Thomas Modification ideas: assistance needed

[Ucwepn]

Yeah had problems with paint coming off the wheels, even when done right with the airbrush, cleaned the surface, roughed the surface, primed, painted and cleared. Even with humbrol acrylic which sticks very very well to everything I've painted with it, it was a wearing/rubbing through problem on every project I have done with painted wheels not a paint adhering problem. I think it would always be ideal to find the correct colored wheels and even put them on another axle if necessary.

An airbrush is nice but can be messy and tricky to tune and a pain to clean it correctly afterwards, you can get awesome results with a paint brush as long as you thin the paint so it's a little thicker than milk (you have to do this with an airbrush anyway), and use a high quality paint brush from a hobby/craft shop (cheap brushes leave streaks). Most of mine have been hand painted by brush, always clean the surface you are painting with wax and grease remover first.

All these and more were hand painted.

Scotties coaches (not Scotty himself)
   


VR T & B
   


VR R
   


SR USA class
   


Derek
   


Jinty 2
   

These are all very nice customs, Uc! It amazes me that these were all one with a brush! Speaking of streaks, that sounds exactly like my biggest gripe with using a brush. it leaves a sort of bumpy or stripey texture on everything due to the bristles... I also don't know how to thin paint, but I will look into it.

[Ucwepn]

Thinning is pretty easy you use an eyedropper to add the right amount of drops of thinners to your little puddle of paint in the palette, you also need to mix the paint super well before you start by shaking the can/bottle for about a minute then stirring it well to get air bubbles and lumps out. A high quality horse hair brush gives beautiful results. Also the most important thing is DON'T RUSH! Let each thin coat dry before applying the next coat (I have found 2-4 thin coats gives good coverage depending on the original color you are painting over.)

https://www.amazon.com/Art-Alternatives-...B006392ORY

Interesting... When I've finished my homework I'll try to remember to ask Sodor Workshops about it, and maybe look for some videos and colors. I'd guess with plastic that's already colored, the two colors will mix somewhat?

Another reply to Tramp. After looking into plastic dyes for a bit while taking a short break from homework, I can't find much to work with. The most popular brand seems to be Rit DyeMore for synthetics. They only come in about 12 different colors tho... Maybe Kentucky Sky (sky blue) with a little bit of Frost Gray mixed in should do the trick?

[Super]

What's a mold release agent??

Mold Release Agents are what the manufactures spray onto their Molds so the plastic molded piece will easily come off during production. This unseen agent prevents things like paint from adhering to the surface properly.

Mold Release Agents are what the manufactures spray onto their Molds so the plastic molded piece will easily come off during production. This unseen agent prevents things like paint from adhering to the surface properly.

Ahh..And how would one go about cleaning this off of the plastic?

You can change the plastics color with RiT dye! It's a tricky process, but it works. The water must be boiling, but I f the water is too hot you'll run the risk of warping...too cold and it won't absorb into the plastic. Shells are harder to do because they are thinner and are a slightly different plastic composition, but wheels are very easy and can withstand more heat and accept the dye very well.

---

This was a blue Thomas shell, and Thomas' wheels on Stepney.

[Ucwepn]

Ahh..And how would one go about cleaning this off of the plastic?

Wax and grease remover (prepsol)

[Super]

There are many ways on the Internet with different methods, what I do is first soak the items to be spray painted in hot water using dish soap that is pure with no unnecessary ingredients like Palmolive Pure & Clear. While in the hot soapy water I use a clean, soft brush, one that I only use for this and nothing else. Rinse well and let air dry. Then, when its dry, Use a soft tooth brush only used for doing this, dip it in alcohol and scrub the item paying particular attention to the nooks and cranny's and let dry.

The best painting at least in my opinion is using and airbrush. A thin layer of primer is used first as its made to adhere to different materials better. Then thin layers paint can adhere easily to the primer and harden quickly enabling more layers to be applied. The thin layers also maintain all the details from being covered up. IMO, using brushes and rattle cans goes on too thick, can easily hide details and the thickness is more prone to cracking and chipping. These are all my unprofessional opinions and how I do it. There are many other ways. But how many of us have been so disappointed in after creating a beautiful custom only for the paint to crack and chip away because it could not adhere very good due to the releasing agents.

@ripley
On phone right now so having trouble quoting, but what color did you use for Stepney's wheels? Should cleaning be done beforehand?