Reproducing Varnished Teak - Improving Latest Hornby Thompsons

[Nelson Jackson]

Wow, they look superb, really enhance the model so much.

[MikeTrice]

I have revised my method to simplify.

 

1. A couple of coats of Clear/Klear to the sides (including covering the windows) to protect the Hornby printing.
2. Tone down the darker areas around the doors and door ventilators with oil paints/liquin as previously described and clean up with turpentine
3. Add shadow into door joint and around door ventilators with Model Mates Soot Black dye using water to clean up.
4. Final coat of Vallejo satin varnish to restore original sheen.

 

As has been stated previously the toning down is just that NOT a complete invisible match to the original grained finish and under magnification the original demarcation can still be seen, however the overall effect on the eye is quite dramatic. I still believe that exaggerating the door joints and shading around the door ventilators is worth doing and after trying various options returned to using the Model Mates dyes, for the simple reason that clean up with a damp brush is so easy and cannot damage the graining.

 

A full third treated as described but without the final coat of satin varnish and with the original roof colour taken in a brief moment of sunshine today:

 

 

 

The brake third treated with the earlier more complex process (using Humbrol washes) but with more care taken during clean up. The colour match of the graining patches is not quite as good, however the effect is I believe is still a vast improvement on the model out-of-the-box:

 

 

Edited October 20, 2013 by MikeTrice

[jwealleans]

The difference in those is astounding. Time very well spent, I think, Mike.

[MikeTrice]

I don't consider myself a skilled painter hence why I have adopted techniques where I can take my time and correct mistakes as I go. I have also made mistakes along the way and have presented those as being just as valuable as the successes. I actually find it quite therapeutic so would not hesitate to do it again in the future.

[Mike Boucher]

One of my objectives at the start of this post was to reproduce a varnished teak finish with currently available products. I am a fan of Vallejo paints however they are not commonly available so what do you do if you cannot obtain them? The Windsor and Newton oil paints on the other hand should (hopefully) be  universally available.

 

So this final post presents a summary of the method (ignoring the mistakes made along the way) and covers materials in a bit more depth.

 

1 ) Spray coach body with white primer. I use acrylic primer from Halfords but any make should do. Some of the subsequent colours can be a bit transparent so a white base will result in fewer coats to get good coverage.

2 ) Mask off the roof along the top of the cornice. I have found the Tamiya tape brilliant for this.

3 ) Paint on one or two coats of light orange base coat. I have used acrylic as it dries quickly and in the case of Vallejo paints does not hide the detail. If a single coat is insufficient leave the first to dry and apply a second.

4 ) Pick out random panels in the two alternative shades to provide some variation in tone. Leave to dry for at least two hours.

5 ) Apply sealing coat of Humbrol Clear or Johnson's Klear to protect the base coats and again leave a couple of hours.

6 ) Apply graining coat using the Burnt Umber oil paint mixed with a small amount of Liquin. The Liquin thins the paint slightly increasing transparency and speeds up drying time. Brush out in direction of grain. If you do not like the effect keep at it or if all else fails use turpentine to remove (it should not affect the acrylic base coats). Leave to dry for at least 12 hours. The surface will change and take on a matt sheen.

7 ) Apply another sealing cote of Clear/Klear or if unavailable it should be possible to use a gloss varnish.

8 ) Apply transfers and line in primrose paint.

9 ) Apply another coat of Clear/Klear or Satincote.

10 ) For a slightly weathered finish use Model Mates sooty black weathering dye, Humbrol Black Wash or mix your own from black paint and thinners. f mixing your own make sure the coach has had at least 24hrs to fully dry out before applying. Paint the coach in the wash/dye and let dry for about 1 hr. For Model Mates dyes wet a cotton wool bud in water and carefully clean the panels of dye leaving deposites along the beading. Use the same technique for washes but dip the cotton wool bud in thinners. Leave to one side to fully dry.

For a heavier weathered finish apply the Humbrol wash or home brew and whilst still wet remove the surplus with a dry cotton wool bud (or two or three).  This will result in a heavier layer than the light weathering. When cleaning panels use the cotton wool buds in the direction of the grain.

For Model Mates dyes they will need a final coat of varnish to waterproof. Humbrol Satincoat is ideal.

11 ) Remove masking and admire.

 

The following image can be used as a reference for base colours used. I am aware there are reproduction issues in scanning and uploading but I hope they will give a good indication should you not be able to source the Vallejo paints.

 

VallejoColours.jpg

 

From left to right the colours are:

Vallejo Light Orange (022) as the main base coat.

Vallejo Sunny Skin Tone (020) as a panel variant.

Vallejo Orange Brown (131) as a second panel variant.

 

Happy teaking ;-)

 

I'm about to try this technique on a 7mm horsebox, mainly because I can get these paints in the US, while precision paint and ronseal teak varnish are all but impossible to get.  So, thanx for giving me something to try!  I bought craft store acrylic, Pumpkin like you suggested, and then two others close to your Sunny Skin and Orange brown, and I've painted the body with these base colors.  I used an airbrush for the orange, two coats, but a brush for the alternate panels.

 

Few questions for you...

 

1) When you put on the Humbrol clear to protect the base coat, is that a gloss or matte finish?  My choices over here are testors Dullcote or Glosscote....

2) Any suggestion for paint color for the teak wheel centers?  It appears to be a very different color than the teak graining...

