SPA Modeler

Good progress, Lyle. I put Fruils on my M74 conversion. Not looking forward to doing that again but they look great. I have metal tracks for this kit but they came assembled, except for the final join. Way to go!

Thank you, John.

I think all t he main assemblies and sub-assemblies are done. Now it is time to figure out the paint. The more I have pondered and looked at online builds, the more I am not sure that monochromatic schemes are easier!

Have any of you guys used the rust wash made with steel wool and white vinegar?

I'm thinking I need two or three different shades of yellow as well.

Lyle, you are quite right about monotone schemes. They are easy for a new look, but for a varied worn & used appearance require a different approach. A dark base, the main color, and some fading or highlights will add a lot more visual interest. I’ve never tried any other rust beyond paints and Tamiya weathering stuff.

I'm not used to seeing rust on working tractors. I would do a silver or bright steel on the tracks as an undercoat, and the part of the rails that wears on the inside of the rollers would remain that way. The rest of the rails would be a dirty yellow with wear on each pin if you want to get that fancy. Perhaps an undercoat of steel, or a medium dark metallic undercoat, think of what a sheet of steel looks like out of the mill. Yellow over that. There are two colors of Car Yellow, up into the mid 80's it's like the pictures I posted, after that its a darker yellow with a tint I can't describe due to my poor color vision.
New Cat Yellow


Old Cat Yellow, what a new D8H used:


Weathering yellow is hard, but perhaps a matt coat in some parts where you want the dirt to be, and not where you want it to be clean. I'd think a matt that can be cleaned off the base coat if you don't like the result, such as a Tamiya acrylic matt over an enamel. Never done this, just my guess. I used to have a friend that could weather yellow well, but he has gone to the great workshop in the sky. Here's an example of a maintenance stand he did for me:

John, this is great advice. The really beat up ones I’ve seen in some examples online, would have been derelict or abandoned. I’ve not been around but one or two working dozers, so this is most helpful. I know they get dirty and such, but are likely pretty well maintained. Thanks!

I have a can of the new CAT Yellow. I need to go to Tractor Supply and see if they have the old cat yellow.

This is an interesting project, Lyle. 'Dozers are just cool, and I could sure use one on my place. When you're weathering this beast, try to "flick" some spots of paint on it to replicate oil and other fluid stains. It can be done by dipping an old toothbrush into paint and then flick the bristles containing paint onto the model, or another method is tapping a brush against a rod or dowel to flick the paint spots onto the surface. A little goes a long way and it's good to use several different shades of paint for a realistic contrast. Most big, heavy equipment that I've been around have myriad spots evident, especially around any "wet" areas. I'm excited to see this one progress!

Thanks, Gary. I don’t like using a toothbrush. Leaves a bad taste in the mouth later.

LyleW wrote: ↑Thu Jul 13, 2023 5:44 am Thanks, Gary. I don’t like using a toothbrush. Leaves a bad taste in the mouth later.

Man, what a great thread. I have been missing out. I have this in the stash and I have learned a ton from this thread already. Great work and information here. Looking forward to seeing more.