The Curmudgeon (Mike) and the Punk (Dustin) Build the SWSM Deer Creek Mine

[ACL1504]

Dustin and Mike,

Both builds look fantastic. Very well done sirs.

Tom

[S&S RR]

Dustin


It looks great!

[coors2u]

Thanks Tom, Mark, and John I am glad you guys are liking the builds. I am having a blast doing this along with Mike. I managed to run out side the other day a get a few shots of the tipple in some natural light.

[coors2u]

This last batch are some of my favorites.

[coors2u]

Now it is on to the roof panels. I have some experimenting that I want to do. I will post my results of the different techniques.

[martin.ojaste]

Dustin, you are right to take them outside. It really shows off the great workmanship.


Good job!


Marty

[nextceo]

Looks Good Dustin!

Alan

[GPdemayo]

Great job with your builds so far gentlemen. 

[donatode]

I'm running out of superlatives for all you wonderful modelers.  I think I'm amazed each and every day I check into this forum and am presented with yet another beautiful display of superior craftsmanship.


Please keep them coming .....

[Mike Engler]

Thanks for all the kind words by many of you- Dustin is certainly worthy, showing off his modeling skills the way he constructed the tipple and framework. We both are at the same point, ready to apply roofing material.


I've been away for over a week, but I'm doing some thinking, planning, and a little work. First, Brett and Bill Michaels did their corrugated metal panels by spraying with a gray primer, baking them for three minutes at 350℉, and then applying Rembrandt chalks, mostly varying shades of the rust colors. While they both look great, they are different looks from what I am trying to achieve.


I've a file of rust photos, and Dustin recently posted one that I've tried modeling a few times without any real success. Here is his, and another I took of a quonset building.








Notice how the rust is streaky and splotchy, but doesn't really blend gradually from one shade to the other. So this look is what I'm trying to accomplish. I actually cut extra panels from some additional corrugated I had on hand (I also got to use my nifty little panel cutter some more! One side of the upper roof I finished the way Brett and Bill did theirs. I think Brett gave credit to Roger Malinowski for this as well, and I read Roger's treatment of this method as I also have his O scale version of this mine. Mine turned out OK, but my gray primer was a little too blue, and the rusting effects too uniform. So then I got out the Evil Etchant, and next time I'll show you how that turned out. I wind up putting both treatments on opposite sides of the same roof, tacking them in place so I can choose which I like best.

[Mark Dalrymple]

Mike - after priming my corrugated roofs, I paint them with a metallic paint - usually gun metal grey.  This gives them that poxy look - like the rust is starting to bubble up through from underneath.  I then paint/ chalk my roof colour over this.  Just thought you might want to give it a little experiment to see what you think.

Cheers, Mark.

[Mike Engler]

Mark, I will certainly try this. Do you air brush or paint the gun metal? I was thinking I would try one of the Reaper or Vallejo metallic paints, although I think I still have Floquil Gun Metal. Also, what brand and color primer? I assume it was a rattle can. Also am thinking of trying a "peeling" paint method with the rust color paints using a "resist" such as hair spray, mineral spirits, or rubber cement, etc. over the prime/ gun metal base.


Here are the pictures of both sides of the tipple roof- the first one showing using a primer and then blending gray and rust colored chalks on each individual panel.


The second photo was taken after I went outside to the picnic table on the deck, and dipped several panels of the aluminum in Archer's Circuit Board Etchant (used to get it at Radio Shack). After rinsing a few times and then dried, I touched them up with Rembrandt chalks using rust colors. They turned out very randomly, and maybe too much so. The last panel on the right stayed in a little longer and thus has air holes and the bottom right has rusted away.


I sprayed a light coat or two of Krylon Workable Fixatif on both sides of the roof, which I have been using as a Dull-cote replacement ever since Mr. Testor screwed up yet another great product by changing the formulation on Dull-cote. It seems to keep the chalk in place. All the roof panels on both sides are tacked in place to a strip of 3M double-sided tape applied to the center purlin.


Let me hear some opinions as I continue experimenting.

[nextceo]

Mike,

   I'm still waiting on Brett to send me the kit so I haven't read the instructions...but is the weathering method you followed from the instructions? I thought Brett has a new way to weather the panels to avoid having to use the "Evil Etchant".

Alan

PS, Could just be the camera/lighting...but the panels appear to contain too much of a red tint.

[LongHornCaddy]

Fine work!

[Mike Engler]

Alan-  the new method without etchant is in the first photo- the second photo is of the other half of the roof where I used etchant. While not as bright as the photo indicates, the rust chalks I used were too orange. I'd fix them but I don't think I will wind up using either of these versions.