Just PERFECT just like you!   Nice build up at the lower base just like we see on bulldozers out there.  

Tell that lazy bum Gunny to clean it up real good or he will be sent back to the boot camp!

Bill and Gamera , good to read you guys like how the dirt came out .

Gamera , no hurry , i hope to be around here for a long time .

I have to agree with the guys, the dirt caked on the lower blade looks spot on- just like the bulldozers I see around.

I'll be sure to post the Stuart when I'm done, though at the rate I build it may be some time.

Agree with the others Carl, it's "just right" in terms of the amount of dirt/mud accumulation to make it look like it's in use but still preserves the detail of the finish and blade for visual admiration.

Hey guys thanks for the info and comments . This is what makes posting here rewarding .

Malone , good idea . their still in the neighborhood so i'll take some pics .

Steve , i cant do nasty as well as you my friend , your the king of Sherman nasty in my book ! 

Tread , Good idea on the collection of clay . This clay was from down deep , 5 to 6 ft. , and was a pale tan color . Thats the color of most of the clay around here . Hope the therapy is helping you my friend .

man o man who'd a thunk it.... dirt looks like dirt !!  AND,,,,,it looks really good !..... On the serious side, Shell it does look really good and I think Marc's idea of cooking it is pretty smart . Kills all the biology and super dries it.

Your blade looks very realistic now...not too much dirt , just enough

I have also heard that different colors of clay (which is already very ,very fine) can be used and also fine sediment from streams and such. After all , black is just ground carbon, You could create your own set of earth tone pigments from your own backyard as long as they are ground fine enough !  Great work man...I'm lovin' it !

gotta leave for therapy now...talk to ya later

tread

Aww man.... 

  ......that's just nasty.

         But just nasty enough.

                  Really

i've been able to get back on here and caught up with everything.  i'm still amazed man.  really incredible work. one thing tough. looking at your front yard i really hope you got some close ups of all of that equipment. first hand reference. especially since i see back on the road a similar blade.  plus all the running gear covered in mud.  just sayin...  man i gotta get sherman now... 

Here's my attempt at applying dirt to the blade ...........real dirt . I mixed a little white glue in the mud . After it was dry i touched it up with some chalks to correct the color .Not much dirt but i'm not pushing my luck ...besides i dont want to cover up to much of the detail of the metalic finish and dents .

Gamera ,thanks . I'd like to see your Stuart build . I hope you post it .  

wing_nut

hey Carl... coming in on this one way late but went back for a gander and all looks great.  

Dunno if you ever worked with real dirt before.  Nice thing about it is that it looks like dirt when you're done.  I baked mine at 500 for about 30 minutes to kill anything in it.  When you grind it... and use it... watch out for dust.  Dried dirt does not have the clumping characteristics of pigments so dust can get every where, lungs included.

Marc , i never gave a thought to baking my dirt .....makes sense though , what with all of the organic stuff in it .I'll do that on the remaining dirt i have , Thanks

Great work on the blade, love the dings and dents.

Love how the M4 turned out too, when I get around to painting my Stuart I'm going to have borrow some of your techniques.

Cliff

hey Carl... coming in on this one way late but went back for a gander and all looks great.  

Dunno if you ever worked with real dirt before.  Nice thing about it is that it looks like dirt when you're done.  I baked mine at 500 for about 30 minutes to kill anything in it.  When you grind it... and use it... watch out for dust.  Dried dirt does not have the clumping characteristics of pigments so dust can get every where, lungs included.

Steve , thanks for the comment I should get the blade on later today ..... no promises .

wbill76

Weathering looks good! As for washes lifting the metalizer, that will happen if the thinner is applied too aggressively and/or the metalizer hasn't cured. I use the non-buffing metalizers on a regular basis and the they will hold up to a wash application as long as you don't get aggressive with the brush strokes. Otherwise it will lift right up, so it takes a little practice to get the "feel" for just how much it can stand. I use this method all the time on my exhaust mufflers for example.

You can take that info to the bank!

Nice bladework Carl......verrry nice.

Bill , i appreciate the info .  Metalizer finishes are an area i have stayed away from , my experience there is limited .  I like the results here so i'll be using again .

