Engine painting service

ModelRailroadForums.com is a free Model Railroad Discussion Forum and photo gallery. We cover all scales and sizes of model railroads. Online since 2002, it's one of the oldest and largest model railroad forums on the web. Whether you're a master model railroader or just getting started, you'll find something of interest here.


B

BNSF9374

Member
Engine painting

IMG_0015.JPG

Charlie Schulz
 
Last edited by a moderator:
If you post some examples of your finished work people will be able to see if your skill level is acceptable to them. "Showin' beats tellin'" as they say.
 


I have a friend who used to model Penn Central because you could buy Athearn undecorated locomotives and cars and just add decals and Dullcote.
 
There's 3 guys here on the Forum that custom paint engines & they are quite good at it. They also have an excellent track record(pun intended) & are not cheap. They have been painting engines, installing electronics, DCC boards. super detailing, etc.
So, like someone just said here on the forum, pictures speak a thousand words or a thousand pictures. I also paint my own w/a rattle can because I can't afford a custom painter. You have to figure shipping costs both ways, paint, time, sand blasting or stripping the engines for paint & detailing. It's not just the painting that is involved.
Just my 10 cents worth.(the economy is going up, so, 2cents isn't enough anymore).
 
OK, thanks. I am not going to be very expensive, Of course it depends on the model and then of course I would charge people for the decals and paint, but how much do they charge?
 
Like what was said before, there are quite a few people on this site that paint engines. Photos speak for themselves.
 


I think $40.00 sounds pretty fair, hopefully someone who has had work done recently will verify this. I've never paid for a paint job so I don't know the going rate. I buy factory paint jobs or do my own.
 
Most people charge $60.00 just for the paint job. That's one color. xtra colors are $20.00 more per color which pays for the masking & etc. Then if you want stripes(painted or pin stripes) that is more. If they have to strip the engine & prime it before paint that is another $20.00. Putting all of the details back on & painting them is another amt. xtra details are more plus the cost of each item & the painting of those items. Then decaling it is more. The average postage is flat rate each way which most engines fit in a $10.70 box. So, that is another $21.40 round trip. If you want DCC decoders, LED lites, ditchlites & speakers added that is more. So, everyone that paints & details engines is this about Right?
 
I have had jbaakko do one for me and he is in the process of the second. think his price was $90 for a strip, repaint in two colors, decal and some details of plows MU cables ditch lights (non operating), handrails and some other minor stuff. His price also includes shipping the unit back. I am not talented enough to do what some of you guys can do so the price was right for me.
 
ok, thanks for the info. I think that $40 will be the set rate no matter about the stripes or whatever. Decals and paint I totaled to be an average of $15, and then like you said, the shipping. I can charge more, but I don't want to because I enjoy it too much, so I feel like I'm getting alot out of it other than money. How about an extra $15 if people want it weathered. I do weather cars and engines and enjoy that also.
 


You must log in or register to reply here.




Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a commision from some of the links and ads shown on this website (Learn More Here)

Back
Top