N scale resin vehicle kits from Rasputen

[Dave V]

@robert3985 , Thanks so much for the thoughtful write-up! Excellent work there too.

[TechnicalATSF]

So... I deeply regret having sold all my CMW Mini-Metals vehicles with the Juniata Division 1.0 back in 2017. They came in prototypical colors.

I'm probably going to place a big order here of cars from the 30s through early 50s, but I'm scared to paint them because I don't know what paints to use. What do you guys do? I know I can Google what colors were available for which model cars, but where do you source the model version of the paint?

With so many lighting scenarios (has the car been washed, has it been in a dusty environment?), trying to match the exact colour of the prototype is a waste of valuable research time in my humble opinion. You can download model year car brochures with the different colours that were on sale at the time and then match them to the closest available paint. You will see that even when photographing (particularly reds), you will get a different shade every time, so why bother with original paint chips or colour charts? You should definitely place a big order from the 30's to the 50's, one day they won't be available anymore (see CMW) and you'll regret not having them.

Having painted over 200 little cars, I have tried all the different methods. Priming with Surfacer 1000, spray painting acrylics etc.etc. All the results were disappointing, because these cars are small and forgive no slight blemish. Even the thinnest primer layer will already obscure some fine detail, and spray painting involves hours of masking, especially for the two-tone paint schemes. Then, when applying the tiny chrome details, your trim is inevitably never perfect and has to be touched up, so you go back to a paint brush. Your perfect spray surface has an ugly touch up.

So, my go-to solution now for keeping it simple, especially with Rasputins resin cars, is
1/ Wash the cars in enamel thinners
2/ Get a simple selection of typical automotive gloss enamel colours from Humbrol
3/ Using a fairly thick brush, load with neat Humbrol gloss paint straight from the tin and apply a surprisingly thick coat of paint. One coat suffices and don't spend too long on the tiny touch-ups as the paint will thicken fairly quickly. The key is to have a beautiful perfect shiny blob of paint on all the surfaces, particularly the roof, bonnet (hood) and boot (trunk). Adding tiny amounts of thinner will keep the paint fluid while you work. It seems counter-intuitive to have so much thick paint on the car, but as Humbrol Enamel dries, it becomes a thin layer and all the detail appears. Pretty good showroom finish. Let dry completely overnight.
4/ Using Molotov refill bottles, use the thinnest brush you own and with plenty of neat Isopropyl alcohol ready (as a thinner), attempt to add the chrome trim and the window surrounds. With Raputin's open windows, you can use the back of the brush, insert the brush into the car and go around the openings, leaving a perfect window frame. Grilles and headlights are easy.
5/ The thinnest layer of Glue&Glaze (or your favourite glazing liquid) applied with a wooden toothpick will finish the job (wood because it will sharpen to a tiny point and the wood will hold the fluid better when you go for your aperture flick).

There are of course other enamel paints, but I've used Humbrol paints since I was 14 and still have gloss tins from the 80's that are still viable. Tiny tins for tiny cars

This is of course just a suggestion for a showroom finish. If you want a dusty/rusty/faded car, then acrylics are probably the way to go. I find them difficult to brush paint for an automotive finish unless you use a figure-painters 'glazing' method (many layers of very thin paint).

[peteski]

Being a model car (the automotive type) modeler, here are some comments about color research and paint sources.

With the advent of Internet and search engines research is so easy.  Just a simple Google search like "1947 Chevy factory paint colors" or "1955 Ford Sunliner factory paint colors" will bring up lots of info, including factory paint color chips and paint codes. One could also just look for reference photos of the cars by just looking for the car itself, like "1960 Chrysler Newport" will bring lots of photos of the car showing various colors.

One of the sites which will show up is https://www.autocolorlibrary.com/ . It is a huge repository of automotive color chips.

There are companies selling small bottles of airbrush-ready color paints (actual automotive paints mixed to match the factory color paint chips), but those are rather pricey considering how little one will need to paint a 1:160 model car. Here are couple:
https://www.splash-paints.com/
https://mcwfinishes.com/
Since those are automotive paints, they are hot and will craze styrene without a good coat of primer. But Rasputen's models are cast with polyurethane resin, so those paints would be safe to use on it directly.

 I also agree with others that for tiny models which are usually less than an inch long matching to the exact factory colors is not really needed. The paint brands and painting methods others have mentioned would be perfectly adequate (and mix your own shades to approximate the desired color).

And there are also multiple brands of Chrome paint markers and such for detail painting.  @cfritschle mentioned one brand in the past, but again an Internet search for "chrome paint marker" will yield lots of results.

[TechnicalATSF]

Being a model car (the automotive type) modeler, here are some comments about color research and paint sources.

