Brushing prices, my stuff looks bad

[Dave G.]

For me the picture never came in. But spitting paint is generally too thick a paint for the needle size or/and too low a pressure. How much did you thin the paint and what pressure did you use ? In another message I mentioned both criteria at least that I use for Testors enamels.

[jaymcminn]

18 hours ago, Milo said:

Are the bumps a result of bad airbrush or not thinned enough?

It could also be the way I was brushing, I had to hold the airbrush relatively close because it shoots with such low power.

The airbrush was shooting globs of paint, not even spray like it should.

Also, can I wet sand it to improve looks? or should I just give up and have a bumpy car?

Your pic isn't showing up but your description definitely sounds like your paint is too thick. If you're trying to use unthinned Testors enamels that would do it. Wet sanding will only go so far. Strip your paint and start over. Buy a pack of plastic spoons and practice on those until you get the hang of airbrushing and the correct thinner/paint ratio. Lots of threads on here about airbrushing you can read to get some ideas.

[Milo]

48 minutes ago, jaymcminn said:

Your pic isn't showing up but your description definitely sounds like your paint is too thick. If you're trying to use unthinned Testors enamels that would do it. Wet sanding will only go so far. Strip your paint and start over. Buy a pack of plastic spoons and practice on those until you get the hang of airbrushing and the correct thinner/paint ratio. Lots of threads on here about airbrushing you can read to get some ideas.

How do I strip the paint?

[Bainford]

2 hours ago, Milo said:

How do I strip the paint?

 

[Milo]

4 minutes ago, Bainford said:

 

thanks, I just put thinner on my brush and wiped it all away

[slusher]

I spray everything I can!

[Milo]

I can wet sand this texture out right?

[Dpate]

This thread is getting no where fast

[NOBLNG]

39 minutes ago, Milo said:

I can wet sand this texture out right?

Your pictures are not coming through. You are obviously fairly new at this hobby so I have two pieces of advice. 1) Search You Tube for videos on using the type of paint you want to use, and….2) Practice on plastic spoons or cups until you feel confident enough to try it on a model.

[Milo]

10 minutes ago, NOBLNG said:

Your pictures are not coming through. You are obviously fairly new at this hobby so I have two pieces of advice. 1) Search You Tube for videos on using the type of paint you want to use, and….2) Practice on plastic spoons or cups until you feel confident enough to try it on a model.

 

[Milo]

So I watched some tutorials on wet sanding, and they said to sand one way and sand the opposite way, but it had it with 6 different sheets, and I believe they were all the same grit. Is there a reason not to reuse a sandpaper?

[Bainford]

The six sheets were probably successively finer grits. A common method when colour sanding is to sand in one direction with one grit, then in the cross direction with the next finer grit, and so on. It is the best way to erase the fine scratches left behind by the coarser grits, though often the body contours and features dictate the direction of sanding.

However, if you are working on the hood in the photo above, it can't be saved with colour sanding. I'd strip it and start over.

[LL3 Model Worx]

On 12/28/2022 at 5:35 PM, Milo said:

Are the bumps a result of bad airbrush or not thinned enough?

It could also be the way I was brushing, I had to hold the airbrush relatively close because it shoots with such low power.

The airbrush was shooting globs of paint, not even spray like it should.

Also, can I wet sand it to improve looks? or should I just give up and have a bumpy car?

I can't load this picture, but if you shot it with the same testors enamel you were hand painting with, you can absolutely wet sand it smooth, hopefully you have enough coats to get it flat then buff it back up.

If you are seeing bumps in the paint, its either not thin enough, your spray tip is too small, psi too low or spray distance is too far or any combination of the above.

What exactly are you spraying and what are you spraying it with?

I'm happy to help, just have to know what you are working with.

 

[Milo]

4 hours ago, LL3 Model Worx said:

I can't load this picture, but if you shot it with the same testors enamel you were hand painting with, you can absolutely wet sand it smooth, hopefully you have enough coats to get it flat then buff it back up.

If you are seeing bumps in the paint, its either not thin enough, your spray tip is too small, psi too low or spray distance is too far or any combination of the above.

What exactly are you spraying and what are you spraying it with?

I'm happy to help, just have to know what you are working with.

