View from the barn

Lots of what I model looks like it belongs out in a field rusting away rather than powering down the highways. I've tried to find a reason why I'm so enchanted with the dilapidated and broken down but all I can come up with is because it's so inevitable. My knees remind me of that every morning on rising. Be that as it may, I'm again asked to do a weathering tutorial by several folks. I always believed that if one is good at something he is asked for his advice. It would be much more gratifying to be asked my opinion on world hunger or fixing the economy, but for now I'll settle for how I make tiny models look old. I'll go into detail on a technique or two here since it allows me to show a new piece as well as an older one.

Let me start by saying that I almost always have my camera with me. I can't tell you how many shots of vehicles, equipment, houses and barns I have because they were in some state of disrepair that I thought could be modeled. One can only imitate real life, if they are familiar with it. Study a photo (or several) that has a particular effect that you want to replicate. Then start to experiment. Broaden your concepts of what you think it is you will need to model and weather a piece. I did not have any weathering powders when I first attempted a weathered build  but I realized that I had a bag of cement out in the barn that might fit the bill. It did and there are lots of other things out there that can be of help.  Actually just using some of what you already have on hand can work. Once a model has been dull coated, brushing some alcohol over the finish in discriminating places gives a great look of faded paint or water stains. So experiment!


A close look at the coal delivery truck below will reveal several different colors of rust. The metal used on the fenders had been painted once and was not the same composition steel that was used for the frame or the wheels. So the rust would not be the same on all three. An indentation was made on the running boards of this Jordan Model AA just by scratching the plastic a few times. The entire piece was painted Floquil RR Tie brown. The fenders then were painted with dirty brush solvent with a little black mixed in. That's right, the solvent container that I clean my brushes in. Before it had a chance to dry, I used my airbrush with no paint in it to blow this mixture around on the fender. While it was still a bit wet, I used real rust powder and sprinkled around making sure to fill the indentation with a bunch. Some colored chalk powders that had been ground up were dusted on once everything was dry.

So where do I get this rust powder? I place a piece of steel wool in a jar and soak it with water. When completely dry, crush it up and remove the larger and unoxidized pieces. I wave a magnet over what's left to get a very fine powder the consistency of talc almost. About that frame now. Acrylic washes will not react to the solvent base brown paint and are somewhat more forgiving than solvent washes although there are some that are highly proficient in their use. So I mix a heavy wash (more color) with Windex and one of the darker rust colors like burnt sienna. You can use just water but add a drop of liquid dish wash soap. On our little models the water will bead up with just water and that hydrostatic tension needs to be cut. Because consecutive acrylic washes would 'wash' the previous color away or actually combine with it, I suggest a very thin coat of flat clear lacquer between these washes. On the Ford, I used another wash of raw sienna, a bit lighter in color. This all followed with some ground chalk powders just like the fenders. The wheel treatment is very similar but with a few different colors for the washes and a yellow ocre chalk is applied to the wheels and tires. In some instances a thicker yet wash may be needed as on the stake pockets you see on this model and sometimes a weaker wash as on the overall paint of the rest of the model.

These techniques were played with until I got what I was looking for and had seen on a real truck. And played with is exactly what was done. Here is where experimenting on cheap models can pay off in knowing what the results of a certain procedure will be when you use them on a favorite or perhaps expensive one.

 

OK, let me move on to another question I've had posed to me. How do you do canvas? Easy, start with toilet or tissue paper that has no patterns embossed on it. Tear apart the layers until you have a single ply of paper. I mix regular wood glue 50/50 with water and cut the tissue to a size slightly larger than necessary and drape it over the area I want covered. Placing drops on the tissue where it sits will make it lay down. Using a wetted brush, manipulate carefully until it looks like it's sitting the way you want. Tears and droops/sags should be done while it is still wet. Let the paper dry well. With a sharp new blade, trim away what you don't want and paint. I used a tan on the Chevy cab over but grey looks good and I suppose any color you want will do. It can be weathered with dark washes and chalks now but don't play with it too much or you will dissolve the glue and tear it.

