I also would be interested in such info as I am planing on building some trains from brass, tin, and copper in the near future. I have painted some industrial control fixtures and had to degreese them before painting them, is this the same process with brass?

Here's the BEST resource I can provide on this subject:

http://schutzer.net/index.htm

Bar none, this site is pretty phenomenal!

From his reccomendations, you start by

1.  Strip [yes, STRIP] with JASCO Paint and Epoxy remover.

2.  Follow up with a Beadblast to remove tarnish and straggling paint.

3.  Paint with Enamels.

4.  BAKE after paint!!

I recently won my first bit of brass on ebay - a Lambert SP Flanger.  It came unpainted and slightly tarnished.

I took the four main parts apart, and dipped them in white vinegar for about 30 minutes.  Then I washed the four main parts (chassis, superstructure and two bogies) in hot soapy water, using an old toothbrush to remove the tarnish.  Then all parts were washed in clean water and allowed to dry.  I then applied regular gray car primer (acrylic) from a can, in three thin coats. When dry, I used an airbrush to give the four parts several thin coats of Pollyscale acrylic Boxcar Red.  Then, when again dry, they were sprayed with an oil-based gloss laquer from a can, for decalling purposes. I re-assembled the flanger, applied Micsroscale decals, and the whole thing just needs to be glazed, dulled down and weathered.  It worked for me, and looks great!

Brian

bxmoore, any pics you can share of the flanger?

I've found that posting pictures is not my strong point, but hopefully these links will take you to my Photobucket album for "before and after" shots:

http://s127.photobucket.com/albums/p143/bxmoore/?action=view&current=Originalflanger1.jpg

"SP Flanger - unpainted"

http://s127.photobucket.com/albums/p143/bxmoore/?action=view&current=Flanger1.jpg

"SP Flanger - painted"

If you still can't access them, then I will send you them direct.  The flanger still needs some work done on it.  As can be seen, I've also added two marker lights at the back end, and I moved the front indicator on the roof so that both are on the RH side of the roof, as per most pictures I've seen.  I model the mid 1950's, so the main reference for the paint job and number was a Pentrex DVD which, incidentally, shows this particular flanger being hauled by a tiger-stripe SD7, and an identical one being pulled by a 2-8-0. 

Brian

- edited by Jeff Shultz to embed the photos.

Nice Modeling, I like the added details looks like a transfer caboose with a flange underneath. I like odd looking Maintance of way equipment

Brian,

Hope you don't mind - I edited your post to embed the photos in it. The only danger I can think of is that if they get viewed enough, Photobucket steps on them with a bandwidth limit.

BTW, I've seen one of those things up close:

It's now part of the traction museum's collection at Antique Powerland in Brooks, OR.

Thanks, Jeff.  I was hoping someone would do that for me!

Thanks too for the pic of the real flanger - definitely almost identical to mine, so must be ex-SP.  The boys at the club were hoping that I'd paint mine orange too, to make it a bit more modern, but I remained firm.  One day. perhaps.

Brian

You can sort of see the reporting mark up along the roofline.

My photos of the flanger start at http://www.shultzinfosystems.com/gallery/Freight-cars/DSCF1829 and continue on for about the next 13 photos....

Hi Peter,

   Definately strip your brass to remove the clearcoat from the factory. I always blast brass with aluminum oxide powder at about 75 lbs. pressure. Then wash it real well. Blow it dry and let it sit in the sun for a while. Water has a way of hiding in these models so let it sit and really dry out. I only paint with acrylics so it's painters choice here. The brass I paint is steam so I shoot with a light white/silver color first along the running board edges. The overspray is my primer ! After taping off the edges I shoot the smokebox and firebox, tape them off and then get out my favorite black. That's a mixture of engine black and the deepest/darkest red you can find. Add the red till you get the right tone of aged black you like. If you like to shoot photos indoors your going to love this mixture. Some of my loco pics are on the GTWHS yahoo web site. 

Paul Cervenka