BobIve been using Tru-Color

Bob

Ive been using Tru-Color for several years and recommend using their thinner and spray in light coats.  I did a Sunshine Mopac Eagle Merchandise car (blue with a center gray band) and found that unless the resin sides are given a blast of aluminum oxide any masking will pull the paint up down to the resin. I used it on plastic and wood laser cabooses too as their MKT freight car Brown matches the color the Mopac used.  Believe I normally spray at 20 psi.   I didn’t like their flat finish and went back to using Dullcote.  

I just used their Dark Eagle Blue today on a GP-12 I’m building.  

I would second the comments

I would second the comments above, Bob.  I had the most success using their thinner and not being shy thinning the paint out - 2 parts paint to 1 part thinner, at least.  I hope you can see the finish quality of this TCP repaint as an example.  I did not use primer underneath, just stripped the body and painted the raw plastic. 

Good luck!

-bill

spray on dry days

Floquil ==> Tru-Color

Hi Bob,

The transition took a little time and experimentation for me.

I ended up at 30 PSI and used a shorter distance to the receiving surface.  I used Tru-Color thinner 3ml / oz. bottle of paint and 30 PSI in a Paasche VL.  Would do the same with the Iwata CH.  I really liked the performance and finish.   My basement is at about 75 degrees and 45 percent humidity.  Drying was no problem.  The decals from two different sources applied directly and performed well also.  I had a large supply of Dullcote and Glosscote so I mixed 3 parts Dulcote with 10 parts Glosscote with 13 parts of hardware store lacquer thinner and shot it at 15 PSI for the essential protective finish.  I did not clean the styrene, just shot directly onto the bodies and spruces.  I did notice that the finish did scratch off easily leading me to shoot the protective lacquer layer.  The finish can indeed be very thin and the paint covers very well.  

Light cleaning of your airbrush with hardware store acetone works great.  Painted for hours cleaned airbrushes in minutes.  No enroute clogs.  83 cars in batches of about 20 bodies and then sprues to finish the bottle.    Dullcote 50% with hardware store lacquer thinner and clean with straight lacquer thinner.

Undecorated three bay hopper project.

I hope you enjoy the Tru-Color paints as much as I did.

Nick

Thank you..

Thanks everybody for the tips so far. 

Sounds like I will like TruColor, as an N scale modeler I am excited to hear how the paint is "thin" 

Probably is a good idea to start with some test pieces first before I start to paint up a few locomotives. 

Timely thread

I just picked up my first bottle of TruColor at the hobby shop yesterday.  I'd like to add extra details to my Rescar CF7 and the CSX cream appears to be a close match to the cream color that Athearn used on the model.  However, I did not get a bottle of the thinner while I was there (distracted by other sparkly things)...  I guess I need to plan another trip into the city soon...

Craig

Arizona Hobbies TruColor References

Hey Bob,

I've purchased a couple prototype specific bottles myself, but have not yet used any. So, your question is timely for me too. I watched a video in the last few days where the modeler used TruColor; but I cannot for the life of me remember where now; thought it was TMTV, but can't find it. I did see some interesting reference links from Arizona Hobbies just today: https://www.arizonahobbies.com/Tru-Color-Paint_c_48.html

Pleas let us know how it turned out. 

Eric

Pressure and thinner

The FAQ on their web site recommends starting pressure at 28-35 psi, but I had great results at 18-20.  It's a good idea to spend some time experimenting before you spray something important.  But once you find the sweet spot for your combination of equipment and personal preference it stays pretty consistent.

A while back I had a great phone conversation with one of tech support guys. Even though they design it to be sprayable straight from the bottle, you may need to add a bit of thinner with some of the colors that have significantly more pigment (like white, and some of the metals.)

If the seller doesn't rotate their stock and you get a bottle that has been around for a long time, you also may need to add a bit of thinner.  I never add it to the bottle.  I always mix it in the airbrush paint cup.

gs

Paasche to Badger

Is a Paasche VL equivalent to a Badger medium tip? I use the medium tip for acrylics and TCP doesn't look as runny as the old lacquers/enamels.

Trucolor

I use strictly Trucolor paints. I hate the waterbased paints. I think they are terrible! I have been using Accupaints and now Trucolor and have had A+ results with both. If thinning is needed, I use lacquer thinner. After painting and decaling I seal it with a 50/50 mixture of Testors Dullcoat and Glosscoat. Stock #s 1160 and 1160 and cut it with lacquer. It leaves a great eggshell finish.

Acetone, Not Lacquer Thinners

I've been using TCP since they first came out - still have about 80 bottle on the shelf. When I had my custom painting business, I went through a LOT of paint, making their own thinner too expensive. I found just standard hardware store brand acetone worked just as well. Tried lacquer thinners in the beginning, but it re-acted with the paint turning it to jell-o from the top down.

I usually use a Paasche H with a pressure of 32 psi.  Thinning ratio for me is usually almost 50:50. This stuff flashes off real quick, so in order to spray wet passes that will meld into the next pass, you need to spray close / wet / quick.  This paint is impossible to spray too heavy.  I did a quick video of spraying white over black - two solid passes and it's covered. When done properly, this paint nets a smooth as glass finish.

Mark.

Acetone for thinner

I have been using Tru-color for a couple of years. Great finish. Most colors I have not had to thin. When I need to thin I use acetone. I clean my airbrush with acetone. I have had to make some custom colors and find the paint mixes well.