Since I brought up the rust powder, I'll show another use for it. The Chevy cab over has rusting areas on the fenders and doors and to a lesser extent on the roof and hood. This is done after the dark brown base coat by wetting the model just on the areas you want the rust to show with water. Sprinkle the rust powder onto the wet areas and let dry. If you think there's too much, flick it away before you apply the finish coat of paint. After the finish coat of paint is dry to touch, gently rub the areas with a stiff bristle paint brush and some of the paint as well as flecks of rust will come off. Follow with the washes as above and you should get a similar look. I looked at a lot of real mid 40's Chevy trucks to see just where the rust was popping out. This truck is a favorite since it is like so many trucks I grew up with.

OK so I only got to cover just a few techniques but they ought to be enough to make you want to dirty something up and put it in a field. Oh, tell your kids they are great sometime today.

Dirty by choice

Well it looks like we're seeing a lot of folks falling in line with a lot of scale modelers by adding weathering to their creations. This is great, seeing models as an actual vehicle would appear is what it is all about for me. Replicating real life in miniature is of course what all of modeling is about. Of course viewing vehicles in a shiny, spiffed up condition happens and we all strive to own a good looking vehicle no matter what we drive. But let's face it folks, a vehicle that is driven on the highways and byways of the world just don't look as pristine as we would hope unless they are destined to be automotive show pieces. And even then there are indications that a car or truck have traveled in spite of it's owners desire for it to be perfect. It is then, that the worlds most renowned modelers use some kind of technique to give their models a real look by weathering. But "adding" weathering is not what the best of the modelers in any scale that I see do to get realistic results on their pieces. It has just recently been said by a pretty darn good modeler that he weathers his pieces to cover up flaws in castings and his own mistakes. I'm sorry but I don't aspire to that attitude. This isn't meant to be, nor are the techniques as effective as, a well planned model. Excellent weathering techniques start at the beginning of a build.  Above I show one of, what I consider to be, a weathering success in the chipping technique on the Mack FCSW.  Right from the start, I needed to provide a base coat that would show the haphazard loss of paint in the life of this truck. The next step would be to lay down a 'resist'. This is any type of product that will allow the modeler to remove the finish paint in a way that would reflect that loss of paint in a realistic fashion. The resist in this case was a coat of Future Floor Finish but many large scale modelers use an acrylic hairspray and in some instances rubber cement or salt. I'm not trying to dictate the process here but merely wish to point out that these techniques need to be contemplated before the model even gets it's first coat of finish paint. This can't be painted on later with rust colored paint, chalks or washes and would certainly not give the same look.

On the red Mack H63 you see every care has been taken to give the model as flawless as possible finish. The weathering that has been added after was not intended to cover mistakes or flaws in the casting. I purposely build the model and finish it so it can be displayed without weathering in this example to show that moderate or light weathering can be added to give a realistic look. This somewhat contradicts what I've just said above but remember that I'm not trying to make a beater here but simply a working truck with some road grime. Regardless, the weathering here is a combination of well thought out techniques here and not just adding stuff until it 'looks right'. Study trucks and cars and look at prototypes. Know what it is you're striving for prior to putting a brush to your models. And then of course is practice. I spend many hours fooling with washes, chalks and painting techniques to see just what the results will be so when it comes time to weather a piece, I know what will look right, and real. And of course, I'm not always as successful as I would like. But just guessing has never given me satisfactory results.

 

 I now cite a model that I hope will show the influence of some larger scale modelers on me. Simply stated, less is more. Very little change from the original paint with the 'addition' of a few paint chips on the bumper and a dusting of tires is seen here. It isn't necessary to make a God awful mess of a model to show some use. Another technique is that of a panel wash one might notice here. An acrylic wash with a darker color of the finish paint is applied to accent panel lines and small details. Especially in this small scale details are so small that they cast no significant shadow when trying to photograph them. a color that is slightly darker that the finish paint can give a much more realistic look and can turn an average model into a really great one. A word of caution when doing this to white and lighter colored models, this technique can ruin it if the panel wash is too dark and is virtually impossible to fix.  Weathering should not be all that obvious and again, look to the prototype. Does it have large black lines all over it? Less is more!

