[igmuska]

I still need some touch up and to paint the spikes and plates, any suggestions? I was thinking rust and black for the plates. And about two weeks to individually hand paint them.

Paints
I used Liquitex Acrylic "Raw Umber" for the ties and for the rail, Floquil "Rail Brown" for this excellent hand paint job.

Hosted on Fotki

Tools
I bought the larger brush #0 at CVS and the micro-brush at LHS

Hosted on Fotki

For this section it took me 15 minutes to hand paint both the rails and the ties on a 3 foot section. Not bad

 

[tankist]

welcome to fotki

 

[igmuska]

welcome to fotki

Fotki is awesome, especially since it allows large photos unlike photobucket and its shortcoming.

For the next section of track weathering, I'm definitely using an opti-visor and better lighting.

The super-fine micro-brush is awesome unlike my first attempt on the other side of my layout where I had to go an inch at a time, paint an inch, reload the brush, then dab up the overflows. With the micro-brush, dip, then paint 6 inches, then dip, and paint 6 inches the other way, and move to the next section. And a couple of more days and I'll be finished or if I rush, a couple of hours on one-go, but that would take the fun out of it.

 

[tjcruiser]

OK ... I give ...

What, exactly, is the "micro-brush"? I see the photo above, but what is it? Does it have a micro-fiber tip? Is there a liquid (paint) reservoir in the handle?

You've perked my curiosity!

TJ

 

[igmuska]

The micro-brush is the white stick, click the photo and view it there; you'll be able to see its true size in relation to the web on the code 83 track. In fact, it fits perfectly in the web, when loaded with paint, it leaves a very uniform application as the photo shows. I slowly spin it for about 6 inches in the web, then load more paint, and go the other way.
The other brush is oriented incorrectly, but it is square shaped and also covers the rail ties with little overage.
I forgot to add that I used as a base coat Floquil acrylic "Roof Brown" but I didn't like it as it wasn't dark enough and I covered it with Liqutex Acrylic "Raw Umber" which darkened it immensely.

 

[tjcruiser]

Thanks! Looks like you found the perfect tool!

TJ

 

[igmuska]

Thanks! Looks like you found the perfect tool!

TJ

I updated the photo link to the original size photo for an extreme close up. Now clicking on the photo takes you to a larger photo which also you click to zoom. Right clicking then allows you to pan (move around) the photo.

The perfectionist in me says, "Next time use opti-visors" while the realist in me says, "That's rivet counting."

I know that someday I'll show my layout to another perfectionist, remarking that the plates and spikes are the wrong color. I'll try a rust color for the spikes and perhaps a lighter color to differentiate the plates from the ties. That would give the track and ballast the illusion of being separate components, increasing the WOW factor by a thousand.

 

[Big Ed]

If your going for realism, I would go for rust colored plates and just a bit darker rust color for the spikes. All the rail and tie plates and spikes I see in my travel are rusty colored.

How many miles of track are you doing?
Looking Good!:thumbsup:

 

[igmuska]

After hand-painting more than six feet of track ties with Floquil "Roof Brown" as an undercoat, then applying as the top coat Liquitex "Raw Umber," I looked at the track again, and decided that it wasn't dark enough. From walking on Burlington Northern rail to my favorite Northern Pike fishing hole, I remember that they were darker than the color I painted but were not totally black in color.
Mixing in equal proportions Floquil's "Roof Brown" and "Grimy Black," I then repainted that six foot track section and other sections. Below are the results which I feel are very satisfactory as well as being more prototypical oiled rail ties:

Hosted on Fotki

Hosted on Fotki

 

[MacDaddy55]

Hey Igmuska,
Outstanding demo and tips on weathering ties and track. You should put this into the "How To " thread. Very well done!:thumbsup:

 

[tjcruiser]

IGM,

Did you say what you're using for ballast? I really like the brownish tone of your ballast rock. Nice.

TJ

 

[igmuska]

IGM,

Did you say what you're using for ballast? I really like the brownish tone of your ballast rock. Nice.

TJ

WS Medium Ballast, Gray Blend. I think the reddish hue is from my camera's range finder; I'll see if I can tape over it and still take a good photo.

I still have 5 turnouts and a couple of lengths yet to ballast and paint. Using the 1 1/2" sponge brush makes ballasting go rather quickly; the microbrush and #0 finishing brush makes painting a breeze: I just wish my back quits remembering swinging pick axes and sledge hammers during my rock hounding days.