Humbrol Acrylic spray paint ?

[Goodwrench3]

Have any of you used this ?  If so, how does it compare to Model Master or Tamiya lacquer and enamel spray paint ?

I'm asking because in the winter time, my wife just can't tolerate the paint fumes in the basement.  Even though I have an Artograph paint booth (but it's not vented to the outside), the remaining fumes are too much for her.  I really don't want to not do any models in the cold Wisconsin winters, but I have to find a "plan B".

Thanks

 

[Dave G.]

How about getting a hose and venting your booth outside ? Acrylics come with a learning curve, you can get good results but I would say acrylic, lacquer and enamel each have their own look. I have not used Humbrol acrylic sprays though. Just seems to me your logical step is to vent your booth and spray what ever you like using.

 

[Goodwrench3]

3 hours ago, Dave G. said:

How about getting a hose and venting your booth outside ? Acrylics come with a learning curve, you can get good results but I would say acrylic, lacquer and enamel each have their own look. I have not used Humbrol acrylic sprays though. Just seems to me your logical step is to vent your booth and spray what ever you like using.

 

Yeah --  I've been toying with the idea of getting someone to come in and bore another hole in the house to route the vent tubes to the outside.  

I guess I'm just concerned that even that won't be enough -- if there's even a whif of paint fumes it will be a problem.

Thanks

 

[Dave G.]

There will be a whiff of paint fumes, you know how solvent paints are/ unless you do everything in that vented booth just opening jars or a body drying is going to out gas.. Dicarding paper towels with paint on them give off odor. But it won't be any worse than her painting her nails. Does she have a problem with that too or is it just your hobby in general ? Allergies maybe ?

Edited January 13, 2019 by Dave G.

[Goodwrench3]

LOL..  she doesn't paint her nails either.  It's just that since having 2 surgeries on her sinuses, she's ultra sensitive now.

As a test, I tried spraying a couple of parts with the Humbrol acrylic spray primer this afternoon -- she came down in the basement (doing laundry) and she said it was MUCH better and said she could try that for a while.

I'll still get the paint booth vented to the outside.  I've also seen special furnace filters that are supposed to be better about trapping more of the paint fumes so that they aren't sucked in and distributed through the house that way.

Thx

 

[Dave G.]

Absolutely, the better filters work, more money of course. Same in your booth fwiw, course if you vent outside that won't matter.

You can do a nice job with acrylics. Any thoughts on an airbrush ? And I've found with acrylics you use the color as a base coat and then the clear is the gold mine so to speak, that;s where you build the finish and polish etc. The clear is also a protective coat. How did the Humbrol turn out ?

Prayers for your wife that the sensitivity is something that becomes more stable, paint or no paint.

[Goodwrench3]

Yes, I've thought about an air brush too.  I've never tried one and have heard they are really hard to get the hang of -- i.e. the right air pressure, thinning the paint correctly, etc. etc.  I've seen really nice finishes with them and I've seen others that look like sandpaper.

This item took my eye as it includes an Iwata air brush, acrylic paints,  and an instruction book to hopefully teach how to use it and get good results instead of "trial and error" -- not sure how good it is:

https://kalmbachhobbystore.com/product/modelers-tool-box/85043

Thanks

[Dave G.]

Kalmbach is usually pretty good, they put together a nice kit there by the looks of it and we know their publications are good. I think the Neo Airbrush they put in that kit has something on the order of a .30 or .35 needle/nozzle combo. To me this is on the small limit for acrylic paint, I like a bit larger needle because some paints may come pre thinned and often state a needle size generally over .40. Badger Airbrush primer for instance I'm pretty sure is suggested to use a .50 or larger. However that just means you thin a bit more and put down a few more coats. A lot of people use that Neo and love it.

If the paint you use is or If you thin what ever paint you use to the consistency of milk, and more specifically 2% milk, it will always atomize and spray down pretty evenly with what ever airbrush you get. Acrylic air pressure you will be good between 25 and 30 lb or so at that consistency as a good starting point. I would hope the kit would address the products and parts in the kit and best settings to start out with..

Edit: You will need an air compressor.