I refer back now to the beginning where I stated that some weathering needs to be planned from the start. On really old vehicles, paint fade is always an issue. You will notice on the Mack LT above that the finish coat has been removed in a way that imitates sun faded and rain washed paint. It was done with a method similar to the chipped paint on the FCSW but done a little more aggressively. Future Floor Finish is soluble in Windex and/or windshield washer fluid so the model was washed (literally) with Windex to achieve the look. You will also notice the chassis and wheels have been painted the same brownish color that the cab was before it got the red paint. And that the wheels were painted white in the second shot and the holes in the steel rim have been filled with black. Here is the perfect application for a black wash that I previously poo-pooed. 

What you see immediately above is the  results of having darkened the chassis, fuel tanks etc. with an India ink and alcohol wash. I wanted some rusting effect of the base coat to show through without having to do any paint removal. Some acrylic washes of raw umber and burnt umber accentuate the collection of rust in specific areas. And finally below, you see the finished model complete with a coat of clear flat lacquer and some dusting with ground up artists chalks and touching of high wear spots with graphite. It is important to give the model some tooth for the chalks to adhere hence the flat clear coat. Stains on the gas tank were made by wetting the whole tank with washer fluid and streaking with some acrylic 'oily black' (PolyScale color) after the chalk application.

I know this has not been a comprehensive step by step on weathering. But I wanted to make the point that this weathering thing isn't something one should attempt to cover a bad modeling job. On the contrary, it is intended to enhance a well made model and if you wish to do it, should be a well planned sequence of procedures. Because I plan to broadcast this writing to attract readers I suppose I should add this 'disclaimer'. If you believe I am addressing you personally, perhaps I am. However it is not a condemnation of your work. It is merely a hope that I may be able to improve your endeavors into the realm of weathering in this scale. If not for the constructive criticism of others, I certainly would not be the modeler that I hope to be. And remember to kiss and hug your loved ones at every chance.

Some thoughts from the past

Several years ago I wrote an article that has appeared on the web in a few places that I would like to include here. It speaks about the influence every day life has on my modeling as well as the relationship we as modelers share in our thought process. Included are some of my most recent endeavors but I won't be focusing on them and include them merely as eye candy as one reads this rant. So here are my thoughts as viewed only part way in the course of my journey into the hobby of 1/87 scale modeling.

So what is it that intrigues us so much about rust and decay? What is the attraction and why do we model it?
  
   To do my Christmas shopping today (yes, it’s Dec. 24th) I rode into Rockland . On the way there is a garage that seems to have a knack for hot rodding as there is always some spiffy rig out front. Today there was a restored Ford Vicky and a ‘65 Chevy Malibu all decked out in good taste. Around back there is 8 to 10 old wrecks in varying stages of decay. The first word that came to mind was “potential”. Perhaps because I had just seen the nice rehabs out front or because I thought of what I might want to do to them (a ‘40 Ford coupe stood out) So is it the potential in those rusting bodies that is the allure?  I envision what those cars might have been like when they were in their prime. What made the dark stain on the backseat of the ‘49 Woody? Maybe it was Sally spilling her grape juice on the long vacation drive to the northern lake. And what put the splintered dent in the bed of the old flatbed? I picture workmen loading materials before the days of the forklift truck.  I also see the uniformed driver lunching on the running board enjoying his waxed paper wrapped sandwich and insulated tin of coffee.

   I often look at the beams of my barn that was built in the early 1800’s. The adz marks on the beams show the final cuts of the woodworker squaring the timber. Did he know that almost two centuries later I would be thinking of him? The terribly weathered original cedar shake siding loses a few shakes every windstorm to leave showing the tiny cut nails that held them on. We that work on houses often leave something to indicate our presence there. I mark my name and the date on the back side of planks that will never be seen until a future someone tears them from their place. And I have found coins and postal markings from envelopes under thresholds marking the dates that the doors were hung. Always, I am reminded that there was a person much like me that put them there, or drove those nails for the siding.

