Painting 3D printed kits: priming, painting and weathering
A good paint job turns a kit into a locomotive. 3D printed parts take paint very well once they're prepared properly, and this post covers the steps we'd follow.
Step 1: Prepare the surface
3D printed parts have fine layer lines. A light sand smooths them, and filler takes care of any gaps or joints. It's the step people most want to skip, and the one that shows most in the finished model.
Workshop tip: start at 600 grit and work up through the grades to 1600 grit. Use the coarser grits on parts with more obvious layer lines, such as steam domes and anything with curves.
Step 2: Prime
A thin coat of primer gives the paint something to grip and shows up any marks you've missed. Two light coats are better than one heavy one, which can fill in fine detail like rivets.
We use Halfords plastic filling primer on our prints. It fills the finest layer lines as it goes, so you get a smoother surface for the paint.
Step 3: Paint
An airbrush gives the smoothest finish on larger areas such as tanks, cabs and boilers. Pick out small details with a fine brush or paint pens. Mask any edges you want to keep crisp.
If you airbrush indoors, our spray booth kit keeps the overspray contained. It connects to a vacuum hose and has a 263mm tall paint space. It's designed for airbrush use only, not spray cans, because of the ignition risk.
Step 4: Weather
Real narrow gauge engines worked hard and rarely stayed clean. A little grime around the wheels, smokebox and cab makes a model look like it's been in service. Build it up slowly: it's easier to add more than take it away.
Watch it done
George Williamson painted and weathered our Kerr Stuart Skylark for his garden railway. It's a great video to watch before you start:
He also paints and weathers our Baldwin in Part 2 of his Baldwin build.
Stan
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