Weathering Dyes-do They Really Wash Off?

[edcayton]

I am tempted to use these so that if I co** up or just change my mind I can return the model to pristine condition. There is a review of the Modeller's Mate product in the latest BRM weathering special, but no mention of what must be the USP of thesedyes.

Can anyone confirm that they can be washed off with no effect on the paint/lining/transfers of the model please?

 

Ed

[edcayton]

Please, someone?

 

Ed

[burgundy]

Ed

I have used ModelMates to weather some carriages which I wrote up here.

It was relatively easy to wipe off any excess with a cotton bud as I went along and I could use a wet cotton bud to wipe off marks that had dried in the wrong place. However, I suspect that, in order to remove the colour from crevices and crannies, you would probably need to attack it with a toothbrush, which might not do the surroundings much good. On the other hand, those are the areas that you would want to be stained - just as long as you were not trying to go back to "as new" condition.

Hope this helps

Best wishes

Eric

[edcayton]

Thanks for that Eric. It is what I suspected, so needs some experimenting.

 

Ed

[cheshepe]

Ed,

I'm not a lover of these model mates washes. I much prefer to use normal Humbrol / Railmatch / Precision paints with my airbrush. I am no expert by any means but the dusty effects that can be made using the airbrush is much better. Practice any method on an old wagon until you are happy with the results. Its worth practising. When I started I used the 'spray all over then remove with white spirit' method. These days I start that way then feather on different layers with the airbrush, with weathering powders also used on chassis etc.

 

Good Luck.

[Metr0Land]

I think it's horses for courses and you need to practice on cheap wagons to try and get whatever end result you're after. Must admit I'm the opposite of cheshepe! I tend to use almost entirely acrylics, dyes and powders. I had a specific need a while back to re-create LT panniers which I'd never seen done the way I wanted, and after several practices ended up with a method that suited me. Basically it was wiping on Modelmates oily brown and removing it from most flat areas but leaving in the places where I wanted build up.

 

http://www.rmweb.co.uk/community/index.php?/topic/48281-weathered-lt-panniers/

[edcayton]

I have to admit that it was my LT pannier that I was specifically thinking of. I had seen your thread but when you started by painting BR ones red AND THEN lining them I realised you were out of my league. I will get some of the dyes and practice, but for the moment L97 stays pristine!

 

Ed

[Metr0Land]

Thanks but it was out of my league once! I was an armchair modeller for 25 years or more. I had an old Airfix Praire body to practice on (admittedly not doing any lining) to get the effect. I too haven't had the heart to work on pristine L97 but did pick up a couple of the old Mainline panniers so didn't mind making a mess. (Dont forget to get the right cab variant if you go this route!)

[burgundy]

Ed

I am afraid it is that "JFDI" moment (Kindly Just Do It).

All of the various methods will work; it is largely a matter of sorting out the one that works for you. Like MetrOLand, I have been trying to get away from enamel paints and prefer powders, acrylics and inks. Where I have to use enamels and an airbrush, I prefer to do it in the garden - which has rather limited the opportunities this year! I find that the airbrush is great for applying an all over dusty effect but if I want to produce highlights and lowlights around the original colours, then I find drybrushing and wetbrushing much more effective (see the carriages in the link in my earlier post). I have no doubt that Cheshepe would argue exactly the opposite!

Good luck with whatever you try

Best wishes

Eric