Paints

[SpudUk]

Hello all,

Is it still accepted that spraying is the best way of painting rolling stock? If so, in the absence of an airbrush, what would be the best place to get aerosol paints from? Looking for the current red and cream used on the FR (or similar):

[SpudUk]

The other question was, what's the best way to simulate varnished wood without actually having varnished wood?

Chris

[Dannypenguin]

Hello all,
what would be the best place to get aerosol paints from?

Humbrol I would say, and as they are affiliated with Hornby you get BR colours, which might be a good match. Also, its now all made in the UK.

[Soar Valley Light]

The other question was, what's the best way to simulate varnished wood without actually having varnished wood?

Chris

Scumbling - google it. It's a technique frequently used on the inside of vintage coaching stock in 12" to the foot scale.

[Big Jim]

If you want to use rattle cans (spray cans) Halfords or a decent paint factor. Works out cheaper than humbrol sprays.
I have seen a conversion chart for rail colours from car colours but I can't for the life of me remember where.
Halfords can be reasonably helpful as they can mix odd colours. Most have a stack of paint chips that you can flick though to get a particular colour match.

[Big Jim]

Found it!!!!!
In the section of this wonderful forum known as the Garden Railway Reference Libuary.

[philipy]

If you want to use rattle cans (spray cans) Halfords or a decent paint factor. Works out cheaper than humbrol sprays.
I have seen a conversion chart for rail colours from car colours but I can't for the life of me remember where.
Halfords can be reasonably helpful as they can mix odd colours. Most have a stack of paint chips that you can flick though to get a particular colour match.

Www.customfilledaerosols.co.uk will make anything from a single rattle can to as much as you want, colour matched to all sorts of colour standards. Cost about 8 or 9 quid a can and free next day dely over £25. Or you can collect from Milton Keynes.

[FBGR]

A complete conversion chart for model paints can be found here :-

http://www.paint4models.com/

JOhn

[SpudUk]

A complete conversion chart for model paints can be found here :-

http://www.paint4models.com/

JOhn

I've tried looking there but can't seem to find Indian red, which I imagine is what the FR are using in the image above

[SpudUk]

If you want to use rattle cans (spray cans) Halfords or a decent paint factor. Works out cheaper than humbrol sprays.
I have seen a conversion chart for rail colours from car colours but I can't for the life of me remember where.
Halfords can be reasonably helpful as they can mix odd colours. Most have a stack of paint chips that you can flick though to get a particular colour match.

Www.customfilledaerosols.co.uk will make anything from a single rattle can to as much as you want, colour matched to all sorts of colour standards. Cost about 8 or 9 quid a can and free next day dely over £25. Or you can collect from Milton Keynes.

Ah these chaps seem to do indian red! Next question is, how glossy, and Cellulose, Acrylic or Synthetic Enamel paint?

I'm guessing high gloss, to get the effect of a new painted and varnished up coach?

[SpudUk]

The other question was, what's the best way to simulate varnished wood without actually having varnished wood?

Chris

Scumbling - google it. It's a technique frequently used on the inside of vintage coaching stock in 12" to the foot scale.

What I've googled so far on scumbling has given me a massive headache!

[philipy]

If you want to use rattle cans (spray cans) Halfords or a decent paint factor. Works out cheaper than humbrol sprays.
I have seen a conversion chart for rail colours from car colours but I can't for the life of me remember where.
Halfords can be reasonably helpful as they can mix odd colours. Most have a stack of paint chips that you can flick though to get a particular colour match.

Www.customfilledaerosols.co.uk will make anything from a single rattle can to as much as you want, colour matched to all sorts of colour standards. Cost about 8 or 9 quid a can and free next day dely over £25. Or you can collect from Milton Keynes.

Ah these chaps seem to do indian red! Next question is, how glossy, and Cellulose, Acrylic or Synthetic Enamel paint?

I'm guessing high gloss, to get the effect of a new painted and varnished up coach?

Personally, I would never use high gloss on any model - the 6ft rule applies, IMO

[SpudUk]

If you want to use rattle cans (spray cans) Halfords or a decent paint factor. Works out cheaper than humbrol sprays.
I have seen a conversion chart for rail colours from car colours but I can't for the life of me remember where.
Halfords can be reasonably helpful as they can mix odd colours. Most have a stack of paint chips that you can flick though to get a particular colour match.

Www.customfilledaerosols.co.uk will make anything from a single rattle can to as much as you want, colour matched to all sorts of colour standards. Cost about 8 or 9 quid a can and free next day dely over £25. Or you can collect from Milton Keynes.

Ah these chaps seem to do indian red! Next question is, how glossy, and Cellulose, Acrylic or Synthetic Enamel paint?

I'm guessing high gloss, to get the effect of a new painted and varnished up coach?

Personally, I would never use high gloss on any model - the 6ft rule applies, IMO

They do Semi-gloss (60%) and satin (30%) too, what do you recommend?

[TonyW]

I've tried looking there but can't seem to find Indian red, which I imagine is what the FR are using in the image above

The paint used by the FR used to be called Mercedes Red. but I believe it is now just called "FR carriage maroon" or similar and mixed by the manufacturer as required.

[SpudUk]

I've tried looking there but can't seem to find Indian red, which I imagine is what the FR are using in the image above

The paint used by the FR used to be called Mercedes Red. but I believe it is now just called "FR carriage maroon" or similar and mixed by the manufacturer as required.

Aaaaah, so not Indian red? It's pretty close though, right?

[Marquis DeCarabas]

Aaaaah, so not Indian red? It's pretty close though, right?

No. Think the colour of Corris engine No 3. That's indian red - or DLG (the Soup Dragon) in the right light.

[freelander]

to stain wood try tea bags yes I did say tea bags, look into any used cup and look at the stains, the more you expose the wood to the tea the darker it goes and you keep the natural look of the wood, try it and you will be amazed and you get a cuppa at the same time rewards all round

cheers.

[SpudUk]

Aaaaah, so not Indian red? It's pretty close though, right?

No. Think the colour of Corris engine No 3. That's indian red - or DLG (the Soup Dragon) in the right light.

I'd always been under the impression that the L&B used Indian red, but apparently that was terracotta instead!?

[Big Jim]

I tend to use matt or satin on most things. Matt with a satin varnish seems to work well for everything apart from a 'pride of the line type loco.'
I think these are better in gloss.
IMHO

[philipy]

Aaaaah, so not Indian red? It's pretty close though, right?

No. Think the colour of Corris engine No 3. That's indian red - or DLG (the Soup Dragon) in the right light.

I'd always been under the impression that the L&B used Indian red, but apparently that was terracotta instead!?

The trouble with the names of paint colours is that they are meaningless. There is no central arbiter of paint names even today, although certain standards ( ie BS or RAL, etc) do give names to scientifically measurable colours.

Back in the independant steam railway era, the best that could be hoped for was that a company defined its red as; x parts THIS, y parts THAT, and z parts OTHER and call that "Our Railway Indian Red", then hope that on the day the foreman painter got the proportions exactly right, depending on how he measured, how much he mixed up and how much he had to drink the night before. Then depending on how many coats they gave it, how much varnish and how long it had been in service when somebody saw it and said " Ah that must be 'Indian Red', because that is what they say they use"... add in some individual colour perception and old colour film, and who knows what colour anything should be?!

In other words, Indian Red, Terracotta and half a dozen other names could in practice be near enough the same, or there could be a dozen different variations, all called "Indian Red".

Even good old GWR green generates heated debate and you'd think that would be absolutely defined, so what chance a back-of-beyond narrow gauge line who's function was hauling slate!