Edited January 14, 2019 by Dave G.
Added information

[NOBLNG]

The thing about an airbrush (compared to spray bombs) is that there is a lot less paint used, less overspray and fewer paint particles to get circulated around the house. That said, laquer or enamel paints will still irritate your wife. My wife is very sensitive to chemical smells also, so I do all my spraying out in the garage. She even notices the small bit of brush cleaner (mineral spirits) I use indoors.  I have an Iwata Eclipse which I believe is similar to the Neo. It does a very nice job, but is a pain to clean thoroughly. FWIW, I recently bought a Paasche H and find it a lot easier to use and to clean.

Good Luck!

Edited January 14, 2019 by NOBLNG

[Dave G.]

21 minutes ago, NOBLNG said:

The thing about an airbrush is that there is a lot less paint used, less overspray and fewer paint particles to get circulated around the house. That said, laquer or enamel paints will still irritate your wife. My wife is very sensitive to chemical smells also, so I do all my spraying out in the garage. She even notices the small bit of brush cleaner (mineral spirits) I use indoors.  I have an Iwata Eclipse which I believe is similar to the Neo. It does a very nice job, but is a pain to clean thoroughly. FWIW, I recently bought a Paasche H and find it a lot easier to use and to clean.

Good Luck!

Yes, this actually was why I asked if Goodwrench had an interest in airbrushing, far less and also finer particles. He still probably should run with acrylic where his wife has the sinus problems. At least no fumes. You bring up a good point about cleaning, and too, with acrylic paints it's all the more important because they dry quick in the brush and hard to break down that residue.

The Paasche H is a good dependable airbrush for auto models especially. It's a simple functional design and if you bugger something up there aren't many parts and they are inexpensive. I have one myself but really prefer my Badger old school single action 200, it's more than 40 years old now still going. But a Paasche H would give that long term service too. The badger atomizes the paint a little finer being internal mix.. I like the Passche for clear coat sometimes and higher volume jobs like my wifes ceramics where I might clear 25 or 30 pieces in a sitting with Liquitex satin varnish.

Edited January 14, 2019 by Dave G.

[Goodwrench3]

1 hour ago, Dave G. said:

Kalmbach is usually pretty good, they put together a nice kit there by the looks of it and we know their publications are good. I think the Neo Airbrush they put in that kit has something on the order of a .30 or .35 needle/nozzle combo. To me this is on the small limit for acrylic paint, I like a bit larger needle because some paints may come pre thinned and often state a needle size generally over .40. Badger Airbrush primer for instance I'm pretty sure is suggested to use a .50 or larger. However that just means you thin a bit more and put down a few more coats. A lot of people use that Neo and love it.

If the paint you use is or If you thin what ever paint you use to the consistency of milk, and more specifically 2% milk, it will always atomize and spray down pretty evenly with what ever airbrush you get. Acrylic air pressure you will be good between 25 and 30 lb or so at that consistency as a good starting point. I would hope the kit would address the products and parts in the kit and best settings to start out with..

Edit: You will need an air compressor.

Yep -- I know I need a compressor. 

Any recommendation as to which one ?   I know of several guys that use the Harbor Freight one that is not very expensive.  But really, I'm not concerned about cost -- I want one that works well.

Thanks

 

[Dave G.]

A lot of people like the California Air Tools one, it's quiet not too pricey. The one I'm thinking of is around $108 and has the on board air tank, available at Amazon .Also direct from CAT.

[Dave G.]

Hah, I use a Husky 8 gal compressor. I have it for light car repairs and running my lvlp spray guns and also nail guns. Noisy as all get out ! But I can air it up and proceed to paint a whole model with an airbrush before it needs air again, air it up and good to go when ever. I want to plumb my basement for air too because I do wood turning down there and need a blast of air in my hollow forms.

Some folks are liking the quiet series Cambel Hausfield they sell at Walmart but I think it more money than the CAT.

[Goodwrench3]

Thanks !    Hopefully Amazon will ship it free with Prime  :-)

The picture above doesn't show a water trap in line ??

 

[Dave G.]

That compressor is Amazons choice , it's not on prime but has free shipping anyway.  Really the water trap should be away from the compressor anyway to give air time to recondense or the water in the air I should say. I have a trap to use  attached to the side of my booth, it's a Point Zero that I got from Amazon for I think $10. But I have such a large volume of air to tap into that I don't get water in my line, the tank on the compressor might so I just drain it there. That Point Zero trap is well made fwiw.

If you're going to Amazon anyway, look around you might find one with a water trap on it but that isn't how I would plumb mine.

