Rust texture

[Les Tindall]

Does anyone know how to obtain that "gritty" texture that is produced by rust? I have tried powders added after a spray of varnish which has some results, but having today looked at some "full size" items think that another method is required.
Les Tindall

[Bill Gill]

What scale? There are real rust making products, some are two part formulations, but are too gritty for small scales.
I've seen styrene stippled with solvent to create a fine texture (adapted texture coarseness to different scales) that was then painted &/or powdered. Also have seen baking soda sprinkled on top of a clear flat finish while still wet and then painted &/or powdered.

[Les Tindall]

Am currently modelling in 16mm scale (1/19th) and want to create a few "scrapyard" machines.

Les

[Hauk]

This is an exhaust pipe in 0-scale:


The process was something like this:

1. Form a exhaust tube from brass wire and blacken it.

2. Paint it with a good, thick coating of enamel paint. I use the British brand Humbrol, Matt 70 wich is a dark red color.

3. While the paint is still wet, sprinkle on powdered pigments of different rust colors. I used MIG pigments. First "Regular rust" followed by "Old rust", and as a finishing touch "Smoke black" on the end of the tube.

[Gordon Ferguson]

Les, at your normal scale ( 1/16 ?) try experimenting with thin super glue (£ shop stuff) and some baking soda finely and sparsely sprinkled on ...... this well give you either rust bubbling under paint up to heavily corroded rust depending on how heavy you are with the the glue/soda

[shropshire lad]

Morning Les ,

    Back in the early 90s Lane Stewart wrote an article in the Gazette on how he got a rusty looking effect as you describe by spraying the object with Dullcote and tumbling it in a bag of rottenstone . Once dry he used oil paints to get desired colour of rust . My memory may be vague on the details of the process , but I do remember him using rottenstone , as I bought a bag for myself on the strength of the article . Which , of course , I have never used !

   Nick

[Lawton Maner]

Rottenstone and diatomaceous earth are fine textured materials which can be used to build texture on surfaces.  More fun to use then sodium bicarbonate.

[Les Tindall]

Looks like I'm going to have some fun experimenting. If you hear of an explosion off the south cost of the UK then its only me playing with the ingredients!

Les Tindall