Badger ModelFlex paint?

[Kisatchie]

...Now instead of one paint, you will need one for engines/cars and another for buildings.  2 inventories of paint instead of just one.

When I was airbrushing a lot, I had Scalecoat II for cars/engines, and Floquil solvent paints for buildings/weathering. Nothing has changed for me.


Hmm... except add about
40 pounds...

[nkalanaga]

Most of my buildings are painted with craft paints.  For brick, I start with Krylon's "Ruddy Brown Primer", as a little surface crazing doesn't matter on bricks, then color that with whatever color I want.  Most plastics it works fine on, if applied fairly dry, and I've used it for Freight Car Red on my narrow gauge without problems.  If you prefer solvent paints, you might try artists paints, although the oils I tried years ago took a LONG time to dry.  On the plus side, the ones I used thinned with turpentine, which didn't seem to harm plastic.

For concrete, any flat-finish gray works fine, then color that with an appropriate color.

For plastic "wood" buildings, I use a spray can of similar flat color, then the craft paint.  For real wood, I usually use a weathering solution, as the grain looks to coarse (to me) for a well maintained N scale structure.

For well maintained metal buildings, a little gloss doesn't hurt, so almost any spray paint works fine, followed by Dullcote if needed.

[amato1969]

Using an airbrush, the paint is bulletproof - I love it.  It dries quickly to a semi-gloss finish that is ready to decal.

Forget about brushing it, however.  Stick with a flat primer and use thinned craft paint for brushing/weathering.

  Frank

[Kisatchie]

I decided to resurrect this thread and ask if Modelflex paint has changed for the worst in the past 3 years since this topic appeared.

I want to paint 5 or 6 engines in the L&N gray (some with yellow too). Is there anything I should look out for?


Hmm... meteors... always
look out for meteors...

[randgust]

I've had pretty good results with it.    I've airbrushed it and brush-painted it both.

It behaves very strangely when brush-painting.   The first coat always looks like a disaster, it goes on like kids waterpaints.   You have to brush, and rebrush, to break the surface tension as it evaporates, and suddenly 'bang' it adheres properly.    Don't expect much out of the first coat.  It will look terrible.  Calm down, let it dry, and apply another coat.

Any subsequent coats go on much better, but again, expect to work to get it to spread properly.   But I've never seen it leave brushmarks.    I brush-painted my entire GHQ L1 with Brunswick Green, and it looked fantastic.   And I think it's a much 'harder' surface when it dries than anything else, much less subject to rub-offs on rivets and seams from handling.

[jagged ben]

It behaves very strangely when brush-painting.   The first coat always looks like a disaster, it goes on like kids waterpaints.   You have to brush, and rebrush, to break the surface tension as it evaporates, and suddenly 'bang' it adheres properly.    Don't expect much out of the first coat.  It will look terrible.  Calm down, let it dry, and apply another coat.

Any subsequent coats go on much better, but again, expect to work to get it to spread properly.   But I've never seen it leave brushmarks.    I brush-painted my entire GHQ L1 with Brunswick Green, and it looked fantastic.   And I think it's a much 'harder' surface when it dries than anything else, much less subject to rub-offs on rivets and seams from handling.

I concur with this advice and info.  I've done five or six coats on some types of parts, such as etched air conditioners.  It is a bit tedious and you have to be patient, but the results are fine, and usually better (as long as you're patient) than with fewer coats of a thicker paint.   Ironically I think this paint may be better as brush paint for details than as an airbrush paint, although I have to say I've done less airbrushing than many.

[jereising]

I also use it and like it.

My question is, does anyone have an online supplier for Modelflex these days?  Getting low on a couple colors...

[Kisatchie]

My question is, does anyone have an online supplier for Modelflex these days?  Getting low on a couple colors...

I found it on Walthers.com

You have to look under "Badger" not Modelflex. Once I saw Walthers had it in stock, I ordered it through my former local hobby shop (yeah, "local", when I lived in New Orleans). Now it's 200 miles away and I only get there once a month when we visit relatives.


Hmm... does Walthers
sell precious metals...?

[jereising]

Thanks, Kiz.

Guess If I have to pay list, I have to pay list...

[Kisatchie]

Guess If I have to pay list, I have to pay list...

I did find several online stores that discounted the paint, but the shipping was ridiculous. The lowest I found was $11 shipping for 2 jars of paint and a 16 oz bottle of paint cleaner.


Hmm... I think I'll start my
own shipping company...

[thomasjmdavis]

I've used a company called Wyn-Wyn, which, while it doesn't sound like it, is in Illinois, and online is webairbrushes.com
http://webairbrushes.com/

I have no idea what the shipping cost is for 2 jars of paint, because I stock up when I order from them.  Last order I have a record of was a couple years ago, I paid $8 shipping and handling on 20 bottles.

[Kisatchie]

Just wondering... what airbrush pressure do I spray Modelflex? 25 psi or thereabouts? I used it about 15 years ago, but I forgot what I sprayed it at.


Hmm... last time I airbrushed,
I set the pressure too high.
Blew the car I was painting
completely away...