Humbrol Weathering Washes

[Guest Jack Benson]

Hi,

Weathering is a steep learning curve for our group, we have an aeromodeller in our midst but no long term railway modellers.

 

We have some rolling stock to weather and decided to start with a recently completed wagon as a control item and to use the Humbrol Weathering Wash system.

We took great care to watch Humbrol's YouTube tutorials focussing on aero/military outline and we adapted our techniques accordingly.  However, we are perplexed that the resulting finish is unlike MiG weathering washes matt, instead the Humbrol Weathering Wash dries to a slightly tacky, gloss finish.

 

During preparation, the contents of the bottle was carefully stirred with a McD's coffee stir stick for a good three minutes and the drying area is a dust-free, humidity-free, controlled room at a constant 22degrees - three days after application, the control item is still shiny and slightly tacky.

 

Thankfully our aeromodeller saved the day with Testor's Dullcote but is this a common experience?

 

Any comments?

 

Cheers

 

Jack

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Ray M]

I had the same problem.

And i just sprayed over it with a clear matt.  i`m like yourself in thinking that it should dry to a matt finish.

[YesTor]

I don't know, although I'm not sure if it's my perception alone but I do seem to keep reading of people with problems of seemingly non-drying Humbrol products? 

 

Other than that was your paint stirred sufficiently?  Was the underlying coat of paint sufficiently hardened to accept a new layer of paint?  If not then maybe there was a reaction with the base coat?

 

On the subject of washes in general, aren't they simply a heavily diluted paint?  Maybe select a paint that you know works well in terms of shade, drying etc, and dilute your own formula using thinners and experiment with that?

[Mick Bonwick]

I have never managed to get Humbrol washes or pigments to work as well as MIG, AMMO or AK Interactive. Like you have found, the Humbrol washes are inconsistent in finish regardless of the length of time stirred (but with a battery powered mixer), and the Humbrol pigments are ground rather coarsely  compared with the others. Note that these observations are based on personal experience and not just repeated from seeing other people's reports.

[Ben Alder]

Games Workshop do a range of acrylic washes  that are matt - also some dry paints that I have found useful. Regard anything Humbrol do ATM with caution as they have a lot of quality control problems, although their spray paints are excellent.

[Guy Rixon]

I've only tried a Humbrol wash once and it was utter rubbish: an implausible colour, never dried completely and left a gloss finish. Like most Humbrol products, it's now on my "never use" list.

 

I find that a wash of oil paint does the job. I mix the washes myself from black and brown Artist's oil paints with the paint maker's own thinners. They alway seem to dry quickly - a few hours - and to a matt finish. If I did get a bad mix that dried glossy, I'd wait a week or so for it to cure, then spray matt varnish over the top. For models that are handled, a coat of varnish over the wash is probably a good idea anyway.

[Guest Jack Benson]

Hi Guys,

 

Why did we buy the Humbrol washes in the first place?  Based on favourable experience over the past 40 years, we trusted* Humbrol and subsequently bought their dark brown and dirty black washes, the sorry tale of how it worked out tends to indicate that our loyalty was misplaced.

 

The Warminster event, next weekend, is a group road trip and we hope to find some better products

 

*To put things into perspective, there are just two choices of paint brands in the local area, Humbrol or Tamiya, Humbrol is OK for acrylics and enamels whilst the less said about Tamiya.

 

 

Cheers

 

Jack

 

 

[Guest Jack Benson]

Hi,

 

Just a quick update. Rather than just whinge about Humbrol, we contacted their customer service. The response has been rather surprising;

they asked lots of questions about stirring, method of application and drying method. Finally, they requested the batch numbers in order to identify the manufacturing date (it transpires that it was rather old when it was purchased at Railwest 2019) 

Finally, they asked if we could return their product for further tests.

 

Although it went horribly wrong, we are quite impressed with Humbrol's attitude, hopefully something positive will be the outcome and we are pleased to help Humbrol to achieve this.

 

Cheers

 

Jack

 

 

[Mick Bonwick]

6 hours ago, Jack Benson said:

 

 

Although it went horribly wrong, we are quite impressed with Humbrol's attitude, hopefully something positive will be the outcome and we are pleased to help Humbrol to achieve this.

 

 

 

Well done to you and Humbrol. Let's hope that your actions produce some benefit to modellers.

[Mike Storey]

I have dry-brushed weathering, with Humbrol enamels, albeit for larger scale, outdoor stock, and found it worked rather well. This is despite many warnings elsewhere on this forum about similar issues.

 

The problem is availability. I can get Humbrol almost anywhere in France, bizarrely, but the more recommended brands are much harder to find. So, if I can get Humbrol to work, I will use it, but, as in your case, it comes with some initial trepidation. Let's hope your experience was just of an out of date, or isolated, poor quality, batch.

 

Humbrol certainly have an image problem and, by all accounts, a real quality control issue, of late. Which is a great pity, given they seem to have a fantastic marketing and distribution capability with retailers. Good to learn they are taking it seriously.

