How to make Homemade weathering powders: dried dirt

[raptormodeller]

Like many modellers, you might want to weather your newest and best aircraft to create a slightly 'dirty' look. But you don't want to splash some cash on the newest weathering poweder range from our favourite supplier.
Here's what I've been experimenting with: real dirt in poly cement glue. I've no photos (yet) but here are my tips on how to do it:

1. Go to your garden or your local park armed with a small bowl and trowel (nothing huge).

2. Find the driest patch of dirt and put some in your bowl, make sure the dirt is as fine and grainy as possible, lumps of compacted dirt won't do well.

3. If you dirt is even slightly wet, heat up your dirt until all the water has evaporated from it.

4. Now find a sieve and a large plate. Put the dirt into the sieve above the plate and shake lightly. Now put the dirt in the plate back in the sieve and repeat this until the dirt is of a texture similar to sand.

5. You now have the basic powder for your weathering effect. To apply the dirt slather the area of your model that you want to weather in a Very thin layer of modelling glue (I use poly cement) and with a spoon like object apply a thin layer of dirt on the glue. Wait for it to dry and Voilà!

Chomp chomp
-raptor

Edited October 29, 2015 by raptormodeller

[modelmaker]

When I was a kid in the 60s I had a Thunderbirds annual, which I wish I'd still got. There was an interesting item which explained how when the producers (presumably) got a new model from the model makers they would rub it in dirt, clean, repeat a few times until it looked realistic. Nowadays one of the many things I struggle with is making a model look realistic dirty! It wasn't so much applying powders but more just making them dirty I think. It's Worth watching Thunderbirds anyway, but they DO look good. I'd been thinking of trying this, thanks for the motivation

[Badder]

The best stuff to use is clay. Get it from building sites. river banks, or your own back garden if you live in a river valley or on a flood plain. If it's wet and clumpy, break it up then bung it in a conventional oven. If it's dry, just crush it up... wrap it in a towel and smash it with a hammer. Either way, carry on grinding it up.. a mortar and pestle will be handy for that. The more you grind it, the finer it gets and eventually you will end up with a very fine powder equal to any product you can buy. Use it as you would a proprietary product. P.s. If you gently rub the dry powder onto unvarnished paint it will act like a polish and put a shine on it.

[Duncan B]

I think I'll stick to my pastel chalks that I've had for nearly 20 years (and still have 75% left). They only cost pennies to buy and will last a modelling lifetime.

Duncan B