Is there any way to weather red paint out of a rattle can?

[clovis]

I'm returning to the hobby after a 25+ year hiatus.

I'm still in the planning process of building a rusty junker, Dr. Cranky style.

While most of the car will be a rust bucket, I'd like to paint one fender or door red to indicate that the fender had been replaced with a junkyard part.

I have some bright red in a rattle can. Since rebuilding my paint stock from scratch, (someone stole my model supply box) is expensive, I'd like to use what I have on hand.

Is there any way to spray the bright enamel red onto the fender, and then weather it, other than spraying with dull coat?

Thank you for your helpfulness!!!!!!!!

[southpier]

go over it with #0000 steel wool lightly. or use the time tested dirty thinner wash. or alcohol with a few drops of india ink. although as you start to read up on weathering (the military guys do magic things with paint) most successful jobs are a combination of several steps & layers.

inventiveness sometimes depends on your pain threshold and willingness to compromise.

or just hold off until you can get some Dull-cote. certainly finish the rest of the model in the meantime.

a can will last quite a while if you make sure the nozzle doesn't get clogged.

Edited May 2, 2013 by southpier

[Jantrix]

Just primer well and sand with 1000 grit until primer starts to show. Follow with a dark wash.

[clovis]

Wow!!!!

You guys are fantastic!!!!!

Thank you for the tips!!!!

[Tom Geiger]

Here's weathered red. Start with a dark base color, I have dark primer red under the paint. And there's primer gray under that for the sand through effect. Once painted, I wet sanded the whole body with different grits finishing with 600. Then I hit it with Dullcote and added the rust with pastel chalks. Everything used (other than Testors Dullcote) is Duplicolor automotive paint.

[clovis]

Tom,

Thank you!!!!!!

Your model is STUNNING!!!!! That is just the look that I am wanting!!!!

My wife thinks that I should do the whole Mustang in red, just like you did. I'm wanting to build a 64 Mustang that looks like someone started fixing up in 1982, and then parked the car under a tree and walked away from in 1986.

So, if I primer with light gray, then dark red, and then rattle can red, I should get the same effect that you did?

Would you kindly share the sanding process? Did you start with 1000, and then down to 600?

Did you work with any of the salt methods to get a rust look?

[Tom Geiger]

So, if I primer with light gray, then dark red, and then rattle can red, I should get the same effect that you did?

Would you kindly share the sanding process? Did you start with 1000, and then down to 600?

Did you work with any of the salt methods to get a rust look?

Thanks Jeff. It's actually quite simple. Just like you said... light gray primer over the plastic, then red primer on top of that. Then your gloss red paint on top. All from rattle cans. Let it dry.

Then do some wet sanding at the sink. I used automotive sand paper. I cut it down to small 1" x 1" squares. I believe I used 320 on it. Maybe touched up with 600, you want it rough. With the body wet, just gently sand until you get the effect you want. Check frequently by putting the body under the running water. The effect on the door is from sanding in a circular motion.

Anywhere you have gone back down to plastic is a high point. Those I hit with the rust! There is Testors Dullcote sprayed in an uneven pattern so there are still some shiny spots in the paint. Sometimes I just do the top surfaces and let it rain down on the sides so the sides still have a bit of gloss.

I've never done the salt method.