Question about salt weathering - how long before applying salt? How long should it dry?

Forum adverts like this one are shown to any user who is not logged in. Join us by filling out a tiny 3 field form and you will get your own, free, dakka user account which gives a good range of benefits to you:

No adverts like this in the forums anymore.
Times and dates in your local timezone.
Full tracking of what you have read so you can skip to your first unread post, easily see what has changed since you last logged in, and easily see what is new at a glance.
Email notifications for threads you want to watch closely.
Being a part of the oldest wargaming community on the net.

If you are already a member then feel free to login now.

**Ouze**

Hello all,

I'm trying out salt weathering for the first time. Well, technically the second, the first was a self-caused fiasco, but never mind about that now.

I've primed the model black. Then it sat for about 2 weeks. I just now ran a acrylic-based rusty brown over the whole model with an airbrush. So now I have 2 questions:

1.) Do I have to protect the rusty brown coat before applying the salt and then basecoat? If so, with what - future, or dullcote or something?

2.) If I don't have to protect this layer, how long do I let it dry before moving on to step 3?

3.) After I spray it with water and then hit it with a salt grinder, how long do I have to let the salt dry before moving onto the basecoat? 24 hours, right?

Thanks!

**Gunzhard**

Use Hairspray instead of water... you don't have to wait long after your rust coast if you do this... probably 20-30 minutes.

You can paint almost immediately over the hairspray & salt... assuming you are using an airbrush.

The only time, in my experience, that you really need to wait and let things dry overnight or a few days -- is before you remove the salt... but this usually isn't a problem as you will add layers of paint on it.

**Ouze**

Oops, yes, I forgot, I actually bought hairspray just for this.

Thanks for the swift advice.

So, don't protect the rusty coat?

**Gunzhard**

I didn't ...the hairspray and salt didn't hurt the rust layer.

My top (base + final) layers got ruined in my first few attempts because I tried to remove the salt too early though.

**Ouze**

Awesome, thanks for the advice!

As an (unrelated) side note, your comparison article on golds was utterly fascinating.

**Gunzhard**

Oh wow thanks, I really appreciate that!

**HamHamLunchbox**

also dont spray the hairspray onto the model.

i always spray into the hairsprays cap until i get liquid hairspray and apply it with a brush because im not sure if too much spray will damage the paint.(and its easier to control imo)

i usually wait for about 3-4 hours before i basecoat after applying the salt and about 2-3 hours before removing the salt

**CURNOW**

the large scale marine in my gallery was primed/salt coated/top coated all in one afternoon.

like overs have said paint the hairspray on abit at a time sprinkle the salt then do the next bit .
then spray or carefully brush on the top coat let it dry then with some warm water and a old tooth brush remove the salt , you can also add extra bits so it lloks like the paint has thinned/rubbed off with the brush at this time..

what i like to do is go round the rusty areas with a detail brush and pait in parts that look like primer {grey for example} ,

**Ouze**

OK. I read on some sites to use under cold water, but I was concerned and impatient. So I used a stiff brush and rubbed the salt off (without any water). That worked OK and was pretty easy, i used a toothbrush in a few spots..

I have to admit, I kind of liked how the tank looked better before I rubbed the salt off; I think the camo was pretty good and am worried I ruined a good thing with my weathering. It was maybe too clean for Orks though.

Here it is after rubbing the salt off:

Spoiler:

I then used a sponge to blot on some more orange, and then added some weathering powder to the ram to see how it came out. It's not bad, I guess:

Spoiler:

I really should have washed the prow with devlan mud or something BEFORE the blotting and weathing powder though, oops.

Sorry for the poor quality images, I used my cell phone.

I don't know where to go from here now really.

**chaos0xomega**

Do to the rest of it hwat you did to the ram, it looks ace.

**CURNOW**

get a soft orange pencil and "highlihgt" the edges of plates then with a normal drawing pencil go over them again and this will give you chiped rusty edges.

the only thing i would of done slightly different is i would of directed the salt so that its around the bottom and the edges more . but its looking realy good.