Tips for Weathering

[fatguy]

Haven't been doing this for awhile and I'd like tips on how to Weather cars...

[Hornistfuller]

take a dremel with a pointy reamer bit in it and the start gently tapping the sides of your car where you want the rust holes to be. prefereably do this on a really fast setting hot enough to melt the plastic. when you have some nice holes hat are about the size of a scale penny (about the size of a pen dot), turn the dremels speed way down and then start cleaning away the globs of melted plastic from your holes. then paint these holes a and the general area around them. also paint any place on the car you want to be rusting through this same rust color. then take a masker fluid and cover up the holes and wherever you want there to be rust showing through. make sure you have the rust colored paint under the masker! then sprasay your normal paint job with plenty of paint to build up a little bit of paint thickness. this will simulate the the fact that the rust, just like on a real car, is under the paint. then remove the masking fluid and you will have rust spots. take some rust colored pigments and, using a brush streak down from the rust holes. hope you liked my essay on weathering lol. if you really want some good tips, go over to armorama.com and ask the resident rusty tank experts over there. lol

Edited December 27, 2009 by bobman331

[VW Dave]

take a dremel with a pointy reamer bit in it and the start gently tapping the sides of your car where you want the rust holes to be. prefereably do this on a really fast setting hot enough to melt the plastic.

As most body rust occurs from underneath(in the northeast, at least), I recommend doing the Dremel work from the inside; the plastic gets thin and actually 'bubbles' like rusting metal, then I pop the holes open from the outside with a dental-style pick.

[VW Dave]

then take a masker fluid and cover up the holes and wherever you want there to be rust showing through. make sure you have the rust colored paint under the masker! then sprasay your normal paint job with plenty of paint to build up a little bit of paint thickness. this will simulate the the fact that the rust, just like on a real car, is under the paint. then remove the masking fluid and you will have rust spots.

I used rubber cement for the 'reveal' painting technique on my junkyard Monte's hood, with the 2-part "Instant Rust" faux finish kit from Michaels craft store as the base:

[weasel]

I used rubber cement for the 'reveal' painting technique on my junkyard Monte's hood, with the 2-part "Instant Rust" faux finish kit from Michaels craft store as the base:

i've heard nice things about the 'Instant Rust' stuff..smooth enough to paint over, i guess??

[VW Dave]

i've heard nice things about the 'Instant Rust' stuff..smooth enough to paint over, i guess??

I love that stuff....but it's not smooth by any stretch of the imagination; after curing you can dry sand it to make it a little better, however. My goal for the Monte was a ratted-out version of my buddy's beloved muscle car, so it served the purpose.

[Longbox55]

Not so much of a tip for doing the actual weathering on the model itself, but a good tip for research; Go to a local Pick-A-Part salvage yard, especially one that still has older cars and trucks (I know, I know, not many around anymore). Check out how the vehicles aged, like common areas that they rust or have oil leakage. Some vehicles even have common areas that tend to get damaged due to accident or age.

If going to a yard isn't an option, Cars & Parts and Collectible Automobile both run exellent features on salvage yards (C&P) or car spotting (CA). While not as good as seeing the cars in person, and being able to get as many angles of veiw on it, they are still a good resource.