Rob ,

I went out to where the road work is going on in front of my house and got a few clods of clay dirt . Their replacing the water main line and so the dirt is from about 6 ft down . Lots of clay down there . I'm going to use it for some weathering on this model . No , not the intact clod of clay .................i'll let i dry and grind it into a fine powder .

Weathering looks good! As for washes lifting the metalizer, that will happen if the thinner is applied too aggressively and/or the metalizer hasn't cured. I use the non-buffing metalizers on a regular basis and the they will hold up to a wash application as long as you don't get aggressive with the brush strokes. Otherwise it will lift right up, so it takes a little practice to get the "feel" for just how much it can stand. I use this method all the time on my exhaust mufflers for example.

I got an hr. in at the workbench and did some more weathering done on the blade . It was a wash of burnt umber oil , brown and black chalks and some MM non buff aluminum .

Rob , thanks for all of the info my friend . 

Maybe i didnt need to seal the metalizer b4 i applied the oil wash ? I was thinking the turp i used as a thinner for the oil wash would desolve the metalizer paint ............. i'm going to apply another coat of burnt umber wash  and  some dry brushing with non buff aluminum . Eventually i am going to stick some dirt on the blade .......maybe some of the wonderful clay soil i have in my new dirt pile .

The grand daughter wanted to stay an extra day so nothing done on the blade today .

Blade is looking REAL NICE   The colors look good to me and I would not go any shinier.  With the blade getting all banged up and pushing stuff around I would not think it would have a high shine to except on the knife edge and a few scratches here and there.  The rest would just have that metal look such as you have

I too really like the MM metalizers, Burnt Metal Buffing, Magnesium Buffing, and Burnt Iron Non-Buffing are my three favorites and probably in that order.  Like TREAD said, you just buff the wax right out to get the shine.  I just use a soft cloth, nothing fancy.  I also dry brush with these quite a bit, not what they were intended for but you can get some interesting results.  You probably did not achieve the high shine when you tried it because of the future.  I have found that these paints do not work with any type of sealer on top of them, you cant buff if it's sealed.  You can wash over them and you will still be able to buff but once again if you seal after the wash you will then flatten your shine.

I LIKE IT   Cant hardly wait to see it hooked up to the Sherman.

I was able to get a little time in at the bench this a.m. so i did a black oil paint wash on the blade and sealed it . Not done yet , this is not the end of the weathwering , but it is the end of the beggining of the weathering .............so now it begins .................what ?

treadwell

.... we haven't seen any pics of his VK45.02 yet........ just sayin'

tread

It's a comin' Gabby!

Andy , i like using the metalizer also . I need to get more of the metal shades though . I looked at my favorite toy/ sporting goods store and he's not carrying the MM metalizer now ............darn ! He carries other MM enamels still so thats good . I'd just as soon buy from him ............plus while i'm there i can look at the stock of firearms he carries . Its a great store , not many left like his store .

Bill , good to see you here and i'm glad to read you like the tools .

John , hey man ! Glad to see you here my ole friend .

Well ,i didnt get a dang thing accomplished on the dozer today .....its my grand daughters day to visit and i devote the entire day to her ......so maybe tommorow after she leaves i'll get to work on the DROPPING BLADE (fro Steve) again . Thanks guys , take care all .

Looking mighty fine Carl! 

Looking good Carl. I liked the tools both ways as well by the way.

Bet you Gunny smiled briefly when he first saw this.   Love those MM Metalizer paints as I have few and now I have to get MM Magnesium.  Its color looks better than Aluminum or Steel I have been using in the past.  

Tread .........Steve aint pushing me around , i preffer to call it  "motivating me " ...........CLANG !

Tools ok ? Thanks Tread .

I buffed the metalizer with a ball of cotton and didnt like my results . Maybe because the paint  is really old and has been half use for a long time . Might of used the wrong thinner also . So its wax in there that gives it the shine ?.................was wondering how that worked . I'll play around with the finish more . Maybe the base of the blade should have more of a shine .........

YEAH BABY !......here we go !

Tools look good Shell .... both ways ya had 'em

Those metalizer paints can be polished to a pretty high luster.. I love them..they have a wax substance built in and ya can just lightly rub them with a piece of felt or micro fiber rag or anything soft....

and don't let Steve push ya.... we haven't seen any pics of his VK45.02 yet........ just sayin'

tread

 Clang!