For weathering a piece of rolling stock, what weathering powders, pastels, or chalks do you use or recommend?
If you haven’t already seen my work over at the Teen Model Railroad Place, I use powders by AIM I think…
I use Bragdon powders. I think they work real good.
I just got a set of these from Bar Mills.
http://www.walthers.com/exec/productinfo/171-45
I really like them and you can’t beat the price.
I’m using AIM powders. I also use them on structures, autos and I even give a light dusting to figures.
I spray the items with Dul-Cote first, after removing trucks and couplers from rolling stock, or taping up car windows. Then add the weathering powders, and another application of Dul-Cote to seal them. If you over-do it, you can wash the powder off before the sealing coat and try again.
I use artists chalk/pastels from an art store. I own two sets; one is the standard colors like red, blue, green etc. and a set of earth tones. They work fantastic, they are reversible, and best of all, cheap. If you are worried about the chalk rubbing off from handling, spray the car with dullcote and apply your chalk immediately after it dries to the touch. The chalk will stick very well and will not be sto rub off by casual handling. The other method I use is to really dirty up the car with chalk and then run wet water or alcohol down the car to create rain streaks – the chalk left on the car will also stick very well. Happy weathering!
Chuck
We use Bragdon.
Sue
About 15 years ago I happened to drop into an art supply store in Phoenix that was in the process of relocating and had a great number of items on sale. While going through their storeroom they happened upon two packets of chalks that no one could identify; even one of the employees who had been with the firm for over eleven years could not identify them so they had been back there for many, many years. They were asking four bits apiece for them so I bought them, brought them home, and pulverized them in a yard-sale blender. I keep them in half ounce mixing jars. Some of the hues I have hardly used while I am running low on some of the more heavily utilized ones. When I run out I will buy some artists chalks from an art supply store.
One color I am short of is brown but if you mix the primary colors–red, blue, and yellow–in equal proportions you get brown. I mix my colors with alcohol creating a very thin gruel which I then apply to the object of my weathering endeavors and fix with dullcote.
I have found Bragdon to give me the best results. Why? From the website;
“Weather System Model Aging Products
This weathering powder will adhere to any non-glossy surface. It is NOT chalk. One quick step gives a very realistic rusty, dusty or sooty surface - instantly. No drying or curing is necessary. Use sparingly; a little goes a long way. This product is made from real rust and other weathering agents that have been ball milled to a particle size over 100 times finer than chalk and blended with a pressure sensitive, dry adhesive. Self adhesive to most surfaces. Nonmagnetic and Nontoxic.”
RT-Are these the ones?
https://www.aswexpress.com/art-supply/catalogs/0074077000000
I’ve got a set and they work pretty good on track/scenery.
Ditto.
Doc O’Brian’s sits in my paint toolchest as well.
http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=81632
They have a nice variety of colors. You can get them from Micromark.
These earthtone pastels also work really well.
http://www.ares-server.com/Ares/Ares.asp?MerchantID=RET01229&Action=Catalog&Type=Product&ID=60762
You can pick them up at AC Moore / Ben Franklin, etc…