# Color Matching for Aristo W.I.F. Reefer Car



## tmmhead (Feb 22, 2008)

I am sure that this question has been asked more then once but can anyone help me with any tips on how to color match the paint on an aristo W.I.F. Reefer car? Where does one start since I am sure that this was paint that aristo used and there is no other in the world that is an exact match but perhaps there are some tricks to get in the ballpark

Thanks,

Tim


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Take the car to a paint store and have them make a match in the sample size... usually a quart. Lasts a long time. You can specify the type of paint. 

John, repeating what I've read here.


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## tmmhead (Feb 22, 2008)

Totalwrecker,

Thanks for the reply. I was thinking about what the likelihood of that idea working wood be but from the sounds of your reply you must have have seen a posting here with somebody that it has had success with matching the color. 

Tim


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By tmmhead on 21 Aug 2011 12:45 PM 
Totalwrecker,

Thanks for the reply. I was thinking about what the likelihood of that idea working wood be but from the sounds of your reply you must have have seen a posting here with somebody that it has had success with matching the color. 

Tim 



Tim,

I agree with John. Many years ago when I was building my rolling stock for my 1 1/2" per foot stuff, I needed a special yellow for my refrigerator car and couldn't match it anywhere. Also needed a brownish red for my caboose. I took my HO scale cars (with the colors I wanted to match) down to the paint store. Did the computer scan, mixed the paint and I bought two quarts to paint the cars. It DOES work great!!


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Tim, I've done that very successfully with color matching (scaning) from Ace Hardware and Sherman-Williams. All have been acrylic.


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## tmmhead (Feb 22, 2008)

Gary and Stan - Thanks for re-assurance on the fact that it works. I bought some blow-out reefer cars to make Yuengling Beer Cars to go with my Piko Brewary. Last time I had an open house everyone was asking where the reefer cars were that went with the brewery so I'll solve that problem. After all it helps tie the scenary together. 

Have either of you tried spraying that via an airbrush? I am thinking if it's acrylic I can thin it down and shoot what I need to cover up the old stamp padded lettering. 

Tim


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## Stan Cedarleaf (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By tmmhead on 22 Aug 2011 06:46 PM 
Gary and Stan - 

Have either of you tried spraying that via an airbrush? I am thinking if it's acrylic I can thin it down and shoot what I need to cover up the old stamp padded lettering. 

Tim Tim........ Dont' laugh, but I painted 3 of these reefers with a 2 1/2 inch trim brush. 3 coats and it covered just fine.... 











I have used the acrylic with a GREX airbrush and recently purchased an inexpensive Harbor Freight trim gun but haven't had a chance to use it yet....

Spray Gun


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## Gary Armitstead (Jan 2, 2008)

Tim,

I painted both of these BIG cars with an electric sprayer using regular exterior house paint. Custom paint mixed after they did a computer scan of the Athearn HO model.










This is the reefer I "scaled" from an Athearn HO model.











This is the caboose I "scaled" from another Athearn HO kit.


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## tmmhead (Feb 22, 2008)

Stan - no laughing here. It looks like you have had great success with using the brushing technique, 

I bought the following airbrush at Harbor Freight (http://www.harborfreight.com/deluxe-airbrush-kit-95810.html) and want to give it a shot at trying to paint the boxcar. Then follow with a few decals to convert it's product over to one of my favorite adult beverages. 

Gary - Very nicely done. 

Thank you both for sharing your work with me to show just how well they can turn out using regular acrylic house paint. I'll post some pictures once I get started to show you the outcome. 

Tim


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