Large Scale Central

Rusty Cable..

I have this tread … Cable …and I want it to look rusty.

What if I soak it in a rusty paint solution?

I would be using this.

Thoughts …

Sean, here’s my two cents on this. Burnt sienna is too garishly red to be realistic. If you look closely, rust isn’t as red as you think. Burnt umber is too brown to work well. The best combination in my not so humble opinion is raw umber and use a little burnt sienna to vary the look and to make it redder in places to taste. And you want to add white to all of it so it doesn’t come off too dark, and, again, to vary the look.

Hmm good responce …will try that!

What about going an different route all together and dying the thread with fabric dye or even wood stain.

As to the paint combination the three colors mention above seem to be goto rust colors. Burnt Umber/Raw Umber/Burnt Sienna. I have all three and have used them in HO and loved the look. But here is the thing Rust is also not one color. It ranges from very bright red to almost black and everything in between. So use varying combinations of the three to get what you want. take a dab of each and just start dipping the brush from one to the other and remember uniformity is not your friend.

I’m not looking for the "Ray Dunkin look " … just not all black!

Hmmm a new term …"Ray Dunkin look "

“Dunakining” its the exact opposite of “Devoning”

Ray Dunakin specifications would be the term I’d use…

Not sure about that definition Devon… Devoning is a pretty harsh word to use, even if Ray is the opposite… you want to watch who you are insulting ha ha!!!

(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)

Devon Sinsley said:

…and remember uniformity is not your friend.

Bingo.

To add a touch to John P’s color advice, add occasional touches of yellow wash, you want to influence the reds into oranges.

But Sir, you must rewind your cable so that it lies flat, back and forth as it winds up. Looking like a kite flying ball of string would likely cause a problem with a heavy lift. The cable can slide and pinch off itself. Then you’d need to lift the cable, but the weight would be in the way! Oh Dear!

Carry on.

John

Greg Elmassian said:

Ray Dunakin specifications would be the term I’d use…

Not sure about that definition Devon… Devoning is a pretty harsh word to use, even if Ray is the opposite… you want to watch who you are insulting ha ha!!!

(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)

If Devoning is by definition an extreme form of loss of concentration, inability to finish things, and indecision that results in paralysis ( I didn’t invite the word or the condition so I am guessing as to its definition) than are you inferring that Devoning is so extreme that Dunakining as its antonym would be akin to calling someone the worst form of OCD. Because that would be an insult and I would never want to imply that Ray is anything other than a master with an eye for extreme detail.

For other projects I have used liquid fabric dyes (WAlmart). blended the colors I wanted and used a tiedye technique of twisiting and dipping only portions I want of that color. Have not tried string but have used it for small fabrics to do faded ripped window coverings for some buildings at a display.

Devon Sinsley said:

Greg Elmassian said:

Ray Dunakin specifications would be the term I’d use…

Not sure about that definition Devon… Devoning is a pretty harsh word to use, even if Ray is the opposite… you want to watch who you are insulting ha ha!!!

(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-tongue-out.gif)

If Devoning is by definition an extreme form of loss of concentration, inability to finish things, and indecision that results in paralysis ( I didn’t invite the word or the condition so I am guessing as to its definition) than are you inferring that Devoning is so extreme that Dunakining as its antonym would be akin to calling someone the worst form of OCD. Because that would be an insult and I would never want to imply that Ray is anything other than a master with an eye for extreme detail.

Devoning is understood by those of us, it affects, as not an evil nor a bad thing. We appreciate it to be; a Very Busy Mind, jumping from idea to idea as a natural progression. It’s the nattering naybobs that fear it.

KingDunaking has a focus that frightens me as he presents it, yet methinks he hides our similarities by proof reading…

Define an Elephant with one touch.

John

My two cents…

When I do Rust, I use a small piece of wood or scrap plastic and throw down a blob of …flat black, flat red, flat yellow and rust. Mixing and swirling the four colours has yielded some great results for me. You can then mix them in a dixie cup with a large mix of thinner and create different colour washes.

Mike

How about mixing up some real rust solution (white vinegar & steel wool; let it stew for a week or so) then soak your thread in it. Pull it out after a half hour or so and let it dry. You will get nice natural rust. If it can’t overcome the black; paint it a lighter color (steel gray ?) first.

And I agree - gotta wrap that cable nice and neat.

Devon Sinsley said:

“Dunakining” its the exact opposite of “Devoning”

I believe I coined the word Dunakining about two years ago…http://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/23171/quot-selfie-quot-w-railroad/view/post_id/272872

Sean,

What I have not seen here is probably the best solution. go to Wal-Mart or Joann’s fabrics and buy some appropriate colored heavy duty thread and replace what you have. further color it with chalks and powders rubbed on. it is very difficult to take black thread and change its color.

Al P.

But, on a working crane, the cable would not be rusty. The cable is usually greasy to some extent, to keep it from rusting, and to allow it to spool up nice and even on the take up spool.

I use silver metallic thread for my cables. These can be rubbed with ink for a greasy look if desired. You could use other colors too. You can get it at any crafts store.

Soaking is something I wouldn’t do; then again, I haven’t colored multiple yards at a time. What I do is more of a rubbing the paint in than a soaking.

Draw thread through a puddle of paint on a disposable plate then squeeze-in/wipe off excess drawing it through fingers, not always but often, gloved. That way the hope is to employ the paint as an adhesive to hold down thread fuzz.

Again, I’ve only done limited lengths at a time, also hang thread to fall straight while it dries.

Joe Zullo said:

Devon Sinsley said:

“Dunakining” its the exact opposite of “Devoning”

I believe I coined the word Dunakining about two years ago…http://www.largescalecentral.com/forums/topic/23171/quot-selfie-quot-w-railroad/view/post_id/272872

By gosh. . .so you did(http://www.largescalecentral.com/externals/tinymce/plugins/emoticons/img/smiley-smile.gif)