Mixing odd paint ratios

[ambluco]

I have a formula calling for 39:1. I want enough for an engine. 39 drops of one and 1 of the other doesn't seem like much. How do people typically mix up say a 1 oz paint jar of their desired color, to have some left?

Thanks.

[edwardsutorik]

39:1 is gonna be tricky.

I usually use measuring spoons for my paint--the cooking ones.

Something like this set:

measuring spoon set

What I recommend is finding how many drops it takes to fill a particular measuring spoon. As an example, let's suppose it takes 12 drops. So now you know that you can get a pretty close ratio with one drop of the "small" paint mixed with three spoons of the "big" paint: 12 + 12 + 12 : 1

If I want to play around, I can get closer than my 36:1. I strongly suspect this number is close enough.

You might want to work it backwards, where you start with how much paint you want to use, and working backwards to get to how may drops of the "small" you'll need.



Ed

[cpr4200]

3.9 oz. plus .1 oz would give you 4 ounces of your color.

1.95 oz plus .05 oz would give you 2 ounces.

I just changed the units from drops to ounces. Caveat: I was never very good at math. :-)

[drsvelte]

 Assuming you are going to use an airbrush, I would think 1 oz. of paint should be sufficient for one (HO) engine.  Get some pipettes like this to make the measuring easier... 

Fill a pipette with the primary color up the the 3 ml line.  Do it 10 times and you have approximately 1.0 oz. of paint. Then add a little less than 1 ml of the other color and you should be pretty close to the desired ratio.

[ambluco]

Thanks all!

[cpr4200]

The ratio sounds a bit like Dark Green Locomotive Enamel. (Probably too much green for that!)

[ambluco]

It's the white for later (non silver) NYS&W RS-1s.

[cpr4200]

I thought silver was the last Susquehanna scheme until the black & yellow Geeps? First was gray and maroon, then several varieties of silver with and without trim, then the Geeps? I remember seeing Susquehanna Alcos in the 60's that were solid silver with black NYS&W along the top of the long hood and the S herald on the ends. Is the color you're doing something like the "white" Burlington F units?

[ambluco]

Yes, first.

Gray is 39 reefer white, 1 reefer gray.

Also figured out 1 oz is 6 teaspoons. 39 1/8 tsp plus the other 1/8 is 5 teaspoons, just under 1 ounce.

Aug 23, 2024 11:58:40 GMT -8 cpr4200 said:

I thought silver was the last Susquehanna scheme until the black & yellow Geeps? First was gray and maroon, then several varieties of silver with and without trim, then the Geeps? I remember seeing Susquehanna Alcos in the 60's that were solid silver with black NYS&W along the top of the long hood and the S herald on the ends. Is the color you're doing something like the "white" Burlington F units?

[edwardsutorik]

drsvelte,

Thanks for the pipette suggestion. I do believe I'll pick me up some and try them out. It'll get me out of cleaning up my measuring spoons.

A minor victory.


Ed

[ambluco]

I picked these up based on suggestions:

www.amazon.com/dp/B07JBRD6BT?ref=ppx_yo2ov_dt_b_fed_asin_title&th=1