So this will depend on airbrush vs rattle can.
I generally use the latter. All my Oil Valley locos were done with rattle cans.
An even better comparison is my CR van was airbrushed, OVR trucks rattle canned.

Assuming you are going to airbrush based on the paints mentioned (tamiya cans are good too btw)

I would say Scalecoat is the creme de le creme. Scalecoat II is for plastic, series I is for metal, wood, etc. It is still produced btw, the company was sold to Minuteman Scale Models.
It’s a wonderful oil-based paint. Over a good primer (I’d use theirs) and even if you do not warm the paint, the finish is spectacular.
One important note about storage though. Scalecoat paint bottled should always be stored cap down. Once air is in the bottle, exposure forms a rubbery seal. You want that at the bottom, not the top, so store them inverted. Ask me how I know, go on, ask. Lol

If you prefer acrylic… well the last time I airbrushed with acrylic PollyScale was still in business, under that name. I’ve heard good things about Vallejo.
With airbrushing acrylics I’ve found that the best thinning agent is windshield washer fluid. My CR van was done with a Pollyscale NYC Jade and blue washer fluid. Then glossed, decaled, then glossed again, then dullcoted. Ya see those edges where the clear decal film was cut? Neither does anyone else.

For comparison; rustoleum rattle canned truck (black done with a paint marker).

If you’re doing multiple GPs, do one acrylic with washer fluid, and one with scalecoat II. Or grab a cheap junk box freight car for $2 and repaint it using one method on each side to determine which you prefer. I’d go Scalecoat II. Not even a question for me. PollyS(cale) is good if you can find it. Vallejo I hear is good but no first hand experience. I hate Tamiya. It’s great results but they claim it is acrylic, but it is not. But it’s not exactly enamel nor lacquer either. You need to use their thinner. Regular airbrush thinner/mineral spirits etc just gums it up. Water has no affect on it. So I avoid it whenever possible because I always forget to buy their blasted thinner. Kinda false advertising claiming it is acrylic. If you were rattle canning, THEN, I would add a vote for Tamiya.

 

So this will depend on airbrush vs rattle can.
I generally use the latter. All my Oil Valley locos were done with rattle cans.
An even better comparison is my CR van was airbrushed, OVR trucks rattle canned.

Assuming you are going to airbrush based on the paints mentioned (tamiya cans are good too btw)

I would say Scalecoat is the creme de le creme. Scalecoat II is for plastic, series I is for metal, wood, etc. It is still produced btw, the company was sold to Minuteman Scale Models.
It’s a wonderful oil-based paint. Over a good primer (I’d use theirs) and even if you do not warm the paint, the finish is spectacular.
One important note about storage though. Scalecoat paint bottled should always be stored cap down. Once air is in the bottle, exposure forms a rubbery seal. You want that at the bottom, not the top, so store them inverted. Ask me how I know, go on, ask. Lol

If you prefer acrylic… well the last time I airbrushed with acrylic PollyScale was still in business, under that name. I’ve heard good things about Vallejo.
With airbrushing acrylics I’ve found that the best thinning agent is windshield washer fluid. My CR van was done with a Pollyscale NYC Jade and blue washer fluid. Then glossed, decaled, then glossed again, then dullcoted. Ya see those edges where the clear decal film was cut? Neither does anyone else.
View attachment 593100

For comparison; rustoleum rattle canned truck (black done with a paint marker).
View attachment 593103

If you’re doing multiple GPs, do one acrylic with washer fluid, and one with scalecoat II. Or grab a cheap junk box freight car for $2 and repaint it using one method on each side to determine which you prefer. I’d go Scalecoat II. Not even a question for me. PollyS(cale) is good if you can find it. Vallejo I hear is good but no first hand experience. I hate Tamiya. It’s great results but they claim it is acrylic, but it is not. But it’s not exactly enamel nor lacquer either. You need to use their thinner. Regular airbrush thinner/mineral spirits etc just gums it up. Water has no affect on it. So I avoid it whenever possible because I always forget to buy their blasted thinner. Kinda false advertising claiming it is acrylic. If you were rattle canning, THEN, I would add a vote for Tamiya.

