Wheels and Trucks

[Dean_In_WA]

Weathering Dudes,
I received my copy of Weathering by Tom Mann, and I am ready to weather a big set of wheels and trucks. Probably 50 wheels and 50 wheels, both Kadee. But I have a few questions.

1. The article mentions using a Rust-Oleum paint to create a slight texture. But is this from a rattle can, or through an airbrush?

2. I see how he has the trucks laid out on blue tape, which is a great idea, but he does not mention protecting the axel tips or pockets of the trucks that the tips rest in. I want the wheels to be free rolling, do I just A) live with the paint on these parts and assume they trucks will roll fine or B) wipe the paint off the tips with a cloth rag and just avoid the truck pockets or C) clean the paint off after things have all dried or D) some other solution?

3. How does he clean up the wheel treads after the painting? I have a wheel painting JIG from Modelers choice, I should just use that, no?

4. While I am intrigued by the greenish-grime formula, what if I want some wheels and trucks that are not greenish. He has some sweet paint on the wheels on page 19, how do I get that color/effect?

5. For the couplers, I take a long 2x4, maybe 2-3 feet long, and lay down a .5 inch band of Blue Painters tape along the edge, so the edge of the tape meets the edge of the 2x4. Then I lift the tape for a section, slide several couplers in so that the part that goes in the coupler box is masked, but the rest sticks out for painting. With them all lined up (30 or more), I paint and then weather randomly from there. Sound OK?

Thanks!
Dean in WA

[Philip H]

Dean,
1) yep, its generally from a rattler.  Rustoleum does make some enamels in quart paint buckets, but I don't believe the Rusty Metal Primer that Tom uses is among that part of the line.

2) I'd go with your item B, but others will soon tell me why I'm strak raving mad.

3)  Wheel painting jig highly useful.  COtton swabs and thinner (or 91% Isopropyl alcohol) equally useful.

4) Follow the book.  It actually says, but not in vast detail.

5) Best plan I've seen yet - but its early on the east coast.

Now, before you get too far into weathering wheels, post some pics of your layout.  Tell us about yourself, and especially, as a former Seattle-ite - where do you stand on Rainier vs. Pyramid?

[tom mann]

Thanks for the questions.

2) I don't worry about the paint on the tips of the axles or pockets.  I don't notice any decrease in rolling resistance, and I assume the paint will wear off eventually.

3) I discovered that just rolling a truck back and forth on an old piece of bachmann track will remove the paint from the treads and shine them up.  Use a little bit of pressure and after 30 or so seconds, all clean.

4) What photo is on page 19 again?  I either use the greenish-grime ryourstone formula, or variations of engine black/roof brown/dirt/sand.

5) I just paint the couplers while they are still on the car.  And actually, Sargents don't need any attention.

I'll be the first to admit that after what must be 1000s of cars weathered over 6 years, I take plenty of liberties and shortcuts!  ;D

[ednadolski]

I haven't tried it yet, but a dab of liquid mask on the axle tips might work to keep the paint off.  I  put small strips of tape over the open axle pockets in the trucks.

Tom, is the Bachmann track so abrasive that it removes paint?   ;D  (I'd have to wonder what it does to the plating on the wheel treads)  ;D

Actually I do something similar for the wheel treads: I lay a strip of paper towel over an section of old flextrack and wet it with a few drops of lacquer thinner from a pipette.  I then roll the truck over that, all it takes is a few passes.  (BTW I do this in the paint booth since I can't stand the smell of solvents.)

Of course, the easiest cleanup is the one that you don't have to do, so any kind of jig that keeps the paint off the treads is probably a good idea.  There are a few for HO, does anyone make one for N scale (esp. if it fits the FVM wheels)?

Ed

[Sokramiketes]

2) I don't worry about the paint on the tips of the axles or pockets.  I don't notice any decrease in rolling resistance, and I assume the paint will wear off eventually.

What Tom meant to add is that he doesn't notice any decrease in rolling resistance because he doesn't have a layout or run his weathered cars.  I spent a lot of time getting the paint cleared off wheels and out of the articulated joints of a couple sets of weathered Kato stack cars I bought from Tom.    ;D

[GaryHinshaw]

He did say he assumed it would wear off eventually.  He just didn't say how.

A dab of liquid masking might be an easy way to go.  I'm going to try that.

BTW, welcome to the 'Wire Dean_In_WA.

[tom mann]

The other thing I do is set up a loop of track and run for 20-30 minutes.  This way, only the minimal amount of tread gets polished, which makes the tread look thinner in photos.

[up1950s]

I use long tweezers with holes I drilled in the tips to put the axle tips in . Tilt one way .... paint an outside and inside face , tilt the other and do the other sides , hold level and get the axle . One can spin the wheel with a free finger while the brush is held steady with the other hand . No painting on tread is the norm .

[only1rcpro]

I made my own wheel tread mask by testing FVM wheels in my drill index until I found the right size hole and used that drill bit.  Next, two 1/2" x 4" strips of .080 styrene clamped one over the other were drilled through 8?- 10?- 12 times.  a couple of really small rubber bands from my granddaughter's hair care kit, and there you have it.  Separate the two strips of plastic, insert wheel sets,  slip on two rubber bands in appropriate spaces.  Spray with paint and let dry.

[ednadolski]

I made my own wheel tread mask by testing FVM wheels in my drill index until I found the right size hole and used that drill bit.  Next, two 1/2" x 4" strips of .080 styrene clamped one over the other were drilled through 8?- 10?- 12 times.  a couple of really small rubber bands from my granddaughter's hair care kit, and there you have it.  Separate the two strips of plastic, insert wheel sets,  slip on two rubber bands in appropriate spaces.  Spray with paint and let dry.

What size drill bits did you use?  I measured an FVM 36" wheel at 0.225" diameter, which looks close to a #1 drill bit of 0.228" diameter.  The FVM 33" wheel measured to 0.205" diameter looks closest to a #5 bit which is 0.2055" diameter.  With fractional bits, the closest sizes are 15/64" and 7/32", which seem like they would be a bit loose.

Ed

[wazzou]

I made my own mask based on photos from the Modeler's Choice site.  I made mine for 33" wheels.  I can post a photo if anyone needs me to.