Weathered Wood

[marc_reusser]

This thread/subject was started/arose in a "project" thread, but so that the subject would be easier to find and more easily expanded on, discussed, and contributed to, it has been moved here as it's own thread:


Belg wrote:

I model in HO and have trouble finding a balance between adding texture to my wood and when I use some 400-600 grit to defuzz, then loose alot of the texture I worked so hard to put in, I have tried doing it deeper but then my 1x stock either breaks or shreds when cleaning the fuzz. Could you tell or show me any special little steps that helped you?   Thanks so much, Pat

Marc wrote:

Sorry have been away from the bench of late....work and basic life cr** to deal with.  I am also trying to decide which approach to post, as i have not really been completely happy with any of them. I have used Chuck's method, and variants of it......but as of late I have been working on a "hybrid" of his, combined with Guache and water color, and some of Marcel Ackels approach......The big problem/issue that really needs to be adressed is "scale specificity/correctness" while obtaining the proper "opacity" for the finish without making it appear "painted".   .......one issue is also, what looks good in photo's may not look correct in person and visa-versa.

[chester]

Being a woodworker by trade affords me the opportunity to use a wide variety of wood species. I'm always curious to know why folks don't specify what type of wood they are using when asking and/or replying to a question about weathering wood. Is everyone using the same kind of wood for their modeling projects? I ask because observing the differences in how each specie behaves in my 1:1 projects has prompted me to try modeling techniques to different woods. I won't go into the results of my experiments but suffice it to say that using certain kinds of wood has produced some interesting effects. I'd also like to add that going outside the modeling supply industry for wood can offer some unique products and a few really good deals.

[Belg]

Thanks Marc, your very right in that different scales approach things very differently, I have tried some of Mic Greenberg's methods from his cards and they do not translate well to HO scale at all. Right now I start with a thinned floquil cp gray with lacquer thinner, brushing this on but trying not to get full coverage, using a file card and a scratchbrush to impart grain, when painting I use an open container of thinner and dip into it to help vary the color slightly. After assembling the walls, I plan on using a mixture of turpentine and chalks to wash the wood to get graining pattern. I'm thinking so far my hand has been slightly heavy  so the grain will be a little to pronounced, but it will be a heavily weathered structure so might not be too bad. This is one of the 4 walls I have build so far, I think if I do the rafters 16" on center it might look a little too crowded but will see when I get a little further along. Sorry for posting in your thread Marc, but this is where we started our conversation. If it could be moved that would be fine with me, Thanks Pat

Here's a picture of a wall section I'm working on.

I have also moved this over from the other thread Marc mentioned, Chester you bring up a good point about species of wood. I assumed that most builders used only basswood, and on occasion have seen balsa used but have not heard of too much else being used. I believe that Chris trainclown used a hunk of cedar to produce his own stripwood on his homemade stripwood cutter. Here's the link to it. Chris is an inventive guy who uses what he has at hand and makes it work, although not Osha or for anyone elses idea of safe with some additional gaurds and someone with the ability to work with highend metal milling machine this could be made into a great cutter.
http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=20046&whichpage=1

This is a link to a smart little jig he made to cut them by hand before he build the other electrified version.
http://www.railroad-line.com/forum/post.asp?method=ReplyQuote&REPLY_ID=214975&TOPIC_ID=17004&FORUM_ID=22

[lab-dad]

Chester,
I have used other species (Other than the ususal birch) like walnut and cherry.
I really like the look of the walnt once colored, gives a good base for the A&I
-Marty

[RoughboyModelworks]

Chester:

I use several different woods depending on the application. Favorites are Swiss Pear, Boxwood, Rhododendron wood and Bass or Lime.

Paul

[John McGuyer]

The guys here on this forum turned me on to pearwood which I love. If you'll look at my 'detailing a K-27', you'll see some cut on a milling machine with a slitting saw just as you suggested. It works very well. I've cut pearwood down to .020" thick consistently with the process and will soon try to go thinner. Since I have a three axis DRO on the machine, it is very easy to dial in whatever thickness you want.

John

[Belg]

Guys, although I appreciate the info on the additional types of woods being used to model, I'm thinking we're missing the real point of the thread that being HOW we are working with these types of wood, distressing adding knot holes, how to add basic coloring that was my intent in asking the question.
I have seen a couple of times the mention of pearwood and also its not for the budget modeler.

