I want to weather the track on the layout I’m building and was wondering if anyone can tell me approximately how many feet of HO track I could weather with 1 oz, of paint using an airbrush. I have an airbrush, but have not yet used it.
Thanks,
Lee
Based on my last track weathering projects I get about 50-70 linear feet out of one bottle of Floquil. That was painting the track before ballasting, and thinning 50/50 for airbrushing. If you’re thinking about coverage for final weathering after ballast is complete, you could probably double or triple that depending on the dilution ratio.
Rob,
Thanks for the information. You gave me a good idea how much paint to order, as I plan to “weather” before I ballast.
Lee
Don’t forget to weather after you ballast, as well - especially for rust, in appropriate spots; it too, gets all over the ballast…
Excellent suggestion. Would you do that with the airbrush or a ‘rust wash’?
Since I’ve already got a set of Floquil Weathering pens that I used for track aging, I’d probably use that, assuming my ballast was secure; but if it was a larger area, yes, I’d go with a ‘wash’.
Depends on the effect you’re after. I’ve used both. I also use pastel chalk for rust in certain situations like this industry spur.
WP8TH SUB,
Really nice job,on that scene,Rob…
Cheers,
Frank
Beautiful scene, could you take a minute or three and give us some specifics on how you built up that great look?
so far I’ve only really used the Floquil markers…and I’ve played with my airbrush, but the Floquil markers are just so damn easy…
pi have a decent sized freight yard that I plan on weathering a lot, so I will definitely be going beyond the markers and get into spraying on grimy black, rust and then brushing on some powders for a variety of aging on the ends of the lesser used sidings.
matthew
A wash is better suited to suggesting overall age and griminess. Specific wearhering effects like rust spots should be done individually. I use a #2 shader and thinned MMAcryl Rust paint to do the rust spots. I also dribble some thinned black paint down the center of the track after ballasting using a 1/4" Crayola watercolor brush.
First, thanks.
The track in that scene was weathered before ballasting with some equivalent to Floquil Railraod Tie Brown, then dry-brushed with a couple colors of tan and gray acrylic craft paint to represent ties that haven’t been replaced for many years. Ballast is fine sand, mostly the lighter color used for general ground cover elsewhere in the scene, with a few areas of some darker sand here and there along the track.
Once the ballast was complete and the glue dry, I finished weathering with some pastel chalk dust in a couple of rust colors, using a stiff 1/8" brush. I allowed more rust staining to accumulate near the end of the spur.
That’s pretty much it as far as the track goes. Let me know if you had any additional questions.