Painting and Blackening

[TheDutchShipBuilder]

Hello Everyone

Most of you know me of my project: The Hermione La Fayette.

I had some questions about painting and blackening, and thought I would also ask it hear instead of only in my post of the Hermione built.

 

I need some suggestion on wich paint I need to choose. I have already got some advice to use Admiralty Paint, but I came across some built logs where people used Humbrol Paint. Which of these two do you recommend?, and also, which pensils are best to use to paint wood surface? 

 

Then I also need some advice of how to paint my boat, and how many times I need to paint it. I have not much experience with painting, so all help is welcome  (especially how to paint the hull nicely)

 

At last I had some question about blackening. I bought some metal blackening from Krick:

 

 

Sadly I heard that this won't work on the cannon's I have in my kit:

 

Do some of you have any experience with this and know if it will work or not?, and if it doesn't, what is the best way to make them black then?

 

At last would it be nice if you have some tips and advice of how to blackening, never done this before

 

I hope you guys can help me

 

Cheers

Nick

[demonborger]

Try a few things, if they all fail then just buy metallic black Tamiya spray paint. Quick and easy and looks ok.

[Ronnie B]

Just my 2cents

I kind of like the look you got on your pic, Almost antique looking, much better than black.

Like I said just my opinion

[TheDutchShipBuilder]

You are right, but it doesn't fit when I also paint the boat in it's original colours. It would have fit when I doesn't paint it.

 

Cheers

Nick

Edited December 28, 2013 by NickvN

[Ronnie B]

I understand ,

I would just get some semi flat black spraypaint in a can or if you have an airbrush use model paint.

I think I will look for some of the blackening solvent you have. I do Llike that look!!!

[TheDutchShipBuilder]

Hi all,

 

I did some experimenting with metal blackning from krick, but it did not work on the amati cannons. So I decided to follow your tips and bought metallic black spray from Tamiya. I will experiment with this, and hope it will work. Big hanks for your help!

 

Cheers

Nick

[Spaceman Spiff]

I second the airbrush/model paint for cannons, etc. Depending on the look, age, etc., that you want to portray, it is actually very easy to do. For example, when I do guns (not ship cannons, but individual arms), I use black and then dry brush with either aluminum or silver - or maybe another color, depending on the look I am going for. The trick to dry brushing is using a paper towel to remove as much paint as possible from the brush. Practice makes perfect! I find this method works very well, but there are so many different techniques - just ifnd one that you are comfortable with and go from there!

[Fairlaner]

I like the idea of painting but not sure about spray painting small items. One way of blackening I saw in the old Dockyard forums was to use Strong Liquid Plummer but didn't keep the instructions. Anyone try that method?

[Modeler12]

If you have bought the blackening agent, don't give up too soon on using it.

There was a thread dealing with a compound similar to yours.

 

http://modelshipworld.com/index.php?/topic/1240-another-type-of-blackening-agent-and-some-experiments/?hl=blackening

 

The main thing to keep in mind is that the metal has to be cleaned. Most brass wire, for example, has a polymer coating that has to be 'steel wooled'. Brittany castings have a release agent that comes off with some soap and water (small brush helps). Enz.

I don't know about your amati cannons, but below is what I used on the inexpensive castings. Solid brass would take real well also but could take a bit longer than brass wire.

 

After the second treatment the coating was darker (if that is what is wanted).

[hornet]

I have found Birchwood Casey Brass Black Metal Finish to work quickly and effectively on all copper and brass fittings. Some fittings and cannon may need to be given a rub over with very fine emery paper as they are sometimes covered with a clear coat which stops the blackening working. Some require more soaking than others, but the finish looks better than painting (in my opinion) I found soaking the item in white vinegar - to remove any blemishes or greasy finger marks - prior to the blackening agent was effective. Make sure you are in a well ventilated area as this stuff will take your breath away! The pic following is the stern of the HM Mermaid. Pumps, cannon and other fittings have all been blackened with Birchwood Casey. The Napoleonic Cannon was treated with the same.

Edited November 25, 2014 by hornet

[TheDutchShipBuilder]

Hi Guys

 

Thanks for your comments and tips. 

 

@Modeler12

Thanks for the forum. I will look at it and see if I can do some more experiments (I have enough cannons to experiment with )

I already tried some things to clean it, and some of this helped, but it gave the cannons never the nice resoult I wanted. The strange thing about those cannons, is that they have a some sort of coppery layer. I think that that prevent it from going black. 

 

Then a other thing. I will be experimenting with painting (the metal black spray, but also my boat The Hermione la Fayette), and don't know a lot about it. I already got some great tips, and almost all of them say I have to dry brush. But what is dry brushing, and can some of you give me tips on this

 

Cheers

Nick