Weathering Genuine Steel Tow Cables

[Geshützführer]

Hello, 

 

I am not sure about the best way of weathering steel tow cables. The kit provided brass cables which I did not like, so I’ve replaced them. The replacement was made from several strands of steel rope braided together. I think the rope is zinc coated, but I am not really sure about that. You can find a picture taken at daylight just by the window attached below (work in progress). When looking at real tanks, the cable seems to be too bright to me as it is (no weathering). What would you do about it? I would like to avoid coating the entire wire with a paint.
 

I thought about submerging the cable in sulphuric acid for a while which could darken it a little in theory or maybe applying some dark oil wash over it. 
 

Has somebody dealt with this before? What would you suggest as the optimal weathering method? Thank you.  
 

The picture

[Mike]

The first thing that comes to mind would be use a flame to evaporate the zinc off, but that could be quite harmful if inhaled, so don't do that.  Mind you, sulphuric acid is pretty dangerous too.  It could be dangerous either way.

[Geshützführer]

Thank you for your suggestion Mike. I am planning on trying this in my garden (the acid and now the flame plus whatever someone else may still suggest), so there should be no danger of vapour poisoning.

[Mike]

24 minutes ago, Geshützführer said:

there should be no danger of vapour poisoning.

Please PLEASE be careful

[Ray_W]

1 hour ago, Geshützführer said:

Has somebody dealt with this before? What would you suggest as the optimal weathering method?

 

When I first saw your photo I thought not too bad. However, once in situ I would use a enamel wash to target the cable and tone it down a little as need be. Something like Tamiya Panel Line Accent Color Black or Brown. Possibly a pigment as well based on the type of dust typical in the subject's environment.

 

I would usually prepare the cable before fixing. If it is a steel cable that has no plastic filler, such as typical Dragon supply, I just pass it through a candle which oxidises it and deposits some carbon. Taking of course all necessary precautions to ensure all flammable materials are out of the way and you are suitably kitted with PPE.

 

Here's the effect:

 

 

We are only after some discolouration so a quick pass through the flame is all that is needed.  I then glue the oxidised cable in place and further enhance with a suitable panel liner and pigment as desired. I would of used this method on the brass as well recognising the lower metal point. It delivers a nice oxidation effect that would be enhanced with a wash. Again, ensure no fibre or plastic fillers in the metal cable.

 

If preferred, you can just use the enamel wash and some pigments in lieu of the candle although my preference it to do the candle effect. Like so, no heat treatment: 

 

 

Typical products I use:

 

 

Sometimes you do want the metal effect in worn areas and easy to do with this method. Still lots of variables with possible mix and matching of the above to achieve different effects and also applying coloured or clear coats to the cable before fixing in position. In this case I use aqueous acrylics and lacquers as my compatible washes are enamels.  

 

Ray

[Geshützführer]

15 hours ago, Ray_W said:

I just pass it through a candle which oxidises it and deposits some carbon.

 Hello Ray, thank you very much for this tip! I've now had the time to try it and the candle effect look exactly like the base look I was looking for and it is super easy. Once again, thank you. 

[Kingsman]

Brass and copper are hardly ideal materials for representing SWR (Steel Wire Rope).  You can get small-diameter SWR for picture hanging, although that is mostly brass too,  and more especially for bicycle gearchanges.  Brake cables are thicker.  My gear cables are 1.2mm, which is perhaps a bit thick even for Tigers.  I have some picture wire at 0.8mm.

 

RB Models sell galvanised SWR eminently suitable for tow cables from 0.6 - 1.2mm, possibly thicker.  The 0.6, 0.8 and 1mm will be most useful for 1/35 AFV.

 

Most SWR will be made from steel wires with up to 1% carbon content which are then galvanised, so rust would be slow to form.  That makes it a dull silvery colour.  Rust is the sworn enemy of SWR as it prevents it flexing properly.  SWR cables like tow cables might (should) be lubricated to prevent rust formation and keep them flexible.  The eye thimbles and crimps would be galvanised too, but the thimbles on used cables would rust as the galvanising would wear through from friction with the shackle or hook in a single use on a heavy vehicle.  In an ideal world SWR would be kept out of mud and water as far as possible and cleaned after use, possibly re-oiled.  They don't like grit in them either.

[APA]

12 hours ago, Das Abteilung said:

Brass and copper are hardly ideal materials for representing SWR (Steel Wire Rope).  You can get small-diameter SWR for picture hanging, although that is mostly brass too,  and more especially for bicycle gearchanges.  Brake cables are thicker.  My gear cables are 1.2mm, which is perhaps a bit thick even for Tigers.  I have some picture wire at 0.8mm.

 

RB Models sell galvanised SWR eminently suitable for tow cables from 0.6 - 1.2mm, possibly thicker.  The 0.6, 0.8 and 1mm will be most useful for 1/35 AFV.

