Weathering Rolling Stock, a Continous thread

[TLOC]

I've a bottle of VMS which arrived last week, I'll use that on the StClair and CN cars rather than then Tamiya clear I have, I may get some Army Painters, I'll see how you get on with it first tho'

What I learned about the VMS varnishes is clean the airbrish no longer than 5 minutes after you use it. That to me is the only real issue I have with it. I spray it at 30-35psi

 

[TLOC]

This morning I was looking at this contemplating my next move. I kept coming back to the orange inside of this hopper. My thought was, to paint it a brown color to get rid of all that orange. I dug through my paint stash. Found a suitable acrylic brown. It is just a base and most of it will be different rusts anyway. Now looking at it I should have hit the top as well. probably will do that as that would be rusted as ell from debris falling on it. I tried to stipple the brush to give it a little texture. It looks like most of it leveled as it dried.

Comments or suggestions?

P. S you can't offend me.... give it to me straight!

IView attachment 164015


View attachment 164016

Great start. I like it.

I had to go look at page 22. Thanks Smudge617, it was a good reminder of doing gondolas for me. I mix colors on gondola floors but your 1 color looks super. I stipple one color at a time while still wet. But like everything else, there are tons of ways to do this. The top edge you can handle when you do the sides of the cars. Or you can swipe some ofthe floor color on it now. But when you do the sides you can just start at the top edge and pull down. It will blend.

As CambriaArea51 mentioned the slide area to the bottom hatches would be smoother, less paint color, shiny like… I use the lead from a pencil on Centerbeams to create the scratches from where the forklifts would scratch the floor plates picking up, that might work for the floors here.

 

[migalyto]

Here is the first attempt:

Two things I learned.
1. 91% alcohol is way to shout for a wash.
2. Youtubers make this look really easy.

This was strictly the brown base i referred to a few posts up.
VA light rust
VA rust

Then a mix of the two in Alcohol.

Lay the good, bad, ugly on me!

UGG!!! I see I have a brush hair in the last photo.

 

[TLOC]

Definitely, at least until you get it down pat anyway, I think TomO still uses his.

I have a note book I used to keep track of formula mixes. I do occasionally reference it but many things I now do by eye.

What I have started doing, especially when using the Pan Pastels is to note on the picture comment area which one I used.

example

On the above picture I added the comment from my notes finally today. I sent a picture of the trucks and PP to the client so he could decide what truck color he preferred.

I take many pictures as I process a weathering project. As I have written before the camera often catches what I don’t and with 1st time clients it helps build trust as I learn what they want

 

[migalyto]

I have a note book I used to keep track of formula mixes. I do occasionally reference it but many things I now do by eye.

What I have started doing, especially when using the Pan Pastels is to note on the picture comment area which one I used.

example
View attachment 164105
On the above picture I added the comment from my notes finally today. I sent a picture of the trucks and PP to the client so he could decide what truck color he preferred.
View attachment 164106I take many pictures as I process a weathering project. As I have written before the camera often catches what I don’t and with 1st time clients it helps build trust as I learn what they want

Thats a great idea.

 

[TLOC]

Here is the first attempt:

Two things I learned.
1. 91% alcohol is way to shout for a wash.
2. Youtubers make this look really easy.

This was strictly the brown base i referred to a few posts up.
VA light rust
VA rust

Then a mix of the two in Alcohol.

Lay the good, bad, ugly on me!

View attachment 164094View attachment 164095View attachment 164096
UGG!!! I see I have a brush hair in the last photo.

Get the hair out… tweezers or Exacto to scratch it out and dab some more of your paint mix over it. No biggie but frustrating isn’t it?

Not sure what you mean by 91% IPA is too SHOUT for a wash. What is SHOUT?

I mix 99% Isopropyl Alcohol only with Tamiya Arcylics in my airbrush. I also use it to clean the freight car as I do not clean with warm soap and water.

I use tap water when I create washes with any of the Vallejo lines. Air, mecha, Panzer Aces or Model Color. I do not use IPA of any % with Vallejo paints. I rarely now use Vallejo Air in the airbrush but if shaken well it sprays nicely. For me the tip dry with VA is not worth my time, Tamiya for me works great. YMMV

Many of the YT content providers make it look easy by way of editing and not commenting about issues. I am now friendly with a few of the YT content weathering guys. One says he will do 4-5 makeovers to get what he wants to show. Another is Dan Arnold who is Dansrailroad2011 on YTwho shows it straight, rarely retakes and shows it as he does it. He is very good, explains well and a must see.

