Weathering

[skooksteve]

Still new and figuring out how things are done. What is the preferred substance  for giving rolling stock and structures an aged and weathered appearance?

[jstoppy]

I was reading something that said you could use a gondola for an ashtray. It said that it could make it look weathered.

[skooksteve]

Well, then I'd have to take up smoking

[the Bach-man]

Dear Steve,
There are many books and DVDs that detail various techniques. Micro-Mark:

http://www.micromark.com/

has several, as well as the materials you'll need.
It's really a lot of fun, and not as hard as it looks.
Have fun!
the Bach-man

[skooksteve]

Thanks for the link, Bach-man. Looks like a great place to get all types of materials and tools I'll be needing as things progress. I'm having fun!!

[Doneldon]

Steve-

People use colored chalk powders, oil pigments and very diluted india ink washes to weather trains. The techniques aren't difficult but I'm not so sure they are simple enough to describe here. I suggest that you check your LHS for books from Kalmbach Publishing or by David Frary for some detailed information. Model Railroader has regular articles about weathering. It's worth subscribing to or you should be able to find it at a good public library.
                                                                                                                                                                            -- D

[ebtbob]

Steve,

      Once you decide on the products you will use to weather with,  make sure you have LOTS of pictures,  either ones you have taken yourself or from magazines and books.
       Here is a thought.    When you were a little one in grade school and the teacher gave you a paper with a tree on it that needed to be colored,  what color did you use on the trunk?    Most people will say brown.   Now look outside and look at tree trunks.   They really are not brown.   That is why pictures are so important.
      Also,  in my experience,  weathering is either horizontal or verticle,  horizontal because as trains or cars and trucks went by a structure,  they put a horizontal covering on said building.   Vertical because the weather simply came down on the structure and "slid" down the roof to the ground.
      Another trick you can use is one that I learned a few years back.    If you want a building to have a light color on the walls,  then paint or stain the walls with a dark color.   Then dry brush the light color over the dark allowing the dark color to show through.   Now,  this technique works better on wood models.

[skooksteve]

Thanks guys. Very helpful information. I'm going to start on some simple structures and work my way up to rolling stock.