Edited January 14, 2019 by Dave G.

[Dave G.]

You might entertain the thought of this one also at Amazon.  

Edited January 14, 2019 by Dave G.

[Goodwrench3]

1 minute ago, Dave G. said:

You might entertain the thought of this one also at Amazon. 

 

Which one ?

 

[Dave G.]

21 minutes ago, Goodwrench3 said:

 

Which one ?

 

REload the page the photo was slow loading, it's the next post up from the one you quoted and I don't want it to show up again if I paste it over again. It's a Point Zero with tank and water trap for $98. And it on Prime.

Edited January 14, 2019 by Dave G.

[Goodwrench3]

Got it.  Thx.

Looks like that's the whole enchilada then... boat, motor, and trailer  ;-)

 

[Dave G.]

Just now, Goodwrench3 said:

Got it.  Thx.

Looks like that's the whole enchilada then... boat, motor, and trailer  ;-)

 

Read the reviews.

[Dave G.]

FWIW all of Donn Yost's award winning models were painted with a Paasche H and either a #3 needle or #5. those are heavy needs and nozzles,  .7 and up. Just sayin. This kit is $57 at Amazon. I'm not hinting just showing it.

[Goodwrench3]

I understand.  And I appreciate your time.

I would think a single action would be easier as a first-timer than a dual action (I.e. the Iwata NEO), but maybe not.  I dunno.

As I said, I was looking at that Kalmbach kit more as a "tutorial" to help me get started (i.e. what pressure to use, how to thin the acrylic paint, etc.).  Maybe I'm hoping for too much in that Kalmbach kit.

 

[Kit Basher]

1 minute ago, Goodwrench3 said:

 

I would think a single action would be easier as a first-timer than a dual action (I.e. the Iwata NEO), but maybe not.  I dunno.

 

 

I'm also new to water based paint. I'm experimenting with Auto Air and Createx. There's a lot to learn but it looks like a lot of potential. Single action is definitely easier, but there is one advantage to double action: you can spray paint, then close off the paint and just blow air to dry it. Speeds things up a lot.

[Dave G.]

6 minutes ago, Goodwrench3 said:

I understand.  And I appreciate your time.

I would think a single action would be easier as a first-timer than a dual action (I.e. the Iwata NEO), but maybe not.  I dunno.

As I said, I was looking at that Kalmbach kit more as a "tutorial" to help me get started (i.e. what pressure to use, how to thin the acrylic paint, etc.).  Maybe I'm hoping for too much in that Kalmbach kit.

 

A lot of people use the Neo. My understanding of it is that airbrush is Neo for Iwata. It's not truly Iwata but Iwata designed and again my understand and I could be wrong, is that it has the one needle set. I did confirm it comes with a .35 needle. It will work with acrylic paints ( I've shot acrylic with a .25 needle but for washes) but it will be fussier on thinning ratio and clog easier than one with a bigger needle. Again lean towards that 2% milk consistency.  did you know that the Neo was designed for fine detail work and entry level ? You certainly could use it as a detail gun vs changing nozzles on another airbrush, just grab the Neo. Meanwhile I'm sure you want to paint car bodies, you're going to enjoy more flow for that work imo. and it is exactly that, my opinion. I'm not here to knock anyones Neo, I know for a fact some folks spray bodies with one but they do it with many mist coats from what I've seen in their videos.

Something nice about dual action is you can yank back on the valve and help clear the nozzle as well as control paint flow on the fly.. On single action you have to screw it in and out vs lever action. It doesn't take long to get the feel of double action, in 1/1 I painted full flow, that is I pulled all the way back. But could dust in an area with partial open valve too. Also the H has limited control over flow by screwing the nozzle. My Badger ( or any internal mix brush) 200 has way more control over paint flow but it is by screwing in and out. I just think you will be happiest with something you can change the needle and nozzle on to more than .35 is all. Single vs double action is a concept change, you can get used to either or or both..

[Goodwrench3]

Thanks Dave.

Yes -- my primary goal is painting 1/24 and 1/25 car and semi truck bodies and trailers.

However, there are cases where I'd be spraying smaller areas and I can see where having two airbrushes ready to go -- one for each purpose --  would be nice.

I wasn't aware of the difference in adjustability between the Paasche and Badger, though.