A new riding car

[makinsmoke]

Hi John,
I read of an award winning model builder in O scale (1/48) that cut all of his lumber way ahead of time, then put it in a
basket in the back yard and left it for up to six months to weather. He always had baskets in various stages waiting.

When he began assembling the cars all he ad to do was square everything up, glue and drill, and dry brush paint on to the extent he wanted a newer or older finish.

The weathering in the outside prior to painting and/or gluing gave the finished cars that decades old look with the wood weathering under the paint as in real life.

Unbelievably prototypical.

I believe he used well aged oak and other quality lumber.
Brian

[FLSTEAM]

The weathering in the outside prior to painting and/or gluing gave the finished cars that decades old look with the wood weathering under the paint as in real life.

Unbelievably prototypical.

I believe he used well aged oak and other quality lumber.

The Gon is 100% Cypress. Thinking about a new one in natural finish...or maybe not.

John b

[Harlock]

You can also simulate aged wood using india ink and apply a 'faded' paint job over that with watered down paint and a comb. Jimmy Booth had quite a few ideas that he translated from his Sn3 expertise. Need to spend some more time absorbing some details before trying it out on a car. I want to do a tank-on-a-flat car with full weathering.

Currently I've stopped washing my boxcar. It's weathering naturally quite well, picking up dirt dust towards the bottom and coal soot on the top etc during each meet.

-M

[makinsmoke]

Hello John,
Cypress as you know weathers to a nice pastel gray, with almost no brown, probably none with enough time in the outdoors. We had a mantle in our house in Fla from rough cut weathered cypress.

H, just remember everything we do in this scale is subject to the same things that the 12" to the foot guys are, mainly in this instance, weather. I do not believe the small scale weathering techniques stand up well out of doors unless one is very careful protecting their equipment at all times. One day, your prize boxcar with custom lettering and paint will get caught in a surprise shower somewhere out on the rails where you can't rush to it and cover. It will happen.

Not washing, etc. That is exactly why I encourage folks building wood equipment to stencil and paint on their lettering versus using the vinyl. The painted on lettering is much more of a pain, but it weathers at the same rate as the rest of the paint on the car, unlike the vinyl, and it will never lift or come off.

Repairs are as simple as a tough up with a brush from time to time, if needed.

Cheers,
Brian