Finals...

Enough said right?  I will be back Monday evening, then not until the 14th when the whole ugly mess is over.  I hope it all goes smooth.  Congratulations to my girl on graduating!  Until next time y'all.

New (to me) Weathering Concept

Okay, so the idea of weathering with an airbrush has been around for awhile.  Basically, you used compressed air from a can or a compressor motor to pull a vacuum across a jar of paint that is mixed to your liking then applied as lightly or darkly and narrow or wide as desired.  However, compressors are expensive.  I got a cheap Badger Airbrush starter about a year ago for $25 but never bought the $250 compressor.  I used the canned air but at 15 dollars a can, it adds up quickly since they are basically one day use only.

On the latest project that I finished (that is coming soon I promise!) I got a random bit of inspiration.  I saw my general purpose can of black flat spray paint, and to my surprise, its use was a success!  Once I ran some tests, I set to using this to a new advantage on the quick and cheap weathering front.  Here is my Cheesie Geep before, with the protective tape over the windows (lights and numberboards will be covered later, I just didn't get a picture).  It is regular painters tape, cut with an Exacto blade to fit the windows.

Next I took the shell outside and set it on some newspaper I was using as an overspray protector.  Then, I made several quick passes with the spray paint shown below, starting before the shell and ending the pass after the shell, giving a good smooth coating on all sides, ends, and hood tops.  *NOTE: always test each can, each time, as performance can always vary.  This is very very very very important*

Next is the picture of the results.  You can also see the tape on the numberboards.

Here is the final result!

The only things done since have been painting the fuel tank and around the exhaust stacks.  That was done by masking off the loco outside of the top area around the stacks and then cutting a hole in a sheet of paper to spray more accurately with.

End result: a loco with a basic weathering job that doesn't go overboard, looks acceptable, and still gets good reviews from club members.  The total price: <$5.00  The total time to complete (including taping the windows): <45 minutes

Personally, I am glad it worked.  Next time will be the big project I was working on for two weeks.  Happy Railroading!

Colorful power in Aggieland

I got lucky and caught this manifest with 5 engines and 4 Class 1 Roadnames.  I especially enjoyed the last horn blast.  I apologize for the shaky video.  It was from my phone and my seasonal allergies are in full bloom.  I recently finished up a major project and I will post the results here soon.  Editing photos takes longer than thought, and even longer when you leave the finished product at the club...