Your painting skills are great, especially on that van. If If ever buy some Scale coat I will make sure to store them inverted. So… how did you learn about that trick?🤔

Windshield washer fluid for thinning? Never heard of it. I’m sure it works fine, since it is mostly water

I’ve heard many people like vallejo paints. Supposedly they are pre thinned and air brush ready. Great for weathering I assume!

Thanks for the information OilValleyRy. People like you make the beginner want to continue in the “Worlds greatest hobby”. Until next time.

 

….My local hobby shop sells a fair amount of Scalecoat and Floquil paints for a decent price ($4.95 USD) for a two-ounce bottle. I believe that these paints are no longer produced. Those who have used any these brands, are they any good and which ones are worth picking up?

Thanks in advance.

If you can buy SC paint for that price, please PM me where…

The problem with SC is the wait time and lack of customer service when ordered direct. Customers are reporting wait times of 4-6 months, not weeks. Emails or phone calls…forget it.

I did several orders (each $200+) last year, the minimum wait took 2 months. Can’t predict the future but it seems I would’ve waited longer by not actively contacting them.

I love the product and use it exclusively. That said, unless I can now buy it “in stock” from a store, I won’t buy.

Again, this isn‘t negative towards the actual product.

I use Dupont thinner (high quality automotive paint stores stock it, not a bargain box store), 3402S or 3204, I can’t remember . Sold in a gallon size (average hobbyist life supply!) for about $30-$40, its much cheaper than SC thinner. Bonus-works just as well. YMMV.

 

If you can buy SC paint for that price, please PM me where…

The hobby shop that I saw them at is very small and his website has not been updated in long time.

You will not likely be able to order the paints online because of this, however I will still send you the shop name in a private message if you would like.

 

The windshield washer fluid isn't good advice. It works as a stripper IF it contains ammonia, but as a thinne, not so much. It doesn't work well with most brands of acrylic paint, certainly not Vallejo. If you add it to their paint, you get a nasty congealed mess. I use only Vallejo's airbrush thinner with their paints.

Please note that technology is always changing, and while 30 years ago, enamels / oil based paint may have been superior, thet is no longer the case. If you intend to airbrush a solvent-based paint, wear a full respirator, even if working outside.

As far as a source, I recommend Scale Hobbyist (www.scalehobbyist.com). Prices for everything is up, but they consistently have among the lowest prices around, and fair shipping rates.

 

The windshield washer fluid isn't good advice. It works as a stripper IF it contains ammonia, but as a thinne, not so much. It doesn't work well with most brands of acrylic paint, certainly not Vallejo. If you add it to their paint, you get a nasty congealed mess. I use only Vallejo's airbrush thinner with their paints.

Please note that technology is always changing, and while 30 years ago, enamels / oil based paint may have been superior, thet is no longer the case. If you intend to airbrush a solvent-based paint, wear a full respirator, even if working outside.

As far as a source, I recommend Scale Hobbyist (www.scalehobbyist.com). Prices for everything is up, but they consistently have among the lowest prices around, and fair shipping rates.

Thanks for the link CTValleyRR. I will take your advice about the windshield washer fluid into consideration.

I will still experiment with it on a cheap piece of rolling stock as suggested by OilValleyRy and judge the outcome.

If it happens to not turn out so good, I will try other options. Thanks for the advice.

 

Windex is all I use to clean windows and mirrors….doesn’t seem to haze for me….very strange….

 

It is strange. It hazes for most people. So much there are literally hundreds of articles online about how to clean mirrors without streaks. #1 suggestion is always, don’t use windex.

I wanted to clarify the chemical make up though. The active ingredients in windshield washer fluid are methanol. Sometimes ethylene glycol is added too. And yes technically they can be used to strip paint if concentrated, just like undiluted isopropyl, or mineral spirits, paint thinner, etc. I wouldn’t suggest paint thinner to dilute acrylics, but the main ingredient in washer fluid is, water. Shocker. So it’s heavily diluted.
Think of the methanol as a surfactant ingredient, much like adding a drop of soap or alcohol when gluing ballast. Methanol is in there to loosen up dried bug guts, dust & dirt, not to remove paint off your car. There isn’t a lot of it, or you’d smell it and fall over ill.

