Yeah, I was wondering the same?
Please enlighten us, O wise one… 
Yep! I think I used the last of mine up on my King Tiger build.
Ken
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@barkingdigger and @flatfour :
The M10 didn’t have a conventional rotating turret floor / basket, so the electrical connections for turret mounted equipment (mostly the interphone) were carried through a cable that was attached to a slip-ring box in the center of the stationary floor. The cable was connected to the turret at a point under the main gun near the turret ring.
In the model, this cable just disappears into an area that can’t be seen, so no need to actually attach it to the turret. This arrangement was similar to a number of Soviet tanks that didn’t have regular turret baskets. The Soviets generally used a metal tube conduit to carry the cable between the floor mounted slip ring box and the turret. (This pipe was also often used to carry the gunner’s seat to rotate with the turret.) However, my research for the M10 showed just a flexible cable. It did have a woven wire sheath around it, though, so it was presumably pretty darned tough.
@Spitfire : It can help to think about the exterior finishing process in a similar way to building a kit with a full interior. You just have to paint and finish as you do the construction. Transfer that process idea to the exterior. “Weathering” finish steps are just using different colors with an appreciation that much of the final finish is the visual combination of a number of semi-transparent layers built one upon another. This includes 3D effects (like built up soil, turf or splashed up mud), as well as washes, filters (the very definition of such semi-transparent layers), forced shadows and highlights (color modulation techniques whether done by airbrush or hand brushed), chipping (either by brush or using release agents like hairspray), etc.
Opaque color layers might be incorporated while using masking (reverse as well as positive techniques), and initial opaque earth and factory base colors can be blended into each other bottom to top or top down to bottom. In other words, why paint the entire tank, say OD green, only to go back and repaint the lower hull, bottom and suspension in earth tones when you could just paint them “dirty” to start with?
The sequence of application is driven by decisions making the job easy and efficient as well as what layer(s) should be visible on top.
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And here I thought there was no electricity in the M10 turret - you live and learn!
I do the same thing Mime. I usually get done paint on the lower hull and running gear right after those assemblies are completed to get some weathering on them. I paint the road wheels at this stage too and sometimes will start to do washes on them.
There are lots of excellent suggestions already posted which I think highlights there are actually a variety of different methods to achieve weathering that are equally effective.
I’ve found that which method, depends on what I’m trying to achieve and also my level of ability. I like mixing and matching because it seems to build up to a more convincing finish that just one method.
I don’t believe I have mastered (in fact I know I haven’t) any one particular medium, so use them for different things according to my current skill level.
I like enamels for streaking effects and rain marks, although can’t yet seem to use effectively for dirt deposits without faint tide marks.
I also like pigments for dust, but have also found acrylic washes good for dust deposits as I can build up in subtle layers.
Acrylic textured paints are good for mud, but I find a bit tricky to use for more subtle weathering. Heavy mud all the way with these so far!
I really like oils, particularly for pin washes and dirt and dust deposits, but have yet to effectively master dot filters.
As mentioned before and very ably demonstrated by @Armorsmith airbrushing dust is very effective. I’ve found ammo shaders also useful for this as can again be built up subtly, but have added advantage of being removable with water if I muck up (pun intended!).
I think your KV-1 is excellent as it currently is and whilst sometimes I feel the need to keep adding more an more, have settled on finishing at the point I’m happy rather than where I feel I should have to get to. As @SdAufKla has suggested I’m probably going to plan my next build from the beginning to include weathering, maybe trying to replicate specific weathering from a source photo.
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This thread is a really good demo of the variety of weathering methods used to achieve (almost) the same result. Sorry Mead we’ve hijacked your build somewhat but you did ask a hot question! I couldn’t agree more that it’s a good idea to have the final result in mind, even before buying a kit. Each to their own, but for me it starts with an overall diorama concept which dictates everything from what it’ll be populated with to what degree of weathering’s required.
Of course none of that applies if you’re just building individual stand-alone kits, where you have far more leeway to make it up as you go along and – horror of horrors – change your mind. Hmm I really must try that sometime…
One thing I think we who like to use pastels/chalks for additional weathering all forgot to mention. Before applying the dust (typically with a soft brush) it’s essential to use a very fine sandpaper (800 or 1000) gently over all areas, it gives the powder something to grip. Otherwise, it either mostly falls off or can leave weird streaking where streaking’s not required.
Whatever I really like the subtle variations you’ve got on your KV-1 too – and (broken record warning) it would be good to see what it looks like in daylight 
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No worries happy to have a thread hi jacked with interesting dialogue!
Good tip on the pigments! Thanks, I appreciate it! I plan to take a daylight photo soon! We had multiple tornado warning and one touch down today. And have been socked in lately with rain. I’ll probably get a pic in on Thursday that I will post here
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No worries, and my apologies - it’s easy to forget living here (upside down, with the hot summer sun blazing thru the windows right now) that it can be challenging for all you guys in the frozen northern hemisphere to take some daylight photos.
That’s actually something else I don’t recall being mentioned. While I always take a model outside frequently to check what it looks like during painting (and despite having “daylight” globes at my work-bench) I sometimes ask myself what’s the point? The finished model’s going to end up in a cabinet indoors where the ambient light usually tends to be tinged yellow-ish. Maybe I’m unusual because for me the final product is typically the daylight diorama photos, rather than what ends up in the cabinet.
PS another afterthought - the best thing about using pastels/chalks is that if it looks crap, it can just be removed with a damp brush & try again.
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Probably you need more practice… You have to try different methods, or the same method several times until you find your style. See what went wrong and why, make it different next time. Build fast so you don’t forget between models what you learned. Sometimes if your model is varnished you may even be able to correct oils & pigments on the same model, almost removing them completely.
Go ahead and experiment, do not be afraid to fail because it is part of the process!