AK Interactive Engine & Metal Weathering Set (AK087)

[Mike]

Engine & Metal Weathering Set (AK087)

AK Interactive

 

 

Simulating metal and grotty engines is a great technique for adding realism to your models, as almost no engine is free of oil and dirt, especially back in time before engines were fitted with décor panels with holes for oil, water and washer fluid.  This set is a great aid in that task, and arrives in a long clear clamshell box containing five 35ml bottles with black screw-topped lids and a white twist off safety seal.  Two bottles contain pigment, while the remaining three are full of enamel washes.  In the box you have the following:

 

 

AK-082 Engine Grime

A dirty brown wash that allows the modeller to put dirt and oily grime into the corners of your vehicles, not just in the engines, as some vehicles seemed to be dirt magnets.

AK-083 Track Wash

A rust brown wash to give your track links definition and depth before adding dry dirt.

AK-084 Engine Oil

A slick wash that dries glossy to add those spills and dribbles to a finished vehicle.

AK-085 Track Rust Pigment

A brown fine-grained pigment for adding rust into the nooks of your tracks.

AK-086 Dark Steel Pigment

This metallic pigment contains no metal, but has a ready shine that you can increase by additional polishing thanks to the fine-grained pigment.

 

This is another useful and convenient set from AK, which integrates all the items you will need to complete your engines and track as easily as possible, and without unnecessary hunting around for mislaid colours, unless you remove them from the box of course.  The fineness of the pigment grind helps to get the results you need, and all the bottles have plenty in them for a number of projects.

 

You can see the tracks wash in use here:

 

Engine Grime & Oil here:

 

Dark Steel is shown here:

 

There isn’t a specific video for the use of the rust pigments, but a quick google should turn up something suitable.  As with all of these things, it’s being cognisant of the likely locations for rust, oil and dirt accumulations, not just slapping it all over and hoping it looks good.  Use your references to see where to use your set, and remember that you can reduce the effect and feather the edges with a little white spirit, so you don’t have to worry too much about over-applying.

 

Of course, owning this sets won’t make you an instant-expert, so you will need to test and practice the technique unless you are already accustomed to the basic principals, in which case the testing phase shouldn’t be necessary.  Looking at the video makes you realise that they're pretty simple techniques, so have at it!

 

Conclusion

Dirt and rust that is appropriate for the subject and in-scale for the model you’re depicting is a great boost for realism and even new vehicles have a tiny bit.  Having all the necessary constituents in one handy pack is very useful too – just add white spirits to taste (don’t eat it!!!!).

 

Highly recommended.

 

 

Review sample courtesy of