'Weathering'

[mattviatura]

Okay this is not model related but I suspect it's the right place to ask and some of you geniuses in here might be able to help.

One of my sadder pastimes is restoring old BMXs. I've just finished an old Mongoose and I'm about to order some new decals for it but am conscious that they will stick out like a sore thumb against the 1983 chrome finish.

Is there a way of making them appear older than they are?

Thank you.

Edited by mattviatura on Sunday 21st August 20:04

[Eric Mc]

I think you probably need to talk to an art forger rather than a modeller.

[mattviatura]

Eric Mc said:

I think you probably need to talk to an art forger rather than a modeller.

Surely one of you lot will have an idea about this, the graphics are kind of orangey-yellow and really stand out.

[DieselGriff]

I think some on here will be able to suggest a few things but it's very much a visual thing - any chance of you putting up a photo or two that will highlight the problem?

[Meoricin]

mattviatura said:

Surely one of you lot will have an idea about this, the graphics are kind of orangey-yellow and really stand out.

Forgive me if this seems silly, but if you're restoring these bikes, wouldn't pristine graphics be better? It'd be easier to clean the rest of the bike up to pristine than it will to dirty/wear the graphics down to match the rest.

[mattviatura]

Meoricin said:

Forgive me if this seems silly

Not silly at all and in fact makes me question my sanity. The bike has been restored to a condition that I would say is as good as it can be while retaining an element of originality, most of the parts are used. In order to return the bike to absolute factory condition it would need to be re-chromed but if you start down that route you then have to follow it and end up re-chroming other bits and fitting new parts (my next project will require a full respray which I'm unhappy about but can't avoid) this to me takes away some of the character.

On close examination it's obvious the chrome is old, and bright shiny new graphics will just look wrong, over time the colours fade and the stickers pick up little scratches, that's the look I'd like.

This is the bike.



And this is the look I'd like with the graphics (old, now sold frame).



I'm sorry for hijacking your forum guys but feel if anyone can do this you lot can.

Thanks.

[Red Firecracker]

Are you having the graphics custom printed or are they off the shelf? If custom, just ask the printer to adjust the colour contrast. Anything else really isn't going to work to well. As Eric says, it's not weathering you require but a level of forgery (meant in the best sense as a skill set, not an implication of potential deceit).

[Eric Mc]

It's well known in the classic car business to add a certain "patina" to restored vehicles. In a way, to me it is a form of fakery as the restorer is trying to artficially age the object to make it look "lived in".

Modellers of course do this all the time but they are making a scale represenattion of an object in a particular situaution so the "ageing" and "weathering" is to make the subject look like it did in real life at the time it was being used.

Weathering techniques used on models would have limited application for an outdoor everyday use object like a car or bicycle. The techniques we use tend to be achieved using shading effects (colour filters, weathering powders, pastels etc) which would probably wear off rapdly if exposed to the harsh outdoors.

Maybe you need to track down a restorer of classic Bugattis?

[Rude-boy]

I realise that this might seem a slightly ‘stupid’ answer but how about finishing the job off then going down the local BMX track and getting a few of the natives to put it through it’s paces. A few drops, the odd skid and a couple of hours use as intended should have it looking like a well used, but cared for bike.

I so wanted one of those when I was a kid and after my first real bike after the one I learnt on and then my Chopper. I ended up with a Falcon Pro instead though that did many years happy service until I got my first MTB.

[mattviatura]

Rude-boy said:

getting a few of the natives to put it through it’s paces

What?! It's my baby. Interestingly the yoots today take all the markings off their bikes, it's not like the 80s when labels HAD to be shown.

The general consensus seems to be forget it and just put the new ones on then? They're off the shelf.

[dr_gn]

I restored my Dad's old Meccano Aeroplane constructor outfit. It needed a couple of new wings, empennage and several other items, which did indeed look stupid after I'd sprayed them and put new decals in place. I ended up putting them in a tin with a load of Meccano nuts and bolts and shaking it until they were as chipped and scratched as the original. Looks great!

Maybe you could apply the decals and distress them a bit by throwing gravel at them for an hour or two?

