Painting plastic handrails


S

SteveWoodward

Member
Years ago I did a lot of custom painting, and at the time my method for painting handrails (delrin, acetal, etc) was to mix some automotive flex additive in with paint.

Now that I've started using water based paints (Pollyscale primarily, still have to try ModelFlex) I'm not sure what to do. I know about the paints for R/C cars that is flexible, and I use them for hand painting handrail ends yellow or white. But I need to paint the whole handrail set Conrail blue, and to try and mix an exact match would be tough.

I have read mixed things about using "plastic adhesion promoter", I know there was an article in MR about using it, but I'm not sure if it's okay to use with water based paints. It's a laquer based product, and the instructions tell you to paint the items within 10-20 minutes of applying the adhesion promoter. I can't see that working very well with Pollyscale, or am I wrong?

I've also read about bead blasting, soaking the parts in vinegar, etc.

So what do you guys do about painting handrails?

Thanks in advance for any advice!
 
I use Krylon Fusion Steve.I wouldn't worry about using the PAP with waterbased paints because the automotive paints are acrylic based.Some of them depending on point of manufacture are painted with a waterbased acrylic.

If your unsure still you could ask the paint dealer where you will be buying the PAP at.
 
I used PAP, automotive style, from Wal*mart, and it semi-worked, but the RC car paints work much better.
 
I just clean the handrails and paint them (airbrush) with a very thin layer of Modelflex paint. Seems to do well if you avoid bending the rails.
However, I never start with undecorated models, but always strip my own. Since I model Southern Pacific and Cotton Belt in the grey/red era, I need grey handrails. I buy SP (or any other roadname with grey handrails) and strip the shell, detail and prepare for the paint shop. The handrails are already grey, so they only need a "darkening" layer of grey. Weathering does the rest.


Regards,

René
 
I've heard that ModelFlex is a bit more, well, flexible, and that it forms more of a "skin". Pollyscale, while I love spraying it, flakes off at the slightest bending of the handrails.
 
SteveWoodward said:
I've heard that ModelFlex is a bit more, well, flexible, and that it forms more of a "skin". Pollyscale, while I love spraying it, flakes off at the slightest bending of the handrails.
Click to expand...

Yes, it seems a bit more forgiving than some other brands, although I never tested it. I try not to touch the handrails once painted.

Regards,

René
 
I airbrush my handrails and the paint doesn't come off, and my locos generally get handeled alot.

-Shorty
 
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