Green pipe load paint

[ridinshotgun]

Has anyone ever built up their own green pipe loads for flat cars? 

We were discussing this lat weekend but no one in the group could come up with how to model the gloss green color. of actual green pipe  Has anyone ever made up any pipe loads in the gloss green color?  If so what did you use for the paint?

[nkalanaga]

I did, but it may not help you.  Mine is four large diameter pipes, on an IM 60 ft flatcar, painted what passes for GN Glacier Green.  In this case I used a long out of production NASCAR model spray paint, so you'll have to find your own paint.

My pipe is made from clear plastic drinking straws scavenged from a fast food place.  Since they all seem to use different sizes, and colors, of straws, you;re again on your own.

To color the straws, which don't take paint well, and are flexible, I sprayed the INSIDE green first, not easy with a spray can.  After it dried, I sprayed the outside the same color.  If some does flake off the outside, the inside coat should keep it clear, and vice-versa.  So far, after several years, it still looks good.

In  my case, I was modeling green metal pipe, so the inside also received a second coat of oxide red, simulating an anti-corrosion coating, but that wouldn't be needed for plastic.

[ridinshotgun]

I am going to go with styrene tubing so I can make multiple sizes.  I want extras bundles to make up a pipe supplier yard.

Just stuck with finding a close match to the color.

[mcjaco]

I'm assuming this type of load?



JWD makes these loads.  They're f'in heavy (real brass pipe), but look real nice...if your stomach can handle the price.

http://www.jwdpremiumproducts.com/n-scale-3/

[ridinshotgun]

Yeah that is the type of pipe I am looking to model.  I have seen their loads and the protoloads pipe loads but I am looking to make more than just loads and those are cost prohibitive.

Still looking to locate a lead on a paint to match that color.

[Missaberoad]

Matt, thanks for the link! those loads are beautiful and considering the labor involved the price isn't that bad. (doesn't take away the sting tho lol)

@ridinshotgun I think your best bet would be go to a big box craft store or an artists supply store and look down the aisle of craft paints and artist's acrylics.
I know my local Micheal's has about 8x10⁵⁰ different colors available.  Bring a photo for reference, you should find something close... 

Edit: The gloss is easy, spray a top coat, or some future floor wax after painting... although I would avoid that in N scale, gloss doesn't scale down very well... 

Edit again: Craft Smart Mint Green looks like it could be a good start. http://www.art-paints.com/Paints/Acrylic/Craft-Smart/Mint-Green/Mint-Green.html

[ridinshotgun]

Matt, thanks for the link! those loads are beautiful and considering the labor involved the price isn't that bad. (doesn't take away the sting tho lol)

@ridinshotgun I think your best bet would be go to a big box craft store or an artists supply store and look down the aisle of craft paints and artist's acrylics.
I know my local Micheal's has about 8x10⁵⁰ different colors available.  Bring a photo for reference, you should find something close... 

Edit: The gloss is easy, spray a top coat, or some future floor wax after painting... although I would avoid that in N scale, gloss doesn't scale down very well... 

Edit again: Craft Smart Mint Green looks like it could be a good start. http://www.art-paints.com/Paints/Acrylic/Craft-Smart/Mint-Green/Mint-Green.html

You know that thought never even crossed my mind to go with a craft acrylic.  I'll have to hit the store this weekend since that color you mentioned is close.

Thanks @Missaberoad

[Missaberoad]

No problem 

[Denbitt]

I've also used the craft acrylic paints for plastic pipes.Apple barrel 'spring green' seems to look pretty close.

[mcjaco]

No problem @Missaberoad.  One of the gentlemen in Modutrak bought a couple of those loads at Trainfest a couple years back.  They are impressive in looks, and in weight.

I'm still on the fence about building my own, or sucking it up, and just buying them myself.  I'd tried to get Craig at BLMA to do the larger pipe loads in green as well as the red, but alas, it never happened.

[nkalanaga]

You can find almost anything in craft paints.  If you're at Michaels, you might also check the florist's spray paints.  Years ago I found an almost perfect "sagebrush blue-green" there, although it certainly wasn't named that. 

Another information source you might try is http://www.art-paints.com/ .  They don't have everything, notably Tamiya and Scalecoat or missing, but they do have a lot of brands that most model railroaders probably don't think of.

For common model paints, if you use spray cans, Model Master 28114 "Tropical Turquoise" or 28116 "Grabber Green" might work.  I don't have a piece of pipe handy for comparison, but I've tried both for Glacier Green.  28116 looks more like fresh GN paint, while 28114 looks more faded.

[ljudice]

check out Protoloads - looks great, but less expensive:

http://www.protoloads.com/shop/n-scale-large-pipe-load/

[nkalanaga]

A nice looking load, and I agree, considering the time it would take to build, the price isn't bad.

[milw156]

When I went hunting for paint to use for this project, I never even thought of Glacier green! Duh!!! UP MOW green is what I was envisioning, but could not find. I ended up using Model Master interior blue green on K&S brass and aluminum tubing to create these


depth of field is way off, but here is a comparison of Protoloads in the foreground, and home made in the background


The wood blocking on the Protoloads is pretty crude,IMHO, and they don't line up with the PTTX supports, so I opted to make my own using scale lumber. For the banding, I cut up a mylar Poptart wrapper into very thin strips, and used a black Sharpie to color it,then glued them around each layer, and connected the layers together. Should go back and strap the load to the car though. On the very bottom, i cut up Atlas C55 ties into triangular shapes and glued these to the boards on the PTTX decks after this photo was taken.
I would recommend using aluminum tubing to do this, or your flat car and load will weigh more than a locomotive! I used a Dremel on ther inside of the tubing to thin down the cross section abit, but probably should have taken more off.
Did Matt J just refer to me as a "gentleman"????? I am slipping for sure!
Rick

[peteski]

Nice job!  Making them out of brass tubing also adds a good amount of weight to the flat car (which is desirable).