   These aren’t just rusting machines and old dilapidated structures. They represent personal experience. The family car, the truck driven daily to make the driver his wages and the barn that the farmer milked his cows in, can even today be related to real people. I almost hate to see the rusty old car turned back into a viable means of transportation. In today’s state of neglect, it says so much more about how long it’s been around and what it’s been through.

   And why do we want to model these old things that have seen better days? Are we making the concession to the real world that we must accept all that is in it? Or is this the way we would like the world to be? I haven’t made my mind up on this one. I often feel it’s the way it was before these things took a down turn that we would most like to see. And that modeling them in their present condition is our tribute to what they were and what they represented to the folks of the time.

I suppose I should give some information about these models shown starting with the first photo of the Mack R model that is pulling the lowboy. The load is the Cat No. 12 grader from Norscot as is the Trail King lowboy and the Mack is from Athearn. All have been stripped and repainted, the lowboy has a new wood deck and the Mack has a shortened chassis with a bunch of extras added. The red IH KB12 is one of those cheap Imex pieces with a change to the windshield area and the location of the headlamps along with the additions of fuel tanks, wheels, mud flaps and a fifth wheel.

Well thanks for taking the time to put up with another of my long winded rants on the subject of modeling in miniature. Please take the time to tell all your loved ones how much they mean to you today.

Warmer days

Looks like winter has let go of us here in northern New England. Days are ranging from the 50's to 70 degrees but nights are in the 30's. Still touching a fire off when the sun goes down. I took advantage of the sun today with a few photos of some recent and not so recent work. My favorite of this bunch is the 1934 Ford furniture van that I built using the Jordan school bus kit chassis and front clip.

The model was painted in Floquil coach green and flat clear coated. The rear flap is tissue paper with styrene dowels wrapped on the top and bottom. The small gas/electric locomotive in the background is also a Jordan kit of the Mack unit.

                                    

The next piece is a Freightliner Mountaineer. This was a four wheel drive tractor developed to haul 24 and 25 foot doubles over the western mountains. I have taken a major modelers license here in presenting the Mountaineer as a tow truck. Although I could easily see one of these resurrected as one. The basic truck is the Athearn Freightliner with the cab cut to a slab. The bed is also from Athearn cut down to a single screw unit and remounted the wrecker unit with new cabling. The fuel tank, air snorkel, and everything on the crossover deck is scratch built with the exception of the tool box on the curb side from Ralph Ratcliffe..

 I know, it's a strange little truck.


I decided to dust off an old favorite and give her some new wheels. Unfortunately I didn't cut the axle short enough. The Ulrich needlenose Kenworth is a diecast piece that I shaved the molded in the fender headlights and placed some new ones more appropriately. Fender mounted turn signals, horn, mirrors, diamond plate running boards, visor and different air cleaner are just some of the other changes/additions to the model. I'm hoping to find another one of these, I have some other things I would like to change as well on what could be a very nice model.

Looks like the warmer weather will be bringing on the outdoor chores now. Spent the day working on the tractor since the needle valve in the carb stuck open and the whole fuel tank emptied into the crankcase this winter. Broken mower deck repaired, front garden edged, damn.... I deserve some modeling time.

Don't tell me it's raining.....

