I’m using Fruilmodel tracks for the first time on the Ferdinand I’m building for the Kursk GB. I’ve heard that using blacken-it to darken the metal is the best way, after which you add pigments.
How do all of you do it? I’d be interested in hearing about your methods, especially if you have pictures[:)]
I did not like the results from Blacken-it .You are better of painting them in the normal matter and washing them and then pigments.
You need to make sure the paint gets inside the flexible parts of the tracks
Hey Hermes, I’ve got 3 sets of Fruils & also some Blacken-It, but have yet to use them. The most popular method I’ve read is to paint them a base color like dark brown, black or leather, then add pigments and then finally hit with sandpaper to bring out the metal highlights. Hope this helps
I just use regular acrylic paint with the airbrush:
I’ve tried Blacken-it as well and didn’t like how the tracks came out. Plus when done, I had to figure out how to dispose of the stuff. To be fair to the product, I don’t think I let them soak long enough, but still, using acid to color tracks just seems to me to be going a little overboard. I ended up painting them with acrylic paint and weathering like I would do other tracks and they came out fine.
I paint and weather as per any other track, save with the Friuls I actually do prime them first.
Try a jewelery supply store. Luminox is similar to blacken it , but for aluminium, everthing else it just turns brown.
Terry.
Depending upon the look, if you want a light but natural rusted color, here is an experiment for you. Go to radio shack and get a bottle of etchant solution, less then 3 bucks. Take one or two links you have left over, and drop them in a capfull of the stuff for about 2-3 minutes, then take them out and put them on a surfce impervious to oxidation. When they get a cool looking patina to them rinse them off. See if you like the result. I myself plan on doing this. Etchant doesn’t eat all metals, but it affects all metals. You should see what it does to a stainless steel knife blade. Not so stainless anymore, and rusts very nicely with the humidity in the air within a ay or two.
For painting, depending on what I’m after I use MM gunmetal, Tamiya metalic grat, or Tamiya redbrown with some rustall and pastels. The last one gives a nice rust finish that replicates the rust while in service. If you want rust like it’s been sitting forever head to michaels and get antique finishes rusting system, thin the iron pigment stuff with tamiya thinner, hose it through your airbrush. Once dry wrap it in toilet paper or paper towel, then use a paintbrush to soak it with the rusting solution, and press it into the tracks to get in the nooks and cranny’s. Then add some more. After about 3-4 hours, remove it, and then reapply rusting solution where needed. After it’s dried for a day, start adding coats of rustall. I recommend 2 or 3, then let it dry for about 3-4 days, and it will look like it’s been sitting for a few years rusting nicely. Nice bright rust color. Using the paper towel holds the rusting solution on the parts and accellerates the rusting process, and makes it a bit more severe. The rustall, gives it a more realistic sheen and adarkens it up, and ages it. If you want pics I’d be happy to post some. With and without adding rustall.
I’d love to see those pictures you mentioned, fantacmet.
I’ll see if I can digup some of the before the rustall, as for post rustall I can just snap pics of whats here already. LOL.