Weather locos assembled?

[GMTrainNut]

Just a random thought/question...I typically weather locos in sub assemblies, and weather the truck sideframes off the trucks. I've seen articles or videos where folks weather a completely assembled loco, and maybe just tape off the cab windows.

The only problem I've had doing it my way is that sometimes the weathering doesn't exactly match up from part to part.

Just wondering how others approach this. I should mention that I primarily weather by airbrush.

 

[lmackattack]

i try to weather with the loco all together. If I do take it apart I do it to avoid over spray on windows and electrical parts.

I think it all depends if your doing a light weather or heavy job.. I agree that keeping the loco together helps the shades of the weathering blend and it will not look like it starts in stops below the side frames.

 

[MRLdave]

In real life, it gets weathered in one piece, so that's how I approach the model. Occasionally I'll remove parts....for example a brass whistle won't rust, so I might remove it while doing rust application....and I'll pull the shell to weather and do any chassis weathering separate, but overall I do it in one piece.

 

[Laidoffsick]

I always weather them in one piece. I'll spend a bit of time masking all the windows off and then a Q-tip and thinner to clean the wheel treads right away. These are O Scale and were done as a complete unit:

 

[GMTrainNut]

Thanks for the replies. I weathered 2 GP-7s today basically fully assembled, and am very happy with the results. It sure does make sense to do it this way, I guess I was doing it in "parts" since the loco was already disassembled. I was concerned about how much paint would get on the wheelsets, but in the end very little made it on the treads.