Giles' weathered locos - rub down and polish technique

[Giles]

I thought I might post some photos of various locos I've painted and weathered over recent years.

I find that (for me) the best basis for a decent looking model is to get the 'base coat' of paint looking as realistic as possible first - and rather than apply various coats of varnish to the paint (which is the norm) in order to 'flatten' it visually - I prefer to have a go at it with 2000 grit wet-and-dry (used wet), and REALLY smooth the surface out. The surface can then be polished up with a finger, Duraglit silver polish, or a piece of kitchen towel, according to how much or how little gloss you want on it.

But however much you polish it, because the paint surface has been flattened, it genuinely looks much more 'scale', in my opinion.

 

 

 

 

Edited March 6, 2015 by Giles

[Giles]

A Fowler Marshall in 0-14

 

 

And a Bachmann Brassworks 04

 

 

And an Ixion Hudswell Clarke

 

Edited January 3, 2014 by Giles

[Eric & Gripper]

Beautiful work sir.

 

best regards

 

Eric & Gripper

[Giles]

 

 

 

 

Edited January 10, 2014 by Giles

[Giles]

The Fowler also had its panels polished before weathering, leaving areas around rivets and other details unpolished for contrast.

 

Other areas such as the running plate has a thin matt black wash, followed by a coat of talcum powder (whilst still wet) which was then polished off. This added texture and gave a metallic, oily appearance. Nearly all of the chassis, buffers, buffer beams etc, were also treated with talcum powder in the wet paint to add texture.

[Giles]

here's a Heljan 37 weathered in water soluble oils....

 

 

[Giles]

_{An Industrial Garratt I've finally finished..... again, the aerosol paint rubbed down with 2000 grit wet and dry, and then polished back up before weathering. No varnish.}

 

 

 

Edited April 26, 2015 by Giles

[brianthesnail96]

Beautiful work on the Garratt Giles. Has a fantastic "used but cared for" look that I suspect is much harder to achieve than "downright filthy".

 

I keep coming back to look at your Fowler for inspiration- when you say you use talcum powder on a wet matt black wash, what do you use to polish it off with and do you leave it to dry first? I've been using talc for behind the bufferbeams etc in wet paint, either dusted on top or mixed in and slapped on, which gives a nice thick gloop of course, but too heavy for on the running boards. Just looking for more methods to try  

[Giles]

Hi Matt - thank you!

 

It's exercising restraint that doesn't come easy - targeting the ingrained dirt and staining, without going over the top. It helps having cleaned locos, and knowing the bits that gather the dirt, and the bits that so often get a quick wipe-over!

But I have to say, half the trick is starting off with a 'real' paint surface (for me, at any rate)

 

Regarding the running plates. Once the black has dried ( and I've cut it back and polished it a bit) I then paint dabs of matt black and Metalcote gunmetal, and give it a wash of thinners, -not a lot of paint - mostly thinners - it's a wash..... And then put a reasonable amount of talc on. Once it's dry, I then buff it up with kitchen towel, which removes most of the talc (but not all) leaving you with a move metallic surface. I try NOT to be too even about it - and let the paint for pools and go into corners a little... And then the talc will work with the paint - but because it's all thinned with the thinners, it won't take too much talc.

Have a play.......

 

All the best

 

Giles

[Giles]

A cleaned-up version of the Ivatt (learning new skills in the 'removing-background' department....!)

 

[Giles]

The Garratt was weathered with water-soluble oils (lamp black) and then the addition of a few powders (though not much) and a dusting of a soot mix (the only air-brush contribution) over the top of the boiler and roof.

 

 

Edited February 19, 2015 by Giles

[Phill Dyson (onslaught832)]

Do you use any techniques to get the weathering powder stay on Giles?

 

Phill

[Giles]

Hi Phill,

 

No, of course most of the powders are going into corners, nooks and crannies, so they're less susceptible to wearing away anyway... The better powders (like the Tamaya or whatever they are called!) can be worked into the paint to 'stain' in almost indelibly ( if you work it in with their sponge thing!) and it is only the real cheap and cheerfuls that just won't take.....

In any event, it isn't a significant problem, and it's a joy not having any varnish to spoil the look!

Edited February 19, 2015 by Giles

[Hawk]

I prefer to have a go at it with 2000 grit wet-and-dry (used wet), and REALLY smooth the surface out. The surface can then be polished up wi a finger, Duraglit silver polish, or a piece of kitchen towel, according to how much or how little gloss you want on it.

But however much you polish it, because the paint surface has been flattened, it genuinely looks much more 'scale', in my opinion.

Your results are very convincing, but how do you avoid cutting throught the paint at raisesd detail like rivets?

[Giles]

It's quite a nice natural 'cheat'!

 

I fold up a piece of 2000 grit W&D quite small (rectangular, so it is only 6 or 8mm wide) and than flat down within the panels - carefully avoiding the lines of rivets. I'll go up quite close to them, but not touch them. This means that the paint around all the rivets, and any other detail I can't physically get into is still comparatively quite 'rough', so it will also take weathering paints and powders more easily, which works very well......

If I do happen to catch a rivet by accident, it's no great problem, I just get a very fine brush, and spot a bit of paint on top of it. It happened to a dozen or so rivets on the Garratt, but it would be impossible to tell which.

 

After flatting, I concentrate the polishing within the panel, but then to finish, do a final 'all-over' polish - rivets and all.

 

I always use the wet and dry WET.

 

To be fair, it is a time-consuming and laborious process. But it is one that is for me worth-whilst, as I think it creates a base finish unlike any other method. I dare say there are some who can produce a finish that good with an air-brush - but I am not one of them!

This is a way whereby a bit of careful persistance can enable a moderately skilled modeller to achieve a really nice finish (just using car aerosols!)

Edited February 19, 2015 by Giles

[brianthesnail96]

Found this on my meanders around Flickr and it immediately thought of the Garratt- rather more knocked about, but the "oily rag" finish red paint isn't a bad match.

[DLT]

Lovely work Giles, many thanks for sharing your techniques.

All the best,

Dave.

[wintimtim]

Impressive work, looks really like the real thing. Thanks for sharing.

 

cheers, Tim

[Giles]

Thank you Tim!

 

I've just about finished the 37 now......

 

 

 

Edited September 2, 2015 by Giles

[Giles]

This is an 0-14 Wren (silver-soldered construction) painted with a Halfords aerosol, and again flatted down with 2000 grit wet and dry before very gentle buffing.

 

 

Edited September 17, 2016 by Giles

[Giles]

Dapol's extremely good 08 came in for the rub down and polish technique

 

 

 

Edited May 3, 2017 by Giles

[DLT]

Excellent result Giles.

Cheers, Dave.

[jdb82]

Giles, I've just finished building a Manning Wardle Old class i which is now ready for painting. Whilst I'm OK at the painting side of things in terms of getting base coats on (and I do not mean in in the same ball park at Haywood et al. !), the weathering I find much more challenging. This is where the really artistry comes in, and you look to have just about perfected this with your technique. I'll be giving it a try this time. I know it's going back a few years now, but can you remember what colour paint you used on the Garrett? I think if I get the weathering right, it could look quite nice on the diminutive little Manning Wardle.

Cheers,

John

[Giles]

I'm pretty sure it's VW GAMBIA RED, sprayed over black as an undercoat.

 

Best,

 

Giles

[Giles]

An 0-14 radio controlled loco