If you get some ground pummice and rub that over the surface of a shiny decal it will matt it a little bit.

Experimentation is the key I think.

[mattviatura]

dr_gn said:

Maybe you could apply the decals and distress them a bit by throwing gravel at them for an hour or two?

Ouch.

I'll try the pumice though.

I can't really get away with much experimentation because they aren't exactly cheap and they have to be sent from America.

Thanks anyway.

[dr_gn]

mattviatura said:

dr_gn said:

Maybe you could apply the decals and distress them a bit by throwing gravel at them for an hour or two?

Ouch.

I'll try the pumice though.

I can't really get away with much experimentation because they aren't exactly cheap and they have to be sent from America.

Thanks anyway.

FWIW I know exactly what you're trying to do, but I don't think there's an easy way of achieving consistent results.

[perdu]

This may be a daft idea Matt but have you though about spraying the decal sheet (before you fit them) with a Humbrol Satin varnish?

I find that using Humbrol's Matt varnish flattens out the look quite graphically, maybe using a Satin would allow the brand new sheen to recede a tad.

Then you'd have to cut the decal sheet some way so the decals separated when you bung them on the bike


Oh arr, nice bike!

[mattviatura]

perdu said:

This may be a daft idea Matt but have you though about spraying the decal sheet (before you fit them) with a Humbrol Satin varnish?

I find that using Humbrol's Matt varnish flattens out the look quite graphically, maybe using a Satin would allow the brand new sheen to recede a tad.

Then you'd have to cut the decal sheet some way so the decals separated when you bung them on the bike


Oh arr, nice bike!

This is the sort of thing I was expecting thank you. What do you mean by cutting the sheet to separate the decals?

Also thanks for the comments about the bike, it's been a labour of love and I'm really pleased with it.

[dr_gn]

mattviatura said:

perdu said:

This may be a daft idea Matt but have you though about spraying the decal sheet (before you fit them) with a Humbrol Satin varnish?

I find that using Humbrol's Matt varnish flattens out the look quite graphically, maybe using a Satin would allow the brand new sheen to recede a tad.

Then you'd have to cut the decal sheet some way so the decals separated when you bung them on the bike


Oh arr, nice bike!

This is the sort of thing I was expecting thank you. What do you mean by cutting the sheet to separate the decals?

Also thanks for the comments about the bike, it's been a labour of love and I'm really pleased with it.

Same effect as the pummice *I think*.

Any process such as overcoating or matting the entire decal would affect the transparent carrier 'background' too, so you'd have to cut out the individual letters and apply them one by one...not easy to get right.

BTW are they self-adhesive decals, or waterslide?

[Eric Mc]

mattviatura said:

perdu said:

This may be a daft idea Matt but have you though about spraying the decal sheet (before you fit them) with a Humbrol Satin varnish?

I find that using Humbrol's Matt varnish flattens out the look quite graphically, maybe using a Satin would allow the brand new sheen to recede a tad.

Then you'd have to cut the decal sheet some way so the decals separated when you bung them on the bike


Oh arr, nice bike!

This is the sort of thing I was expecting thank you. What do you mean by cutting the sheet to separate the decals?

Also thanks for the comments about the bike, it's been a labour of love and I'm really pleased with it.

I still can't understand why you want to "rough it up". Having restored it I would be keen to show it off in all its glory.

I still think that model weathering techniques would have litle application on a project like this.
As Dr Gn has suggested, accelerated REAL wear and tear might give you the look you want.

[mattviatura]

dr_gn said:

Any process such as overcoating or matting the entire decal would affect the transparent carrier 'background' too, so you'd have to cut out the individual letters and apply them one by one...not easy to get right.

Ah yeah I see what you mean. The decals are self-adhesive and pretty hard-wearing but they'll come with a sheen. It's really this that I want to remove if possible.

[mattviatura]

Eric Mc said:

I still can't understand why you want to "rough it up".

I don't, I'm not explaining this very well but I think the Doc is on to what I mean.

What I'm trying to do is avoid 'new on old' for want of a better term.

[Eric Mc]

Do you know what you wantb the "old" decals to look like?

Do they fade?

Lose their colour?

Get scratched?