 

Most SWR will be made from steel wires with up to 1% carbon content which are then galvanised, so rust would be slow to form.  That makes it a dull silvery colour.  Rust is the sworn enemy of SWR as it prevents it flexing properly.  SWR cables like tow cables might (should) be lubricated to prevent rust formation and keep them flexible.  The eye thimbles and crimps would be galvanised too, but the thimbles on used cables would rust as the galvanising would wear through from friction with the shackle or hook in a single use on a heavy vehicle.  In an ideal world SWR would be kept out of mud and water as far as possible and cleaned after use, possibly re-oiled.  They don't like grit in them either.

About a year ago I saw a modern tank transporter on the motorway. The cable on the reel for pulling the tank onto the rear deck looked very dry and most definitely rusty. A pale orange fresh rust colour to be precise. 

OT - I took great interest in it as I was building my Scammel at the time. Spent a while slowly overtaking it. I was very disappointed as it had obviously been used recently to carry something so was quit muddy but the weathering was very boring. Basically just an overall covering of one tone mud with very little variation, no track / tyre marks, no scuffs.

 

A

[Circloy]

Last thing you want is a heavily rusted tow rope as the pitting would seriousy weaken the cable. Any rust on modern cables suggests they're either not being regularly checked or correctly maintained.

 

[Kingsman]

That does surprise me.  I can't imagine 19 Sqn allowing that.  But about 2/3 of the HETs - assuming that's what you saw - are parked up in the open unused as we PFI'd enough for 3 squadrons and now only have 1.  But they do get rotated, so you may have seen one coming out of storage.  It's even more important for winch cables to be in good condition than row ropes because of the constant winding and unwinding wherein the individual cables and wires will move against each other.

 

[Bozothenutter]

If it is steel, why not lightly cover in d engine oil and heat until straw coloured.

Then allow to cool and you should have a nice blackish finish.

Rub it a bit with denim or some course cotton and it will look good, be annealed and easier to bend.

Please do this outside, so no fumes will be inhaled.

[APA]

1 hour ago, Das Abteilung said:

That does surprise me.  I can't imagine 19 Sqn allowing that.  But about 2/3 of the HETs - assuming that's what you saw - are parked up in the open unused as we PFI'd enough for 3 squadrons and now only have 1.  But they do get rotated, so you may have seen one coming out of storage.  It's even more important for winch cables to be in good condition than row ropes because of the constant winding and unwinding wherein the individual cables and wires will move against each other.

 

Possible about coming out of storage although I would have thought there would have been a cacking of grease to protect it then and the rears would be clean. It wasn't heavy rust at all. Clean, metallic cable with light fresh rust in the creases just as we modellers would use a rust wash. 

I have no idea what they, there were 2, we're. Big modern tank transporters (not my era sorry) nothing on them. The cables and boring all over dirt were the two things that stuck in my mind. 

 

A

Edited January 30, 2021 by APA

[Sailor.]

Have to smile at all the 'elf and safety warnings and the wearing of 'proper' PPE to build a tank model...

don't forget to ask an adult to help if you need to cut something with a sharp knife!

 

🤪

[dcrfan]

22 minutes ago, Sailor. said:

Have to smile at all the 'elf and safety warnings and the wearing of 'proper' PPE to build a tank model...

don't forget to ask an adult to help if you need to cut something with a sharp knife!

 

🤪

Don't underplay the damage you can do to yourself pursuing a hobby.  I have a friend who took no precautions using MEK.  A very sick boy. 

[Sailor.]

When we were kids, if you didn't burn half the kitchen down you weren't doing t'job properly. Me and our kid sat there surrounded with pots of paint, turps, glue and a candle burning next to the bog roll we used to wipe our paintbrushes on. Trick was to knock the candle over onto the turps soaked bog roll while yer brother wasn't looking and hope his hair caught fire...

things were different back in the sixties, you had to make yer own entertainment!

 

Edited February 8, 2021 by Sailor.

[Circloy]

6 hours ago, Sailor. said:

don't forget to ask an adult to help if you need to cut something with a sharp knife!

It's more dangerous to use a blunt one.

[APA]

5 minutes ago, Circloy said:

It's more dangerous to use a blunt one.

Very true 

 

A

[Bullbasket]

20 hours ago, dcrfan said:

Don't underplay the damage you can do to yourself pursuing a hobby.

Sadly, very true. Not hobby related, but I'm sure that you'll get the drift. My garden is quite large, around about an acre, and quite a bit of it is covered in stone chippings. As you can imagine, weeds are forever rearing their ugly heads, and so for the past 15 years I have been spraying the area with weed killer, glyphosate. All that I ever wore were jeans and trainers, both of which aren't waterproof. I had one of those tests at my doctors where they tap your knee and your leg is supposed to jerk  little. Mine? Nothing! After many tests at a neurologists, it turns out that I have nerve damage in both legs. It's called, idiopathic neuropathy. So if the instructions tell you to wear protective clothing, DO IT!

 

John.