 

[Guest Jack Benson]

OK,

A final response from Humbrol:-

 

"Dear Sir

The washes you sent are indeed sticky and take time to dry

I will arrange to replace the colours you have requested and have in the post wednesday at the latest

 

regards"

 

No real explanation as to why but at least an acknowledgement that they were faulty.  They are due to pitch up tomorrow, I will test and post some images of the results with firmly crossed fingers.......

 

Cheers

 

Jack

[Traintresta]

14 minutes ago, Jack Benson said:

OK,

A final response from Humbrol:-

 

"Dear Sir

The washes you sent are indeed sticky and take time to dry

I will arrange to replace the colours you have requested and have in the post wednesday at the latest

 

regards"

 

No real explanation as to why but at least an acknowledgement that they were faulty.  They are due to pitch up tomorrow, I will test and post some images of the results with firmly crossed fingers.......

 

Cheers

 

Jack

I’ve never used manufactured washes as I always prefer to mix my own with thinners but I use a lot of humbrol  paints. I have never particularly bothered to notice a non-Matt finish as I usually spray a dull coat afterwards anyway. 

[Pinehill]

I haven't used Humbrol washes but sometimes their enamel paints just dry up in the tins far too quickly despite putting the lids back on tightly. I use the washes & powders recommended by Mick Bonwick & try to find Revell enamels instead of Humbrol.  

[Jack P]

I've had mixed results with Humbrol stuff. Some of their powders are good - and the Matte Leather/Matte Black combination is a trusted classic.

 

I've recently started using Tamiya stuff, mainly as it's much easier to get a big range here in NZ, their 'Panel Line Wash' products are fantastic, and I swear by the black one, the brown ones are quite light, but they flow fantastically well and dry matte. I'd imagine that the other colours would be just as good.

 

 

Just my 2c

[cravensdmufan]

Sorry to resurrect this thread but …  I started weathering a pristine Bachmann VGA wagon by applying Humbrol wash 4 days ago, and it's shiny and still tacky!  Wish I'd read this topic before I opened the brand new, albeit a year or so old, jar.

 

Could anyone advise me best way to remove it please so I can start again, 

 

(I usually use Tamiya powders with great success but thought I'd give the wash a try for a change, Grrrr !)

[Guest Jack Benson]

38 minutes ago, cravensdmufan said:

Sorry to resurrect this thread but …  I started weathering a pristine Bachmann VGA wagon by applying Humbrol wash 4 days ago, and it's shiny and still tacky!  Wish I'd read this topic before I opened the brand new, albeit a year or so old, jar.

 

Could anyone advise me best way to remove it please so I can start again, 

 

(I usually use Tamiya powders with great success but thought I'd give the wash a try for a change, Grrrr !)

Patience, it will dry eventually. 
 

A lesson learned the hard way.

 

Cheers

[SD85]

Hello, I am interested in using washes but I was wanting to know if this effect was possible with them (link below)

 

https://rcts.zenfolio.com/steam-sr/sr/west-country-bulleid-4-6-2/hA89BD88C#ha89bd88c

 

I'm currently modelling 34087 and this is the condition I want to weather her. There seems to be an overall 'dusty' effect going on.

 

I don't have an airbrush so a lot of the time use powders and such like, but was wondering if this effect can be achievable with washes as well?

 

Thanks

 

PS Regarding powders, how to fix them? Would artist's fixative do the job?

[Mick Bonwick]

2 hours ago, cravensdmufan said:

 

Could anyone advise me best way to remove it please so I can start again, 

 

 

White spirit on a cotton bud. After 4 days you may find you have to work for quite a while, but it will come off.

[cravensdmufan]

18 hours ago, Jack Benson said:

Patience, it will dry eventually. 
 

A lesson learned the hard way.

 

Cheers

Thanks Jack.  You were right, it's now dry -  after 6 days!

 

And guess what, I'm quite pleased with it!  I'll now do the other side.  And make a start on the underframe and roof though I'll probably use another method for those.

 

Many thanks to you and other members for advice and support.  Much appreciated.

[cravensdmufan]

2 hours ago, cravensdmufan said:

Thanks Jack.  You were right, it's now dry -  after 6 days!

 

And guess what, I'm quite pleased with it!  I'll now do the other side.  And make a start on the underframe and roof though I'll probably use another method for those.

 

Many thanks to you and other members for advice and support.  Much appreciated.

 

Before continuing, I was looking at photos and reading up on VGA wagons.  I see their sides were made of aluminium which was unpainted. (Useful site for reference: https://www.ltsv.com/w_profile_029.php )

 

The Humbrol wash that I have used has effectively produced rather a nice "rusting" effect, which I now realise that looks totally wrong on the VGA! 

 

Just to be sure I just Googled "does aluminium rust?" and the answer was "yes" but it doesn't turn reddish brown but dark grey!

 

So I shall now try removing my nice brown "rust" from the panels using Mick Bonwick's method of white spirit, but leave the wash around the ribs and darken with grey powders.

 

Every day is a school day as they say!

 

Edited May 10, 2020 by cravensdmufan
Added useful website link

[London Southwark]

Weathered all of theses with just humbrol dark brown wash 

[London Southwark]

[London Southwark]

[London Southwark]

[London Southwark]