 

A couple folks getting off topic. If you need proof try googling how to get rid of streaks and haze to see how many results you get. There are hundreds of articles, proposed solutions, etc. Many products advertise they “remove streaks and/or haze,” one is even named “No-Haze.” They advertise these “remedies” for a reason; most people have to deal with it. Google is a free service. Use it and learn something before looking like you were born this morning. OR find something to do with your day instead of making arguments for the sake of something to keep you busy/entertained. I would say you need to get a hobby, but… 🤔 That didn’t work.
The rest of us will stay on topic while you go google it. Deal?

 

No, the way it works is that YOU Google it to obtain facts that back up your argument. My point is the statement ‘most people’ find that Windex hazes glass is unsubstantiated. I want to see facts that back that up. Telling people to Google it isn’t getting it.

 

Well, I just finished doing that search on Google, and with almost every click, Windex comes up in the top 5 glass cleaners.….and at the very least, within the top 10….

You’re right about one thing….Google is indeed amazing…. 😉

 

OK, let's play nice so I don't have to close this thread.

One tip on cleaning glass. NEVER use paper of any kind! Soft cloth like microfiber towels are best, old T-shirts work pretty well too.

 

I spray cleaner on and spread it with a paper towel, then use either an old T-shirt or a microfiber cloth to polish the residual cleaner away. Like I said, a lot of people don't know how to clean glass.

 

My two cents on paints. Vallejo and mission models paints have done a nice job in the airbrush. On the Vallejo air I have found some needed a bit more reducer to work as I like but that could be my airbrush or my mastery of said brush or lack there of The regular Vallejo paints for brush use have done an excellent job for me as well and can be thinned for airbrush as needed.

 

Thanks, Raege! I think I'm going to pick up some of those Vallejo paints. Amazon.com has them for a nice price and they come with a variety of railroad related colors. Free & fast shipping is always a bonus as well!

 

I still have a good supply of Floquil paint so that is mostly what I use, but lately I have been trying out Tamiya, I have only used their thinner with them, I love the Tamiya panel line accents, have not ventured into Vallejo yet, but will likely give them a try, getting them off Amazon is nice too

 

Tamiya panel line is nice stuff. It flows into all the cracks and crevices. I've seen a few videos where paint is thinned with water, and it does just as good. However, I prefer to just buy the stuff. Less work for me. Hope your "Vallejo Venture" goes well.

 

Tough question, the paints I like and had great results with are no longer made. Polyscale was great along with Model Master. During the pandemic I was able to find the two to paint a grain train. Over the last year I've tried Microlux and Vallejo in weathering applications but not a full car paint job.

 

Thanks for the comment. I have never heard of microlux, should probably try them. Nice weathering job on those cars by the way. I also see a GEVO back there.

 

Vallejo will work fine for a full car paint job.

For help with matching colors, I suggest you download the free publication on painting with acrylics from Model Railroad Hobbyist Magazine. (www.model-railroad-hobbyist.com; pub is found under "Goodies".

 

i mostly run krylon, decanted from a spray bomb into a glass jar , some times i run testors through the airbrush ..

 

I use Tamiya with their thinner for easy no fuss no muss paint and clean up.

If I need specific colors, I use Tru Color paint with their thinner. The downside is it is not water clean up.

I have nice models and want them to look nice. I'm not cheaping out by using window cleaner as thinner. I'll spend a few dollars and get the thinner made specifically for the paint I use.

I've tried and tried but my airbrush hates Vallejo paint. So I stopped trying and no longer use it. I feel the other two brands serve me well, so I use what works for me.

The freight car is Tamiya. The Engine is True Color. The passenger car is a mix of both.

Have fun and good luck with your project.
Ron

 

Thanks, Ron! Those are some nice pieces you have there. Love the Chessie System switcher.