 

[migalyto]

Not sure what you mean by 91% IPA is too SHOUT for a wash. What is SHOUT?

Stout -Darn spellcheck.

 

[TLOC]

Some of the last pictures I took before leaving

All done per pictures supplied by the clients. These are approved.

for all wheels and truck frames

1. Cleaned with 99% Isopropyl Alcohol
2. Clear sprayed with Army Painters Air Matt Varnish

Non-blue bearing truck frames
3. hand brushed #70.872 Vallejo Model color
4. then a dry brush of Vallejo Panzer Aces #301 light rust
5. let dry and then hard blended with a brush
6. sprayed another coat of clear Matt

with blue bearings
3. pan pastels #380.1 Red Iron Oxide Ex. Dark brushed on with sponge
4. blended hard with brush
5. pan pastels #20010 Colorless Blender lightly applied using a brush dabbing the PP on the truck frame
6. blended hard with a brush
7. reviewed the blue bearings as client wants this as a 2-3 year freight car in service from the build date
8. on a couple of the trucks used a micro brush dipped and touched of to barely damp to clean the blue
bearings
9. sprayed with Army Painter Air Matt Varnish

for both

A. painted wheel faces
B. added wheels to truck frames

 

[santafewillie]

Been away from the forum for a few days, so just catching up.
Tom - That aluminum hopper in post #1001 is exactly how I see them on the UP trains from Powder River Basin coming through North Texas on the way to or from the power plants in Central Texas. Well done.

 

[santafewillie]

Mike - Great start. My only comment is that I think that the hopper needs just a bit more orange tint to it on the inside. Remember though this is coming from someone who doesn't weather a lot of cars yet.

 

[wombat457]

Stout -Darn spellcheck.

Stout is a good old fashioned Pommy Beer/Ale

 

[CambriaArea51]

Been away from the forum for a few days, so just catching up.
Tom - That aluminum hopper in post #1001 is exactly how I see them on the UP trains from Powder River Basin coming through North Texas on the way to or from the power plants in Central Texas. Well done.

Thanks Willie, It's just a start I have more work to do on it. Looks like CSX got some with a bad paint job, it only seems to be a few. The only other thing it could be is from being overheated in the winter from a frozen load.

 

[migalyto]

So for this boxcar In going to try a little fading with the Tamiya X-21 Here it is drying now. I only did half the car to see the results once I strted removing it. A note: A little of this goes a long way!

 

[TLOC]

Mike, x-21 base does go a long way. I rarely use it now but use it about 20% x21 to 80% Isopropyl Alcohol. I think it’s a great way to fade but brushing it off is the PITA. I use a 1/2 width stiffer brush and the occasional cotton swab. I also have sprayed it off with Isopropyl Alcohol. If that turns the car foggy, let it dry and spray it again.

 

[migalyto]

Before:

After:

It works kind of like car wax! Goes on clear dries to a chalky white.

Will it do more fading if you apply it multiple times?

 

[migalyto]

Mike, x-21 base does go a long way. I rarely use it now but use it about 20% x21 to 80% Isopropyl Alcohol. I think it’s a great way to fade but brushing it off is the PITA. I use a 1/2 width stiffer brush and the occasional cotton swab. I also have sprayed it off with Isopropyl Alcohol. If that turns the car foggy, let it dry and spray it again.

Thanks Tom, I will hit the opposite half with a mix of 80/20 and see the comparison.

I took it off with an old toothbrush. I can see with the more detailed cars it's going to have to come off more carefully.

 

[wombat457]

@migalyto not a bad job Mike, there is certainly a difference between the before and after shots

 

[TLOC]

Thanks Tom, I will hit the opposite half with a mix of 80/20 and see the comparison.

I took it off with an old toothbrush. I can see with the more detailed cars it's going to have to come off more carefully.

Taking it off with a brush worked for me. Never thought of using a tooth brush and I have an old electric brush that would work.

The last cars I faded using this method of x-21 and brush off were Tangent cars with way way too many fragile details.

Yes, another layer with enhance the fade.

kind of neat isn’t it?

 

[migalyto]

@migalyto not a bad job Mike, there is certainly a difference between the before and after shots

Thanks Tony, I can see weathering is going to be a very steep learning curve, so far in liking it!

 

[wombat457]

That is what I thought as well - and why I gave up on it. If I need or want to weather something, I'll leave it outside in the sun, the rain and the snow - darn, now I miss my G Gauge