Hello all,
I recently painted these components for my 1/9th BMW R75 'Move It!' entry.

I did it using my 'system' for weathering external steel on armor, but I don't think it looks just right for this application.

I crawled under my SUV to take a gander at its tailpipe and muffler. It looks medium to dark brown, but then again it is exposed to more dirt and mud and not much rain, sun, or washings.

Does there look to be too much orange/yellow on these?

How do you other motorcycle builders paint tailpipe rust?

Thanks in advance

They look good to me. Looks like burnt metal and a hot exhaust. I wouldn't change it at all.

I second that. Looks pretty much like the real stuff. I like the parts where you painted the exposed grayish metal and the bits of the bike yellow paint.

But if your'e really into details why don't you just soak a couple of nails and collect the rust and paint it on with PVA. It will be about the same color but with the added affect of the grainy texture associated with real rust (what am I saying, it is real rust).

I'm going to show my ignorance here...what is PVA and how would I use it to 'paint' on rust lifted from a nail?

I am all for new ideas and have plenty of old nails in a bucket...

Sorry about that Keith, its not your ignorance its just me who's trying to shorten everything to keep my posts short which in the past have been too long.

PVA glue or Elmers glue or White glue depending on which part of the world. The stuff almost everybody here uses to hold they're ground work.

The guys here have written a fair bit on making rust but basically take a couple of iron nails (the ones used for concrete are pretty good), stick them in water or a mild solution of vinegar and water if you want. Make sure the liquid covers the nails. Keep it near sunshine and the process should be speeded up. About 3-4 days pour whatever liquid left plus rust mimus the nails of course, into a shallow pan (tops of coffee tins are good) and let the liquid evaporate completely. Scrap off rust.

Take a small to medium sized brush, dip it in undiluted PVA glue and pick up a bit of rust at with the brush tip and paint onto your exhaust. If your'e into details, rust actually has 2 colors, a darker deeper reddish brown and a brighter reddish brown. The former is associated with old rust (technically it has to do with the degree of oxidation) and the latter more "fresh" rust. The old rust can be simulated by merely painting over the parts of your real rust with a dark wash after the PVA has dried of course.

There I did it again another long note. Sorry about that, Master Editor and Moderators.

These exhausts look good. I paint the flaky rust effect of exhausts with various shades of rust/brown/black, mixed with baking soda. i'll have to try the rusty nails method though.

Henk

i'm sure the motorcycle exhaust pipe, or atleast the tail end of it would be exposed to a lot of mud, i dont know if you planned on doing this now or later, but if you look at exhaust pipes, all the "gunk" on them clunks up into a crusty surface, so if you wanted to do that, i think it would look mighty cool

Hhhmmm lots of ideas.

GINO and CK. Thanks, I will leave the yellow/orange.

CK--Good ol' Elmers glue! (I should have known.)
That I have and will give it a try. Sounds like one of those 'Simple Techniques/Advanced Results'
sorta things.

HENK--the flaky effect was what I was trying to describe after looking at the real thing on my own vehicle. I guess I just couldn't articulate it at the time. I have used baking soda before for other effects, but now I will try it out for rust. One more ST/AR to add to the arsenal.

MECH-MANIAC--I do plan on weathering it up quite a bit with some mud, sand, and dust all around. That will include some of the exhaust system. I was just not sure how dirty those areas stay being more exposed than the underside of a car.

Thanks again all!

you can probably get more rust from Steel wool pads, i take a week every month and soak them in water in the sun. i usualy get a large empty bottle of thinner full of it,

Keith I noticed your one curved pipe is real good how it has that blueish look to it, like the old bikes did when they were a little out of time, and run hard, to how most of that color stayed around the heads and go around the curved piece on the bikes.
You don't notice on the new bikes anymore, but the old BSA, Triumps, Nortons, even an old Honda probably.

Kerry

Kery,
Thanks. The whole effect came about by accident. The pipes were painted rust like the rest, but were given a little more 'brown' pastel chalk. The 'brown' ends up looking a bit purplish when hit with the dullcoat, which I use to seal the pigment in. The first time I used this 'brown', expecting it to come out brown, I was a bit miffed. But I found another use for it on these pipes.

I have been experimenting with some artists pastels from the wonderful world of Walmart--i.e. not the best quality. As a matter of fact--their 'red' came out bright pink on my first attempt. Luckily the chalks are removed easily!

Thanks for the tip on using real rust. Will have to try it and let you know how it comes out. Thanks again.