Painting handrails with Tru Color paint.

[chessie system fan]

I need some GP35 gray handrails. Unless I can find some, I'll be painting some undec black ones. What are other people's experiences here?  I have an air eraser I can use to rough up the delrin. Any other advice?

[N Scale Train Boy]

In my experience, as long as you shoot a layer of primer (I usually use a rattle can of either Tamiya or Mr Surfacer) TCP adheres fine to Atlas and Kato handrails.

[skytop35]

Definitely use the air erase if you have one. It works the best of anything I have tried for paint adhesion to Delrin.

[ednadolski]

the other thing you can use for delrin is the automotive adhesion promoter spray.  i believe it works by lightly etching the plastic.

i dont have an air eraser to compare with, but the spray has worked ok for me.

ed

[chessie system fan]

Thanks. So air erase, automotive adhesion promoter spray, and then primer. Ed, which spray did you use?

[ednadolski]

Duplicolor:  https://www.duplicolor.com/en/products/primer/dupli-color-plastic-adhesion-promoter

[chessie system fan]

Super.

[Sokramiketes]

I think there's two parts to this equation.  1) Does it stick  2) Does it flex

Part one is well covered by the suggestions above.  Etch the surface, nice primer, etc. 

For part two, Pactra or Tamiya's RC Car Polycarbonate body paint used to be my go to.  I haven't seen it available in some time though.  It was formulated to stick and to flex with the beating an RC car body would take. 

There's flex agents to mix into automotive paint for bumpers and plastic items.  But is there an equivalent to the flexi paints that helps these days?  TCP might be the most flexible "film" type application other wise?

[peteski]

Yes, some years ago I painted the Kato/Atlas RS11 handrails/walkway (black Delrin) by first sandblasting it, then spraying a coat of one of those Pactra Polycarbonate white paint as a primer.  Then I airbrushed the top coat using Accu-Paint color (same as what I used on the shell for a perfect color match). Tru-Color and Accu-Paints are pretty much identical.  That worked really well. 

If you flex the heck out of the handrail the paint will crack, but it will still stay on the handrail.  I would like to know what manufacturers use (and get some of that paint), but i don't think that will ever happen.  Plus those paints go on rather thick.

[chessie system fan]

I'll add a Tamiya polycarbonate layer before the Tru Color paint.  Thanks.