steel road wheels?

[pantherf]

What's everyone's secret ingredient for the contact area on most German steel wheels?  I know aluminum is too bright, and maybe gunmetal too gray, but I'd like to show something portraying it as having no paint there.

Maybe dry brush some shiny metal color and then use a little rustall on top of it?  The wheels are going to be left red primer so maybe that can play into things?


Thanks for any suggestions.  I have used aluminum on the Sherman rear idler and it's just too bright.




Jeff

[deafpanzer]

In past I use gunmetal as basecoat then drybrush with natural steel. I agree about aluminum being too bright. Remember I am not that bright so maybe others can help...

[Deano]

Hi Jeff, I use a metalic enamel aluminium or silver and darken down with graphite . You can also use dark washes or Migs black smoke to get rid of the sparkle

Deano

[Tojo72]

I like Vallejo's Oily Steel.I use Wing-Nut's process of moistening paper towel with the paint,and then rolling the edge of the wheels over the towel picking up the paint on the edges.Filtering and washes do tone it down a little.

[TRM]

hi Jeff,

You can use paints to get close to the finish and some of the MM brands you can buff to luster. You can use either a graphite pencil or or AK Intereactive Dark Steel Pigment. Both will give a nice dark shine to the wheels.

Here is something I actually posted a coupe days ago. The far left is the graphite pencil as a final application. Next one in has a graphite app and a pigment wash over it and then burnished off with a stiff brush.  I use the same approach to the steel wheels and idlers on my builds.  Hope some of this helped.



I will see if I can dig out a pic where I used it on the wheels....

[wbill76]

I will use Testors Model Master non-buffing Metalizer Steel, then follow it with a wash or dry-brush (or both depending) of thinned enamel Burnt Umber when I'm simulating bare metal contact wear. Makes for a great base for adding pigments and other weathering on top of it.

[Teabone]

pantherf

I use the method that Mr. T uses and really like it.  I use Model Masters "Steel" dry brushed over Poly Scale "Rust" with a good rub of an HB lead pencil burnished some with my finger, same treatment on the tracks where the wheels run.

Bones

[pantherf]

I too like TRM's results on the far left, maybe not as shiny but not as dulled down as the next step to the right.  I also think some of the wheels lip should be slightly rusty so that will be a challenge to have two finishes working there.  Then maybe do something with the tracks themselves too.  With it being a Paper Panzer I think it would be minimized as it hasn't received much use yet.

So I guess it's off to the Hobby Store and get a wider graphite stick because I feel a number 2 pencil won't cut it.  My Sargent Art pencil set doesn't include anything in that range.


Thanks to everyone and their very important information (and feedback) as it will all be retained and used on another project.




Jeff

[Teabone]

pantherf

Here is the pencil you want.

Bones

www.dickblick.com/products/generals-flat-sketching-pencil/

[pantherf]

Well, I do thank everyone for the help as today I went to a few different shops and could not find the pencil T was showing in the picture above.  Chalk it up to inexperience so when I came home I bought on-line bought the Testor's Bill was speaking of and also the AK Interactive T was speaking of too.  So I'll have time to test them as I think I am going with some Friuls too.   LOL!!  More money but this is one of my favorite AFV's of all time and I did spend a lot of time modifying it to look the way I think it should.

One question though... with pigments, what's used to adhere them?





Jeff

[TRM]

Hey Jeff!! Just so you know, the pencil I used was a "woodless Graphite penil". Sold at most crafty shops like Michael's or AC Moore.

I think you will do just fine with what ever method you choose. Honestly I will change depending on what I am doing when...as long as you are happy with the result...and no one get hurts...strike that...as long as you are happy with the results is all that matters!!

If you have a standard graphite wood pencil like the old No. 2's from school, this will work, just a little more effort is all! You will enjoy the AK Dark Steel I think. There is a number of ways to apply...finger, cropped small stiff bristled brush, Q-tip (Buds), Soft tooth pick any make-up applicator...small sponge-like thing on the plastic handle....sold at most drug stores.

As for the pigs and getting them to adhere....depends!

1 - Pigment fixers work well
2 - Paint thinner, not permanent so should be done near the end of a build and then no touchy
3 - Flat clear mixed 50/50 or so with thinner (for acrylic or enamel)

As for not seeing the traces of rust...yes, you can. You may not see this in my picture above but I applied to rounds of rust pigment before the dust. Very subtle, but it's there in the joints.

[pantherf]

Okay, got it.  "Woodless Graphite Penil" that I looked everywhere for at Michaels and Hobby Lobby (according to your image) but now I know what they are called, Amazon has a 6 piece for $8.99.    Mystery solved.

Gonna order it in the morning!


Thanks again everyone!  I'll be a steel wheeled expert in no time.  LOL





Jeff

[pantherf]

Now to figure out which will work best for this application.   

The 2B, 4B or 6B? 





Jeff

[pantherf]

Okay... now that my pencils have beat the other stuff (that I ordered and paid for first) here, time to practice! 



More at 11...






Jeff

[Deleted]

Aug 11, 2013 8:34:22 GMT -5 pantherf said:

Now to figure out which will work best for this application.   

The 2B, 4B or 6B? 





Jeff

Surely that should be "2B....or not 2B..,that is the question?"......
Sorry,I'll get me coat!!!!!