Painting brass

[BuilderBen]

I have finished the planking of the hull of the billing boats Danmark and started the work on the cabin and other parts. Some of the accessories are brass and painting and when I paint them with acrylic paint it doesn’t really stick. I am using Vallejo and Tamiya paint (still have those from the time that I was building plastic military models). Should I use a primer?

A second question, how do you paint all the small parts that you cannot hold in your hand? Just added a picture to show what I mean. Holding them in a tweezer until they dry would doesn r look like an option.

 

[Bilal ZEYBEKOĞLU]

Hi Ben

You can use brass black solution for aging and blacking you copper and brass parts. They look more realistic than paint and much more easy.

These are two of my guns before and after blacking process.



This brand is most popular but maybe you can find another brand from local market in Nederlands.




Best regards.

 

[BuilderBen]

Hi Bilal,

Thank you, that’s a solution that I would have never thought of! I would still have to paint some bigger parts like some cranes for the lifeboat an support beams for an upper deck , but for the smaller parts this would work fine.
best regards,

Ben

 

[TheDonMI]

I use a small spring clamp when painting small objects. They will hold on a very small part of the piece being painted.

 

[carp]

I use a small spring clamp when painting small objects. They will hold on a very small part of the piece being painted.

View attachment 212894

I have finished the planking of the hull of the billing boats Danmark and started the work on the cabin and other parts. Some of the accessories are brass and painting and when I paint them with acrylic paint it doesn’t really stick. I am using Vallejo and Tamiya paint (still have those from the time that I was building plastic military models). Should I use a primer?

A second question, how do you paint all the small parts that you cannot hold in your hand? Just added a picture to show what I mean. Holding them in a tweezer until they dry would doesn r look like an option.

I use double sided Sellotape on a piece of wood to hold small parts while painting, in the picture are the windows on the Amati Robert E Lee

 

[janos]

Blackening the brass parts would be advisable even if you want to paint them for a different colour, as the blackened brass provides a more stable surface for the paint than the 'naked' brass.
János

 

[BuilderBen]

Thanks for all the tips. I will get some solution for blackening the parts. I have read on the internet that vinegar could also be used Instead of a chemical solution. has anyone some experience with this? It looks more friendly for the environment than the brass blackening stuff that I can buy in the Netherlands.

 

[Bilal ZEYBEKOĞLU]

Thanks for all the tips. I will get some solution for blackening the parts. I have read on the internet that vinegar could also be used Instead of a chemical solution. has anyone some experience with this? It looks more friendly for the environment than the brass blackening stuff that I can buy in the Netherlands.

You can use vinegar but reaction time is longer than brass black solution. I mean you have to wait longer. Both of them are acid actually but solution is stronger than vinegar.

 

[BuilderBen]

I gave the parts a deep dive in vinegar, now I just have to wait for the result. If it takes too long, I can always switch to the brass black solution.