New Airbrush How Did I do?


Nice, although I think you might want to ensure you've got the windows well masked off before applying weathering. Looks like you might have gotten some on the front windows.
 
Thanks,
I didnt mask the windows and was considering if to leave it or not? Some windows look dirty but not that dirty. It will come off since its water based. Thanks for the input.

Hows your layout coming along? I grew up in Gladstone and lived in Astoria. I miss the PNW trains.
 
Well, with my new GP39-2s I think I've officially gotten too many locomotives! I think my ADHD has kicked in and I'm doing nothing at a high rate of speed.

Actually, that's not true, it's just that I can't seem to lock down onto one project and get it finished.

Right now just off the top of my head I've got the following projects that need doing:

1. Rebuild duckunder/swing gate (total rebuild similar to what Charlie Comstock has)
2. "Astoria" Plywood Co. (lots of scratchbuilt/kitbashed buildings)
3. Willow Creek riding railroad (mostly scenery at this point)
4. Foster Farms feed silos at Del Mesa/Donald (lots of expensive Walther's kits)
5. White's Hauling transload in Hopmere (scratchbuilt, all the way)
6. Western Ag/Marion Co-Op in Hopmere (start with a Walthers grain elevator... and add stuff)
7. Finish off SP departure spur from Labish Interchange (glue track down)
8. Pepsi in "Mt. Angel" (Haven't even thought of this one yet)
9. Boise in Salem (building flat)
10. Truitt Bros. in Salem (front of layout building)
11. 2 locations of Cascade Warehouse in Salem (one warehouse kit partially built... and it's too large for the location, sigh)
12. Backdrops down the middle of he peninsula section (just bought the vinyl flooring and some 1/4" steel rod for support)
13. Backdrop & Structures throughout Salem
... and all the connecting scenery to tie it all together.

I've got a few more years of work here I expect.
 
Chad, it looks like a really nice job. Most guys tend to go overboard when they first start weathering but your engine looks like a typical road unit that's been in service for a year or so, long enough to pick up some grime and a little rust on the trucks and underframe. Jeff is right about masking things like windows and headlights if you are weathering with an airbrush. The overspray looks just like that - overspray. Cab windows tended to be relatively clean even on heavily weathered units because the crews would clean them. I'd clean the windows, That's one big advantage of using acrylic paints and chalks. You can always clean up areas that don't look quite right with some water before you seal it.

Jeff, that list would keep me busy for the rest of my natural lifetime. :)
 
Chad;

What airbrush did you get? You may have said in another thread but I don't 'member. (Southern pronunciation of remember)
 
I picked up a Harbor Freight Dual Action air brush. It was on sale for $15 and now I wish I picked up more. I used a friends Adawada (sp) and it feels close to the same. Im not saying they are since I know you get what you pay for but this one is way better then the first badger i picked up.

Ill try and find a link on their web site if I can. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=95810 It even on sale again! For the price I can pick another one up for parts if needed.

Thanks for the tips guys and the feed back. I was a little scared since it was a brand new loco and all pretty. But I am happy with it. Just need to clean up the windows.
 
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meanjean said:
... I used a friends Adawada (sp) and it feels close to the same.
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MJ,

Its Iwata. Real good brush. But the cheapest I've seen any of their brushes is about $150. Way too expensive.

meanjean said:
Ill try and find a link on their web site if I can. http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/Displayitem.taf?itemnumber=95810 It even on sale again! For the price I can pick another one up for parts if needed.

Thanks for the tips guys and the feed back. I was a little scared since it was a brand new loco and all pretty. But I am happy with it. Just need to clean up the windows.
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The HF brush is a copy of a Badger Anthem 154, IIRC. The HF brush is so close a clone that the badger tips, and needle are a drop in replacement.
 
No, it's not, as the disclaimer at the bottom of the ad shows. "Prices on our website may or may not be current prices in our stores". Sometimes HF runs catalog and internet only specials. Your best bet is to call the local store and ask. Depnding on the manager, he may match the price if you print out the internet ad and show it to him, but it may be the normal $19.99 in stores, and they sometimes won't budge.
 
funnelfan said:
Chad, it looks good, but you kinda over did it below the frame. You may want to overspray it with engine black to mellow out the weathering and make it more like above the frame. Also you should paint the handrails around the steps and the step edges white. Take a look at this photo.

http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=1022972
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Your right, even though I was not following the real deal it may need to be toned down on the frame. I noticed a few Rio Grande locos that seemed very white on the tank and trucks. The white powder turned out pretty light. I also noticed the front pilot behind the plow is not orange like in the model, just the plow?
Oh well. Im not a rivet counter and having some fun. I will paint the handrails white, thats an easy fix.

Never mind this pic it is. Plus there doesnt appear to be white handrails.
http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/showPicture.aspx?id=841853
 
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Chad, that's a really bad picture but, if you look close, you can see the remains of some white paint on the left side top handrail. It used to be common in the 70's for the white paint to be worn off by a combination of wear and weathering on really grimy locomotives. Even so, there was white paint still left in some spots. The white paint is not there for decoration, it's for crew safety, so they don't miss the handrail climbing aboard, especially at night or if the unit was moving. By the 80's, OSHA was getting on the railroad's back about this so most locomotives had the handrails repainted whenever they were shopped, regards less of the condition of the rest of the paint. That appears to be the case with the two locomotives show at the link Ted posted, which you'll note is almost 10 years after the date of the picture you posted. If you want to duplicate the 70's look, I'd still paint the handrails white and then weather them down until only a little white was visible. I'm quite certain that no Rio Grande tunnel motor ever left the paint shops new without white handrails.
 
Actually, I think the powdery white look is about right for the Rio Grande units that ran across the alkali deserts of Utah. I remember seeing similar locomotive all the time on run throughs to LA. OTOH, you can also see the white handrails were pretty standard.
 
Espeefan said:
Cjcrescent said:
MJ,

Its Iwata. Real good brush. But the cheapest I've seen any of their brushes is about $150. Way too expensive.
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Yeah they sting a little, and not for everyone except us fanatics;)

I was in their booth last year at Trainfest and asked the guy why the blazes I should pay so much for an airbrush, and danged if he didn't give me some pretty good reasons!

Heavier construction, nickle plating twice as thick as any other make, and the biggie was that they use a spring steel needle. The guy actually bent the needle in front of me then stuck it back in the brush no problem. I have not had to buy any parts after a year of pretty steady use, except for a crown tip which I put on all my airbrushes. Even the seals and O rings are pretty stout. It's one of those situations where you spend more up front but pay less in the long run. Still, I only bought one because I do a fair amount of painting for other folks. It has to work for a living:D Kind of like buying Snap-on hand tools...

Nice weathering job by the way, to stay on topic. Leave some crud on the windows, they get dirty too. Nice thing about weathering, there really isn't a "wrong way". You can find a photo for just about any kind of crud!
Click to expand...
 
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