I am about to enter the world of weathering. I have 60 Precision Masters grain cars that need weathering. I intend using chalks then dulcote to seal the weathering. Does anybody have a process to weather cars? When weathering trucks do I need to remove wheels when spraying the dulcote? Any pictures of weathered grain cars would also be much appreciated. Here is a picture of some of my grain cars
Paul, I also have a number of these cars to weather, as you know. I will use chalks for weathering, and try to find photos of some similar cars on the internet, or magazines. Each type of car seems to "weather" differently. I never bother to remove wheels when spraying flat varnish, but I suppose it would not hurt, and whilst you have them out, they need painting rust, and weathering as well!
But they look so pretty when they look brnd new! All kidding asside, you miht be able to leave one or two in lesser amounts of weathering to reflect a newer, washed, or recnditioned car.
Paul, Check out Graham Stockfeld's covered hopper page: http://www.starnet.com.au/soors27/hoppercars.htm [edit] the link above does not work. There are many hoppers (all SOO of course) in various stages of weather. As for the wheels - it probably is a good idea to remove them before dullcoating the trucks (but I usually don't) If you are doing them en masse than it would be worth separating them. I find a brushed on coat of grimy and/or weathered black makes a big difference in trucks. BTW - Dullcoat STINKS big time. It's lacquer based so be sure do use it in a WELL ventilated area or you get kinda dizzy...
<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by yankinoz: [QB]Paul, I find a brushed on coat of grimy and/or weathered black makes a big difference in trucks. QB]<hr></blockquote> Rob, Can you just buy grimy black from any hobby shop? Thanks for the tips guys keep them coming I have never weathered anything before so I need all the help i can get. If you were to buy chalks what colours would be best used for this project?
<blockquote>quote:</font><hr>Originally posted by Colonel: Thanks for the tips guys keep them coming I have never weathered anything before so I need all the help i can get. If you were to buy chalks what colours would be best used for this project?<hr></blockquote> Paul, if you use chalks, you are quite safe experimenting, as if you are not happy with the results, just wash it off and start again. (As long as you do so BEFORE spraying dullcote!) As for colours, I use black, greys, various browns, rust, white, etc. In fact, anything which looks right, plus colours can be mixed to get 'in between' colours. Vary the amount of weathering on the cars, so some are fairly clean, and others very dirty, with the rest somewhere in between. You have plenty of cars to try the method out on, so by the time you do the 60th one, you will have mastered it Have fun
Paul,if you do nothing else to your cars give the trucks a coat of grimey black,or a thin coat of some rust colour,or even Polyscale dust(needs dulcote though),or all the above, and paint the wheels a rusty colour(funny how many people want to know if I'm from Canada because I spell color that way )A thin rusty wash on the couplers helps too.
While I dont have any grain hoppers, I do use chalks to weather my coal hoppers. I find that if you dont handle the cars much , you can skip the dullcoat. Dullcoat tends to hide a lot of the chalk that you put on so you have to go back and reapply it. And dont forget that occasonial car that has sprouts on the top. ........Mike
Mike C, I use dullcote for weathering even though I don't weather. How is this possible.... Well you see I custom paint for people and so on and do weathering for them, but for me I keep them factory painted or fresh custom painted without weathering on my own trains..... My maintenence crew likes their stuff and keeps it clean. I do rust up my trucks and wheels although... But anyway I use chalks and all with dullcote. and I have the same amout of chalk visible with or without dullcote. The trick is do not "wet" coat the dullcote. "mist" it on the body.. if you spray a "wet" coat of dullcote on the chalk it blows it off and thats why you say it seems to hide it... Well try light. I mean REALLY light mist burst of dullcote with the can held about 18 to 22 inches from what your weathering with chalk and dullcote and you will see that the method I use will change your rolling stock or your loco's.... To weather, you do not have to completely cover the entire car with a thin coat of the dullcote to flaten the finish. only a mist is actually needed to get the effect. Actually the least amout of dullcote on the body will be even duller as you would see. The more applied the more of a "artificial shine" you will get....The less you apply the best flat finish will apear... And the chalk doesn't blow off from the spray.... Try it and let me know what you think of my procedure... I'm almost possitive if you follow how I explained it your going to surprise yourself... Professional results... [ 29 August 2001: Message edited by: 7600EM_1 ]</p>
This maybe a good time for you to consider replicating graffiti. MR had a short brief in their July 2000 publication. One should use Pentel Gel Pens and come in a variety of colors from office supply stores.I pick up a set from Sam's club in Grand Rapids MI, remember it's GEL. Should you want a copy of the brief I can mail it to you.
