Does anyone one know who custom weathers & weights cars? if so how much do they charge? Thank you.
Brian
I am in the middle of doing this for my own fleet, as I change out trucks and couplers for Kadee’s and just generally revamping my roster. I have never considered doing it for a fee, but I can tell you that it really is not that difficult.
I use pastel chalks, specifically “Nupastel” brand, although I don’t know if they are still in business; the set I have is one I purchased over ten years ago, and I’ve only run out of the white and black sticks, the rest seem to last forever. I picked up a mixed colors set that includes a couple of browns that look like rust and dirt colors. What you do is take an X-acto (preferably one with an older dull blade) and scrape it over the chalk stick, to produce a small pile of powder. Then, get a good fluffy brush (dry!) and use it to apply chalk to your model surfaces. You can put it on heavier than you ultimately desire, because what you’ll do is wipe some of it off with a paper towel or even your fingertip, leaving chalk accumulated in the cracks and around details. This will look very good on its own, but it leaves the chalk still loose, which means your weathering will deteriorate over the years as you handle it.
The solution is to fix the chalk in place. Most modelers just spray a clear coat over it, but when you do this, the chalk tends to disappear. You have to re-apply and spray several times. What I reccommend, instead, is that you fix it with water. I use a supple brush (long and thin tip, not broad) loaded up with water, which I flow onto the car face over the chalk. I work one panel at a time (most cars have rivet lines or seams between panels), trying to flow onto it without disturbing chalk; the more water that it in your brush, the better. Now, pure water may be difficult to work with, as it does not adhere to the surface; I have found it easier to mix in a very small amount of black paint (I use acrylic-based paints, from a craft store, as they come in easy-to-use flip-top bottles and are mixed to a thin consistency) to creat
A few years ago, somebody sold 1"x10" (or thereabouts) sheets of lead in several thicknesses for hobby use. I haven’t seen them in stores lately.
Another source of lead for weighting are science supply stores that sell materials used for school science classes (American Science and Surplus http://www.sciplus.com/ in Chicago comes to mind). I was able to acquire lead strips by the yard from them. (The lead strips are used to make batteries in science classes.) You might have to ask for it from a clerk.
Another source for lead would be stores selling supplies for makers of stained glass. They also sell by the yard.
Hardware and plumbing supply stores sell “lead wool” which is used, IIRC, to seal joints in lead piping. Also some varieties of bar solder look useful.
Then, of course, there are lead fishing sinkers, lead used to balance tires, and varieties of buckshot (including some that are lead-free) that have traditionally been used.
If you decide to use lead, make sure that you carefully clean up any dust and shavings, wash your hands before eating and drinking, and keep stockpiled supplies packaged to prevent contamination. Avois using lead products in the kitchen, and be careful about melting lead.
For those who don’t want to use lead might want to look at using the weights sold for “pinewood derby” cars, which come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Steel knockouts from electrical boxes also look promising. I’m also guessing there might be a workshop out there willing to cut steel or other metal barstock into suitably-sized strips.
See A-Line products for weights with sticky tape. The automotive company sells them in several hundred pound lots so A-Line seals them in small quantities. Joe also packs lead and other items. You can use junk in box cars and stick it with bathtub caulk. I use a weight watchers scale or a cheap postal scale because accuracy is not required for performance. LOL Lindsay
Weathering: try everything you’ve read here, and also refer to some weathering articles in MR & RMC. For experimenting, pick up a few “junker” cars at a train show, for a buck or two each, doesn’t matter if they even HAVE trucks or couplers, let alone good ones. Use these to try the methods out.
Weighting…I use pennies in house cars, cabooses, covered hoppers,or any other closed body cars…glued in with Goo or Pliobond…these weights of course, only cost pennies ! [;)]
I have a small household-type weigh scale, and put all the unassembled kit parts in the tray, then add pennies until I reach the NMRA recommended weight.
