Painting Kato Handrails?

[cbroughton67]

When painting locomotives, I typically use Tru-Color paint from an airbrush over Tamiya primer, and get good results. The rub is always N-scale handrails... usually made from flexible, "slippery" plastic that isn't always paint-friendly. The Primer / paint I use holds up decently for the most part (the less handling, the better...), but I still find myself having to do a few touch-ups on the handrails over time. Has anyone tried using a flex additive or an adhesion promoter with any success? Or, maybe you have some special technique that works for you? I don't know what I don't know, so I'm hoping someone can teach me a new trick with regard to painting Kato N-scale handrails.


Chris

[Peachymike]

Have you tried the polycarbonate paints they make for RC car bodies? I have to mix them to get some of the colours I need but I’ve had good success with these on Kato and other handrails

[bman]

I'll 2nd the paint for R/C car bodies. Only because Microscale discontinued their Microprep. That stuff works well for me. I still have 1 left I've made last by only painting whole handrail assemblies. For ends it's the R/C paints.

[peteski]

Back when Atlas/Kato RS-3 and RS-11 were new models, I resorted to getting a Badger brand mini-sandblasting gun (basically a modified airbrush) and I sandblasted the handrails (well, the entire walkway assy.) then painted it with a base coat of Pactra paint for polycarbonate bodies (neutral color), then the top coat was using Accu-Paint (Tru-Color paints are pretty much same as Accu-Paints).  That resulted in a finish which adheres very well to the slippery plastic.  If severely flexed the paint fractures but does not flake off.  But this painting method is rather cumbersome.

[wmcbride]

As said above: Tamiya Polycarbonate paint for RC vehicles.

[cbroughton67]

I've used the polycarbonate paints before, but only when I haven't had to mix the colors. I'm working on a blue HLCX SD40-2, and I'll be using Tru-Color MP Blue. Any suggestions for a formula to match the MP Blue? Blue and... what else?


Chris

Have you tried the polycarbonate paints they make for RC car bodies? I have to mix them to get some of the colours I need but I’ve had good success with these on Kato and other handrails

[u18b]

Paint is only part of the issue.

The root issue is slippery plastic.

I sandblast what I plan to paint.

https://www.therailwire.net/forum/index.php?topic=50417.0

[Lackawannae8]

Ive been prepping rails with acrylic nail adhesion promoter then using floquill after it dries. So far so good

[davefoxx]

Ive been prepping rails with acrylic nail adhesion promoter then using floquill after it dries. So far so good

I like Dupli-Color’s Adhesion Promoter, a clear primer to promote paint adhesion to plastic, vinyl, and chrome.  It’s designed for automotive plastic parts, like bumper covers.

I used it on a plastic HO scale automobile and when I later tried to strip the model in a 91% IPA bath, the paint wouldn’t budge!

Hope this helps,
DFF

[Ed Kapuscinski]

I'm a savage. I just slather on... Polyscale, and it's held up pretty well.

[peteski]

I'm a savage. I just slather on... Polyscale, and it's held up pretty well.

You don't go go the scale thickness handrails?     Polyscale paints have not been  made or sold for some time.