Warming your paint

[Bullitt]

I know a lot of model builders warm their rattle cans before spraying their cars. Does anyone warm their airbrush paint (Createx etc.) before painting.

 

[High octane]

I don't know if sticking your air-brush in warm water would be a good idea.

[Miatatom]

I've tried it both ways, warmed or not. Some say it's supposed to make a difference. I can't tell myself. I'm starting to use Createx paints and don't warm them.

[Joe Handley]

If you do, be careful and don't let things get too hot! This wasn't even boiling water, just extra hot tap water in a foam cup!

[Pete J.]

The primary reasons for warming rattle cans is to increase the pressure, thin the paint to aid in flow out and to  speed off gassing.  With an air brush you can do the first two by adjusting your compressor and adding thinner to the paint.

  The last part is not necessary for a rather obscure reason.  Rattle can paint atomizes by having the propellent(a gas usually propane) dissolved in the paint so that when it exits the nozzle, the gas expands and atomizes it.  No matter what you do, some of the propellant will make it to the surface dissolved in the paint and can cause issues, like bubbles. Atomization in an airbrush happens because of high pressure air flowing turbulently around the tip of the nozzle and breaking the paint into tiny droplets, thus no dissolved air in the paint.  

By heating your paint, you may get a faster flash time, but it is hardly worth the effort. 

[John Pol]

I use a coffee cup warmer for my spray cans

[Ace-Garageguy]

Any of you real-car guys old enough to remember warming synthetic enamel just before shooting it?

[restoman]

2 hours ago, Ace-Garageguy said:

Any of you real-car guys old enough to remember warming synthetic enamel just before shooting it?

Yes. An old electric fry pan and an inch or two of water worked wonders, especially in the winter. 

Up till I retired from the booth, I would still warm single layer paint and clears in the electric pan, even in warmer months. It takes some getting used to, spraying heated paint, but once you're onto it...

We had a rep for a heated nitrogen air system in the shop before I left (can't remember the actual name of the system), but I thought it should work much the same as warmed paint product at a much higher price...  Of course, it would be much, much better for water-borne base, especially in humid SW Ontario summers.

Edited July 19, 2018 by restoman

[oldnslow]

I warm all  my rattle can paint on an old iron , set on low , held in a bench vice upside down . The paint gets warm to the touch and sprays more evenly and dries faster .

[Foxer]

My paint shop is in the basement which is 62 to 65 degrees all year long. A dehumidifier runs all year long too. The hot pan of water was my usual warm up for spray cans. Since getting a Dehydrators I warm the cans in there since it's more convenient than running upstairs for more hot water. ))

[gtx6970]

I use rattle cans exclusively and always warm the can in some hot tap water.

let it site there maybe 5 minutes  then spray away.

this is primers to clear., even rattle can duplicolor paints and primers

[espo]

Except for primers I always warm spray cans. I'm lucky enough to have a sink in the area that I have my spray booth and use warm tap water. I have only had one bad experience with a can expanding. The sink is near the hot water heater that is on the other side of the wall. I was warming a spray can to redo a license plate for a friend. I put the can into about two inches of water like always, but we got to talking and changed some of the masking on the plate. The paint can was in the water for at least 10 minutes when we heard an extremely load pop. The bottom of the can had popped out instead of in. Almost made a mark in the shorts it was that load. The spray worked great. The moral of the tail is to warm just enough but not to much. Two to three minutes should be about right.  

[Pete J.]

21 hours ago, Bullitt said:

I know a lot of model builders warm their rattle cans before spraying their cars. Does anyone warm their airbrush paint (Createx etc.) before painting.

 

Just noticed your location and realized that perhaps you do need to warm your airbrush paints.  Just guessing, but I would think that keeping them in the 25 to 30 degrees C would be ideal.  Also having what you are spraying at or near that temperature would also help the paint cure properly.  

[Joe Handley]

5 hours ago, espo said:

Except for primers I always warm spray cans. I'm lucky enough to have a sink in the area that I have my spray booth and use warm tap water. I have only had one bad experience with a can expanding. The sink is near the hot water heater that is on the other side of the wall. I was warming a spray can to redo a license plate for a friend. I put the can into about two inches of water like always, but we got to talking and changed some of the masking on the plate. The paint can was in the water for at least 10 minutes when we heard an extremely load pop. The bottom of the can had popped out instead of in. Almost made a mark in the shorts it was that load. The spray worked great. The moral of the tail is to warm just enough but not to much. Two to three minutes should be about right.  

At least it wasn't your hand like the in my pics!  I heard a "thunk" sound as the jumped in my had and next to my leg, looked down and saw that the bottom became an outtie, Think the side seam was also lined up with the palm of my hand too

[dustym]

I decant my paints, then put them in the dehydrator.

[Jon Haigwood]

When it is cold in my painting area I warm the rattle cans either on top of a radiator style space heater or in the dehydrator. I don't heat up Createx paints just mix and prep them in the house at room temp. Sometimes I will warm up the car bodies some before paint in colder temps.  I have had paint can nozzles clog up in colder temps.

Edited July 20, 2018 by Jon Haigwood