For open cars, there are many ways to weight them, especially if they are to appear “loaded”, like hoppers, gondolas, ore cars, flat cars, but try to keep the majority of the weight down as low as possible. (For instance, in a loaded ore car or hopper, I use fine sand down in the car bottom, then a lighter material like cat litter to top up the load.[:o)]
On plastic bodied cars, that bottom-sand layer can be treated like bonded-ballast, and become a molded, removable, one-piece chunk.[:D]
Plastic or plastic-metal cars : A way to weight those “empties” is with modeling clay pressed into the underframe structural members of the car…I have also seen BB’s or split shot, in turn, pressed into the clay. This clay can be removed if you want to sell the car someday.
Plastic cars: Another method for the “empties” is to squeeze split shot or other lead fishing sinkers into appropriate square or rectangular shapes in a vise, snug fit them into the underside structurals, and add a bit of white glue. These can also be removed [ with a bit of water ]someday, if you wish.
regards
Mike
Of course, for hoppers and gondolas, one can simply add appropriately colored ballast to simulate a “load”. Tony Koester discussed some adventures he had with this in one of his columns in Model Railroader.
I used ‘Liquid Lead’ - very small diameter lead pellets - which ‘pours’ like water, to weight my flat cars, held in place with diluted white glue. You need to hide quite a lot of weight underneath the flat car to get it up to the NMRA recommended weight, if you want to run the car unloaded.
I also made a small shovel out of some scrap brass sheet, with some brass tube soldered to the back for a handle, to make loading the pellets easier.
At one time, I used dead batteries. The problem with them is they do leak!!! I usually use whatever heavy thing I can find. Metal wheels go a good ways towards lowering the center of gravity.
In my Athearn HO collection, I’ve found it’s usually better to be heavier the NMRA RPs.
Bragdon Enterprises makes a set of self adhesive weathering powders. They have an adhesive mixed in with the “pastel dust” which is activated by the brush strokes of application. Color selection is very good for weathering and dirtying up models.Check out their website, which I believe is linked to MR’s. I’ve been using them for a couple of years and really like them. They eliminate the need to seal and then probably reapply the material which is the major drawback to pastel chalks. The only caution is to build the color up slowly. It’s easy to overdo an effect, and they really do stick.
Pennies are a very easy and inexpensive way to add weight to a closed car. Twelve pennies equal an ounce and super glue holds them very well.
Does anyone one know who custom weathers & weights cars? if so how much do they charge? Thank you.
Brian
I am in the middle of doing this for my own fleet, as I change out trucks and couplers for Kadee’s and just generally revamping my roster. I have never considered doing it for a fee, but I can tell you that it really is not that difficult.
I use pastel chalks, specifically “Nupastel” brand, although I don’t know if they are still in business; the set I have is one I purchased over ten years ago, and I’ve only run out of the white and black sticks, the rest seem to last forever. I picked up a mixed colors set that includes a couple of browns that look like rust and dirt colors. What you do is take an X-acto (preferably one with an older dull blade) and scrape it over the chalk stick, to produce a small pile of powder. Then, get a good fluffy brush (dry!) and use it to apply chalk to your model surfaces. You can put it on heavier than you ultimately desire, because what you’ll do is wipe some of it off with a paper towel or even your fingertip, leaving chalk accumulated in the cracks and around details. This will look very good on its own, but it leaves the chalk still loose, which means your weathering will deteriorate over the years as you handle it.
The solution is to fix the chalk in place. Most modelers just spray a clear coat over it, but when you do this, the chalk tends to disappear. You have to re-apply and spray several times. What I reccommend, instead, is that you fix it with water. I use a supple brush (long and thin tip, not broad) loaded up with water, which I flow onto the car face over the chalk. I work one panel at a time (most cars have rivet lines or seams between panels), trying to flow onto it without disturbing chalk; the more water that it in your brush, the better. Now, pure water may be difficult to work with, as it does not adhere to the surface; I have found it easier to mix in a very small amount of black paint (I use acrylic-based paints, from a craft store, as they come in easy-to-use flip-top bottles and are mixed to a thin consistency) to creat
A few years ago, somebody sold 1"x10" (or thereabouts) sheets of lead in several thicknesses for hobby use. I haven’t seen them in stores lately.
Another source of lead for weighting are science supply stores that sell materials used for school science classes (American Science and Surplus http://www.sciplus.com/ in Chicago comes to mind). I was able to acquire lead strips by the yard from them. (The lead strips are used to make batteries in science classes.) You might have to ask for it from a clerk.
