question about painting handrails

[skryking]

I just recently got a Athearn bluebox sw1500 that has come with metal railings in pieces. I need some advice on painting the railings. Is it easier to put them on the loco and then paint them, or paint them before I put them on the engine. Since the railing posts are separate from the rail and slide over it, how would I go about getting the posts spaced correctly with them not on the engine? Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I've never done anything like this before but I like the challenge.

Jason

 

[UP2CSX]

It's possible, but very difficult, to get all those metal stanchions spaced correctly and then paint the handrails off the engine. You'd put the handrails and stanchions together and then insert the stanchions in the holes just enough to hold up the handrails. Get them all straight and then add a drop of CA to the top of each stanchion. Carefully remove the handrails, paint, and reinstall. It's likely you'll be a little off on a few or some will break free from the glue. In that case, you'll have to reposition and then touch up with a brush. In general, I hand paint the handrails and stanchions after they are installed if they are the same color as the engine body. I try to paint them separately if the handrails are a different color than the engine body since it's almost impossible to not slop some paint from the handrails on to the body.

 

[skryking]

Thanks, I'll give that a try..

 

[NH Mike]

I do like Jim does and preassemble them on the loco using CA. Lightly pinching the loops with needle nose pliers allows me to position them snug enough so the won't slide out of alignment as the CA is applied. Then remove them and paint. I have found that running a .031" drill bit through the holes in the plastic frame and steps makes it a lot easier to reinstall them after painting as the paint adds a bit to the thickness of the stanchions. It also helps in case some of the holes are not deep enough too.

 

[skryking]

I do like Jim does and preassemble them on the loco using CA. Lightly pinching the loops with needle nose pliers allows me to position them snug enough so the won't slide out of alignment as the CA is applied. Then remove them and paint. I have found that running a .031" drill bit through the holes in the plastic frame and steps makes it a lot easier to reinstall them after painting as the paint adds a bit to the thickness of the stanchions. It also helps in case some of the holes are not deep enough too.

thanks for the tip on the drill bit. I wasn't sure how small of a bit I would need to do that with.

 

[dispatcher812]

I painted a few BN engine handrails right on the engine. First I glued them straight, then painted. Since the handrail color was the same as the body color, if I got any paint on the body no big deal.

 

[skryking]

I painted a few BN engine handrails right on the engine. First I glued them straight, then painted. Since the handrail color was the same as the body color, if I got any paint on the body no big deal.

I'm not entirely sure I could paint the rails without getting dark paint on the bright orange.

 

[dispatcher812]

I'm not entirely sure I could paint the rails without getting dark paint on the bright orange.

What if you placed some painters tape in between the handrails to protect the orange paint?

 

[UP2CSX]

If I'm in a situation where I have to paint the handrails on the engine and the handrails are a contrasting color to the body, I use either a scrap piece of foam or cardboard between the handrails and the body as a mask. It usually works fine.

 

[ChevelleSSguy]

Even something like an old business card slipped behind would work. Thats what I have done in the past.

 

[stationmaster]

I hang the stanchions on a piece of wire and have at it. The grab rail is relatively easy to paint.

Bob