Paint resistant plastic

Looking at the Grandt Line website, I really didn't like the yellow finish they show on the model. I know these things live in mines, but I associate yellow painted tubs with more modern metal versions. I thing dirty wood is the way to go.

My plan was to use the Lifecolor wood set, but when I tried the paint on the plastic, it didn't stick. Colour (should that be "color") pooled up as though I was painting on grease. I don't think it was mould release, just a shiny plastic and not very sticky paint.

The solution is of course, a spray of car primer. Grey seemed to be the best colour for worn wood and application went well, even though I didn't shake the can for 5 minutes, because I am a rebel.

After this there was no problem with paint. A couple of coats of Warm base colour followed by dry brushing with Warm light shade 2 and a bit of Cool base colour. Working quickly, the colours all blend a little to give a nice result. Not bleached, these things would surely not see enough sunlight, but brown enough that when they get filthy in the next step, the result will look OK.

Interesting plastic

The Grandt Line tubs are made from interesting plastic*. Most of the body is a really hard, even slightly brittle material but the strapping is much softer. This is important because it has to be bent around the overhang at the bottom of the body. A wash of plastic solvent seems to help with this as I only broke a couple of lengths prodding around with a screwdriver.

Working out where everything goes is awkward as there aren't any instructions and the photo on the website isn't that clear. I think I've got it about right but if not, I'll just have to not care.

*Yes, I know how nerdy this sounds, but the properties of different materials really interest me.

1/4" mine tubs

Bought at Lancing show for no better reason than they are interesting and cheap - a pair of On3 mine tubs are sitting on my workbench.

If you've not heard of On3 before - 7mm scale modelling 3ft gauge prototypes. The track should be 21mm apart and for no reason other than they haven't grown up enough to use metric units, our American cousins prefer to describe this as 1/4" scale.

Anyway, this pair of Grandt line kits are a nice enough looking in the box. I have no use for 3ft gauge mine tubs, but since no-one had relieved the kind vendor of them by the middle of the day, it seemed only polite. Such is the way my cupboard fills up with stuff...