Airbrushes

[Dekenba]

Argh!!!!!!!!

My first experience with airbrushes are not going well. At all!

I did some quite detailed airbrushing and used heavily thinned paint at 15psi. It seemed to work great.

Then I tried to use Tamiya primer - I decanted it, stirred to get rid of the bubbles then tried to use it through an airbrush - just as I've researched.

Disaster! The paint finish looked like orange peel! I upped the pressure to 25psi and that seemed to make a slight difference.

Can you thin Tamiya primer? Am I supposed to thin it? If so, can I use X20?

In addition, I had paint oozing out of the trigger mechanism, so I also learnt how to strip, clean & reassemble an airbrush! Why did that happen?

I certainly went in at the deep end for my first build - an SE.5a from Encore with Resin, PE & a slightly ill fitting Roden kit.

I'm learning - at the same time - how to glue, fold, rig, bend, paint, cut resin, wood effect painting, airbrushing (including assembling and disassembling), acrylics, oil paints, thinning, sandpaper, drilling, cutting, different grades of CA glue (thick, thin - who'd have thought?) & various other bits and pieces.

It's fun, if a little trying at times. I now have to sand off some orange peel primer, so I'll be back!

[Pete Nottingham]

It sounds like it might be the consistency of the paint as most people spray at 15psi, I do, a good guide is that your paint should be the same consistency of semi-skimmed milk.

Cheers

Pete.

[lcarroll]

Dekenba,
   By sheer coincidence I used Tamiya Primer yesterday for the first time. It appears to be a fairly strong laquer based product. It never occurred to me to airbrush it; I was applying a coat over some "gap" repair putty along a seam and used a hand brush. I didn't want to thin it, don't have any Tamiya Laquer Thinner, however it would, IMHO, be far too thick for an airbrush as is. Pebbled effect equals paint too thick and/or air pressure too low normally. I spray everything at 20-22 Psi and if the mix is correct never have any problems.
   Just some thinking out loud, I'm no expert at the use of an airbrush. Hope this might help in resolving your problem.
  I'd suggest getting some Tamiya Laquer Thinner (as opposed to their X-20A Acrylic Thinner) and diluting the Primer more to get the "skimmed milk" consistency,  perhaps someone here can recommend another brand of thinner as a substitute?
Cheers,
Lance

[Dekenba]

Seems like I did not thin the primer! I have got some Mr Colour Thinner, which should work.

I also had the pressure way too low, so I'm going to thin it then spray at 25psi.

But first I've got some sanding to do.

[Dekenba]

In my defence, the Tamiya tin has loads of instructions, and a leaflet inside with even more.

However, none of them are in English, all being Japanese.

[Dekenba]

I've got the Tamiya Fine Primer to work just fine and it's a good, matt finish.

However, the normal Tamiya Primer is not a great finish and is glossy as well, so I'll stick to fine from now on.

[Marco]

You really donīt need to use any primers when using acrylics.

Tamiya paint will go on nicely diluted with lacquer thinner. Be sure to wash the plastic beforehand.

I used to be a primer believer but my last two builds the paint has gone straight on to the plastic (using Vallejo and ordinary artistīs acrylics). Links below: the Roland kit has been painted with Vallejo until now and the La-7 with ordinary artistīs acrylics.

http://mtj-kits.blogspot.com/2012/06/roland-cii-eduard-148.html?utm_source=BP_recent

http://mtj-kits.blogspot.com/2012/05/lavochkin-la-7-eduard-148.html?utm_source=BP_recent

[Dekenba]

You really donīt need to use any primers when using acrylics.

Tamiya paint will go on nicely diluted with lacquer thinner. Be sure to wash the plastic beforehand.

I used to be a primer believer but my last two builds the paint has gone straight on to the plastic (using Vallejo and ordinary artistīs acrylics). Links below: the Roland kit has been painted with Vallejo until now and the La-7 with ordinary artistīs acrylics.

http://mtj-kits.blogspot.com/2012/06/roland-cii-eduard-148.html?utm_source=BP_recent

http://mtj-kits.blogspot.com/2012/05/lavochkin-la-7-eduard-148.html?utm_source=BP_recent

That's interesting, thanks.

I've done a fair bit of filling - for instance, cutting triangle shapes in the wings to insert resin pulley windows - and I've primed to check the finish is looking good enough for paint.

What do you do in those instances?

[uncletony]

I'll echo the above-- Tamiya flat color thinned with lacquer thinner, sprayed on clean plastic sticks VERY well. You must let it cure at least over nite -- while it "dries" almost instantly it doesn't reach full hardness until it is completely cured. At that point the fingernail test reveals only a shiny spot. Even regular household masking tape won't pull it up.

[Marco]

You really donīt need to use any primers when using acrylics.

Tamiya paint will go on nicely diluted with lacquer thinner. Be sure to wash the plastic beforehand.

I used to be a primer believer but my last two builds the paint has gone straight on to the plastic (using Vallejo and ordinary artistīs acrylics). Links below: the Roland kit has been painted with Vallejo until now and the La-7 with ordinary artistīs acrylics.

http://mtj-kits.blogspot.com/2012/06/roland-cii-eduard-148.html?utm_source=BP_recent

http://mtj-kits.blogspot.com/2012/05/lavochkin-la-7-eduard-148.html?utm_source=BP_recent

That's interesting, thanks.

I've done a fair bit of filling - for instance, cutting triangle shapes in the wings to insert resin pulley windows - and I've primed to check the finish is looking good enough for paint.

What do you do in those instances?

A thin coat of the paint youīre going to use is enough to check if the seams are correctly sanded. I just use the dark preshading paint to check.

And donīt get too worried about not getting the airbrushing right the first times you use it  Iīve been switching from this to that for the past years and Iīm still not happy  .

[Trackpad]

I can't add too much to what's been posted, but I am wondering: what is the airbrush that you're using?

One other point: do not become despondent over airbrush problems at the outset. They do take a bit of "getting used to," but they are an almost indispensable tool in the modeller's arsenal. Trust me: I've been using one since the early 1970's and I still learn tips and techniques! Take time to practice, vary the thinner:paint ratio to find the one that works for you and your brush, and keep asking questions. You've got loads of experience on this site, and it can all be yours for the asking! 

Spray On!!

[Dekenba]

I've got the BD-813 kit, shown on here:

http://www.airbrush-pro.co.uk/index1.html?lang=en-uk&target=d115.html&gclid=CKSZ5eqW9q0CFQELfAodqSeQvQ

(click on airbrush kits on the left, 3rd set down on the page).

I paid about Ģ85 for it - 6 airbrushes, needles from 0.2mm up to 0.5mm.

A friend had a similar set and she thinks they are just brilliant.

A poor workman can't blame his tools in my case!

[Trackpad]

Just experiment. Next time you have a bit of paint left over try over-thinning it and see how the paint behaves, lower the pressure, raise it, just play around

This is good advice. I used to think that a 1:1 paint:thinner ratio was the way to go. Wrong. I now usually use 2:1 thinner/paint ratio (enamel paint: Xtracolor), sometimes going to 7:1 for particular applications, all found by just fooling around. But practice on a solid surface, not just paper, because you'll get a better idea of how the mix covers the harder surface. As well, I use a piece of 30-thou plastic card to test a mix just before I slather it onto a model! 

[GHE]

Meine Herren !

I often do not use the real primers but do love to prime with enamels!

yours, Gunther