Painting diesel locomotive truck assemblies

[Robert]

This may be confusing...I'm getting closer to painting the two truck assemblies on my NJCB RS-3. Thing is these brass trucks are composed of several overlapping, intermingled components all captured via solder. They are lightly lubricated which allows for a slight flexing of the truck...pretty nice I think. Now whether or not it is functionally worthwhile aside, it is an interesting feature.

This is without a paint coat obviously. I cannot leave them bare brass...the original assembly would be painted minus the gear train which gets reinstalled after painting is well cured...after which everything I tried to explain here will probably become much less functional or worst...a paint bound clump of parts no longer as interesting as they were originally intended.

If my longwinded explanation made enough sense for those of you who would care share your expertise...please do so.

Robert

[E7]

Maybe you could try a chemical agent like "Blacken It"?

[Robert]

I have thought about that stuff Rich. It is no longer being made by the original company. There are substitutes however. The trucks in a Pennsy diesel paint scheme are black so it is a possibility.

Robert

[sarge]

Robert, I'll be honest. No shortcut here. Clean them of lubricant (airbrushed lacquer thinner works fine, a trip through the dishwasher, my ultrasonic cleaner is cheating but I use it), then airbrush with something that cures hard and robust.

Cold blue, Blacken it, whatever, are not good options especially if you are still picking upnthrough the journals. The arcing will start there and the pitting will become phenomenal quickly, especially if you use DCC (constant voltage there).

No free lunch here, just the council to suck it up and do it the "hard" way.

[Robert]

[quote="sarge"] then airbrush with something that cures hard and robust. quote]

Thanks Sarge...now is my Scalecoat I an example of such a paint?

Robert

[sarge]

Properly laid and cured, yes.

[Robert]

Then that's the plan...oven baking and all. Thanks Mate!

Robert