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Now that we’ve marshaled the locomotive and rolling stock for our HO scale Winston-Salem layout, it’s time to make them look like they’ve been busy haulin’ freight! In this initial video, David Popp shows how to apply realistic weathering effects to composite freight cars using brush-painting techniques.
David can I recommend a dirt cheap tool for cutting wood like in the video.its a Master Airscrew Balsa wood stripper used by aircraft modellers. Basically a block and adjustable guide to which you fit your choice of knife blade. The angle and depth can be also adjusted by the user.
Funny how that cough is so contagious!
Hey, David; When I work with the scribed basswood (?), before making any cuts, I use a very fine blade hobby saw to scratch in some grain. Then I mark along the scribes with a very thin pointed (Fine – Sharpie felt tip) pen. I will usually paint it the color(s) I want after cutting but before gluing in. I use enamel (oil based) paint. I let it dry no more than 5-10 min. then I put a drop of paint thinner on some 400 grit (wet & dry) sand paper and sand lightly until I get the results I need. Doing it that way, all of the fine wood ‘whiskers’ go away.
Then I’ll glue in place.
David demo’d MicroMark tools, which I have ordered. I could not find the figure holder clip. I NEED this!! Please furnish me with an address where I can order this clip! Russ rcmyer1929@att.net
Nicely done David. I enjoyed the weathering/staining techniques so far. Not sure if I’m jumping the gun, but I always thought when would faded it would tend to gray, so I would have thought a gray stain or maybe a watered down black stain like an India ink solution over the tan paint and wooden siding would have been more appropriate?
I have a suggestion for a new magazine about trains – Weathering! (or How to bring the outside inside!) No matter what part of a layout (OK, not the legs!) you are working on, you are applying weathering.
I almost don’t want to ask without waiting for the next video on what you are doing with these cars (because you will probably answer my question then), but . . . why not use the real wood for the floor of the gon? I can see where it is a bit easier to just paint the floor, but it would be more realistic.
Might I suggest that if you want the lettering or heralds to appear weathered (faded) use a powder to “darken” the paint of the herald. Or more properly said, wet the herald with a very (VERY) light coat of fluid and apply a powder of a lighter shade of the paint – use pink on a red car to darken the white herald (which gives the impression of the paint having faded over time.) This will “fade” the paint of the herald and not “dirty” it at the same time. Dirt can be air-brushed on later.
How do you get a band-aid on your dominant hand? Were you holding a project while Cody cut it 🙂
Maybe allowing a small amount of the the stain to sit out a while and evaporate a bit before application? Sound like a plan?
David, very nice video. You have some neat techniques. I haven’t tried the Hunter Line stains yet, but I have seen them mentioned in a couple MRVP episodes. One idea for a future freight car video – washes and “shadowing”. Accurail cars have some really nice casting, but they still DO have cast on ladders and grabs. Many of us accent the shadows with a thin wash. Personally I currently use India Ink with either isopropyl alcohol or Model Master Acryl thinner and apply a thin wash around the ladders, grabs, door edges, etc, etc. This helps make the parts appear separate (at least at most model viewing distances) and helps the Accurail cars blend in on a layout that features freight cars with different levels of detail. I usually do this before most weathering but sometimes I have to go back and add more dark accents if the weathering has canceled the “shadows” that were added. Washes can be applied as “pin wash” (putting the dark color only where desired) or “overall washes” (brushing or spraying the whole car side with the wash with it settling in crevices and low spots).
Hi David. Another great episode. Question – is that paint on your mat or blood from the cut on your hand? Some of it looks like blood.