US M1A1 Anti Tank Mine

[ekim199944]

I needed a MIA1 mine for a display I was preparing and could only come up with a practice mine. So I decided to change its looks to what an actual mine looked like.
I drilled a hole in the top for the filler plug to go in, then I used Auto Body Putty to fill in the four holes that are on the top of a practice mine. I then put in the filler plug and repainted the mine. I hand cut the stencil for "ANTI-TANK MINE M1A1". I then set type for the "Lot Number Information, and had a rubber stamp made. I will dull down the black for this type as it seems too black. Finally I painted the bottom and 3/4" of the side in yellow, as per my Army TM manual. I think it turned out well. I would like to age it a bit, but I am not sure how I will do it right now.

 

[Slick]

Nice work!

 

[917601]

I needed a MIA1 mine for a display I was preparing and could only come up with a practice mine. So I decided to change its looks to what an actual mine looked like.
I drilled a hole in the top for the filler plug to go in, then I used Auto Body Putty to fill in the four holes that are on the top of a practice mine. I then put in the filler plug and repainted the mine. I hand cut the stencil for "ANTI-TANK MINE M1A1". I then set type for the "Lot Number Information, and had a rubber stamp made. I will dull down the black for this type as it seems too black. Finally I painted the bottom and 3/4" of the side in yellow, as per my Army TM manual. I think it turned out well. I would like to age it a bit, but I am not sure how I will do it right now.

I have experience at " aging". Required material: steel wool pads, scothbright red and white pads, Elmers glue sticks.
Process:

Take a fine steel wool pad and a container big enough to cover half the steel wool pad in water. Put steel wool in water for a few days until it disintegrates into a rust ball. The water will evaporate, keep process going until little is left of the steel. Dry out in sun, you should now have a few tablespoons of fine powdered rust.

Next, use the red scotchbrite pad and lightly rub down the finish, especially the high spots and edges. That will " age " the paint, go easy, to much will rub off to much of the paint. To heavy a rub will leave scratch marks.

Lastly, sprinkle the rust powder on the fine scotchbrite pad and painted work and rub into, onto the painted finish. Rubbing harder " stains" the paint, take the Elmers glue stick and apply to cracks, scratches, dust the rust into it, rub with the white polish pad. Any areas where the paint has rubbed off and is shiny steel, blot on some cold gun bluing, it will turn the steel blackish. I will post pictures of some of my work later....

 

[ekim199944]

Thanks for the advice, will look forward to some pictures.