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The Finishing Touch This book from Phoenix Precision Paints provides essential advise. If you are a novice I recommend getting a copy and periodically re-reading it. As I stated before I am very much a learner. |
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A mask is essential! My mask catches a lot of paint. If I did not wear one it would all end up in my lungs, along with the solvent. The solvent then goes directly into the blood stream. The Burrell will take a lot of painting and it is worth inverting £20 in a proper mask. Mine is such that I can not even smell the solvent whilst spraying. Check the seals regularly, on checking mine recently one of the valves needed repairing. |
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Air Brush An air brush is ideal for the smaller items. Judging by the sizes so far, I wonder if there will be any. The considered 'expert' advice is that there is no point buying the most expensive model since these are intended for ink and not paint. Some even say the more you spend the worse the result with paint. I use a Clarke DIY air brush kit (CAB1H) from Machine Mart. At £9.39 the often quoted spares problem is easy to overcome, buy two! |
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Spray Gun On larger items it is difficult to get a even gloss finish using an air brush. I use a Kite Miniature Gravity Feed Spray Gun obtained from Phoenix Precision Paints. At around £80 this is more expensive. Also consider the cost of the beefy compressor needs to power it. With the Kite I have acheived excellent results, and it can be throttled back for the smaller items. The one down side is the time it takes to strip and clean (around 5-10 minutes). |
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Compressor If you are spraying you will end up getting a compressor. I have a Clarke Bronco. It is relatively noisy but at 7 cmf is just about big enough to air test the Burrell but I may be wrong on this! It runs my Bodmer engine with a 2.2" piston OK. While I don't have a water trap I see Phoenix Precision Paints offer it with one fitted. |
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Brushes These are my brushes; probably too small for the larger items (if not spraying). In skilled hands I can believe that excellent results are possible and with less mess than spraying! |
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Paint I have used Humbrol, Hammerite, and Phoenix with good results. While the name of "Hammerite direct to rust metal paint" is off-putting I have achieved excellent results both with and without primer. I have yet to steam my POP so I don't yet know how it will hold up. The safe choice has to be Phoenix Precision Paints however colour match is not as import as with railway engines. |
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Spray Cans Not my favored option. Not very controllable and you will need a lot. |