Delta Ceramacoat paints

[Bullitt]

I bought a bottle of Delta ceramacoat acrylic "Denim" to do the interior of the car I am currently working on. I can't seem to get the mixture correct for my airbrush, it's either too thin and runs off, or is too thick & just loads up on the seats. I am wondering if there is a standard mix ratio of paint to water, or is it still try till you get it right?

[fseva]

I bought a bottle of Delta ceramacoat acrylic "Denim" to do the interior of the car I am currently working on. I can't seem to get the mixture correct for my airbrush, it's either too thin and runs off, or is too thick & just loads up on the seats. I am wondering if there is a standard mix ratio of paint to water, or is it still try till you get it right?

You'd be better off brushing it by hand. This was one of my most difficult tasks when I was working with acrylics. Some of them are so thick, and when you thinned them drastically, they either just beaded up or ran off the surface. If you still must use your airbrush, buy some "airbrush medium". This is a reducer for all acrylics, and it does a much better job than just water. My fav is by Liquitex. I have also used one by Jo Sonja, which is very good. Even then, there is no standard ratio for thinning. So, do some experimenting with different ratios until you come up with one that works in your airbrush. Then, apply light coats and let the surface dry. Or use a hair dryer to speed up the process, before recoating.

[Bullitt]

Thanks

[426-Hemi]

The "craft" paints to me are nothing more then a headache! I myself, go Acrylic enamel or REAL enamel, or Lacquer (Larquer being my utmost favorite to use!)

Craft paint, to me has a use, and thats weathering IF ANY is needed as it can be sealed with a good enamel clear or Lacquer clear cote. Testors is my #1 brand of paint, ANY one of their lines, as they have a few different ones including Acrylic enamels!

But Franks right, you'd be better off brushing it on by hand and not spraying. That "thinned" stuff, toss right in the trash! DO NOT thin the stuff your going to hand brush! It will ruin the remaining paint! As if hand brushed on, thinned acrylics almost do the same thing as it did being sprayed! (Most times, NEVER covers well at all after being thinned)

[Art Anderson]

A bit of background is in order here: Delta Ceramcoat, as with any of the other brands of water-borne acrylic paints (even the old, formerly available Poly 'S' paints) is the same basic paint formula as the latex paint you might paint your living room walls & ceiling with.  That paint is waterborne of course, and doesn't bead up on porous surfaces, or an impervious surface that has a dull finish already applied to it--just as water alone won't do that either.

I have used this sort of paint in the past on plastic, and have had the exact same problem you describe.  I found that two things will make it work, stick to where you want it, and if airbrushed, eliminate the "beading up":   One is to use an enamel or lacquer primer on the raw styrene surface, and the other is to use ordinary Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol as the thinner/reducer for airbrushing.  Of the two, while rubbing alcohol will break the surface tension of the water in that paint to the point that it will spray and flow out, it does little, if anything, for adhesion, while a thin coat of lacquer primer airbrushed on, will allow the acrylic paint to flow out AND gives great adhesion as well.

Art

Edited December 17, 2015 by Art Anderson

[fseva]

One is to use an enamel or lacquer primer on the raw styrene surface, and the other is to use ordinary Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol as the thinner/reducer for airbrushing.  Of the two, while rubbing alcohol will break the surface tension of the water in that paint to the point that it will spray and flow out, it does little, if anything, for adhesion, while a thin coat of lacquer primer airbrushed on, will allow the acrylic paint to flow out AND gives great adhesion as well.

It's a shame that those eco-conscious hobbyists who want to use acrylics would have to resort to using a toxic primer! Personally, I would recommend they go with a paint that is already formulated for airbrushing... like Aztek Airbrushables.

[StevenGuthmiller]

I agree with everyone else.

There are acrylics out there formulated for models & airbrushing.

Ceramcoat paints work nicely for fine detailing, but I would never even contemplate painting a kit body with them.

 

Steve

[Bullitt]

Okee dokee

[HGLOVAL]

I use craft acrylics all the time for auto interiors, gundams, etc.  The cost for a 8 oz. bottle of black is cheap and used a lot for chassis.  I thin them 50/50 with blue washer solvent for the car and airbrush with a Paasche single action with a #3 tip..  Use only the BLUE SOLVENT!!!  You can use Delta Ceramcoat Satin Polyurethane to give it a sheen.  You can also use Liquitex as stated before for thinning or adding gloss or satin.  The craft paints now are offered in a multi-surface formula.  Once the are completely dried they can be gloss coated with Future, Testors Gloss, or Tamiya Gloss.  You can thin down the Delta Satin with a 50/50 water mix and airbrush it on also.

[Deathgoblin]

I use craft acrylics all the time on my models.  I still use lacquer primer as a base coat before the paint, otherwise it wont stick.  You also have to watch how much you thin them, even with primer.  Someone once mentioned using Windex as a thinner for that sort of paint.