RC Tank Warfare community hobby forum

Im sure we've all wondered how best to represent rust on our models, after all, how CAN you make plastic rust? well i think i may have come up with a solution. Ive taken my IJ staff car, coated it all over with clear primer, and have then dusted the whole model with metal 'grinding' dust. Take a look....

very cleaver idea' simples

It looks like the rust particles might be out of scale.(too big) could be the photo. Good idea with finer dust. Also rust is not even. Blotch it.

The dust is pritty fine,and the rust pattern is all natural, but hey, its just an experiment, and once put on a diarama with foliage, it should'nt look too bad.

Hi If you wet it in places you will get different degrees of rust, some will be darker than other as the oxidizeation will continue, better still leave it out side and let happen naturaly, the rain will pool and rust will appear darker also the sun will fade other parts.


regards pete

P.S. another way is to put the powder on top leave out side and let the rain and sun do it for you

971wright wrote:Hi If you wet it in places you will get different degrees of rust, some will be darker than other as the oxidizeation will continue, better still leave it out side and let happen naturaly, the rain will pool and rust will appear darker also the sun will fade other parts.


regards pete

P.S. another way is to put the powder on top leave out side and let the rain and sun do it for you

Thats how this has been done, its taken just over a week so far.

you could always use flux , if left on ,it will rust metal as quick as anything
regards, ice

I've made my own rust powder by using steel wool in a bowl of water and letting nature take its course. Keep the bowl topped up with just enough water to cover the steel wool and when it has all gone the rust in the bowl can be dried. It might need a light grinding to get rid of any lumps, but you should end up with a really fine powder.

You could also try putting a few metal track links in the bowl and letting them stain naturally. A bit of experimenting is required to get the right length of time dunked in the rust solution depending on the amount of zinc in the metal, (different makers use different alloys) but once you get it right they will look nicely corroded. Try it with just a few links first -any failed experiments can be hung on the sides of the tank.
In use the rust on the tracks will wear off the highlights allowing the silver of the base metal to show through.

I used this method on the metal tracks for my Geppy before I stuck the rubber bits on and it looks quite natural.

Peter

Yep Peter i have been using the wire wool trick for some years now and it always give you just what you want but using the grinding dust does add another way to produce the desired effect.......
Fleshy....................

NIce!

I have been struggling with a good rust effect for a while...

I tried the two part dark bottle stuff from a modlebau store in Germany. I think it includes iron containing liquid and other bottle is oxidizer. However, even following instructions, NO rust...and looked terrible..maybe oxidizer out of date???

I think I will follow your idea and just grind some cast iron on the grinder into fine powder and then apply and rust it outdoors.

Cheaper too!