I have a variety of blackbirds, some that I painted from scratch myself,
others of various origines, including a couple of protos. One thing I
learned years ago was that I had to mix my own gray to get something that
looked like the colored photos in the books. The roof grays vary so much
from one mfgr. to another that I have had to repaint most of the roofs. I
find it no particular problem to mix colors and get the gray that I want.
I've never paid $18 for a little bottle of paint, but I feel I've had to pay
way too much just to get the stuff off the shelves at $4 or $5 per thimble
full.
Incidentally, I weather my locos to the extent that I get enough smoke and
grime on the roofs that I don't have to be too particular about the base
color.
DRale Reeves
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