StoneColdFreak

Home-made zimmerit. It sounds like a cool idea until you try it for the first time....this is my life at the moment. Since I'm trying to repaint a Tamiya King Tiger, I decided to add zim with spackle. I figured that I would chip some off, paint it and let the rest wear off naturally. I can always scrape it all off if I hate it. It seemed like a good idea, but my attempt is not that good at all. My question is would field-applied zimmerit look like crap? [sm=50_50.gif] From the factory, I suppose it looked uniformed and even, but surely the crew would repair worn areas when they had the opportunity, right?

Can it look bad and be believable at the same time? I hesitate to show pictures of what I have done until I am finished, but I want to prepare myself for ridicule.

Thanks for any input!!!

wackywheelz

LOL I'm really scared for you...

There were different patterns, maybe you just invented a new one or one "never before seen" (probably for good reason ahaha)

This is about as rough as I've seen it:

StoneColdFreak

I looked at that picture earlier, today! It actually made me feel better, which is more than I can say for your comments, Wackywheelz. [sm=tired.gif] [sm=biggrin.gif]

wackywheelz

lol sarcasm my friend - you know how some people are: Rivet counter extraordinaires

Zimmerit is not one of those things people get right, theres lots that can go wrong. Heck my first time the stuff dried halfway though, so small bits is the key unless you're using a putty with a nice workable time (before it hardens)

StoneColdFreak

Okay, I looked at it again and I do, in fact, hate it. The good thing about using spackle is the reasonable ease of removal. [sm=thumbup.gif] I think that the main problems for me lie with the thickness of the application that I made, so I will try again in the morning (it has been a long day) and see what I can do about trying the "less is more" approach. That and I did not really make the lines very straight.

Oh well, back to the old drawing board!!!

wackywheelz

You'll perfect it, then you'll be the zimmerit-applying extraordinaire!

What did you use for your "line" tool?

StoneColdFreak

Oh, you mean the screwdriver. ....a big, fat screwdriver. I will try a smaller one the next time. Maybe combined with less than copius amounts of spackle, it will look a little better. [&:]

Thanks for the inspiration! Really!!!

PoisonPorkChop

hey..I had good results with a pinion gear(the small gear off the shaft of a motor) ..a 10 or 12 tooth I think..I used model putty..apply thin ..then use the pinion gear with a paper clip as an axle in the hole so you can roll it up and down ...clean gear often and youll get good results..

take a look here..i used it on my Tamiya Porsche Turret King Tiger.. http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_49...tm.htm#4986780
also ..dont know why ..but the Red color you see is really brown in real life..comes out that way in digital pics for some reason

ksoc

Check this tread out for some picts and tips on Zimmerit from Steve Patton

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_64...tm.htm#6493669

StoneColdFreak

Thanks for the links, guys. I'll check them out before I start!

pattoncommander

Haven't tried it on a 1;16 scale yet, but I had pretty good luck on a 1'35 tiger 1 using the old hot screwdriver thing into the plastic. This was a diorama Don River area Russia 1943.

swathdiver

I used a screwdriver and Squadron White Putty. Did little sections at a time. I consider it a plus that it shrinks when it dries, making the ridges and any messy spots look smaller! The real Zimmerit was tan in color, partly because it was made from sawdust. I wonder if a few drops of paint mixed in would have the same effect without making it dry too quickly? Only complaint is that it chips off easily revealing white spots where the paint used to be. Wouldn't look so bad being tan IMO.

Jeff489

My Feedback: (12)

Just follow the instructions from Steve Patton (link to the rc universe forum was provided in KSOC's reply). I did, and I am very happy with my results.

Here's my first try.[link]http://rcuniverse.com/forum/m_6686240/tm.htm[/link]

shelden3

Here is what I was able to turn out, I used Squadron putty and a pinion gear and some #12 wire. I made a holder for the pinion gear so it would roll much like a paint roller, and a stiff bristle brush (like you use to scrub with) to clean the gear. it worked well for the most part. The idea was not mine, I can't recall who suggested I do it this way.

http://www.rcuniverse.com/forum/m_56...tm.htm#5631740

Practice on some cardboard then get it rolling, I put it down about 1mm or so thick, sometimes thicker after I got about 1/4 way done I quit nit picking myself and it went fine from there.