Mike C, Your welcome. I thought I'd let alittle of my technique out for others to use and try as well... I don't weather my trains although. But I have alot of compliments on my work so. I suppose its good enough to be issued to others to try their hands in it.... Just remember, when your doing it with chalks that if your not happy as said by someone and now also me that I have done it too but, if your unhappy with the result BEFORE applying dullcote you can wash it off and start over and try again. Make sure your completely happy with what it looks like before you dullcote it. Once dullcoted you would have to strip the whole thing down and start over and yes, that may include a custom paint job if the stripping process is too deep it will take your lettering and maybe even color in the process...
Well this Friday I am off to the art supplies to buy some chalks. hopefully in the next week or so I will attempt my first grain car . Has anybody else attempted to weather grain cars? I'd be happy to post pictures if anyone has some pics. [ 03 September 2001: Message edited by: Colonel ]</p>
I bought chalks today, rahter than by a full set I opted for a selection of pastels. here are the colours I bought. 1. White 2. Mortium red 3. Raw Sienna 4. Yellow ochre 5. Black 6. Burnt Sienna 7. Bluish grey 8. Grey 9. Burnt Umber 10. Light Grey 11. Deep Yellow All I need to do now is work out what looks best.
I have just finished weathering 15 grain hoppers. I am pleased with the results and will post some pics over the weekend. I did learn a couple of things along the way. If you want a light weathered car I would use a paint brush to apply the chalk to the car. If I wanted a heavy weather I would scrape the chalk directly onto the car then use a brush to work it in. I used most of the colours but on a few of the cars I use only raw sienna or another colour to change the whole look of the car. I also used a rust colour chalk for some of the trucks while others I mixed both rust and black chalk. I asked my wifes opinion but she prefers the cars totally unweathered. I will leave some cars unweatherd as they do look great against the weathered cars. A couple of questions 1. Do I really need to use dullcote? 2. will the application of dullcote bringout the weathering or will it make the weathering less noticable? thanks
Dull-cote is not absolutely needed Paul,in some cases it will actually lighten the weathering and sometimes you won't see any change at all.If you are going to be handling the cars quite abit though I would reccomend at least a light coating of it.
The dullcote will lessen the intensity of the weathering, however, without it, the weathering will definately come off before long. When you touch it, you will leave oils on it, it will accumulate dust from just being on your railroad, and you will not be able to dust it without removing the chalk. IMHO, you must seal the chalk. The lightening of the weathering is a good thing, you can always add more. Gary
Are you using dullcote from a spray can? It will remove much of the chalk. Spray one car at a time to see what happens. You will probibly end up adding some more chalk after the dullcote and building it up. I have not used Dullcote from an airbrush so I'm not sure what will happen there but I would expect the same thing. Take the one you like the least and spray that one first
I don't think it actually removes the chalk, but certainly lessens its visability. Someone else, on this thread I believe, mentioned spraying from a distance to lessen this effect. At any rate, not fixing the chalk is really not an option unless the car is going in an airtight dislay case for the rest of your life. After my first few cars, I always weathered much darker than I wanted the finished effect to be. It was disappointing on those first few cars to see the weathering which I considered perfect become almost invisable. All I can say is: keep trying! Gary
