New style of weathering...

[4-6-6-4 Challenger]

Has anyone tried to weather there rolling stock by leaving them out in the sun for mouth and then going back and adding rust and other small details?

 

[CSX_road_slug]

No, I'd be worried about other outdoor hazards, such as rain, wind and bird droppings.

[bogp40]

With the newer paint and plastics, the only thing that would be weathered is the electronics, electrical contacts and the drive. Not a good idea. Washes, drybrushing and weathering powders is a safer bet and instant results.

[dknelson]

Some plastics, including styrene, actually deteriorate in sunlight.  So do some adhesives, in my experience (even duct tape seems to do poorly outdoors regardless of whether it gets wet or not). 

About the only thing that would weather realistically outdoors is wood and then you have issues with warpage. 

I had been wondering if I could weather freight cars by burying them (indoors) in cold ash from the fireplace for some length of time.  But the complete lack of control over results convinced me that more traditional methods are probably wiser. 

Now that I think of it --- it could be that paper signs could be lightened in tone by putting them indoors in sunlight (or under flourescent lighting) for a period of time.

Dave Nelson

[chutton01]

I read every so often of modelers burying their models outside for a period of time, to weather them that way.  No so much sun-bleaching (although I have read that too) since that may completely ruin the finish & stress/craze the plastic.
I think this was popular (or as popular as it ever was) more in the 1970s (or earlier), when we didn't have as nice a selection of weathering techniques as we do now.

[loathar]

Has anyone tried to weather there rolling stock by leaving them out in the sun for mouth and then going back and adding rust and other small details?

 

For a mouth?  How will leaving them in the sun get them a mouth?  I dont want my trains to have a mouth....

David B

You took the words right out of my "month"!

[4-6-6-4 Challenger]

There is more of my O-MEGA english skills poping up again...

 

 

Thanks I dont think that this is such a good idea to leave them out in the sun for months on end.

[Dave Vollmer]

Really, the biggest issue about leaving trains out in the sun is the problem of UV damage to the plastics mentioned earlier.  And, of course, rain.  Outdoor trains are engineered to withstand the UV rays of the sun and precipitation, but indoor trains generally are not.

Fading your rolling stock and locos is difficult.  I've messed up more cars than I'd like to admit trying different ways to fade the paint.

The best way, but one that takes real practice, is with an airbrush and a very thinned light spray.  It's the only way to get the fade even and subtle enough that I've tried, and it's what most of the master weather-ers use.

Something you can try that may give you decent (though probably not spectacular) results is by using pastel chalk powder.  Try to find a color within a few shades lighter than your car.  Coat the car first with Dullcote to give the plastic some "teeth" to hold onto the dust.  Rub the pastels on sandpaper, then brush the dust on the car.  Get too much on?  Wipe it off with your finger.  When you like what you have, hit the car again with Dullcote.

This "sealing" coat of Dullcote will still knock much of the dust off.  You'll have to build it up in layers.  But that's OK...  Unless you're making the most faded, decrepit, rust-bucket there ever was, you should generally stop one layer before you think you're done.

Underweathering is generally more acceptable than overweathering.  Take it from a guy with too many overweathered cars.

Good luck!

[Anonymous]

A long time ago i wondered if a car could be weathered when i put it in the ground. I used a model power metal box car and the affects were ok. there was rust i had to change the wheels but other than that the box car was interesting to look at.

[PMeyer]

How would burying a model in the ground make any kind of realistic weathering?

 

[tomikawaTT]

How would burying a model in the ground make any kind of realistic weathering?

I guess that depends on the ground.  Here in the Dessicated Desert, the result would be a nice thick coating of grey dust.  OTOH, in the Dismal Swamp...  (Yes, Matilda, there is a Dismal Swamp.)

I left an Athearn BB box car out in the back yard on a short length of flex for a month several summers ago.  Aside from being blown off the track by (scale) mach-number winds on a couple of occasions, it faded - badly, and nowhere near evenly.  The side facing north seemed unaffected, while the south side and roof turned really chalky.  The tie strip of the flex curled some, but that may have been as much from the heat of the concrete as from the sun.

The result of that was a decision to do my layout building indoors.  My garage isn't air conditioned, but at least the sun doesn't shine in there.

Chuck (modeling Central Japan in September, 1964)

[Robby P.]

Whatever happened to weathering cars with paints, powders, oil paints, dullcote, etc.  I didn't know the new way of weathering was leaving it outside, fishtanks, or putting the car underground. 

[Geared Steam]

Challenger

Basic weathering is not that difficult, as Dave V suggested, start with chalks, if you mess up, wipe it off. I HIGHLY recommend Bragdon chalks. A little bit goes a long way, you can pick up a nice assortment of colors for $25.50 + frt.

FF-R12 WEATHER SYSTEM brand Small Twelve color KIT

http://www.bragdonent.com/smpic/item6.htm

Simple pick a color, "dust bowl brown" for example, use a small but flat and wide paintbrush and give it a whirl. Better yet find a color photo of your loco and imitate the dirt, soot , etc. I think you will be surprised at your results, just remember to be light with it. Bragdon chalks actually stick to the surface so there is no need to seal if you don't want too, just be careful on how you handle the loco after its been weathered. Basic weathering is better than no weathering, and it doesn't have to be something like you may see on modeltrainsweathered.

MHO

 

[AggroJones]

At minimum, use weathering powders from MIG, Bragdon Enterprises, or AIM.

 I do not recommend burying or fish bowl submersion.

[BRAKIE]

Has anyone tried to weather there rolling stock by leaving them out in the sun for mouth and then going back and adding rust and other small details?

 

For a mouth?  How will leaving them in the sun get them a mouth?  I dont want my trains to have a mouth....

David B

Me either..Some may bite me for misuse.

[Guilford Guy]

If they are anything like parrots, we can train them to talk liek scanners!

[Ibflattop]

there has been many threads about weathering. You can look them up or just go out and cruze the net. I perfer pastel chalks that you can get at your fav art supply store. They are cheap and wont cost ya an arm.   Kevin

[V&AL]

yes matilda there is a dismal swap...  and I live in the middle of it... seriusly! google it!

[jeffrey-wimberly]

yes matilda there is a dismal swap...  and I live in the middle of it... seriusly! google it!

I take it you're referring to the Dismal Swamp National Wildlife Refuge in North Carolina.