Salt weathering
Could someone give me the rundown on this technique. It looks like it produces some nice results in simulating chipping paint but the video doesnt go through the steps very well.

Did you see the other 4 segments? Basically you are adding salt to water to create a barrier so your top layer of paint doesn't stick. The water helps the salt smooth out but also helps to glue the salt to the surface. After you spray your top layer you let it dry and brush the salt off. In one of the other videos he also talked about adding the water to the salt to make a slurry so that it spreads out more if the plain water beaded up to much on your base coat.

You are at the start of a great journey. There are lots of websites out there to help.

Google "weathering trains". I got 3 pages of hits and those didn't include some that I've seen.

Gene Anstine

yeah, the kosher sea salt treatment! i used this great idea on my water tower build and it really does pay off ... havent seen the video yet, but a few pointers i picked up through trial and error in my work:

1) the recipe called for spit as the wetting agent ... apparently tap water doesnt provide the sticking power of a saline solution. i used eye drops, but contact lens solution might work as well.

2) jackson pollok it: i use a small brush with a wide bristle pattern and hold it against my hand about 8 - 12 inches away from the surface. i tap the brush handle against my hand and spraying the area with a random pattern of droplets.

3) use a salt grinder: creates more uneven and random shapes and patterns ... again about 8 inches above the surface grind away. the salt will stick to the drops of saline.

4) wait about 20 minutes just for the paint to dry a bit and then start picking away the salt with a toothpick. its important to get to work quickly before things get too set up.

5) when spraying the color, keep the can far away and move quickly on your passes. depending on the level of wear and tear you want on the paint job, adjust the amount of paint making it to the area you are modeling. remember its easier to go slowly building up layers rather than overdoing it!

here are some examples from my water tower build over on the token three railer :

When I first saw this question earlier my first though was Salt? fish? Because I knew you had used the technique and it looked great. Glad you found the thread.

Since then I have seen others that have used it but I think with plain old table salt. Is sea salt the same as ice cream salt? It has large granules, as well.

Anyway, may be a technique I give a shot sometime.

Salted fish?

I've seen a similar technique using grits,

I know I'm from the south, but I hate grits.

Another similar technique, for those concerned about their sodium intake (or grit intake ), is just plain water.

I've seen it done 2 ways. Either spray a mist of water on what you are preparing to paint. The paint won't stick to the water droplets. Or immediately spray with water after painting. Then sand, chip off the paint. I did a small test on one of my barrels. Worked pretty good.

But I don't know how it works on wood.

quote:

Originally posted by Vulcan:
I know I'm from the south, but I hate grits.

Yes and yes....but I've seen a clinic given on this now twice and it's a better use of grits than eating them,

I think the general concept works probably with many things that can be removed taking with them the top coat of paint....classic is of course the old rubber cement trick...