Most of you know the rest of that saying. And it may be a bit harsh to use it to describe what I'm feeling about the social communicating media we all know as Facebook. However it is an accurate expression to use regarding the way many folks are beginning to treat the groups I have subscribed to. Each and every one that I decided to visit and contribute to begin with "1/87 scale". To me this means we are supposed to discuss scale models, specifically 1/87 scale and what most of us accept as a reasonable tolerance. Personally I would include that to mean between 1/85 and 1/90 since we can't be perfect all the time as hard as we (should) try. Arguments have become heated at times and I confess to being right in the middle of them in many instances. Perhaps I should keep my mouth shut because there are a lot of folks out there with very thin skin and can't recognize the difference between constructive criticism and an attack on their personage. My apologies to them but please, if you're going to contribute to these groups which are labeled as "scale" modeling groups, do one of two things to ease the tension that has been created on occasion. One, get it right. Get a scale ruler, learn how to do the math, and find out what the size of the real object you are trying to model is. Notice I said "object" since often it is not a whole model that is out of scale but just a sub assembly or detail. Or choose number two. Grow some thicker bark. Most folks aren't on these groups to take out their frustrations on others, they just want to help. I've tried to give an understanding of scale in every endeavor I communicate in be it magazine articles I've written to internet forum and email list discussions. I'm not interested in one-upmanship. This is NOT a competition. I'm simply trying to get to the true and accurate techniques to create more realistic looking models. And that's what this is all about, isn't it?

Well for some it isn't. Vehicles that look really cool (or 'kool'  written by most that wet themselves over them) and objects of a caricature nature are all well and good. I actually do get a kick out of them. But I'm not interested in waiting for my computer to load photos of them on a site where 1/87 is the reason I have decided to visit. There is a plethora (love that word) of places to go where Big Daddy Roth is worshiped and revered and folks model in a variety of scales.  More often where there is no discernible scale at all. And there's nothing wrong with that! But those places are where those things belong. Get it? Find the group where the folks there most appreciate what it is you want to contribute. Where it is most appropriate. But please leave the 1/87 scale groups to those that want 1/87 scale modeling.

OK, enough of that, I'm tired of beating my keyboard (a few years ago it would have been my gums) on a subject some will either refuse to or incapable of understanding and let's look at some recent modeling. I really like the repertoire of Don Mills Models. I've done his FCSW twice now and I'm going to show the Mack LTL here now for the second time. Form what information I can gather, The LTL (last 'L' for light) was a sort of experiment by Mack to lighten the weight of the truck by an extensive use of aluminum in it's parts. The only visual evidence of this is the use of 5 hole Alcoa wheels although many of the parts besides the wheels were aluminum including the chassis. The reason I point this out is because at the same time Mack was still producing the LT with steel parts which is what I've chosen to model here. I have substituted a steel wheel for the Alcoas that came with the kit and moved the air cleaner to the curb side of the hood to show what I am led to believe would be called an LTH ('H' for heavy).

I was standing in front of Don Mill's table at Springfield talking about what we both love, the trucks and the models, when I spotted an old EKO model Don had for sale. It was a Pegaso, a truck made in Spain, coupled with a mid 50's Fruehauf tanker trailer. It even says Fruehauf on the bottom of the casting. It had some rather bulbous, out of scale castings on it but for $5, I couldn't pass it up. Sorry I didn't take some before photos but suffice it to say the crappy details came off and I added a few of my own.

I had to build new fuel tanks for the LTH because what came with the kit had too many flaws and I added a heat shield to the exhaust stack that I think I will be doing over in the future but for now will pass. The trailer had a bunch of lights put on the rear and I built a tire/chain rack underneath with a wood deck and put some Lonestar landing gear also. Still needed as well is a Bulldog for the rad cap that Alloy Forms has in a lost wax brass casting that is pretty nice.

This next one was a real quickee since I didn't want to spend a whole lot of time on this particular Imex casting. It is of the 1948 Ford truck that I have placed on a Boley chassis and scratch built a bed and wrecker unit for. I replaced the grille and headlights as well as 'tuned up' the windshield area and cut in a rear window to try to give this diecast piece a little more prototypical look. The wheels are from a Miniaturmodelle Russian Gaz truck.

 

Well I know I stepped on a few toes here with this posting as usual. I'm sure however if you're the kind of modeler that takes the time to come here to read my blog, that I'm preaching to the choir. You obviously have good taste, love puppies and are an all around great person. Make sure to give your loved one's a hug today.