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Painting Guide - Techniques
Guide to painting Western Scale Models kits
Modelers continually marvel over the beautiful models on display at the Western Scale Models show tables. These models have been built for us by Ray Sadler. Ray has prepared this Paint and Finishing Guide to help you finish your models.
"This list includes colors I have used on the Western Scale display models and colors I feel are suitable for machine models. Because most large machines have been repainted, they often are found in a variety of colors that were not the original factory color. I use Testors Model Masters Enamels. They are available in acrylics, but I prefer the enamels because they do not dry as fast as the acrylics."
~ Ray Sadler
Here is a potential list of enamel colors:
Blacks:
Flat Black FS37038
Aircraft Interior Black FS37031 (more gray)
Tans:
Dark Tan FS30219
Raw Sienna No # (same as Dark Tan)
Greens:
Field Green FS34097
Forest Green FS34127
Medium Green FS34102
Dark Green FS34079
Grays:
Aircraft Gray FS16473
Neutral Gray FS36270
Aggressor Gray FS36251
Dark Dull Gray FS36231
German Uniform No # (Fieldgrau)
Gunship Gray FS36118
Euro 1 Gray FS36081
Navy Gloss Gray FS16081
NOTE: "I feel the darker grays look better on the machines"
Steel FS1780
"I use steel on handles, shafts, etc., for bare metal that is not polished."
Gun Metal FS1795
"I use this color a lot. Used full strength, it has a nice dark metal look. When used as a stain on metal gears, etc., it gives a nice oily metal look. I dip my brush into lacquer thinner then into the paint. Then flow a very thin coat onto the metal. If it is too dark, simply take off some of the paint using the thinner."
Others Tips:
"Belt pulleys, metal wear surfaces on lathes, drill press tables, etc. are polished using what I call foam core nail files. You can buy these in a beauty supply store. The one that I use is called Tropical Shine 4-way buffer. It has four different grades of grit. The coarse front is blue and pink in color while the finer back is white and gray in color. You can clean up the casting using the coarse grit and then polish the casting with the finer grit."
We will continually update this page with new techniques and helpful hints related to finishing our Western Scale Models white metal kits, as well as, our wood Wild West structures.
If you have any suggestions of tips or techniques that would help other modeler builders, please let us know by submitting them to our email address or contact form.
