How do you make weathering powders permanant?

I have a nice set of weathering powders, but I’ve never used them because I can’t imagine how to make them stay in place. I see posts about how convenient they are for making exhaust stains on aircraft, and you apply them gently with a brush, etc. etc., but can’t you then just blow 'em off with a puff of breath? What happens to the weathering power if you ever wash your model when it gets dusty? (And no, don’t tell me about display boxes, I have hundreds of models on display in our bedroom, hung nose-down on two walls, and they take up no shelf space but do get dusty.)

I also see posts, when I do a search, about spraying powders on with certain carrier mixtures, but if you’re gonna do that, why not just spray good paint?

Anyway, my basic question is how do you “fix” weathering powders in place once they’re applied?

Stephan

The powders are designed to “stain” the paint. That is the best word I can find this early in the morning.

When I apply the powder by brush. I usually “scrub” the powder. Then gently blow the excess off. (All that stays behind is the powder I scrubbed). Keep going until I get the effect I am looking for. Then I take a makeup brush I “borrowed” from the Mrs and blend the powder to soften the edges of the powder.

Now Assuming ( and we all know what assuming does) you have an airbrush. Lightly dust coat the model in either a dull or gloss coat. This coat will “seal” the powders in so they will no be disturbed.

Be careful though if you get the coat to wet it can/ will disturb the powders and you may have to retouch and recoat.

It takes a little (ok alot) of practice, but once you get it down you will want to “dirty” everything up with those powders.

Hi Stephan,

I’ve got some Mig weathering powders and it recommends to drop a little turpintine on to the powders without actually touching them and let it dry off. This apparantly seals the powders onto the model. I’ve not tried this myself , but you can mix the powders with somthing like turps and paint it on. The turps will evapourate, leaving the powders on the model. Best get hold of a cheap model off ebay or someplace and practice various techniques.

Try http://www.migproductions.com if you haven’t already. He has a forum on their and will answer various questions for you.

Good luck, Rich

The MiG powders are actually paint product. Just try to get them off once applied. Pastels will blow away, but not the MiG products.Now that doesn’t mean that there will be excess that you can blow off the model during application. I seal with Poly Scale acrylic flat coat, applied in misted layers. Works Great!

Steve

then you give it back to the Mrs right[(-D]

warlock0322

We must have wavelengths. I do the same with weathering powders and with pastel chalk dust i can make any size,any pattern “mottle” camo on German acrft. Much better IMHO than the Air Brush method.

Teise

I am lucky I got the thing out with all my fingers attached. I don’t take the chance of getting caught putting it back.[B)]

How do you do this?

Your methods sound good. I was flipping thru some old issues of FSM and found an article where they suggest using Acetone to set the powder. They suggest shooting 2 or 3 coats of clear flat enamel then applying your weathering powders. Next they say to take a fine brush and gently drip the acetone onto your weathered areas. The acetone is supposed to soften the clear coat and make the weathering adhere to it. I’ve never tried this but just thought I’d post it.

Albert-sy2

Make a small pile of pastel CHALK dust(color of choice). Using a fairly stiff paint brush(size depends on your pattern size) dip it in the dust and apply to arcrft. It don’t work well on gloss coat. Just draw your pattern and fill in with more dust depending on how dark you want it. It will give you a feathered edge. after you’ve finished the mottle give it a couple of light coats of clear flat(or gloss)with the Air Brush to keep in from smearing. As in any method experiment with an old model.

OK?

Teise

One other thing I may throw out there is. Before you go using the powders. Place the decals on the model and and have them set and ready to go.

This way you can actually weather any of the decals on the model in one step. I once forgot to do this and had a fairly decent weathered look with nice bright clean decals. [:slight_smile:] Thus calling for a third coat of clear flat to seal the weathered decals. [banghead]

The acetone method mentioned above sounds interesting. I have never heard of it. Me being the clumsy one I am though. I would be scared to death to try that due to the fact that.

  1. Acetone will stip paint off in the blink of an eye.( Ask me how I know that). [8)]

  2. It can also mar/ melt the plastic. ( I know that one too).[8)]