Painting PCB track

[Julia]

I have finally got around to building some of the points for my layout. It is going to be a small modular H0e (1:87 on 9mm track) Layout.

 

Having built the points I find myself pondering how to paint them. Do I need to do anything special to get paint to stick to solder? What paints do people suggest for the typical wooden sleeper effect? When painting how do I keep the paint off the top of the rails?

 

Thanks

 

Julia

[Ron Solly]

Julia. I use dark brown acrylic paint from hardware stores all over the lot - rail sides & sleepers & solder with no problems & wipe each rail top & inside edge where the flange & tread meet the rail, with a cloth. When dry, a good track rubber or cork block finishes cleaning. If you use point blades to transmit power, well just paint very carefully around them. Once painted & ballasted & weathered, they will look OK.

[Gordon A]

Julia,

 

Firsly I scrub my points with an domestic cleaner that doesnt contain any lanolin etc. Mr Muscle, Cillit Bang or Jif are my usual cleaners.

Place on radiator (In winter) to dry out, allow a good 24 hours. I then give the point work a light coat of Halfords grey primer - I know its sold as a plastic primer, but it sticks like the proverbial to metal as well.

 

After that a quick coat of track brown, and black. Make sur the blades are free and operate easily. Then lay.

 

Gordon A

Bristol

[Gordon A]

PS I forgot to say dont worry about keeping the tops of your rails paint free. When finnished painting clean paint away with abrasive block, or if really stuck on use a screw driver, scraper or very fine wet and dry. You could run an slightly oily rag over the rail tops, or a very light smear of vaseline to stop the paint from sticking.

 

Gordon A

Bristol