creating believable woodgrain on styrene

[ZombieHunter26]

So my wife was really nice and gt me one of my gifts early this year- A test-rite mini-rotary tool. It's a complete kit, and has all sorts of attachments. Call it a poor-mans-dremel, if you will.

Anywho, I was fooling about on my scrap styrene testing out my new toy and found a rather interesting little technique.

If you take the sanding belt attachment for your rotary tool parallel to your styrene plank and run it side to side lightly, the attachment will dig "grains" in the plastic. Of course, there will be burs, but you can use the soft metal wire brush attachment to carefully "polish" the burs off.

Lay down some basecoat, put a little brown wash over and wipe lightly and voila! Instant believable plastic woodgrain.

Better than going out and buying pre-molded stuff, in my book. especially if you have the right tools.

Hope this helps someone!

[ZombieHunter26]

it just dawned on me that i should take pictures and step by step this, to give you a visual representation.

I'll do that later in the day, once i get home from my dailies.

[VW Dave]

I'd love to see this technique laid out in a tutorial for sure; by your description it sounds easy and effective.

An even easier way to color the plastic is a brown Sharpie marker. Random reapplication adds character/depth to the piece as well. A buddy got great results on his '37 Ford truck, using just the Sharpie over the white plastic:

[Mr. Moparman]

Exactly what I got for my b-day! Mines on Brush duty. Makes a nice little sanding dust remover.

[ZombieHunter26]

That it does, Brandon! It's amazing the possibilities that owning a mini-rotary tool can open up for you. I'm still figuring out all the cool things I can do with mine.

And great tip, Dave! I don't own a colored sharpie at the moment, but they aren't that expensive to buy in a set. Plus, the odd shine that sharpie ink gives off can help give your "wood" a nice polished sheen to it.