Recipes for Alcohol weathering, better known as A & I

[Mike Engler]

t not T.  Like Jaime most of the time I use just one strength, 2 teaspoons per pt. bottle. For a darker stain on stripwood I just leave it in longer. Since I often try to peel or fade some of the paint on siding boards, I A/I all of them before I paint or apply a wash topcoat.
By the time the pint bottle is half full, it is considerably darker than when I started even though I shake well before each use.
I will soak a bunch of eight-inch pieces of stripwood for 3-4 minutes, then turn them upside-down and soak them for another few minutes. I sometimes use my phone timer if I want uniform staining.
I use Higgins ink because it is very cheap with a Michaels 50% coupon, and I also use brown and sepia inks for variety.

[S&S RR]

99%?  Nice.  I'll have to check that out.  I use 91% which I get at the local CVS pharmacy.  I have 2 strengths of A&I:  1 or 2 tbs per pint (light or medium), but I also have a bunch of the Hunterline bottles in different colors/shades.  I swop back and forth depending on my mood.  Hunter line will be at Springfield this weekend, so I need to check my stock.

Again, I'm curious...TABLEspoons, or TEAspoons?

Sorry, Teaspoon - the spoon I use is in the picture. I used Amy's measuring spoons and it holds about 1 TSP  (teaspoon)


I will change my post to  read teaspoons.

[jrmueller]

My question is at what point in the project do you use A&I.  Thanks. Jim

[bparrish]

Jim...

For me it is usually last but it depends on what I'm doing.

For rock features, whether scenic or stone work on buildings, it's last.

For timber related structures, trestles, ties and mine stuff it is first.  On mining stuff I'll add dust and detritus fall after.

For trestles the only thing that comes later is running rust from NBW stuff.

I will on scenic stuff however I will seal it again with a flat lacquer.  Structures, generally no.

see ya
Bob

[tabooma county rwy]

Just to throw another option out there - I've sort of moved away from ink in alcohol and moved to leather dye (NOT shoe dye) - same approximate ratios.  You can find a wide variety of leather dyes at shoe repair shops.  Fiebing's (sp?) is one brand that comes to mind.


Al Carter

[ranny9]

Just to throw another option out there - I've sort of moved away from ink in alcohol and moved to leather dye (NOT shoe dye) - same approximate ratios.  You can find a wide variety of leather dyes at shoe repair shops.  Fiebing's (sp?) is one brand that comes to mind.


Al Carter

Thanks Al, AND everyone else...this feedback has been a great help! I'll post pictures later.

[Janbouli]

I use A&I depending on the finish I want the wood to have , using the A&I before painting give the paint a very dull worn look , using it after painting gives me a filthy/grimy but well painted look, hope you know what I mean.

[ReadingBob]

My question is at what point in the project do you use A&I.  Thanks. Jim

I primarily use A&I for my painted castings, doors, windows, figures and non-wood stuff.  For those my sequence is generally prime them, paint the finish color of choice, if peeling paint effect is desired 'dry sponge' a primer color over the finish color, dip 'em in A&I and then dry brush them with a light color to highlight the edges.  I want the A&I to settle down in the cracks, crevices, what not to create a shadow effect and the dry brushing to highlight the edges to the make them sharper (a light effect).

For walls and wood I primarily use Hunterline stains these days or, on occasion, Weather-It as the base stain.  If the walls are painted (most of mine are) then I follow a similar sequence as above and use the A&I only after the walls have been painted and the peeling paint effect has been applied.

But that's just me.  Great thing about this hobby is there are so many different ways to get some nice effects.