Weathering, I should stay away from it.

ModelRailroadForums.com is a free Model Railroad Discussion Forum and photo gallery. We cover all scales and sizes of model railroads. Online since 2002, it's one of the oldest and largest model railroad forums on the web. Whether you're a master model railroader or just getting started, you'll find something of interest here.


jacon12

jacon12

Member
This has to be the Worlds Worst Weathering (WWW) job that I've inflicted on what used to be a nice little tanker car
52351128.gif

I think all I managed to do was make it look kinda .... something... I don't know what it looks like now.
I need to spend more time on the Weathering subforum.... :o
Anyway, that's my goofup for this hour, the day is still young though.
Jarrell
 
I'm not an expert on weathering cars by any means, but one major problem I see is that you used black on white to start with. If you used India Ink, I don't know what to do as am not familiar with it. IF it were acrylic paint though, you could use a wet rag or paper towel to tone it down.

Whether or not you can get the black off, I would takes grey wash of acrylic and water 10:1 and dab it over the black. Most dirt is grey, and while a black wash puts a grime on red box cars, it is a little obvious on the white.

Try the grey in multiple coats until you get a look you can live with. You can wipe it off it is too much and try again. I like to take a small brush that has been mashed so that spreads out like a starburst and dab that into the wash and then onto a paper towel to make it controlable. At this point, unless you can get rid of the black, you can make it dirty appearing like it has spent a couple months on a siding.
 
SpaceMouse said:
I'm not an expert on weathering cars by any means, but one major problem I see is that you used black on white to start with. If you used India Ink, I don't know what to do as am not familiar with it. IF it were acrylic paint though, you could use a wet rag or paper towel to tone it down.

Whether or not you can get the black off, I would takes grey wash of acrylic and water 10:1 and dab it over the black. Most dirt is grey, and while a black wash puts a grime on red box cars, it is a little obvious on the white.

Try the grey in multiple coats until you get a look you can live with. You can wipe it off it is too much and try again. I like to take a small brush that has been mashed so that spreads out like a starburst and dab that into the wash and then onto a paper towel to make it controlable. At this point, unless you can get rid of the black, you can make it dirty appearing like it has spent a couple months on a siding.
Click to expand...

Chip, that's probably where I went wrong. I use powered black chalk (sanded it off a stick of chalk), put it on with a brush and then with another brush that I wet, I tried streaking it, then sprayed it with Dulcote. With the Dulcote on there it probably won't come off.. :(
Oh well, live and learn.
Oh, I did use some reddish powder also.
Thanks for the tips.
Jarrell
 


Jarrell, you may be able to use 70% alcohol on a swab and get the Dullcoted black off without hurting the finish underneath. Try a small area and see what happens. Even if it gets a little paint...just consider it faded (weathered).
 
I kind of like it. Afterall, that is about what my Quaker State looks like when I change the oil in my Subaru. :)

Darrin
 
It's savable (is that a word?). Just add MORE weathering! Haven't you seen some cars somewhere that all you could really see were the reporting marks? Just put a bit of masking tape over the reporting marks and very lightly over-spray with browns and grays until you can't see much else. Even if some of the original weathering shows through, it will still look good!

There's a prototype for EVERYTHING!! LOL

Darrell, graying myself, but not over-weathered (yet), and quiet...for now
 
Ok, I'll either weather it more (what do I have to lose!), or try the alcohol to get some off. About the prototype for everything, that is the truth. I was watching switching action at a CSX yard one day and those cars really ran the gamut from 'can't really tell what they are' to 'almost nearly like new.. almost'.
Jarrell
 
Jerrell, I'm a huge fan of Dull Cote and chalk. Quick, easy, and gives pretty darn good results. There are some good weathering folks on the forum that get more realistic results with more advanced methods, but the chalk is the way to go for most weathering needs (as in large fleet). :)
 
Jarrell: After looking at it magnified, I wouldn't worry about anything but where it is a bit heavy on the end rivets and a few places near the hand rail. After you take care of that, do as some suggest and add more weathering chalk to it.(dry brush,finger tips)
 
Last edited by a moderator:
Sacrifice a car you won't mind super weathering if you screw it up, I.E. in my case the 40' IC box, I've allways intended to make really rusty...
 


I tried another inexpensive UP caboose this morning, and I again my problem is I get a bit too heavy handed with it. From these two little experiments I thing I favor just a 'mild' dusting of chalk, very mild... and then dulcote it. While I admire the artists around here that can turn out beautifully done works, to use the Southern vernacular.. I ain't one of'em.. :)
From this I've learned, for myself anyway, a little goes a long way and can easily become too much. For myself I like the 'get rid of the shiny plastic look' approach and not much more.
I do like a well- weathered car though when it's done by someone good at it.
It's amazing what a simple coat of Dulcote can do for those like me.
Jarrell
 
Not to pound on you or anything, but where you probably went wrong is putting too much/heavier weathering down to the middle of the car, and not extending it farther down the sides. Dirty water will not pool there, it will continue to flow to the bottom of the tank. The only way it would stop there is if there's a huge seam in the tank, that has a significant lip.

Try dripping colored water on the car and see how the water flows and where it stops flowing. Those are the places where the dirt will settle.

I'm saying all of this because when I look at your results, I'm thinking you were going for the 'weathering via dirty water' look, vs natural dirt/rust/etc. look. And remember, as a car zips along when it's raining, the water goes the opposite direction. So, the end stuff is plausible, but that part by the dome really isn't, since there's no reason for that water to flow that way.

:D

Kennedy
 
I'm new to this stuff myself, but one thing I know I'm going to do is practice on some 'junk' rolling stock first, until I find methods that work for me.
 
CSX_road_slug said:
I'm new to this stuff myself, but one thing I know I'm going to do is practice on some 'junk' rolling stock first, until I find methods that work for me.
Click to expand...



Practice?

That's what my favorite engine is for.

(I ain't got no stinkin time for stinkin practice.)
 
oleirish, I had a friend over to the layout and he was looking at my rolling stock. He asked, "Don't you ever dust these things off?" I simply replied, "What dust? That's my weathering job." :D
 
oleirish said:
All I have to do is leave my cars on the track and the dust do'es the trick!!(still looking for an trypod)
JIM
Click to expand...
Best Buy, Office Depot, Circit City, Office Max, Frys, ok I'll quit! The only thing that doesn't work on is lighter models, it kind of hides! Oh, interesting thought, want to yellow the white paints? Know a heavy smoker? My old white Legos from my childhood are cream colored cause of my dad's smoking habit, lucky he's let up!
 
jbaakko said:
now a heavy smoker? My old white Legos from my childhood are cream colored cause of my dad's smoking habit, lucky he's let up!
Click to expand...

The trains I inherited from my grandpa were nasty with smoke damage over 20+ years. I used one of the Citrus Magic type cleaners (don't remember the exact name) and got all the smoke residue off. I had great success with Rivarossi steamers and even some of the early P2K stuff he bought and had exposed to smoking for 6-7 years.
 


:rolleyes: I'm sure, I'm certain.. I must have seen... at some point in my life.. a tanker that looked JUST like this.
Thats the only explanation I can think of..:rolleyes:
Jarrell
 
You must log in or register to reply here.




Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a commision from some of the links and ads shown on this website (Learn More Here)

Back
Top