Sealing weathering powders


MoPac_Eagle

Well Known Member
What do you use to seal weathering powders? Do you have to mask off the windows of the engine? Any tips are appreciated.
 
In my experience weathering powders do not need to be sealed. I don't usually handle my rolling stock much after weathering, they just stay on the layout. You can always add more powder if needed. If you do use dull coat, it will lighten the effect and yes you would have to mask off windows unless you want a cloudy effect. Try some dull coat on a piece of scrap clear styrene to see what I mean. This is my experience only, others may have differing opinions.
 
What Wille said except I do seal my powders because I have to handle my cars. I use Testors Dullcote and yes it does tone down the effect of weathering powders to varying degrees depending on the brand and quality of the powders.
So I use far more powder for a more extreme effect in the knowledge that once sealed the effect will be toned down....best to practice on a test car until your comfortable with applying the amount of powder for the required after-sealing effect. In my experience Bragdon and Pan Pastels fade far less than cheap artists or kids pastels. Masking of windows depends n the effect you want to achieve.

Cheers
Gene
 
Good to see you found your way here MoPac. Welcome to the forums. I see you've found the place to give your thread a title.
A tip that hasn't been mentioned with applying powders, is, it pays to Dullcote the car beforehand as well. It gives a friendly surface that they will stick to better. And to aid that going on smoothly and evenly, wash the car with dishwashing liquid/warm water (not hot) to remove any oiliness that might interfere with the bond. Don't drown it, and dry it off with paper towel gently and air dry. A hairdryer on warm helps, but not concentrating the heat.
As far as sealing with Dullcote, yes. A quick light fogging all over from about 12" away is enough. I use artist's brushes to apply the powder with a variety of shapes, lengths, sizes and hard and soft. Here's a bluebox boxcar, recently finished.
1565619882557.png
 
Very true about Dullcoting the model before applying powders also Toot!! I also Dullcote my models before painting them also except when streaking with oils in which case I hit them with Clearcote first, strak then Dullcote when all the paint is dry.

Cheers
Gene
 
I also use Dullcote prior to adding any powders, for the reasons that Toot added above and during the weathering process. I like to add powders in light coats and lightly seal with Dullcote after each application of the weathering powders. The progressive coats help reduce Dullcote's inherit lighting of the weathering powders.

When using Dullcote use "Light" coats over the powders to seal them properly.

I been using Pan Pastels as the weathering medium. The Pastels seem to adhere better to the model and do not fade as much when Dullcote is applied. Just my personal choice.

Masking window on a locomotive can be done using Posted It Notes, cutting to fit pieces of masking tape, liquid mask or just removing the plastic glazing if possible. Practice on a inexpensive locomotive.

Toot nice job on the BB Rail Link box car weathering! Very tastefully done.


Greg

#########################


Ore car.jpg
A weathered ore. Ore cars will be usually heavily weathered due to the nature of the dirty work they perform. -Greg
 
Last edited:
I failed to note in my original response that I also Dull Coat every model freight car as soon as it comes out of the box. Even when brand new, prototype cars never have that shiny plastic look!
 
I also use Dullcote prior to adding any powders, for the reasons that Toot added above and during the weathering process. I like to add powders in light coats and lightly seal with Dullcote after each application of the weathering powders. The progressive coats help reduce Dullcote's inherit lighting of the weathering powders.

When using Dullcote use "Light" coats over the powders to seal them properly.

I been using Pan Pastels as the weathering medium. The Pastels seem to adhere better to the model and do not fade as much when Dullcote is applied. Just my personal choice.

Masking window on a locomotive can be done using Posted It Notes, cutting to fit pieces of masking tape, liquid mask or just removing the plastic glazing if possible. Practice on a inexpensive locomotive.

Toot nice job on the BB Rail Link box car weathering! Very tastefully done.


Greg

#########################


View attachment 38611
A weathered ore. Ore cars will be usually heavily weathered due to the nature of the dirty work they perform. -Greg
That's a terrific job on the ore car, Greg.
 
Installing window glazing is the very last detail I add to my projects. That way, I am free to use powders, washes, dry brushing and seal coating to my hearts content. I want my windows clean! Sometimes I do use Dull Coat to seal powdered weathering to the project, sometimes I don't. Like Willie said, once weathered, my rolling stock and locomotives don't get touched much.
 
I'm with CambriaArea51 -- I belong to a club that has a modular layout, so equipment gets handled a lot. If I don't seal it, much of the weathering will be gone with the first two or three times I handle it.

A question about Dullcote -- are you gentlemen talking about the "rattle" cans, or do you airbrush it? I use the "rattle" cans, but I almost always lose much of my weathering when I apply the Dullcote...

One other thing... I was weathering the inside of a gondola with some Vallejo pigments, and when I hit it with Dullcote, the pigments almost completely dissapeared. So on the next attempt, I used a light misting of cheap hair spray (after masking off the exterior side of the gon, the wheelsets and the couplers) and it worked quite well! Has anyone else tried cheap hair spray (normally used to fasten down scenery effects) on rolling stock?

Regards,
Tom Stockton
 
I'm with CambriaArea51 -- I belong to a club that has a modular layout, so equipment gets handled a lot. If I don't seal it, much of the weathering will be gone with the first two or three times I handle it.

A question about Dullcote -- are you gentlemen talking about the "rattle" cans, or do you airbrush it? I use the "rattle" cans, but I almost always lose much of my weathering when I apply the Dullcote...

One other thing... I was weathering the inside of a gondola with some Vallejo pigments, and when I hit it with Dullcote, the pigments almost completely dissapeared. So on the next attempt, I used a light misting of cheap hair spray (after masking off the exterior side of the gon, the wheelsets and the couplers) and it worked quite well! Has anyone else tried cheap hair spray (normally used to fasten down scenery effects) on rolling stock?

Regards,
Tom Stockton
I use the testors spray dullcoteand it does make my powders a lot fainter. The hairspray idea is interesting I will have to try it.
 
I'm with CambriaArea51 -- I belong to a club that has a modular layout, so equipment gets handled a lot. If I don't seal it, much of the weathering will be gone with the first two or three times I handle it.

A question about Dullcote -- are you gentlemen talking about the "rattle" cans, or do you airbrush it? I use the "rattle" cans, but I almost always lose much of my weathering when I apply the Dullcote...

One other thing... I was weathering the inside of a gondola with some Vallejo pigments, and when I hit it with Dullcote, the pigments almost completely dissapeared. So on the next attempt, I used a light misting of cheap hair spray (after masking off the exterior side of the gon, the wheelsets and the couplers) and it worked quite well! Has anyone else tried cheap hair spray (normally used to fasten down scenery effects) on rolling stock?

Regards,
Tom Stockton
Airbrush the dull coat on.
 



Back
Top