guard timbers and guard rails for flex track

[jward]

curved bridges are merely short straight sections  placed at a slight angle to each other. you can trim the bridge timbers to fit these sections. won't they bend a little to follow the track?

[billgiannelli]

yes, they are light plastic so they will probably bend fine.
thanks
Bill

[billgiannelli]

if I have 85' open deck girder bridges, in order to follow a tighter curve can I just cut the girder bridges to say half the length?
would it be easier to cut the parts before assembly or after assembly?
thanks
Bill

[billgiannelli]

wayne,
Once again thank you for all your expert guidance and useful information!!!!!
Bill

[Woody Elmore]

Wayne - lots of useful information. However let me caution you about using MEK. A good friend is a research chemist. I asked him once to get me a little bottle of MEK. He made a face and hemmed and hawed. He told me that it was nasty stuff and made me promise to make sure I used it in a well ventilated area as the fumes are harmful. He even suggested I wear a protective mask over my nose and mouth. This was also the case for xylene which was the Floquil solvent.

I still have my little bottle of MEK - well sealed. I doubt if I'll ever use it again.

[electrical whiz kid]

Woody and Wayne;
At one time long ago, I had an account with a company in Connecticut that dealt with MEK on an industrial basis; theirs was used in the production of inks, and a few other things.  I had set up the drive inverters for the mixers.  This is, ideed, nasty stuff.  A few guys there had really developed some serious issues-as in cancer, and when they closed, the DEP as well as OSHA had gotten involved and there was really a lot of noise made.  I had used it when I was in the service, as it was easy to get; mixed with styrene scraps, it made a great body filler.

Rich C.

[Jhanecker2]

I remember back in the 90's   MEK   was removed  from  industrial use to de -grease  parts in the company I worked for . I don't remember what replaced it for that function . John 2.

[billgiannelli]

what paints do you use on the plastic models? I am using acrylics but it doesn't seem to cover well.
thanks
Bill

[jbrock27]

Myself, spray paints from a can, such as from Krylon and Rustoleum.  Light coats, don't hold the can too close.  Read the label, most are plastic safe, but double check to be sure.  I am sure you will hear from others about using an air brush

[rogertra]

Myself, spray paints from a can, such as from Krylon and Rustoleum.  Light coats, don't hold the can too close.  Read the label, most are plastic safe, but double check to be sure.  I am sure you will hear from others about using an air brush

Exactly what I use.  I've painted dozens of locos, both steam and diesel, freight and passenger cars, buildings etc., etc., all from spray cans, mostly using the above mentioned brands.

Only advice I'd give is to use the matte sprays.  I find the gloss paint tend to run much easier than the matte.  So I spray using matte paint, then apply Testors Glosscote, from a can, where I need to apply decals and finally a spray of Dullcote.

All applied in light coats, of course.

Happy New Year.

Roger T.

[jbrock27]

Only advice I'd give is to use the matte sprays.

Absolutely, great point worth pointing out.  I have never used gloss, just flat or matte.

[billgiannelli]

Wayne,
Do you scratch build your abutments and footings?
I didnt take into account the footings and that will throw off my height.
thanks
Bill

[Len]

Since Testors killed Floquil and Polly-S I've been using Badger Modelflex RR Colors, Tru-Color Acrylic RR Colors, and ScaleCoat. I really like the Tru-Color Acrylics, and I think they actually have a bigger selection of RR colors than Polly-S did.

I tried the Testors Model Master paints, but found details being filled in because the pigment grains are too course.

Len

[electrical whiz kid]

There is also a product I saw in "Model Railroad Hobbyist" that, I think, is an ink-based pigment compound.  Since Floquil's demise, I have been looking around for a replacement that is air-brush as well as dummy friendly.  At any rate, the name "Iwata" seems to surface in my mind.  What are your thoughts?
Rich C.

[Len]

I'm not familiar with "Iwata". The Tru-Color paints come in either 'air brush ready' bottles, or a slightly thicker 'brush on' form. Walthers 'Mfg #' is 709 if you want to see a list of their paints. I have no idea why Walthers list a water based acrylic paint as *HAZ* though.

The Tru-Color web page is http://trucolorpaint.com/

There's some good info under the "Color Chart" pull down to the right of the logo at the top of the page.

Len