It is currently Thu Mar 28, 2024 1:23 pm

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]




Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 19 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2
Author Message
 Post subject: Re: Graining steel
PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2018 1:48 pm 

Joined: Thu Aug 26, 2004 2:50 pm
Posts: 2815
Location: Northern Illinois
So, it appears the art of graining is alive and well... or can be learned. So the real problem is finding a sample to copy, since graining can run from simple straight grain to birds eyes, burls, and quarter sawn ray flakes, and we have no idea what Pullman typically used. Are there any visible examples of Pullman's graining work left? I suspect these would be in business cars. None that I know of at IRM; all in that collection seem to be old enough to have real wood interiors. Come to think of it, the DM&IR NORTHLAND at the Lake Superior Railroad Museum, Pullman, 1916, still has its original interior, and I believe its grained steel. Can anyone confirm? Any other examples?

_________________
Dennis Storzek


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Graining steel
PostPosted: Tue Jul 10, 2018 10:26 pm 

Joined: Wed Aug 25, 2004 9:44 am
Posts: 154
We have an example of a different sort of pattern applied to both wood and metal on a Cleveland streetcar, which we would like to reproduce. Embedding pictures never seems to work for me, so here is a link, and scroll down to pictures 5 and 6.

https://hickscarworks.blogspot.com/2018 ... ar-18.html

I've tried reproducing this using a sponge, with little success. Maybe there's a special sort of sponge that's needed. Any suggestions would be appreciated!

_________________
Randall Hicks
Visit Hicks Car Works!
_________________________
Confucius remarked: "There is in the world now really no moral social order at all."


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Graining steel
PostPosted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 2:25 am 

Joined: Fri Oct 01, 2004 1:33 pm
Posts: 479
Location: Oroville, CA
You might try taking off the lift plate or the safety bar mounts to see what the finish looks like under them. The exposed finish has had UV on it, dirt and wear.
The way I did woodgraining was to put on the base color (for burl, etc. typically a yellow-tan color, then applying the grain using rubber-based printer's ink, usually a dark (chocolate) brown. From what I can see of the visible pattern, I would use crumpled up cheesecloth. Experiment with how thick or thin you want the ink. Once you are happy with the look, let the ink dry at least overnight before applying a clear coat to "lock in" the ink--until you clear coat it, you can wipe it completely off.
Another idea for applying the ink would be a fan brush and dab at the surface with the brush. That's the nice thing about this system, you can play around with it until you like the look, then you clear coat it!

_________________
Steamcerely,
David Dewey
Hoping for the return to the American Rivers of the last overnight steamboat, Delta Queen!


Offline
 Profile  
 
 Post subject: Re: Graining steel
PostPosted: Wed Jul 11, 2018 4:35 am 

Joined: Sun Apr 02, 2017 3:13 am
Posts: 129
Have a friend who did stage scenery. She used the rubber mat from an old record player - the type that had concentric rings. She could scrinch and stretch the rubber mat to produce all sorts of tree ring wood grain effects with the ink. Too coarse for graining carriages, but it made a really nice fake "oregon" look for fireplaces etc.


Offline
 Profile  
 
Display posts from previous:  Sort by  
Post new topic Reply to topic  [ 19 posts ]  Go to page Previous  1, 2

All times are UTC - 5 hours [ DST ]


 Who is online

Users browsing this forum: Google [Bot], Paul D and 121 guests


You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot post attachments in this forum

Search for:
Jump to: