It seems the sloppier you are, the more natural it looks. You toss a bit here, there, over here, over there. Then follow up with more layers here and there melting them together. You just keep adding layer after layer until you get the shading, color, highlights the way you want. Your work is out of this world. Just amazing to watch it turn from pink foam, white plastic into the finished scene. Buzz.
I use the hell out of both of my airbrushes. I have one for acrylic, a Badger Anthem 155, and one for lacquer based paint, an Avanti .3mm from Harbor Freight. The Badger Anthem is a bottom sucker and the Avanti is a large gravity feed cup. I always dull coat a model after I'm done painting it and an airbrush is a must for spraying dull coat. I use women's eye shadow makeup I get from the dollar store for my pigments. It sticks really well and comes in just about any color you want. I got one with about 10 different colors from burnt umber to dark grey. I even got one with a bright orangish-brown for fresh rust & a bunch of browns from tan to burnt umber. Cheers from eastern TN
I would say track and trackwork (ties, ballast, etc.) make up 75% or more of the model railroad experience. A persons eyes are first drawn to it. That's what makes a railroad a RAIL road. You've just nailed it on this model. Just outstanding!
There are times when I go for a walk on a right-of-way and all I do is stare at track. It sounds ridiculous but you are right. A large portion of the experience is the varied track experience. If a train comes along that's a bonus. I treat the model railroad experience this way a well. Good stuff. Cheers ~ Boomer.
After a chance find when looking for ideas for small HO scale shelf layouts a few days back, I'm gradually working my way through your superb videos. Enjoying each one whilst learning plenty that I can use for my own layout which is the first after many years of not being so active in the hobby. I'd already built my (portable) benchwork a few days before I discovered your channel so was pleased to see you using rips of ply for framing in an 'outdoor' workshop. I have used construction grade lumber, mostly picked out of skips (dumpsters) on construction sites where I have been working. Whilst I do have a workshop it isn't big enough to rip lumber inside so I do most of this work (weather permitting) outside on a portable bench. This episode reminds me how much I have enjoyed using my airbrush in the past so I look forward to getting my track down and moving the project forward. Many Thanks for the inspiration - Cheers Christopher
Thank You Barney and welcome! I built all my benchwork in the driveway outdoors during a brutal heat wave. I still don't know how I got it done. Must have been the passion. I have no shop. I have a carpenter tool package I just haul out on a sunny day and get her done. When I built 'Glover Road' I had nothing really to start with. I just used old lumber etc. like you mentioned and it all turned out great. Cheers.
Great colors Boomer, love the immersive way of airbrushing plus the dab on pigment method. Makes the track stand out, to true tone, especially with Mother Earth’s ballast!
Thank you. Track work and painting is one of my favorite subjects with model railroading. It's an integral part of the scenery foundation. I prefer to paint everything if I can. Cheers.
You may have noticed how I didn't vacuum up the pigment. If you don't, it will turn out darker when you activate it with water and it dry's. It will come out much lighter if you vacuum the residual pigment first. Cheers.
The pigment powders really add something extra, true texture! Makes weathering your rolling stock and locos so much more authentic I find. My customers always seem happy with the results of powders over air brush only work that's for sure. Cheers 👍
Hi Boomer. That is great looking track. Amazing what an airbrush and nicely chosen ballast can do to quickly transform scale track into realistic railroad. Love the dry pigment effect as well. Great video.
Using real crushed rock or dirt with combination of weather powder, pastals and dry pigmants really brings track work to life. I also like using fine grout compound to simulate fine gravel areas.
I'm always trying new things with ballast, and I tend to lean more toward natural materials. Our dirt around here is mostly alluvial, so it's soft and loamy - not much rock content. I've gotten to mixing local dirt with some of the finer N-scale ballasts from Arizona Rock & Mineral. It doesn't quite look like yours, but it doesn't look like it came out of a can. So much you can do with track; and so many don't do anything. Thanks for another great lesson!
I love trying to find things for free when it comes to scenery. If you look around some you will find something you like. The diversity of ground soil blows me away. I had some really nice ballast from an area I can't seem to find anymore. I 'll have to use it sparingly . . . lol. Cheers.
Track weathering takes practice. It will come as you add layers and focus in more. I never seem to do the same application twice. I am always trying different color washes all the time until it clicks. Furthermore, there is a alot of luck involved as well through constant practice coupled to mistakes that we make work. Cheers.
Oh - I have been making a fundamental error with my airbrushing ie trying to cover in one pass. Thx for the tip Boomer. It will also make my Tamiya paint go further 👍
Yes! Thin it and stretch it. The IPA thins and suspends the pigment. When the alcohol evaporates it leaves the pure pigment behind. Build up with thin layers. This way you will learn to let other colors bleed through as well for interesting effects when you do scenery and ground work. Cheers.
I love dry pigments. I use pigments from Mohawk Finishing Products, being in the furniture repair business I have an ample supply of just about every color under the sun. They are a bit pricey but once you've put them on they're not going to wear off so you don't need to fix them with clear flat when weathering rolling stock.
@@boomerdiorama no Problem :) Just discovered you and instantly subbed;) It would mean very much to me if you could tell me your opinion about the nostalgic stuff i make.:) Anyways big Fan of your work :)
Boomer, once again what a great series of videos on track--boy did you deliver, once again providing tips and techniques I will be able to use across my soon-to-start layout. I've been looking forward to the track detailing stage...like you and many others here the track detail is #1 to me and helps make or break everything else. I first discovered your channel with a Glover Road video and your track work immediately grabbed me and I subscribed half way through the video! I have particularly enjoyed watching the somewhat run down Code 40 line at the layout edge of River Road, and will now work hard to try and include something like that on my layout. I really like the pigment layer addition and have already ordered some Gamblin pigment. One question: if you covered it elsewhere apologies, but after you spray your track with the brown/black mix, how do you clean off the tops of the rails? A rag dampened with IPA, or something else,? And do you od it right away or after the rails and ties have set up a bit to protect them? I've seen varying techniques out there but really want to know yours. Thanks again and cheers back to you. Mike
Thank you, and yes, I use an IPA soaked sock over your finger. I use Tamiya paint by the way. It works wonders. It doesn't matter if you wait a few days or a week to clean with IPA. Sometime I use an abrasive eraser, or piece of hard wood to rub them clean as well. Cheers.
Thanks for sharing tricks, techniques and experience :) At the present moment I'm trying to learn how to get my rails and ballast look good, so this and the following clips are very valuable. But I miss one thing: how do you model the space in between the tracks on a yard? Or not just yards, but anywhere where the tracks sort of just "lie on the ground". There are no roadbeds, rather the tiles can sometimes look as if they are somewhat sunken down into the ground. Do you fill that space with some sort of foundation before adding whatever it is that makes it look like, well, the ground? In the next clip, vlog #27, this is already done when you continue to use that space to create a vignette scene. But how did you get there? Any advice would be much appreciated. (Honestly, I've been somewhat obsessed with making this look good on my yard and I've seen so many good examples - yours included! - but never found any tutorial on how it's achieved)
It is just dirt sprinkled over glue. You can cut away or gouge out some of the cork or foam for undulations in the terrain. Then paint it. That's it! Cheers.
I noticed you didn't protect the turnout points when painting, and going back to Vlog 19 (wiring the turnout) there are no feeders to the closure rails. So what is your procedure for cleaning the points and adjoining stock rails after painting? Have I missed something?
Look closely at the unpainted turnouts. There are at least two "PC" ties soldered to the points and the closure rails. No need for points to have contact (they have it all the time). All the more reason to build your own, or wire the commercial turnout this way. The points will never fail for conductivity because they don't depend on contact in the manner you mentioned. Cheers.
Think of painting all your scenery with several layers. You can do it easy with a traditional paint brush if you use lots of water and dabs of acrylic paint like a thin wash. Keep adding water. Paint everything, and everything will pop! Cheers.
Dang Boomer....that ballast looks great!! The dirt on my side of town ( North Bby) doesn't look that good. Is this from your own yard or a local source from around town you pick from? Thanks
It's everywhere if you look. We just think it's not there. Look for a dirt/gravel path-way with high traffic. Go when it's quiet. Skim the top surface with a big spoon. Cheers.
Hi. Thanks, great video. I have two questions. You said to vacuum off the pigment after brushing it on. Did I get that right? Doesn't that remove it? Okay, second question. Does the wetting water treatment over the pigment fix it in place? If it does, to you need to clean the top of the rails afterward? Sorry, but I'm as ignorant of art technique as a new born.
I usually vacuum the "excess" loose pigment, and yes, the water fixes it and also turns it into a wash, which feathers out the edges some. Yes, you should clean the top of the rails. Some use an abrasive eraser, IPA, or a piece of Harwood (small wood stick). The latter works well. Cheers.
Good Morning, Just a quick question what glue mixture do you use for applying the ballast? Is it Elmers glue and a little alcohol? I would like to use what you use...
I uses diluted "Matte Medium." Get it from art supply store. Mix it with water. It is superior to any glue for scenery out there, especially for ballast. If it gets into things you can peel it away or "pop" thee parts or points in a turnout, etc.
Do you detail your track with joint bars? I spent hours putting joint bars on the track on a module and when I painted the track they were almost invisible. I think your pigment method might bring them out.
I don't use "joint bars" normally with this style of layout even though I detail things where they would be justified. I would try a dark wash and when dry, take a dry brush and lightly stroke them with light grey or off white. They should pop then. Cheers.
What color is the paint you use for the first coat? I was going to start with Tamiya XF-64, Red Brown, or XF-79, Linoleum Deck Brown. Looks like I need to get some Dry Pigments. This is great information. Thanks!! Cheers- Larry.
The tone of the air brush talk at the beginning is a real turnoff. I’m here thinking, gosh, it’d be nice to have the money or space for an airbrush. Love the channel, you just have to make it through the stuff like that.
Insight, I’m only able to model railroad through the help of family and friends who give me gift cards. An airbrush is just a huge expense, at least for a quality one, when a small layout like mine, it’d be used for such a little amount and then it would feel wasted. Painting tracks…I’ll just use a spray can and the occasional brush on the toes. Looked good enough, especially in n scale.
I earned everything I own through hard work. Furthermore, life is full of turn-offs. I have been through many and inequality is the fundamental rule of human existence. I just accept it and move on to the next fail until I find a short lived bliss. Sorry to disappoint you.
can you please tell me which tamiya colors you mixed for the initial grimetone you sprayed in th ebeginning of the video? i have several tamiyas and love to work with them, but a bit of a hint or tipp would help to get a similar color... thx in advance
Hi Boomer, I know your go to air brush is the Omni 5000. I have never used an air brush, so I'm at a disadvantage here. What would be your recommendation for purchasing one? I found a Thayer & Chandler Omni 5000 model T88, air brush only, on Amazon. Besides a hose and fittings are there other parts needed to get started? I do already have a compressor w / regulator. Thank You
You can do a lot with a traditional paint brush and lots of water as well. Any airbrush will do. Just make sure you get the right fitting for the hose to the compressor from any tool shop. Take a picture of your compressor fitting and go to the fitting store like Home Depot, etc.
I just dry it out and then sift it into different sizes. Once it gets soaked, sealed and painted, on the layout, with matte medium or diluted carp glue it's good to go. Never had a problem with it. Cheers.