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Category: Painting Projects
Hits: 317

Stripping Paint from a Decorated Model (Version 1)

Using 91% Isopropyl Alcohol

Have you ever wanted to paint a locomotive, fright car, or other item, in your favorite, or custom paint scheme, but the cost or availability of undecorated models are interfering?  Have no fear, you can easily remove paint from models without damaging the underlying plastic.

This article features a Life-Like Proto 2000 GP20, however this concept works equally as well with other Proto 200 models as well as Athearn.  Kato requires a slightly stronger paint remover, which will be covered in future articles.  Other manufacturers I don;t have much recent data with, so I cannot speak for them at the time of this article.

I prefer to use 91% Isopropyl Alcohol for most paint stripping as it dries fast after, and does not leave any trace residue.  However as you can see in the photos, and a later article to come, Pine-Sol will also do the trick.  Avoid the brake parts cleaner idea once toted by hobby magazines, as it can often attack the plastic.  And definitely avoid spray, or brush on paint strippers from hardware stores, they will quickly turn your plastic model into goo.

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Category: Hints and Tips to aid Modeling Projects
Hits: 230

Using Bondo Auto Body Filler

How I use Bondo Brand Auto Body Filler on my Models to Fix Holes and Gaps.

For many years, modelers in all scales and our scale model car, ship, and military modeler cousins, have turned to many products to fill holes and gaps.  First and foremost is Squadron Green Putty.  This long standing hobby product is a favorite of many kit builders.  But at $14.42 on Amazon for a 2.5oz tube, it's not exactly the cheapest product in your modeling toolkit!  For $9.99 on Amazon, you can add a 3.0oz tube of Bondo Glazing and Spot Putty.  This product work nearly exactly the same as Squadron green, and may be slightly thinner in consistency allowing better application.

I switched to Bondo about 8 years ago, after reading about in on an online forum.  The user stated that it might be the same ingredients, or nearly the same, and caused no damage to out fragile plastic models (read: it does not melt plastic).

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Category: Decaling, Lettering, and Numbering
Hits: 226

Removing Factory Printed Letters or Numbers (Microsol)

How you can use Microsol to remove printed on letters or numbers.

Renumbering a locomotive or freight can seem daunting.  I previously described a method that involved wet sanding, read it here: Removing printed on lettering or numbers.  That method works great, but is not the only way to do remove lettering or numbers.

At the time of that article, I had experimented with a method that uses Microsol to soften the lettering but never got any results.  12 years later I can officially say I think I have perfected this method, and I'd like to share my results with you.

I purchased the ScaleTrains.com BNSF Dash 9 written about here: Quick Look: ScaleTrains.com Dash 9.  I decided to update my locomotive to match a modern unit with PTC antennas added, but I could not find a photo of 4313 with PTC, so I chose 4300, the "class" unit. http://www.rrpicturearchives.net/locopicture.aspx?id=42537&Page=2

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Category: Sponsored Product Reviews
Hits: 118

Chicago Models BNSF 198 decals

I recently received an amazing set of decals, perfect for one of the most unique locomotives on the BNSF roster.  GP60 #198 was built for Texas Mexican Railway, then made it's way to Vermont Railway where it was repainted, before it arrived at BNSF who subsequently patched the unit, but it has not been repainted into BNSF colors.

This red GP60 will be modeled, as soon as I clear a few other units from my workbench.

Photo Copyright Frank Wells, used with permission, do not copy or repost this image.

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