John, I'm going to go back and take another look at that thread, thank you for posting it as I don't believe I saw the machine you mentioned, Pat

[chester]

Sorry Pat, I didn't mean to digress. I was just curious as to what everyone was using. Some of the "standard" techniques come out a little strange on certain specie. And thanks everyone for the replies, an interesting and diverse selection of woods.
  My own favorite happens to be clear vertical grained white pine that I cut up here in the shop. My treatment is a very simple one for just plain weathered planking. I do all of my distressing with a file card and exacto. I then put a wash of an acrylic dark gray and try to raise the grain for even more texture. When dry, I dry brush the high spots with a very light gray and white. And a final shot with some powders to accent wear marks etc. in olive green and tan. This may not be the most effective but I'm able to achieve acceptable results consistently. I should mention that I only model in 1/87 to date.

[TRAINS1941]

Chester

Nice color but I really like the way the grain of the wood looks.  Would be nice to see the whole scene, very nice job.

Jerry

[John McGuyer]

I didn't have a picture of the mill in operation, only was mentioning that is how I made the blocks. If you're interested, I can photograph the mill/saw next time I use it.

I do think all of us are interested in any new ways to work wood,

John

[Belg]

Wow, this thread really seems to have stalled, I have been working steadily on the project shown but have been using the same technique as in the past weathering with a scratchbrush and knot holes with a drill bit and good old #11. My base color was SP lettering gray and lacquer thinner thinned to a wash and didn't pay much attention to trying to get full coverage. Now that I have that done my problem has reared its ugly head in that now I have build doors from styrene and am having a terrible time trying to match the coloring. Even the 2 doors one made w/gray styrene the other w/white are different, I have applied some A/I to see if I can get them at least the same as each other and then paint them out from there. By the way the white one was just about completely stripped back down and rebuild from this pic as the glue ooze(new glue)really bugged me.
Marc, since things seem a little slow around here the past few days, maybe we could revisit some of these techniques? I plan on using a wash of alcohol and weathering powders to do the paint coloring, I'm leaning towards a green rather than the typical barn red. What do you guys think? Pat

[marc_reusser]

Pat,

Sorry for the delay in responding. On one hand been a bit busy, and on the other, I have pretty much dropped most of the remining RR forums I was on, and rarely visit the ones I still belong to. I am pretty much giving up RR modeling per-say,...I probably over time will still build/finish some stuff that I have started....but other than that I am going to do primarily Armor models.....and the occassional "1/35n600mm" industrial loco/car. [If Russ is interested in the armor and any other odd stuff I will continue to post here...in which case this and the MIG forum will probably be the only ones.]

I think the root of the problem is the fact that you built with two different colors of styrene. Both pieces should have been primered (I use "Mr. Surfacer 1000")...to create a matching/sim base and color to work over.  This would then give me the opportunity to choose/consider a couple of approaches......all though would involve an airbrush applied "wood" tone base color of some kind of acrylic (real quality acrylic, like Tamiya, Vallejo, or Life-Color....not the "craft paint" cr** that so many espouse.)

One option would be to paint the boards overall in a wood "base" tone of your choice, then maybe add a bit of grey, or brown, or black or white, to the base color, to change the hue of the color...and using either a quick mask...such as a board width slit cut in a piece of paper, the edge of a post-it, or a more defined mask with tape......and then spray uneven thin coats of the mixed/added-to color over individula boards, to vary the shades, and tones.  [note that this shading/toning could also be done with thined acrylic, and a board-width flat brush).  make sure you give the acrylics a bit of time to dry/set, between applications of brushed on hues). Lastly I would come in and add some very thinned washes of greys or browns onto the individual boards...or even a slight bit of "dry-brushing"....but not in the sense to "highlight edges" like the horrific "Verlinden Method", but rather with just a very subtle hue/value change of the colors.

Something else to maybe consider...and something I am going to try for the first time on a "wood" finish when I paint the FMW challenge cars is "pre-shading"....I plan to use a dark grey or brown, and airbrush the color into the gaps/spaces between boards, and under board edges/overhangs that in the finished model would be "in shadow"....then I will paint over that, in very thin layers, using the approach above.....always taking care to leave just enough "transparency" to allow the pre-shading to imply depth or slightly "shadowed area". [Think of the effect of pre-shading being a controlled/planned and intentional use of sim to what you are experiencing because of the two different colors of styrene]

I can't really say on how to use the alcohol, as I rarely use it anymore.....it attacks the acrylics that I work with, and can even "soften" or craze the styrene.....I much prefer working with water, or turpentine/odorless thinner, or white spirits. (I do still use acetone for some things, but not for washes on styrene or over acrylics).


Cheers,

Marc

[TRAINS1941]

Marc

Sorry to hear about your decision to leave building Modeling RR except for the occasional piece here and there.
I for one would hope that you would still participate on this forum even if its just armour.  I think you bring a lot to the table with your expertise in painting and staining different materials.

Jerry

[finescalerr]

Post your armor modeling, Marc.

Russ

[lab-dad]

Hey Marc,
I'll take all that CHB junk off your hands if your not gonna use it.
S-marty