 

Thanx!

[MikeTrice]

Good luck with 7mm Mike, look forward to hearing how you get on.

 

Humbrol Clear is a new product in the UK which has been introduced as a substitute for what was Klear (or Future in the USA), so it dries gloss.

 

For wheel centres and solebars use Humbrol Matt 62 if you can get it. There are various sites around that map Humbrol colours to other makes.

 

EDIT: Try Testors 1736

Edited October 24, 2013 by MikeTrice

[MikeTrice]

I'm about to try this technique on a 7mm horsebox,

Sorry, just cottoned on. Where the Horseboxes varnished teak?

[Mike Boucher]

Sorry, just cottoned on. Where the Horseboxes varnished teak?

 

Its a Great Eastern horsebox, diag. 16.   Built from a D&S kit.  According to the instruction sheet, they were first introduced in 1888, a total of 355 were built, with 152 existing in 1936 and the last withdrawn in 1948.  Once again, the instructions say that initially the body would have been finished in varnished teak, but by the time the LNER took over the GE, they would have been painted teak color paint, which the LNER would have continued.

For my purposes, I'm going to have a go at painting it in teak, GE lettering, and wait until someone over this side of the ocean tells me it doesn't fit in with the time period of the rest of my rolling stock.  But when I get my 5 car rake of GWR clerestory coaches assembled (and buy a GWR City to go pull it), I figure that horsebox would look just fine tacked to the end of that train.  and when in doubt,  model RR rule #1 applies... 

[MikeTrice]

Thanks for the clarification. Good luck.

[Mike Boucher]

Here's the results of my attempt.  I think I didn't thin the paint with the liquin enough, as it came out much darker than your examples.  It looks more like the weathered teak, but I didn't use the black wash...  I'm pondering if I should strip it and try again...

 

 

Comments/criticisms welcome!

[micklner]

No idea if the GER did the same but the LNER had the grain horizontal on doors. Due to number of planks it is a nightmare to "Teak" as well.

[MikeTrice]

Here's the results of my attempt.  I think I didn't thin the paint with the liquin enough, as it came out much darker than your examples.

If you find it comes out too dark just brush the paint out more and wipe the brush occasionally on a tissue or dip the brush in thinners. The key thing is you have time to make corrections, or even wipe off the whole finish providing you do it before it fully dries.

[JCL]

Hi Mike, I'm going to give this a go this week as it looks phenomenal I don't live in the UK any more, so I'm not sure about the Halfords white primer. If you are still following this thread, can you tell me if this a gloss, satin or Matt finish?

[micklner]

Halfords White primer is Acrylic matt

[MikeTrice]

I would guess that any white primer would do. We should add that Halfords paints are intended for use retouching cars but are vey popular with modellers. From memory they are made by Hycote.

Edited November 21, 2013 by MikeTrice

[JCL]

Thanks Mike. I've got a Canadian Tire in town, so I'll head down and see what I can find - I think they have an acrylic matt primer. I really enjoyed reading your thread and can't wait to make a start later.

[Retro_man]

Thanks Mike. I've got a Canadian Tire in town, so I'll head down and see what I can find - I think they have an acrylic matt primer. I really enjoyed reading your thread and can't wait to make a start later.

Hi JCL

 

Canadian Tire has a One Step Self Etch Automotive Primer in an aerosol can in the automotive touch up spray section. It's not acrylic and it's a very light grey colour and adheres really well to brass and white metal kits.

[JCL]

Hi Retro_man

 

Sorry, I didn't mention it'd be styrene. I had a look in the garage and found some Krylon Fusion for plastic, which covered well, and then to make sure, a blowing of Krylon Matte Finish, which did the job completely. The Vallejo orange has taken (it's very thin!), and I'll give the Liquin and oil paint a go later.

 

The photo shows my result on scrap. I'll probably add another coat of the Vallejo.

 

 

cheers

 

Jason

 

Edited to add a photo.

 

Edited November 22, 2013 by JCL

[MikeTrice]

When using Vallejo it is far better to apply two thin coats than try and do it in one. And yes it does normally take two coats.

[Guest 2750]

I keep coming back to your work Mike, especially the scumble effects. I'm going to be weathering the Hornby BG in a similar effect to the teaks I showed on the first page of this thread. I now need start building up 1938 coaching stock for a future project, so intend to try and pick up some Kirk Kits (first attempt at building a coach) and follow your teak method.

[micklner]

Thompson Flying Scotsman version Coach using Southern Pride etched sides and a old Bachmann Thompson base coach.

 

[micklner]

Thompson Flying Scotsman version Coach using Southern Pride etched sides and a old Bachmann Thompson base coach.

 

[Synch]

 

 

4 Compartment Brake Third conversion, painted after finding this thread!

[JCL]

Wow, they look amazing.

[jwealleans]

The teaking on there is lovely.  If you want to improve it even further, the cantrail (the edge of the roof, with the raised rainstrips above the doors) should also be teak brown, as should the wheels.  Wheels had a white stripe round the rim when ex-works, but I don't usually bother.  I also think the solebars would look better in Humbrol 62 than Hornby's colour and the footboards would be picked out in black.  I think you may be missing some handles round the guards door as well. 

 

Already a very fine carriage, though.

Edited May 10, 2016 by jwealleans