For what it is worth, I have found the Accupaints to be some of the most forgiving of the fine model paints (ranking right up with Scalecoat), with similar coverage characteristics. My understanding is that its "primer" is no more or no less than just another paint with no special "priming" characteristics that would enhance adhesion, fill grain, etc. That said, I do use the the AP primer exclusively when a neutral undercoat is required- because it covers so well.

The downside of all Accupaints is that the average modeler can be completely assured that whatever color that he needs today, tomorrow, or any specific future date will, in fact, not be available- and there will be no information as to when it might be!

.Denny
--
Denny S. Anspach, MD
5603 Lakeshore Drive
Okoboji, IA 51355
712-332-2914

Denny wrote

For what it is worth, I have found the Accupaints to be some of the
most forgiving of the fine model paints (ranking right up with
Scalecoat), with similar coverage characteristics. My understanding
is that its "primer" is no more or no less than just another paint
with no special "priming" characteristics that would enhance
adhesion, fill grain, etc. That said, I do use the the AP primer
exclusively when a neutral undercoat is required- because it covers
so well.

I've had minor problems spraying Accupaint over another (unknown)
type of paint, such as the undercoat turny slightly tacky. This has
lasted as much as a week or more. So although I have had ok results
using other primers, I think it's fair to warn people to test before
trying it.

Tim O'

Greetings,

One technique I haven't seen mentioned lately is polishing the
body to add 'tooth' for paint adhesion rather than using a paint
type primer. Plastic and resin models can polished with
toothpaste using a soft toothbrush. Brass and die cast require
something harder, like cleanser. Wash the model thoughly
afterwards and let dry before painting.

Michael

I haven't tried it, but plan to: Buy a cheap electric toothbrush
with a small rotary head. This seems safer, easier and perhaps more
effective than back-and-forth brushing. I have caused damage before
from brushing motion, trying to remove a stubborn bit of paint.

Tim O'Connor

--- In STMFC@..., Michael Watnoski <freestatesystems1@...> wrote:

Greetings,

One technique I haven't seen mentioned lately is polishing the
body to add 'tooth' for paint adhesion rather than using a paint
type primer. > Michael

Hi Michael, Your suggestion seems directionally incorrect. Typically one roughens a surface
to improve paint adhesion rather than polishing it. Regards, Don Smith

Don Smith wrote:

Your suggestion seems directionally incorrect. Typically one roughens a surface to improve paint adhesion rather than polishing it.

Don, you're taking the word "polish" too literally. Any polish, with whatever grit, actually scratches the surface as it removes material. As you use finer and finer grit, the scratches just get successively smaller, until they are too small to see (then we say the surface is "polished"). But in this case, an initially smooth surface of the resin casting is naturally scratched by the "polish," providing the desired "tooth."

Anthony Thompson
Dept. of Materials Science & Engineering
University of California, Berkeley
thompsonmarytony@...

OK Don, it's scratching then! :o

rgs0554 wrote:

One technique I haven't seen mentioned lately is polishing the
body to add 'tooth' for paint adhesion rather than using a paint
type primer.

I would call this roughing it up myself, I now do this for all of my wooden cars that I scratchbuild from styrene. A Scotchbrite pad is perfect for this. I then drybrush very thin coats of acrylic over the resulting surface which leads to a very rich looking surface. A few people have complimented my airbrushing technique to which I reply, 'Hmm maybe I should buy one'.

Jim

--- In STMFC@..., Denny Anspach <danspach@...> wrote:

For what it is worth, I have found the Accupaints to be some of the
most forgiving of the fine model paints (ranking right up with
Scalecoat), with similar coverage characteristics. My understanding
is that its "primer" is no more or no less than just another paint
with no special "priming" characteristics that would enhance
adhesion, fill grain, etc. That said, I do use the the AP primer
exclusively when a neutral undercoat is required- because it covers
so well.

The downside of all Accupaints is that the average modeler can be
completely assured that whatever color that he needs today, tomorrow,
or any specific future date will, in fact, not be available- and
there will be no information as to when it might be!

.Denny
--
Denny S. Anspach, MD
5603 Lakeshore Drive
Okoboji, IA 51355
712-332-2914

Hi Denny, In the bit I posted a little while ago about painting with Accupaint and PBL Star
brand paint, one one of the ideas I wanted to get across was that Star paint is ALWAYs
available. Since the two paints are compatible one can set up and become proficient
with lacquer based paint with a reasonable expectation of availability. Regards, Don Smith

--- In STMFC@..., Anthony Thompson <thompson@...> wrote:

Don Smith wrote:

Your suggestion seems directionally incorrect. Typically one roughens
a surface to improve paint adhesion rather than polishing it.

