Painting 5" gauge wheels.

At the stage when I could paint my Horwich Crab wheels. What is the best paint to use, satin black?.

Not a loco wheel but a flywheel, although similar!

Painted my Centaur flywheel (about 7 in dia) with a spray can of satin black, I think it looks great. Casting surface prepared by filing and Emery cloth with any imperfections filled with JB Weld all sanded back then 2 or 3 coats (by brush) of Bonda Primer which has good solids content.

Rubbed down carefully with 400 wet & dry (wet) masked up the 3 coats spray black.

Alan

Did you not paint the wheels shiny black before you machined them? Much easier to clean with a glossy surface.

I recommend that you paint the tyres to match as it looks so much better (that goes for hand rails too). I doubt that a Horwich Crab ever had an exhibition finish in full size.

With best wishes and good luck with the build.

John B

Any more tips for painting 5" gauge loco wheels.

I have made a wheel jig to C.Vines design to support the wheels (which are attached to their axles) and off the chassis.

If by airbrush, how do you mask around the wheel tyres, or do you overpaint and "scrape" off. if by brush, how do you avoid brush marks. Do you paint one side of the wheel, wait for the paint to semi dry and then turn for the other side or go straight in and do both sides at once ? Unfortunately, the "Bible" wasn't very helpful.

Bob