One of the sites which will show up is https://www.autocolorlibrary.com/ . It is a huge repository of automotive color chips.

There are companies selling small bottles of airbrush-ready color paints (actual automotive paints mixed to match the factory color paint chips), but those are rather pricey considering how little one will need to paint a 1:160 model car. Here are couple:
https://www.splash-paints.com/
https://mcwfinishes.com/
Since those are automotive paints, they are hot and will craze styrene without a good coat of primer. But Rasputen's models are cast with polyurethane resin, so those paints would be safe to use on it directly.

 I also agree with others that for tiny models which are usually less than an inch long matching to the exact factory colors is not really needed. The paint brands and painting methods others have mentioned would be perfectly adequate (and mix your own shades to approximate the desired color).

And there are also multiple brands of Chrome paint markers and such for detail painting.  @cfritschle mentioned one brand in the past, but again an Internet search for "chrome paint marker" will yield lots of results.

That link to www.autocolorlibrary.com is worth its weight in gold. What a fabulous resource! With another modellers hat on, I wanted to give a friend a model of his 1957 Ford Thunderbird. The colour, Sunset Coral proved to be really difficult to match for a large scale AMT car, spent hours trying to find a source before finally settling on a professionally mixed tin. Had to buy a litre of the stuff and threw about 97% of it away. Bit of pink in red paint and in 1/160 scale, a perfect match .

There are indeed a lot of chrome markers and paints, but having tried most, (except Resiners?), the one i mentioned is the only one (in my experience) that doesn't rub off on your fingers when you handle these tiny cars. I would however never use it for large scale models. Foil works better there.

[robert3985]

I figured that I wouldn't tell Loren Perry's secret about how to get sharp chrome-like details and let others read his techniques by referencing the link to the TRW thread, BUT, it seems that everybody thinks you have to paint the "chrome" parts after applying the body color which is just opposite of what Loren's technique is.

Loren got such great results by first airbrushing a thin coat of gloss black to the grill and rear-end details that would be "chrome", not masking...then, he airbrushed the entire car with Alclad "Chrome", spraying downward on the rear and front "chrome" regions so as to let the deeply recessed portions fade to black, emphasizing the remarkable detail of these areas that Brian's shrinking process retains.  Then, using a proper paintbrush, Loren painted the gloss body color(s) up to the edges of the airbrushed Alclad "Chrome" raised portions, stating that he found it much easier to brush-paint clean lines up to a raised edge, rather than brush paint to no edge.  He also said that the Alclad "Chrome" looked even better than the actual plated chrome on the CMW Mini-Metal vehicles. 

Loren's photos, which I posted in my previous reply, are strong evidence that this technique works very well indeed, and will be my method when I get around to getting my layout and workshop set up in my new residence in the very near future.

Loren also talks about leaving some cars looking glossy, brand-new and freshly washed as opposed to others where he's over-sprayed them with a satin finish to represent paint that's either dusty/dirty or has lost its gloss.  Here I differ a little with Loren as when I weather my locomotives and cars, I like to leave a bit of gloss visible so that there's a contrast between dirty/dusty/rusty and paint that's still glossy, if there is any.

I'll be ordering an additional batch of 1930's, 1940's and early 1950's vehicles from Brian in the very near future for sure!...and with Loren's guidance, I'm pretty sure it's going to be a lot of fun finishing them off in a manner they deserve.

Cheerio!
Bob Gilmore

[TechnicalATSF]

Here's a small gallery of Brian's vehicles that I painted my way. You can always add a coating of satin varnish if you don't like the shine...

https://share.icloud.com/photos/072eLn8gnc8acyG2L9BVssabw

https://share.icloud.com/photos/0c5m-VW-XzcPkOEt09L3AWsmA

[Dave V]

In the past I've used a silver Sharpie to do chrome trim.

[peteski]

In the past I've used a silver Sharpie to do chrome trim.

That results in a plain silver finish. The chrome pens produce much more chrome-like effect. But then again, I guess in 1:160 scale (unless taking macro photos) it doesn't make much difference.

[Dave V]

That results in a plain silver finish. The chrome pens produce much more chrome-like effect. But then again, I guess in 1:160 scale (unless taking macro photos) it doesn't make much difference.

Meh, I've done it in HO and taken macro photos, but FWIW those were cars having driven on dirt roads. Very few paved roads in southwestern Colorado in the 40s. Obviously that's going to be very different for my N scale PRR work. I know silver markers aren't that glossy, but I have so much more control than I do with a brush.

