WW1 propellers - Orange varnish ??

[colin m]

My latest project means I have to create a wood effect for a propeller and struts. I've seen some great examples on the web. Most people end their prefered process with a gloss varnish containing an orange tint. So, is this varnish available ready made up, or do people make their own.

My attempts so far have been shockingly bad, so any advice would be well received.

Regards

Colin M.......

 

[Bunkerbarge]

For model boat use I need to make a wooden effect quite often and what I do is to paint the item with a matt earth enamel first. When completely hardened I then paint over the top with a household stained varnish, usually antique pine. This is opaque enough to allow a degree of the base to show through and look fairly realistic. This ship's wheel is actually white metal and done in this way:

View attachment 22945

View attachment 29693

 

[colin m]

For model boat use I need to make a wooden effect quite often and what I do is to paint the item with a matt earth enamel first. When completely hardened I then paint over the top with a household stained varnish, usually antique pine. This is opaque enough to allow a degree of the base to show through and look fairly realistic. This ship's wheel is actually white metal and done in this way:View attachment 22945

Excellent effect Richard, and not a method mentioned by anyone else. I'll experiment with this method.

Regards

Colin M.......

 

[Sky Raider]

Colin,

John has paints in the shop that are Old Wood and New Wood, I have some in my stock and intend to use it on my Tank Tools.

Andy

 

[yak face]

hi colin, tamiya do a clear orange in their range, which ive read about loads of biplane modellers using , over the top of various streaked browns. hope this helps, cheers tony

 

[Gomer Pyle]

Hi Colin! For my SPAD build I also needed to find a way to simulate wood. The method I opted for was one I saw on IPMS-Stockholm. Basically it's a combo of two colors with incompatible solvents. If you look up my WIP on the SPAD you'll see the propeller with a laminated wood-grain imitation. The base color is an acrylic ocher that was allowed to cure. The darker color was either burnt- or raw umber artist oil paint (don't recall exactly which). The oil-paint was highly thinned (thick wash) and allowed to semi cure and the "grain" was created by using a stiff flat brush with some space between the bundles of brush-hair (moistened with a little bit of white spirit) and then gently "scrape" of some of the oil-paint. After this it was allowed to cure and covered with clear acrylic varnish. The actual gloss of the varnish is adjusted with various grades of polishing compounds.

/Daniel

 

[Ian M]

To try and get a shellac effect, which is what I think you are after, I have read that the Tamiya clear orange, well thinned down will work. Humbrol do one as well, but watch out with that one its cellulose based and might stuff the paint work.

I have had some good results with Vallejo gloss varnish with a tiny amount of orange or red-brown mixed in. You need to mix it thin and apply and wait and build the effect up slowly.

Ian M

 

[colin m]

Thanks everyone for your suggestions. I'll search out some of the 'orange' varnish but to start with I'll have a go at Richards idea first. I'm sure I've got some of that wood stain stuff somewhere.

Regards

Colin M........

 

[Bunkerbarge]

Have a play with as many different methods as you can Colin and decide on which works best for you.

I use Ronseal household stained varnish in Antique Pine, if you don't have any you can actually buy it in fairly small tins and it's quite useful around the house!