Boiler Bands

[GWR 101]

I have finally put the insulation on the boiler.

and then the cleading

and I have a question, I do not intend to paint the boiler bands so wondered how to prevent then getting tarnished. Would a coat of clear varnish be a solution, I am sure this must have cropped up previously in postings so any advice would be appreciated.  Thanks Paul

[robmort]

Varnish would certainly work, as is used commercially on brass fittings.

[GWR 101]

Hi robmort,

Many thanks for the reply I will proceed along those lines, I realise it was a fairly basic question but the problem was the more I thought about it the more doubt entered my mind. Regards Paul

[Jim]

I used a spray varnish on the brass boiler bands on my 3" Burrell Paul and it has stood the test of time though it is now starting to show its age but then so is the rest of the paint work.

Jim.

[GWR 101]

Thanks Jim

I have a small tin of Humbrol gloss varnish that I was going to try underneath to see how it looks. I like the idea of spraying as I find that I get an uneven coat when brushing. I will have a look around and see what's available. Regards Paul.

[Jim]

Hi Paul,
Come to think of it, something i don't do often, I'm fairly sure there is actually a clear varnish for just that job. They use it to keep the shine on brass bed heads and such, Brass Lacquer comes to mind.
As my teacher often said to my mum, 'If we wait long enough he will eventually get there.'

Jim

[GWR 101]

Hi Jim,

Brilliant, no pun intended, as soon as you add the word lacquer on the web the answer is there.  So I shall be ordering some and it is suitable for exterior use.

Many thanks Paul. 

[springcrocus]

Paul,

I know nothing about the matter in hand - Im dreading getting to the painting stage - but I do wish to complement you on the look of your boiler so far. I hope my Britannia looks as good as your top two photos when I get that far.

Steve

[GWR 101]

Thanks Steve, I am sure yours will look excellent. As you are probably aware although I have made all the parts of my Juliet I did not make the boiler as I do not have the appropriate equipment or skill. I also struggled with the painting until I found a local company who mix paints to match a sample provided and then put it into aerosol cans and all for about £12 a 400ml can. So I found this a lot easier to use and a lot less wasteful. I am intending to complete a Jubilee that my late father started and I may attempt the boiler on that build.....but that's another story. Regards Paul

[Jim]

Like you Paul I got my BR Green in aerosol cans mixed to a sample I supplied. I find the spray paints easy to use, fast drying and once cured quite hard wearing.
I suspect the last 2 cans I had made up were actually to a BR Green paint spec. the paint supplier had, given the cans came back labelled BR Green. In certain lights the new paint appears a whisker lighter than the original two I had made up. Whatever the reason spray cans are my weapons of choice applied over a good auto etch primer.

Have no fears Steve, if 'Jim, 'the master of disaster' can do it anyone can and the beaut thing is if you make a cock up you can clean the paint off and do it again; now you can't do that if milling a pair of coupling rods or boring a cyclinder. 

[pault]

If you go to a boat builders or chandler they do a lacquer for marine use which is very tough

[GWR 101]

Hi Paul, many thanks I will look them up and see what they have available. Regards Paul

[92220]

I know this post is very late compared with the dates of previous posts but I thought I would add some info that may be useful: Precision Paints Ltd used to sell 2 different lacquers for brass. They were, and still are, used extensively in the ornaments trade. The first was Ercaline which imparted a gloss finish to the brass. The second was Frigilene, which kept the brass with whatever finish was on the bare metal. If it was a polished finish, the lacquered brass was gloss. If the surface was a matt finish then it stayed matt even after lacquering. Nowadays it is only available in large quantities, but many electroplating companies still use it and would probably sell a small quantity to model engineers. Just to show how good it is, I have a brass model of a ship's binnacle that I made back in the mid 1970s, and polished. It still retains it's high polish. These lacquers are very thin in consistency and so the coating is almost invisible on the brass, which is very handy!

Actually, I have just looked them up on Google. These lacquers are available in 250mls tins from The Polishing Shop. This is their website:- www.thepolishingshop.co.uk/acatalog/Chemicals-and-Cleaners.html

[GWR 101]

Hi 92220, many thanks you must be a mind reader. I never got round to coating the boiler bands as other projects got in the way and I decided to postpone until warmer days. One of these is the outer dome which had previously been painted which I now intend to polish and varnish.

So your post has arrived at just the right time, added to which the supplier is only about 10 miles from me so I will phone them on Monday to see if I can collect. The Great Engineer in the sky must be looking down favourably on me today, wonder if I should buy a lottery ticket. Many thanks Paul.

[GWR 101]

Hi just to say I have collected a tin of the lacquer from Cannock and applied it to some boiler bands. Most helpful supplier the only down side being that they do not guarantee it for out door use, so I shall have to see how serviceable it is. If it does prove unsatisfactory its not a major problem to remove them and try another product, usual disclaimer regarding the supplier. Regards Paul

[92220]

Hi Paul.

The advantage of using either Ercaline or Frigilene is that they will stick to brass as if etched, though there is no acid in them, unlike normal varnishes. Once a coat of either of these has dried and hardened, a coat of ordinary varnish can be applied if you want to. Another option is Clear Self Etch Primer. I used to make and sell it at Phoenix Precision Paints but I don't know if they still do it. It is available commercially, but I doubt if it would be available in small quanities, except from Phoenix. Anyway - just a thought - using it on your loco isn't like normally using a coating for outside use. You are not going to leave the loco out in all weathers like a car, so Ercaline or Frigilene should be fine. When I sold them I never made any restriction on their use outside. If anything, Ercaline (gloss finish) is a bit more durable than Frigilene, just because it IS gloss.

Bob

[GWR 101]

Hi Bob, many thanks I have applied it to some boiler bands and it dried remarkably quickly. I now have to wait for the repainted cleading to harden and then I can put them into place. As you say the service conditions are probably not considered as being too harsh. Regards Paul.

[92220]

Good luck Paul. Hope it works for you.

Bob.

[jon38r80]

Probably too late now but I found Rylards incralac pretty good, I believe it was originally developed for coating cartridges for long term storage, seems to work ok in a marine environment. It certainly is good for door handles and post box flaps. Sprays ok too.

[GWR 101]

Hi Jon. Many thanks, its never too late for good information, I am in Simplyloco's part of the world at the moment but will certainly research it when I am back in the UK. Regards Paul