Smalltrainsgreatpains

After many years of longing and agonising joint pain, I bought something to ease it all away. Joanlab VM-300S vortex mixer acquired. About £30 on Aliexpress plus the rest and fast shipping. Feels quite weighty and has a small desktop form factor with mains switch mode PSU. The only job it struggled with are 28ml Humbrol washes in glass jars, to much mass to get going very well and compacted after many years of sitting. It sure beats flinging paint everywhere with a stirrer :o)

Wow, good find, I missed that one. Tamiya X-4 looks close to Conrail blue, might work with a bit of blending.

I guess the finish on a model is all down to personal preference. What do you all use in regards to varnishes and sealers, acrylic, enamels?

Sorry to but in, but may I ask if there are trigger activated single action brushes?

I don't really know the particulars needed for fine lining work, but I am willing to give it a go, following Ian Rathbones excellent videos. Maybe someone would knows what and where to get a bow pen for fine work in tiny scales?

Badger/MODELflex have a good range of paints, but I'm having difficulties finding a European suppler. Maybe I am looking in the wrong places?

Thank you for that. Some stores say that it is the last in stock. It does seem that range is on the way out?

I see you are a pro painter, complete polar opposite of the spectrum lol. Ok, it is currently for repainting detailed commercial plastic bodied North American N scale 1:160 models of Milwaukee road prototype Diesel locomotives. There are also some steam examples that I will gradually detail all of them to build a roster of locomotives to run on a future layout. In time I aim to be good at painting any model, and right now am researching accumulating a lot of stuff for the application, and some skills. I aim to have a fine art approach to everything. There will also be etched brass signals, period automobiles, wood and plastic structure kits, hand built track, the works. I'm going to use weathering, unless I have a fresh from the shops example such as a demonstrator or museum piece. There appear to be variations in the colours that are hotly disputed by many, but being a mere 6000 miles from the nearest relevant museum I have to rely on books, the internet and 'artistic licence'. There are some commercial railroad hobby paints available but not a complete range, only available for airbrush and are pricey so am investigating mixing colours and formulations from auto paint stores, other hobby brands and so on.

I'm planning to get some paints mixed for airbrushing and brushing, learning how to paint models to a high standard and putting together a compressor setup etc. There seems to be a choice of practically any finish available from paint mixers, so I am guessing as to what to get. From following what I have seem in military modelling videos, I guess a primer, then an acrylic base coat of some sort, then decals, then a clear acrylic matt varnish to seal, followed by oil/enamel washes if desired, maybe some weathering powders and finally a varnish to finish. What isn't apparent is the base coat to use, should it be gloss, satin or matt. Can someone please advise of what base coats to use? If I were to order a paint base colour mix, what should I ask for regarding application to regular plastic/brass models? https://oval.co.uk/shop/allis-chalmers-orange-m22-v1-2/

I have some Tru-Colour on the way, but I couldn't see any 213 1930-60's Frt. Car Brown. I hear they are excellent, but they do cost a lot, I would be glad to find alternatives. It's currently the Milw colours I am after, and steam engine colours. I'll take the orange out to match later. There were two oranges apparently, so maybe I'll be able to find the other one. Photographs do seem to vary, especially as the quality of the film used differs. If I blend some colours I will put them on the list. I think it is more important to get the quality even across all the models as a standard than perhaps the exact colour, then nothing will look out of place :D I have everything to learn about the qualities of paint and mixing.

Not to surprisingly, there are very few American rail paint colours available in Europe. This leads me to ask how other American modellers get the correct paint for there models. Mostly for airbrush, would like the option for brushing. Are there some colour charts for comparison? Have you managed to get some paint mixed somewhere? Is there a guide on blending hobby paints?

I thought to try some inks for stains and weathering structures, India ink being recommended by old school modellers. Then I discovered there are also acrylic inks. Can they be used as a substitute for each other as washes, do they work just as well? Water proof or not? I bought a lot of low cost acrylic paints from stores like the range to use for structures and scenic. Is there anything to acrylic paint breaking down over time?

I am thinking of standardising on this for home layouts. Makes reconfiguration and portability much easier. Could even run temporary extensions out the door into the next room :) Has anyone gone this way? Got any pics of modules/construction? http://free-mon.net/ https://nrail.org/Free-moN

I got a hold of a train-o-matic LoKommander, and an FDMicro, not much difference in price from Lais. Plus nearly as as tiny as the Loksound 4. It will take some figuring out with JMRI to program. It makes sense about differing decoder/motor combinations, as decoders are basically advanced speed controllers with varying frequencies. I'm not sure this is clear to raw beginners, as there seems to be a little more to it than strait up plug and play. Time to make my own list.

I could use some information on N scale/2mm decoders, such as best overall economy/performance. I hear wonders about Zimo, and then train-o-matic Lokommander 2 as a close second as far as regular non sound go. Lais still the stuff for secondary features? Loksound are apparently the best audio, but I can't find the one I put away :( I definitely want to program in speed steps up to a calibrated scale speed, appropriate to the loco job. It looks like some have brakes functions. Is there such a thing as an up to date decoder list highlighting all the features of various decoders?