Another source for lead would be stores selling supplies for makers of stained glass. They also sell by the yard.
Hardware and plumbing supply stores sell “lead wool” which is used, IIRC, to seal joints in lead piping. Also some varieties of bar solder look useful.
Then, of course, there are lead fishing sinkers, lead used to balance tires, and varieties of buckshot (including some that are lead-free) that have traditionally been used.
If you decide to use lead, make sure that you carefully clean up any dust and shavings, wash your hands before eating and drinking, and keep stockpiled supplies packaged to prevent contamination. Avois using lead products in the kitchen, and be careful about melting lead.
For those who don’t want to use lead might want to look at using the weights sold for “pinewood derby” cars, which come in a variety of sizes and shapes. Steel knockouts from electrical boxes also look promising. I’m also guessing there might be a workshop out there willing to cut steel or other metal barstock into suitably-sized strips.
See A-Line products for weights with sticky tape. The automotive company sells them in several hundred pound lots so A-Line seals them in small quantities. Joe also packs lead and other items. You can use junk in box cars and stick it with bathtub caulk. I use a weight watchers scale or a cheap postal scale because accuracy is not required for performance. LOL Lindsay
Weathering: try everything you’ve read here, and also refer to some weathering articles in MR & RMC. For experimenting, pick up a few “junker” cars at a train show, for a buck or two each, doesn’t matter if they even HAVE trucks or couplers, let alone good ones. Use these to try the methods out.
Weighting…I use pennies in house cars, cabooses, covered hoppers,or any other closed body cars…glued in with Goo or Pliobond…these weights of course, only cost pennies ! [;)]
I have a small household-type weigh scale, and put all the unassembled kit parts in the tray, then add pennies until I reach the NMRA recommended weight.
For open cars, there are many ways to weight them, especially if they are to appear “loaded”, like hoppers, gondolas, ore cars, flat cars, but try to keep the majority of the weight down as low as possible. (For instance, in a loaded ore car or hopper, I use fine sand down in the car bottom, then a lighter material like cat litter to top up the load.[:o)]
On plastic bodied cars, that bottom-sand layer can be treated like bonded-ballast, and become a molded, removable, one-piece chunk.[:D]
Plastic or plastic-metal cars : A way to weight those “empties” is with modeling clay pressed into the underframe structural members of the car…I have also seen BB’s or split shot, in turn, pressed into the clay. This clay can be removed if you want to sell the car someday.
Plastic cars: Another method for the “empties” is to squeeze split shot or other lead fishing sinkers into appropriate square or rectangular shapes in a vise, snug fit them into the underside structurals, and add a bit of white glue. These can also be removed [ with a bit of water ]someday, if you wish.
regards
Mike
Of course, for hoppers and gondolas, one can simply add appropriately colored ballast to simulate a “load”. Tony Koester discussed some adventures he had with this in one of his columns in Model Railroader.
I used ‘Liquid Lead’ - very small diameter lead pellets - which ‘pours’ like water, to weight my flat cars, held in place with diluted white glue. You need to hide quite a lot of weight underneath the flat car to get it up to the NMRA recommended weight, if you want to run the car unloaded.
I also made a small shovel out of some scrap brass sheet, with some brass tube soldered to the back for a handle, to make loading the pellets easier.
At one time, I used dead batteries. The problem with them is they do leak!!! I usually use whatever heavy thing I can find. Metal wheels go a good ways towards lowering the center of gravity.
In my Athearn HO collection, I’ve found it’s usually better to be heavier the NMRA RPs.
Bragdon Enterprises makes a set of self adhesive weathering powders. They have an adhesive mixed in with the “pastel dust” which is activated by the brush strokes of application. Color selection is very good for weathering and dirtying up models.Check out their website, which I believe is linked to MR’s. I’ve been using them for a couple of years and really like them. They eliminate the need to seal and then probably reapply the material which is the major drawback to pastel chalks. The only caution is to build the color up slowly. It’s easy to overdo an effect, and they really do stick.
Pennies are a very easy and inexpensive way to add weight to a closed car. Twelve pennies equal an ounce and super glue holds them very well.