AB issues,, still a struggle

[fiatboy]

I too have given up on laquers because of the (inevitable?) orange peel.  Acrylics thinned with acetone works very well for me.  I have a Paasche H and use the medium tip.  Viscosity is almost everything to me.

[Michael jones]

Mr Levelling thinner solves any orange peel issues with lacquer in every circumstance I have found. it is simply the paint drying too fast even in mid air. I rarely use acrylics through the air brush because the result is too soft to work with once finished - easily damaged. Almost like rubber.

[peteski]

Orange peel is cause by the solvent evaporating too quickly not giving the paint chance to flow and level out on the painted surface. I'm surprised that acetone works well for you. Not only it is a "hot" solvent which will attach styrene, it also evaporates very quickly. That is a recipe for orange peel. The solvents designed for specific enamels or lacquers are a blend of solvents which have slower evaporation rate.  That is doen to prevent orange peel and to allow the paint to level out.

 

In the 1:1 car world, thinners are called "reducers". They can actually be purchased in different temperature grades: Hot, medium, or cold. Those designate in which ambient temperature they are to be used. Each has a different blend of various solvents which determine the evaporation rate.  The hot solvent has the slowest evaporation rate. It is used when the ambient temperature is hot.  Cold reducer is for use in cold ambient temperatures and it evaporates fast. The combination of the ambient temperature and the appropriate solvent results in optimal results.