Smokebox graphite color?

[Jeff Johnston]

Greetings! Unless it's a trade secret, can you pass along the brand of paint and color, or an approximate color blend, for the smokebox graphite color you use for your steam locomotives? In specific I'm looking at the color used on your On30 products like the Climax.

I've been experimenting with a variety of color blends and would really enjoy knowing how to achieve the same basic color you use.

Thank you!
Jeff Johnston

[Kevin Strong]

You can do better than matching paint--use the real thing. The graphite color on smokeboxes wasn't paint (well, not originally). It was graphite. It was swabbed on with some kind of oil carrier to give the smokebox a heat- and rust-resistant coating. This was very common up until around the 1910s when paints were finally at a point where they could withstand the heat.

Go to your local hardware store and get a tube of graphite lock lubricant. I spread some out on a scrap of paper, swab a Q-tip in it, then rub it on the smokebox. I've also heard of modelers using a soft #1 pencil instead of the powdered graphite.

Later,

K

[hotrainlover]

The problem with that method is that now after touching the engine.....  You get graphite on everything else!! 

[Kevin Strong]

If that's an issue (and in my experience, it's not), you can easily seal it with a matte finish as you would weathering chalks, etc.

Later,

K

[Jeff Johnston]

Gents:

I appreciate your suggestions about the use of real graphite. Having some involvement with restored steam locomotives and the technology of steam history I'm familiar with what the smokebox graphite is on a real steam locomotive, how it's applied, and so on.

My question, however, concerns what type and color of paint Bachmann uses for its steam locomotive models. I posted here in the hopes that "The Bach Man" could shed some light on this.

Thanks!
Jeff Johnston

[the Bach-man]

Dear Jeff,
The colors are mixed at the factory. At one point I found an auto color that was almost a perfect match; I can't seem to find it anymore. (It was made by Plasticote).
I still go to the auto store for close matches, though.
Have fun!
the Bach-man

[rogertra]

Dear Jeff,
The colors are mixed at the factory. At one point I found an auto color that was almost a perfect match; i can't seem to find it anymore. (It was made bu Plasticote).
I still go to the auto store for close matches, though.
Have fun!
the Bach-man

Close matches are all that's needed.  No two smokeboxes were ever the same what with weathering a such.  That's why "close enough" is good enough.  Add weathering and you can't tell.

But, I guess, there's some "strange" people out there who don't weather their equipment. 

[WoundedBear]

Have a look at Model Master Metalizers from Testors. These can be bought in small airbrush bottles, and a few of the colors come in the standard 3 ounce spray bomb. One of these has got to be close enough, and if not, the colors can be blended together for a custom mix.

http://www.testors.com/category/145620/Metalizer_Enamel_Paint

Sid

[pdlethbridge]

 I have noticed while I've been collecting 1000's of steam locomotive pictures, that 2 locos are not alike in the color of the smoke box. They range from almost black to silver.
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/bo/bo-s0156vaa.jpg
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/cnj/cnj-s940.jpg
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/nw/nw-s1364adb.jpg
I know that the photos were black and white, but as you can see, they are different shades compared to the engine. If anything they all look darker than the rest of the loco. What do people say, "Beauty is in the eye of the beholder". So a color that's close would be good enough. Think of this, Would 2 similar engines look the same if one just came out of the shop all bright and shiny and the other was going in after a couple of years of service.

[glennk28]

Be careful wqith graphite--also Neolube--around wheels--they are conductive and can introduce mysterious short circuits. 

The Testors metalizer colors are good--a few years ago on this board we found that there is a Tamiya acrylis (XF-56) that was almost a dead match for the smokebox on the Fn3 2-8-0.  Become familiar with the Tamiya paints--they aare usually in the "Aircraft and Armoe" section of the hobby shop. They also have some transparent colors that are good for marker lamp lenses, and for the tinted windows in streamlined passenger cars.  They both brush and spray well. 

X-10 Gunmetal and XF-56 metallic gray are good. 
gj

[pdlethbridge]

here is another notice how silver it looks.
http://www.rr-fallenflags.org/rut/rut-s83gda.jpg

[Johnson Bar Jeff]

But, I guess, there's some "strange" people out there who don't weather their equipment. 

Management on my road thinks it's better business to keep the passenger equipment looking factory new. 

[Loco Bill]

Check Auto Zone and other such places, they have some mettalic colors that shoud work for you.  Model paint prices have gone through the roof, so it is often cheaper to get the Automotive paints. 

[rich1998]

I have used model railroad Graphite and Oil spray paint. The final look would depend on how long the graphite and oil had been on the smoke box as has been mentioned, the smoke box gets real hot.

Lex

[Jeff Johnston]

Gents and Ma'ams:

Thanks for your suggestions in response to my graphite color question. I've seen the Testors Metallizer colors and they look great as smokebox graphite options, but in this case, the painting project is a how-to video that's partly sponsored by Badger so I need to keep the products used all Badger if possible.

In the meantime, since posting my original question, I believe I've come up with a good blend of Badger Model Flex paints that should do the trick.

Thanks again for your efforts.

Jeff Johnston
www.trainvideosandparts.com