Few would call model railroading an inexpensive hobby. With all the supplies necessary for building the most realistic models, costs can add up pretty quickly, so it’s important to try to make your materials last as long as possible. This is especially true for model railroad paint, which is vital for adding customization and personalization to your layouts. We like to utilize simple tips and tricks to get those few extra miles out of our model railroad paint, and in this lesson we’re going to share with you some of our favorites.
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Taking care of your model railroad paint
To help you get the most bang for your buck and maximize each model railroad paint you have in your arsenal, NMRA Master Modeler Gerry Leone introduces eight expert techniques for saving and best utilizing model railroad paint.
Gerry begins by discusses some inexpensive preservation methods for extending the shelf life of your model railroad paint, including a few smart storage methods. He teaches you a quick little trick for using snack wrappers to make your paint bottles more airtight, and then explains the best way to replace bottles into your storage cabinet when you’ve finished using them. Model railroad paint should last up to 15 years when stored correctly; that is unless you use it before then.
Ask any modeler, one of the worst things when it comes to model railroading is wasting, so the experts try to do everything they can to avoid waste at all cost. That’s why Gerry recommends two or three simple shortcuts for using as little model railroad paint as possible and keeping the rest in the bottle. You’ll learn how to cut a drip funnel out of a small bottle and utilize plastic caps for mixing, and then Gerry teaches you how to create a mixing card that you can use to remember formulas and spend less time trying to find the right shade. With these and other of Gerry’s expert tricks for saving model railroad paint, you’ll get the most out of every bottle you buy!
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