So what about something like this?

https://www.amazon.com/San-Jeirie-Permanent-Reflective-Metallic/dp/B0FC32L46L/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=A7V493K1QEHD&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.H2S97wzzjuvPw9MYFQg3S8-FbzocqTBN_5cUsjWIQWvQNI6TgOftmqX-sYEI4XIkMnGd61h4vnPuA5HW2wPW32bNsh1gbBWLNpTeq6zwF4FzexiHq_eHm1BKqoFnRNp_ionyB7sRG8NkHA-i86NXAyPbObyG0kPSdC0sySttSxRpsTfyVZUWbgxbi7bs-s3m2Cc5eU6JAEgrl76G4h7OibNQ2p1Eis3RtKzQBuH7Qq1t_0myAvwP7b_HXRFZYWT7ztnwNnvnBi8ueonRDVrvPwQOldM2jkIN5zIEeJ8KX8A.Z9Sf0kqcVstRbtfMI9myZ5ES137xI8Jr0KTG10C9XZE&dib_tag=se&keywords=chrome%2Bpaint%2Bpen&qid=1773867501&sprefix=chrome%2Bpaint%2Bpen%2Caps%2C200&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

[peteski]

I do realize that Alclad II Chrome paint was mentioned by someone, but those chrome markers was exactly what I was talking about.

[cfritschle]

Meh, I've done it in HO and taken macro photos, but FWIW those were cars having driven on dirt roads. Very few paved roads in southwestern Colorado in the 40s. Obviously that's going to be very different for my N scale PRR work. I know silver markers aren't that glossy, but I have so much more control than I do with a brush.

So what about something like this?

https://www.amazon.com/San-Jeirie-Permanent-Reflective-Metallic/dp/B0FC32L46L/ref=sr_1_1_sspa?crid=A7V493K1QEHD&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.H2S97wzzjuvPw9MYFQg3S8-FbzocqTBN_5cUsjWIQWvQNI6TgOftmqX-sYEI4XIkMnGd61h4vnPuA5HW2wPW32bNsh1gbBWLNpTeq6zwF4FzexiHq_eHm1BKqoFnRNp_ionyB7sRG8NkHA-i86NXAyPbObyG0kPSdC0sySttSxRpsTfyVZUWbgxbi7bs-s3m2Cc5eU6JAEgrl76G4h7OibNQ2p1Eis3RtKzQBuH7Qq1t_0myAvwP7b_HXRFZYWT7ztnwNnvnBi8ueonRDVrvPwQOldM2jkIN5zIEeJ8KX8A.Z9Sf0kqcVstRbtfMI9myZ5ES137xI8Jr0KTG10C9XZE&dib_tag=se&keywords=chrome%2Bpaint%2Bpen&qid=1773867501&sprefix=chrome%2Bpaint%2Bpen%2Caps%2C200&sr=8-1-spons&sp_csd=d2lkZ2V0TmFtZT1zcF9hdGY&th=1

Dave,

That looks very similar to the chrome marker set I got from Amazon.  I have only used the one with the smallest tip so far, and it works. My problem is that I am at the point that getting a perfect finish is no longer possible with my skills, or lack thereof.  However, if you apply the 3-foot rule, most of the vehicles I have used the chrome marker on are OK.  Here is an example of one I did a few months ago.

[thomasjmdavis]

Are 1 mm Molotow chrome pens (which can be purchased at Hobby Lobby, at least, that's where I got mine) no longer the 'go to' for bumpers and trim?

[peteski]

Dave,

That looks very similar to the chrome marker set I got from Amazon.  I have only used the one with the smallest tip so far, and it works. My problem is that I am at the point that getting a perfect finish is no longer possible with my skills, or lack thereof.  However, if you apply the 3-foot rule, most of the vehicles I have used the chrome marker on are OK.  Here is an example of one I did a few months ago.

That T-Bird looks great!  Once of Rasputen cars?  I owned a 1:1 '77 T-Bird. Mine was beige and brown.

[cfritschle]

That T-Bird looks great!  Once of Rasputen cars?  I owned a 1:1 '77 T-Bird. Mine was beige and brown.

Hi Peter,

Thank you, and no it is not one of Brian's cars.  It is 3D printed.  I painted it metallic blue and white to match a 1978 T-Bird that my grandparents bought new. All of their cars before that T-Bird were 4-door sedans!

My problem is that I cannot see the flaws in my paint jobs unless I take a photo.  I had cataract surgery last May, and while the new lenses were supposed to give me the best vision possible for closeup work, I lose my depth of field when I get too close, even when working with an optivisor.

[TechnicalATSF]

Are 1 mm Molotow chrome pens (which can be purchased at Hobby Lobby, at least, that's where I got mine) no longer the 'go to' for bumpers and trim?

Molotow still my preferred choice, but buy a mix of refill bottles an 1mm pens. Pens for headlights and bumpers, refill bottles and paintbrush for trim, grills and windows..