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Trestle Building and Detailing FAQ's
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Basswood is a soft wood, and many modelers choose to prepare it before applying any solutions to give the wood a weathered appearance. The first preparation removes any "fuzz" present due to the cutting process with a small brush with metal bristles or using 180 or finer grit sandpaper. Either way, always use the brush or sandpaper in the same direction as the wood grain. The optional second preparation step involves using a razor saw to add wood grain to the wood by holding each board firmly on one end and then dragging the saw's teeth along the board in the direction of the grain. Also, with practice, it's possible to add some nice effects on the ends of beams with the sharp tip of the modeler knife to simulate the radial grain ends. As always, practice on some scrap wood to get a feel for how much pressure to apply, your desired look, and so on. And be sure to lay the wood on a flat surface as you work on it to avoid breakage.
Trestles and Water Tanks are commonly treated with creosote to keep the wood from rotting. We found that applying the dark creosote color made the overall model look dark and more like a silhouette. We prefer a lighter color. Of course, this is entirely your choice; we suggest you consider how the model will look in its final setting. Weathering the wood involves applying some weathering solution to the wood to give it a grayed appearance of being out in the weather without the benefit of new creosote or paint to protect it. There are many methods and products for achieving this look; we will look at a couple of standard methods here.
Some modelers like to apply a light gray or Driftwood colored stain to the wood before weathering it to give the wood a more natural appearance. Refer to the many online articles on buying or making a substitute for the discontinued Floquil Driftwood Stain. If you pre-stain the wood, let it dry thoroughly overnight. The most common way of weathering wood is to use a commercial or home-brew weathering solution and brush or dab it on the wood surface. Weathering solutions fall into two main categories: water-based or solvent-based. Of the two, we prefer solvent-based solutions because we have found that water-based solutions can cause the wood to swell or warp.
Commercial products come with instructions, and we recommend reading and following them. If you want to try a home-brew solution, here is a common formula. Fill a clean, empty 1-ounce paint bottle with denatured (“rubbing or Isopropyl”) alcohol. Add 4 to 30 drops of black, brown, or a mixture of black and brown India ink or dye (start with four drops and add until you get the darkness of stain you desire). Before use, shake the mixture thoroughly. To apply this solution, dip a brush in the solution and apply it to the wood in the same direction as the grain. You do not necessarily want a consistent, same-color look on all parts, so do not worry about a smooth application like you would with paint. You may want to build up more than one coat on some areas to achieve a somewhat random effect. Experiment with some scrap wood to get a feel for the technique and the desired effect. If you added grain to the wood with a hobby knife or razor saw, you will find that the weathering solution will highlight the grain. Be sure to allow the weathering solution to dry thoroughly.
Some modelers also use a vinegar and steel wool formula. While I have not used this method yet, I have seen it used and am impressed with the results. Remember that vinegar is water-based, so take precautions so your wood does not warp or swell..
CAUTION: When using Isopropyl Alcohol, please do this outside or in a well-vented room. Also, use gloves when using this process, or you will end up with black or brown hands or fingers, after which you will have to explain to your family and friends. Protect your work surface from this stain by working on newspaper or paper towels.
CAUTION: Make sure that the alcohol on the newspaper or paper towels has evaporated and is dry before you throw them away so you do not start a fire in your trash can.
To get a different weathered look so that not all my projects look the same, I will sometimes substitute brown India Ink, brown liquid shoe polish, or a brown fabric dye instead of Black India Ink. In some cases, I have mixed the black and brown colors. No matter what solutions you use, keep some on hand after weathering all the wood because you will need it as you build the model. For example, if you need to trim a piece of wood to length, you will want to touch up the cut end with the weathering solution to match the rest of the model. Just remember that the end grain of a piece of wood will take the stain quicker, and it is easy to end up with an overly dark stain that turns almost black on the ends.
If I have a lot of wood to stain and after I get the stain color I am looking for, I make a large batch of the solution and keep it in a 20 to 30-oz jelly jar with a good sealable screw top lid. That way, I can stain lots of wood simultaneously by dropping the wood into the jar or pouring the stain into a tray to stain larger pieces. After staining, I pour the stain back into the jar and keep it for the next staining project. Also, as seen in the picture (top left side), I will apply the stain mixture with a small spray bottle.