Repainting a loco

[chrisb]

I have got my 7 1/4” Wren in bits for a variety of jobs. Fitting tyres to the wheels and new crank pins, plus the boiler had to come off for an “undressed” inspection.
She is close on 40 years old and upon washing the oil and grease off with kerosene the paint is quite patchy in places.
A question for those who have tackled a job like this, how far do you go with the strip down before painting. Mine is down to frames, cylinders, buffer beams, smoke box and saddle. Is that far enough, leaving the slidebars and motion brackets in place?
What type of paint would be best, although some of the UK options might not be available here in NZ?

[simon6200]

Rust Guard satin black epoxy enamel spray cans for frames. If bare metal, prime first with Rust Guard Etch primer spray cans. In Bunnings here so should be in NZ. For the body, nothing beats automotive 2 pack polyurethane but you need spray equipment and proper respirator and take necessary precautions. Otherwise, spray cans as above if a suitable colour is in their range. Enamel takes time to dry and harden, of course, but the Rust Guard spray nicely and are good quality. Also expensive to match!

[chrisb]

I have been given some 2 pack for the “bodywork”, it’s the frames, footplate and cab roof that need to be satin black and then bright red for between the frames and buffer beams

[chris vine]

Hi Chris,
One paint I like is from Upol, which I would think should be available in nz.
Their etch primer acid#8 is very good . They also do a satin black which I like.
I’ve never tried the rust guard , but you can experiment…
Your strip down sounds ok. Just make sure everything is well masked and blanked before painting or grit blasting!!
Enjoy.
Chris

[92220]

Dec 3, 2023 4:34:30 GMT chrisb said:

I have got my 7 1/4” Wren in bits for a variety of jobs. Fitting tyres to the wheels and new crank pins, plus the boiler had to come off for an “undressed” inspection.
She is close on 40 years old and upon washing the oil and grease off with kerosene the paint is quite patchy in places.
A question for those who have tackled a job like this, how far do you go with the strip down before painting. Mine is down to frames, cylinders, buffer beams, smoke box and saddle. Is that far enough, leaving the slidebars and motion brackets in place?
What type of paint would be best, although some of the UK options might not be available here in NZ?

Hi Chris.

Be careful which type of kerosene you use for degreasing. If it is the sort used for oil lamps, it is likely to leave a greasy film which paint will not like! If you are stripping back to bare metal, the best solvent for degreasing is cellulose thinners. If degreasing surfaces that still have paint on them, use white spirit or turpentine substitute. White spirit is available in NZ from    [e-mail]  This is their website    www.pacer.co.nz/product-group/1845-white-spirits/category/404-solvents

Bob.

[millman]

Sorry for hijacking your post Chrisb but I am doing a very similar thing to a 30 year old Polly 2 loco, the boiler had to come out of the frames because the boiler inspectors insisted on seeing it in the flesh and the valve gear was rattling so time for a bit of TLC. I have stripped everything back to bare metal and have got some etch primer for all the brass bits, tender water tank, boiler cleading etc but I wonder if someone could advise as to the best way to proceed with the black steel frames and other steel and iron parts, I don’t want to put the frames in brick cleaner to remove the black scale due to the hornblocks being attached and the stuff seeping in to any gaps and causing problems later so should I use a red oxide primer or etch primer on the black mild steel, and what should I use as a base or primer on the cast iron and bright steel bits. Painting is a bit out of my comfort zone, I am far happier at the lathe making swarf.

[chris vine]

Hi Millman,

I find that the Acid #8 etch primer from Upol works well on ferous metals as well, so it should be good for the frames and castings.

Your strip down sounds fine, just make sure to mask/blank all the precious bits before painting - especially if you are going to grit blast it!!

Chris.

[millman]

Many thanks for your reply Chris, just purchased a couple of cans of Upol #8 Acid etch primer, tomorrow I shall get some cellulose thinners and a box of disposable gloves so I can give everything a final degreasing and keep the greasy fingerprints off. Hopefully I will get some painting done before year end.

[chris vine]

Great progress!

One note on using cellulose thinners to degrease:

It evaporates so quickly that it is easily possible for it to evaporate and just leave any oils back on the surface!! (The oils won't evaporate with it.)
You need to wipe it off before it evaporates - and so take the oils with it.
Or, use plenty so that the dissolved oils run off with the thinner onto the floor/drip tray etc - again before it evaporates.

Chris.

[SteveW]

Years back I got to refurbish the club Sweet Pea. It had got very tatty and the frames around the cab was quite rusty.

I stripped the frame completely, made hardboard protectors than exactly matched the cylinders and axle box area and had it grit blasted both to removed the old paint and the original rolling mill scale. Within half an hour by arrangement it had a coat of two part primer. The grit blasting had turned the whole thing into a rust magnet.

A thing to watch when painting it the few tens of thou of good paint can stop things ever fitting again.

I cleaned down the boiler and gave it a protective coat of Hammerite special metals primer hoping to ward off future corrosion.

All the pipe work got a gentle home grit blast to clean it up and provide a good key for new paint. Used the Hammerite primer as a base coat. Fiddly but looked good.

The frame was finally given a top coat, again two part stuff. The biggest worry being the smoke box, it gets kin hot. This ended up with another two part high temperature paint.

Years on the only issue being some tosser, while either getting it out or putting it away, ground a huge groove down the side of the cab and the thing has become obsolete in favour of our electric loco.

[simon6200]

What a sorry state of affairs when a real steam loco has been replaced by battery box. After holding out with an all steam roster longer than all the other clubs, finally the diesels are encroaching with 3 members now bringing them to running days. At least they are good models of diesel prototypes, not some of the tin box horrors you see.

[SteveW]

Dec 5, 2023 20:52:14 GMT simon6200 said:

What a sorry state of affairs when a real steam loco has been replaced by battery box. After holding out with an all steam roster longer than all the other clubs, finally the diesels are encroaching with 3 members now bringing them to running days. At least they are good models of diesel prototypes, not some of the tin box horrors you see.

We seem to get an increasing number of our younger visitors opting for the "diesel" rather than real steam. Perhaps the future will be electric "steam engines", it will just a matter of having a long enough 13Amp kettle lead.

[suctionhose]

I'm with Simon. If people think the hobby is about 'riding a mini train' then they seriously underestimate what they can gain from it. The electrics have always had a place for being instantly available for a quick ride or for the very young to have a go at the controls but to see them becoming a growing part of adult entertainment is underwhelming to say the least.