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Weathering Aluminum tubing


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I'm building the Picket Boat.

There is aluminum tubing that is used for the steam engine.

I've not worked with aluminum tubing before.

Does anyone have any advice on how to give it a weathered finish; so it doesn't look so shiny?

 

Thanks

Current Build - Confederacy

Completed Builds - Amati Revenge, USN Picket, US Brig Syren, Mayflower, Hannah SIB, Concord Stagecoach

Completed Scratch Build - Ship in Bottle

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I worked with some sheet aluminum on a model a while back and I sanded it with 400-grit sandpaper to take the shine off. That suited my purposes. If you need it to look even dirtier, you might try adding a thin wash of gray or brown after sanding and then spray it with a matte finish to protect the wash.

 

post-9862-0-74390700-1482118761.jpg

 

Cheers -

John

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If I remember correctly, you can also dip it into a mixture of ammonia and water, as ammonia reacts with aluminum.

 

Best to test on some scrap pieces first though.

Samuel Pepys notes in his diary on 19 July 1667: "the Dutch fleets being in so many places, that Sir W. Batten at table cried, By God,says he, I think the Devil shits Dutchmen."

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

I tried a couple different things (some stained glass chemicals and blacken it, tried vinegar and citric acid as well)  to try to darken and weather the tubing on my picket build but nothing really worked, so I resorted to paint and dry brushing

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Birchwood Casey also have a product available for blackening Aluminum

 

https://www.birchwoodcasey.com/Refinishing/Metal-Finishing.aspx

 

post-19243-0-44140400-1483603840.jpg

 

 

 

Samuel Pepys notes in his diary on 19 July 1667: "the Dutch fleets being in so many places, that Sir W. Batten at table cried, By God,says he, I think the Devil shits Dutchmen."

 

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JCT - not sure how I missed your build log - excellent build.

I've sanded  and lightly painted the aluminum pipes - seems to work OK.

I'll keep in mind the Birchwood Casey for the next time

Current Build - Confederacy

Completed Builds - Amati Revenge, USN Picket, US Brig Syren, Mayflower, Hannah SIB, Concord Stagecoach

Completed Scratch Build - Ship in Bottle

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THX much B,...I really enjoyed that build, it was fun, have you started a log on your Picket?  If not you should there is a lot of good folks here to support you along the way

J

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