[geoffrey figgins]

Hi All

I am bulding platforms, and now want to put a white
line on the edge of the platforms, Any ideas? other then painting one with a fine brush.

Regards

Geoff.

 

[Al]

If you want the best results, painting it on is the best way. A bit of masking tape, or a scored line will help keep the back edge of the line straight...

 

[John Webb]

There is a special brush used on 1:1 scale railways for painting the white line (which, by the way is usually whitewash rather than paint). At one end of the brush a strip of wood is fixed to the end of the wood block holding the bristles and is a couple of inches longer than the bristles. This is used to guide the brush along the edge of the platform.
A small strip of plasticard or similar taped to the side of a paint brush should act in the same way for model work, I would have thought.
Has anyone ever tried 'Tippex' or similar correcting fluids? This dries to give a nice white matt surface looking rather like whitewash.
Regards,
John Webb

 

[7113]

I have never tried correcting fluids as a paint, very fine surface filler yes, but paint no.

I would recommend thinned matt white paint.

Regards

 

[Richard Johnson]

QUOTE (BRITHO @ 4 Jan 2008, 01:38) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I have never tried correcting fluids as a paint, very fine surface filler yes, but paint no.

I would recommend thinned matt white paint.

Regards

***

Tippex etc? I find it goes off very fast so hard to "paint well" with but it'd certainly have a nice flat look!

Paint...Yep - even plain old house acrlic thinned with a mix of water and meths (or a tiny bit of detergent) so it flows well (the meths helps lower surface tension quite well so it flows smooth. Dries it a wee bit faster too )

I'm tempted to say don't make it hard white - it always looks harsh / wrong to me. The tinyest bit of brown and an even tinier bit of black added to make it a soft very very plae gray looks much better.

Richard

 

[Noggins Friend]

I may not be up to the standards of my peers posting here, but has anyone considered Metcalfe. They provide an adhesive white strip of paper that is matt white. Mine are quite old now and still look quite good. I like the Metcalfe products, with suitable weathering they can be made quite realistic.

 

[John Webb]

Thinking about it, the colour and texture of the white line will depend on period. The white line used to be whitewash, but in recent times (anyone tell us when?) they seem to have gone over to other methods, including the thermoplastic stuff similar to road markings. Presumeably more expensive to apply but longer lasting?
Regards,
John Webb

 

[bike2steam]

Yep, use 'Low Tak' masking tape.
Paul M.

 

[ozwarrior]

Just a thought. Has anyone used fine pin striping used on cars?
I don't know how well it'd adhere though?

 

[Richard Johnson]

QUOTE (Noggins Friend @ 4 Jan 2008, 19:00) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>I may not be up to the standards of my peers posting here, but has anyone considered Metcalfe. They provide an adhesive white strip of paper that is matt white. Mine are quite old now and still look quite good. I like the Metcalfe products, with suitable weathering they can be made quite realistic.

*** Nothing wrong with that at all as an approach - There are no points for doing it the hard way in this hobby, and no "wrong or right" if it gets the job done well!

Using Metcalfe, white card or paper will be a lot easier for many than getting a good consistent line with a paintbrush and as you said, it can look very good. It should also be possible to choose the paper texture to come closer to concrete or whatever is now in use, and even perhaps to emboss any "non-slip" pattern on it if it was wanted.

Richard

 

[7113]

Metcalfe edging is fine - I had in fact forgotten about it! I htink car pin striping would be a bit "heavy".

Regards

 

[nevardmedia]

You might want to try masking the area off with a low tack masking tape (as already memntioned to avoid removing the platform surface when you remove it). Then, with a stiff brush, using very little pigment dry brush or stipple the paint on (enamel, matt emulsion - have a play first). Overstated white lines will look wrong, this gets around that, allowing some of the original surface to show through - less is more......

 

[7113]

QUOTE (nevardmedia @ 5 Jan 2008, 23:49) <{POST_SNAPBACK}>less is more......

Excellent advice - I tried it on a bit of card and it worked a treat.

Regards

 

[Free_at _last]

At about 40 seconds in, it shows an easy way of doing it.

 

[Brian]

I did all my platform white edges with a Grout white paint pen. Easy to use and control the width of the line.

Avaiable from all good DIY or tile shops

Like this one Grout Pen

 

[dooferdog]

Only one way as far as I'm concerned, and it works for white lines in theroad as well, on any surface. That is, use one of the Scotch tape 'typing correctors'. It's a roll of very fine white film in a roller dispenser which you drag over the paper/platform/road and then very gently stipple/rub down onto your surface. Sadly I don't have any to show you, but it does not spread or weep, has a mat (ish) finish and with care can be rolled out next to an edge and folded over.