Don, you're taking the word "polish" too literally. Any polish,
with whatever grit, actually scratches the surface as it removes
material. As you use finer and finer grit, the scratches just get
successively smaller, until they are too small to see (then we say the
surface is "polished"). But in this case, an initially smooth surface
of the resin casting is naturally scratched by the "polish," providing
the desired "tooth."

Anthony Thompson
Dept. of Materials Science & Engineering
University of California, Berkeley
thompsonmarytony@...

Hi Tony, Perhaps I'm too simple a soul who believes words actually mean what they are
supposed to mean. My Webster's defines polishing as "to make smooth and glossy usually
by friction" Regards, Don

Don Smith wrote:

Hi Tony, Perhaps I'm too simple a soul who believes words actually mean what they are
supposed to mean. My Webster's defines polishing as "to make smooth and glossy usually
by friction"

Sure. But the dictionary doesn't explain what the normal method is to accomplish same, such as the use of finer and finer grit; and I bet I can apply plenty of friction without necessarily polishing a variety of surfaces. Sometimes the dictionary isn't your best authority--leaving aside the intriguing idea that words are "supposed" to mean something.

Tony Thompson Editor, Signature Press, Berkeley, CA
2906 Forest Ave., Berkeley, CA 94705 www.signaturepress.com
(510) 540-6538; fax, (510) 540-1937; e-mail, thompson@...
Publishers of books on railroad history

Don Smith
Your information on polishing that you got from MR Webster is correct. In the Jewerlly business, the machine shop and mold making "to polish means to remove blemishes, scratches and to smooth. What you want in smoothness will tell you what you want to use to polish. I usually start with a 1000 grit emory cloth/paper. Work my way up to about 5000 grit then switch to a polishing compound and go to finer grits until I have the surface finish I want. I have polished molds to a glass finish that you could see yourself in. In that case I used a 50,000 grit diamond polishing compound.
As far as painting goes I have never worked in that area but understand that what ever your surface to be painted looks like before painting, it will look the same after the paint is applied. I had a friend in the car painting business. I have seen him work a repaired spot until you could not see the repair before he would paint it.
So I guess you pays your money and takes your choice. !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 8>)
Thank you
Larry Jackman
Boca Raton FL
ljack70117@...
I was born with nothing and
I have most of it left

Larry Jackman wrote:

Your information on polishing that you got from MR Webster is correct. In the Jewerlly business, the machine shop and mold making "to polish means to remove blemishes, scratches and to smooth. I usually start with a 1000 grit emory cloth/paper. Work my way up to about 5000 grit then switch to a polishing compound . . .

Yes. For metallographic polish, preparatory to etching, often 600 grit is good enough to remove objectionable scratches. It depends on what you want. But it ain't friction alone that does the job--I'm afraid I differ with the definition given. My Webster's New World refers to rubbing with a cloth or tool and an abrasive, which I'd say is closer to reality.

Tony Thompson Editor, Signature Press, Berkeley, CA
2906 Forest Ave., Berkeley, CA 94705 www.signaturepress.com
(510) 540-6538; fax, (510) 540-1937; e-mail, thompson@...
Publishers of books on railroad history

In the machine shop and in mold making the emery cloth is a tool. When you use the cloth you also use oil with it. I have NEVER seen any thing polished DRY. If I have some real bad scratches I start with a stone of some sort, then the cloth, then the polishing compound But always with some oil.
Why oil? It floats the material you remove out of your way and keeps your tools from clogging.
As I said before!!!!!!! You pays your money and takes your choice. !!!!!!! 8>)
Thank you
Larry Jackman
Boca Raton FL
ljack70117@...
I was born with nothing and
I have most of it left

--- In STMFC@..., "Schuyler Larrabee" <schuyler.larrabee@...> wrote:

-----Original Message-----

Great if Star carries one of the paints you want, but a brief look at their website

suggests that

the line is fairly limited.



SGL
La vita e breve, mangiate prima il dolce!

Hi Schuyler, PBL - Star Brand has all the freight car colors you would ever want. Several
box car reds/brown, reefer yellow and orange, PFE orange,white black plus almost
everything else except blue. I am able to do almost all my STMFC era freight car and
caboose model painting With Star Brand. I recommended using it in conjunction with
Accupaint to do dieserl painting Scan Walthers for Manufacturer #102. There are some
APs in stock now. If one checks Walthers periodically for AP soon one can soon obtain all
the colors one needs. Regards, Don Smith