Airbrushing question

[Tom T]

I'm new to the board so hello! After 30 years of modeling, I'm finally getting into airbrushing (or trying to). So far, I've painted about five projects using a double-action Aztek but each time I get the same result. Every paint job comes out with a very fine, grainy finish simular to a Tamiya primer. I've tried different nozzles, paint/thinner ratios, air pressure and so on with the same result. The only thing I can think of is that I've used only Tamiya paints so far. Any suggestions? Thanks. Tom

[crazyjim]

Get Donn Yost's painting DVD and your problem will disappear.

[Matt Bacon]

That sounds like it's drying before it hits the surface. What are you thinning it with? Tamiya paints don't need thinning very much, but I've heard people use all KINDS of different things. I would use Tamiya thinner, IPA, or Screen Wash, and I would get some "Acrylic Flow Enhancer" from your local art shop and put a drop (literally) in your mix. Make sure it's thoroughly mixed before spraying. Don't use too high a pressure, either. I don't know what settings to recommend for an Aztec. There's no point in talking about "PSI" - it's all to do with the air flow rate through the brush. I have a Badger 150 and an Iwata Eclipse, and "40psi" is barely getting started with the Badger, but it's a hurricane through the Iwata. Tweak the settings upwards, slowly... you want just enough pressure to stop "speckling", but not much more. Basically, don't try to master your paint/airbrush combination on a model! Get some primer (I use bumper (plastic) primer from the local auto shop - Halfords in the UK) and spray some plastic soda bottles and let them dry. These are your "mules". Then, set aside an hour, and mix some paint and thinner and flow enhancer - when they say "like milk" what they mean is if you swirl it round in the jar, it coats the sides before it runs downwards. Then, do some practice. Try different pressures, more or less paint flow, closer or further from the surface. Basically, the big thing to remember is that an airbrush is NOT a "spray gun" You don't just hold it a foot from the surface and move it backwards and forwards at maximum pressure. If you get the pressure right, you can hold it an inch from the surface, with a very low paint flow, and "colour in" a part that's a few MM square. An airbrush is able to do everything from an "0" fine point brush to a 1" wide flat brush, all in one tool - that's why they're so expensive. Aztecs have lots of tips, but I suspect you probably only ever use one or two - I work most of the time with a 0.5mm nozzle and needle on my Iwata, and VERY occasionally switch to a 0.35mm and "crown cap" combination for very close detail work, and that's with enamels and acrylics and several different kinds of thinner.

So, if I had two recommendations:

1) Remember it's a brush, not a spray gun

2) Practice, practice, practice on something that's not a model...

Good luck!

bestest,

M.

[Rat Fink]

Tom I have an Aztek also... it took some getting used to but I really like the easy clean up and ease of use. it's really user friendly. That said, I get orange peel with mine under 2 conditions, one is the paint isn't thinned enough and the other is ambient temperature (best sprayed between 65 and 80 degrees). An acrylic flow agent like the one mentioned by Mr. Bacon is a good idea also. The pressure I spray at is around 30lbs. As far as spraying Tamiya paints, the same above will apply to those, proper thinning and temp. Hope this helps!

Oh and you will want to use the white 50mm tip when spraying bodies.

Edited March 27, 2010 by Rat Fink

[Tom T]

Thanks gents. I'll look into both of your suggestions. You're right, I should find my groove before using it on a project but you know how it is with modelers. You get a paint station up and running and all you want to do is dive in. At the moment, my primary reason for using an airbrush is to mix specific color shades that aren't available in spray cans. Still, I have a bin full of rattlecans I really need to use up so I'll shelf my I'll-pull-it-off-this-time work ethic and make some sacrificial lambs out of a few boneyard bodies I have.

[Smart-Resins]

You can also use micro mesh to polish out the paint, then use future on it! To polish out the future, use a cotten T and some water. Turns out great! Jody

[SteelyEd]

Any like crazyjim get Donn Yost's DVD, he'll show you how's done.

Ed