 

thanks, this woulda been helpful earlier tho

I had been advised to strip it and paint it again, I brushed it again with unthinned testors enamel paint (just the usual 2 oz bottle). It came with a result of this (I hope this time I loads):

It has a very thick coat, and as you should be able to see, the light reflection is all messed up. I'm also worried because of the thickness it won't fit on the model.

but anyway, is this still recoverable by wet sanding, or should I restart? or should I just cry about it

[LL3 Model Worx]

1 hour ago, Milo said:

thanks, this woulda been helpful earlier tho

I had been advised to strip it and paint it again, I brushed it again with unthinned testors enamel paint (just the usual 2 oz bottle). It came with a result of this (I hope this time I loads):

It has a very thick coat, and as you should be able to see, the light reflection is all messed up. I'm also worried because of the thickness it won't fit on the model.

but anyway, is this still recoverable by wet sanding, or should I restart? or should I just cry about it

Strip it ans start over would be my suggestion. 

Perhaps use a spray can? 🤔 instead of using the paint brush.

Is there a specific reason why you are brush painting body panels?

[Milo]

1 hour ago, LL3 Model Worx said:

Strip it ans start over would be my suggestion. 

Perhaps use a spray can? 🤔 instead of using the paint brush.

Is there a specific reason why you are brush painting body panels?

because my airbrush sucks

it was like a 40 dollar thing, and it connects right to the testors bottle

It's embarrassing lol

[LL3 Model Worx]

1 hour ago, Milo said:

because my airbrush sucks

it was like a 40 dollar thing, and it connects right to the testors bottle

It's embarrassing lol

I'm gonna guess you are talking about the Aztek?

Good results can be had from it.

Are you using a compressor/ or one of the cans of propellant?

[Milo]

7 minutes ago, LL3 Model Worx said:

I'm gonna guess you are talking about the Aztek?

Good results can be had from it.

Are you using a compressor/ or one of the cans of propellant?

I believe it is

using aerosol can

[LL3 Model Worx]

1 hour ago, Milo said:

I believe it is

using aerosol can

A compressor will definitely help... need to maintain correct and most importantly consistent psi. Also make sure that the paint is thin enough to atomize correctly If all you have is the propellant can... you can also warm that can in hot tap water for a bit to help build and maintain pressure.

I would recommend for the meantime to strip what you have and get yourself a good tamiya rattle can... you will be amazed at the difference!

I really wish I could help more.

[Dave G.]

Actually if you just have propel cans you can put the can right in warm water so as to not freeze up while spraying. The Aztek brushes can spray fine, there are a few videos on using them. You need to thin the Testors paints enough and for that I mentioned before using lacquer thinner thinned just short of 50/50 thinner to paint ( hardware store lacquer thinner is fine just be sure it's not synthetic "green" stuff).. Can't stress thinning enough. An Aztek will do fine. As money sees fit get a compressor, actually with it you will save money in due time as you won't be buying the cans any longer. Yeah eventually you may want to replace the Aztek brush but not everyone who entered into their use has done that. It's more about technique than the brush itself......

[bluenote]

13 hours ago, LL3 Model Worx said:

A compressor will definitely help... need to maintain correct and most importantly consistent psi. Also make sure that the paint is thin enough to atomize correctly If all you have is the propellant can... you can also warm that can in hot tap water for a bit to help build and maintain pressure.

I would recommend for the meantime to strip what you have and get yourself a good tamiya rattle can... you will be amazed at the difference!

I really wish I could help more.

I agree with this.  Instead of messing around with propellant cans, PSI, thinning ratios, spraying distance, etc, just get a tamiya can.  I actually switched from airbrushes to Tamiya cans and I couldn't be happier.  The finish is perfect, and I'm done in a minute or so.  No messing around with ratios, cleaning up afterwards, etc.  

 

[Milo]

5 hours ago, Dave G. said:

Actually if you just have propel cans you can put the can right in warm water so as to not freeze up while spraying. The Aztek brushes can spray fine, there are a few videos on using them. You need to thin the Testors paints enough and for that I mentioned before using lacquer thinner thinned just short of 50/50 thinner to paint ( hardware store lacquer thinner is fine just be sure it's not synthetic "green" stuff).. Can't stress thinning enough. An Aztek will do fine. As money sees fit get a compressor, actually with it you will save money in due time as you won't be buying the cans any longer. Yeah eventually you may want to replace the Aztek brush but not everyone who entered into their use has done that. It's more about technique than the brush itself......

Thanks, how much paint and thinner will I need to cover the whole body? 

[Milo]

Also, when painting any piece, how do I keep paint from blocking the connection places making it hard to get pieces together?

[Dave G.]

As to paint blocking glue points I've always scraped away paint there so there is a plastic to plastic glue connection. But how much paint to mix has many variables from model size or surface area to be painted to how heavy you put it on and how many coats, air pressure etc.. For me in Testors though, I like to have two bottles on hand which I mix together in case there is a batch difference, then re bottle. For me that's not so often these days because I've been decanting enamels or shooting base coats in acrylic more so. Mostly craft paint, artist paints or Createx paints for base color coating.

Hope any of that helps.