) and occasionally Vallejo 'Model Color' (paint brush use, or can be airbrushed if thinned). I still use rail match for airbrush weathering. Halfords primer and the Humbrol varnishes smell pretty noxious so I use them outdoors or in well ventilated shed.

Cheers

Noel

 

5.12. Model Air is manufactured especially for airbrushing. Do I need to wear a mask when I use the product?

Model Air contains no harmful pigments, but wearing a mask when airbrushing is always a good idea. Anything foreign in the air we breathe, be it dust or pollen, is best not inhaled, and pigment particles, even if not toxic, are still foreign matter.

 

15.1 All our colors are water-based, they do not contain toxic solvents. All our colors have obtained the ASTM D-4236 (USA) and the EN-71 (Europe) certifications, and all our raw materials comply with the REACH requirements.

[Noel]

Got itchy this evening and took first steps towards very lightly weathering a pair of baby GMs, four mineral wagons and three cement bubbles.  Will try some grey dust on the tops of the bubbles tomorrow after I get some more work done on the GSV.

Edited October 29, 2017 by Noel

[JasonB]

46 minutes ago, Noel said:

Got itchy this evening and took first steps towards very lightly weathering a pair of baby GMs, four mineral wagons and three cement bubbles.  Will try some grey dust on the tops of the bubbles tomorrow after I get some more work done on the GSV.

Noel you've definitely come across to the dark side.Only have the bubbles since yesterday and your already weathering them Have to say even though its only a light dusting you've given them its already highlighted the incredible detail these wagons have.

[Noel]

2 hours ago, jason brady said:

Noel you've definitely come across to the dark side.Only have the bubbles since yesterday and your already weathering them Have to say even though its only a light dusting you've given them its already highlighted the incredible detail these wagons have.

Hi Jason.  I know 'Mr Pristine' wants to lightly weather these gorgeous Irish Cement wagons!  

For my personal taste buds a light weathering should be sufficient as they are very attractive wagons with the blue Irish Cement logo.

[JasonB]

22 minutes ago, Noel said:

Hi Jason.  I know 'Mr Pristine' wants to lightly weather these gorgeous Irish Cement wagons!  

For my personal taste buds a light weathering should be sufficient as they are very attractive wagons with the blue Irish Cement logo.

Have to agree, they look that good it seems harsh to cover them in cement dust.I think I'd have to go all the way though

[Noel]

Got two more Murphy Model 141/181s lightly weathered last night.  Just enough to get the pristine finish removed and dull the shine off them.  In the B&T era they kept the locos fairly clean anyway.

I've finally figured out a quicker way of masking off any bits I didn't want paint to go (e.g. windows, wheels, pickups, etc)

I just loved the B&T era.

[Noel]

Trying to figure out what next for the IRM bubbles.  Personally I visually don't like prototypical the way they looked at end of life when they were filthy, so hoping to just gently dust them all and have a small amount of cement dust on top and the top sides of the chassis.  I'm experimenting with one set before tackling the full rake.  Think next up needs some grey weathering powder followed by dusting of grey paint on top.

[Noel]

Scary evolution of bubble weathering - so far!  I was terrified I was going to completely ruin them.

Stage 1 - Pristine out of the box (I half wanted to keep them this way)

Stage 2 - Light dusting of frame dirt and more on chassis to get rid of the black.  A little grey power on RHS wagon as an experiment

Stage 3 - Mixed up some grey from Vallejo white + a few drops of black

Vallejo paints are a total joy to use, they just flow so well through the air spray, mixing is quick and easy and cleaning the air brush afterwards take less time than after using either rail match or Tamiya. 

Edited October 30, 2017 by Noel

[JasonB]

Looks good Noel.The detail on the chassis is highlighted really well with some weathering applied.Are you still planning on keeping the logo visible or are you going to cover the bubble completely?

[Noel]

23 hours ago, jason brady said:

Looks good Noel.The detail on the chassis is highlighted really well with some weathering applied.Are you still planning on keeping the logo visible or are you going to cover the bubble completely?

Hi Jason.  Thanks, yes very much planning to keep the lovely two tone blue Irish Cement logo clearly visible.  The plan was a very light dusting of grime over all, just to tone pristine look down,  and a dusting of light grey paint and powder on top and the horizontal surfaces of the chassis (i.e. cement).  I just personally prefer these looking smart and cleanish with only light weathering rather than how they looked when filthy near end of service life, even if this is not prototypical.  Hope this makes sense.  I plan to weather the remainder of the rake during the week, and will vary it a little but not too much, might even try a slight wash on the next set and/or a very limited bit of maskol to simulate just a few patches where cement flaked off.  I'm newish to this so taking it one step at a time to minimise the risk I ruin these lovely wagons.  Noel

[Noel]

Got three more bubbles lightly weathered.  A little more grime added this time and some weathering powder mixed with water and decals administered using a cotton bud before air brushing the grime and then the concrete (i.e. for very barely visible vertical and weld seams streaking)

IRM rolling stock is taking over Woodvale Junction.  I put a little more grime on these three IRM Cement Bubbles but tried to avoid going too heavy.

It is fun experimenting and learning as I go.  Still scary on such fab models.  Have to be ultra careful handling these as there are so many added bits that are so easy to knock off when handling for painting.

Edited November 2, 2017 by Noel
typo

[Weshty]

Good job done, you're a brave man, but they look mighty!

[PJR]

They look great, well done 

[MOGUL]

They look great Noel..

not to be pedantic but any pics I've seen of a rake of bubbles has them ladder end to ladder end rather than all facing the same direction.. I'm guessing it was done to make connecting the discharge pipework easier.. any know?

[Glenderg]

Spot on, Andrew. Makes discharging contents easier as pipework closer together, less shunting. R. 

[WRENNEIRE]

Heard that mentioned myself a few times about the ladders

Had to do with charging and discharging I was told

Very brave with the weathering Noel

[JasonB]

Nice work Noel.Especially like the grime around the weld join's it looks great.Might not be the heavy prototypical weathering we are so used to seeing the bubbles carrying but their your models to run as you like.

[Noel]

21 hours ago, jason brady said:

Nice work Noel.Especially like the grime around the weld join's it looks great.Might not be the heavy prototypical weathering we are so used to seeing the bubbles carrying but their your models to run as you like.

Thanks Jason.  I'm happy the way this one turned out.  Some more to do tomorrow after I make some progress on the GSV.

[krose]

Well done on the weathering, they look great.

[Noel]

Started weathering some IRM orange cement wagons. Few more bits to try, then some tidying up and wheels to paint. Christmas came early with these wagons and I just couldn't resist having a try.

[Noel]

Some more Orange Cement Wagons weathered.  I just love this livery and these wagons. IRM have surpassed all expectations.

Before and after contrast

A few more tweaks to do on Tuesday.  The light wasn't great so I'll take some in natural daylight in the next few days.

[jhb171achill]

Superb! Extremely realistic - yet another gem on this fantastic layout.