Tamiya Paint Airbrushing Advice?

I actually love working with tamiya paints, though I use MM a lot too. For me, I thin the tamiya paints pretty thin, maybe 3:2 and spray at 15-20lbs. My airbrush has a pretty small needle, 5mm so the thinner paint works for me. I need to spray very light coasts cause its thin. If I spray too heavy it puddles. Even then I do get some drying of paint on my needle and need to clean it often.

It takes me a long time to paint but I like it.

I am by no means an expert but this works for me.

Btw, jealous of your Red Bull kit. I want one.

Good luck.

John

I always use Tamiya X-20A thinner for acylics and have had no problems at all. I mix it about 50/50 and it works just fine.

As this is in the autos forum, I'll assume you're trying to airbrush Tamiya Gloss acrylics. As mentioned, the thinner the better, 2 parts thinner to one part paint is a starting point.

The metallic colours can be a little problematic, as the metallic pigment particles tend to settle out of suspension very quickly when airbrushing. For the metallics it may be preferable to use a bottom feed airbrush so you can swish the paint around in the jar to keep the metallic pigments in suspension. When you use a gravity feed brush, the metallic pigments tend to go straight down the guts of the brush and clog.

For gloss Tamiya acrylics, accept no substitutes - use X-20A thinner or Tamiya lacquer thinner. Using Iso or denatured alcohol often results in flash-drying causing a dull finish. Tamiya lacquer thinner extends the drying time of the paint, allowing it to form a more uniform surface film, giving it a deeper gloss.

There is a forum specially for painting and airbrushing.  It is a very good resource that goes beyond just painting cars. It is in the Tools and Techniques section of the forums, below the Modeling Subjects area. I urge you to try the question there- there are some really good airbrush folks there and you are likely to get a lot of help.

Thanks for the advice!

I guess I'll just take it slow, thin it down (I picked up some x-20a thinner), and go for extra light coats...I may start a WIP when I begin the build...

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Now that I'm about to start on the RB6, I have another quick question:

I'm using Tamiya spray (enamel?) on most of the basecoat of the body parts (for the Pearl Blue), but then some masked-off acrylic areas, and then most of my other parts will be done with acrylics (MM and Tamiya)....and there will be lots of decals...

Should I have any concern of using enamel paint AND acrylics?  And, what is the current trend for gloss coating?  I used to like Testors spray gloss, but I know future is good for acrylics (and I think I once destroyed some decals by using Testors spray gloss?)...remember, my parts will have both enamel AND acrylic paint, as well as decals....any advice??

Thanks, you guys!

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I use 70% isoprop alcohol with my Tamiya paints.  I even have the Titanium Silver which gives a really nice metallic finish.  If they clog your airbrush, keep a couple q-tips handy dipped in thinner to swab the needle & nozzle and that'll keep it spraying nicely.

David-from the brief research I've done in the past, I didn't know that Tamiya made spray can enamels....the spray can Tamiya paints I've used (and I love them) are 'synthetic' lacquers...I've used it with great success but I've overcoated with Tamiya Gloss Clear spray, decaled, used Solvaset and then another coat of Tamiya Clear Gloss...you might want to check (or research) over in the Painting & Airbrush forum-like Don said, there is a wealth of knowledge there.

Apparently I don't know as much as I thought!  haha

I guess I just assumed that since the can says flammable, it was enamel.

Sorry for posting in the wrong section, I'll try to keep my questions in the correct area...

Dave

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no apology necessary-it's just that there are a lot of people with a great deal of knowledge & experience in the Paint & Airbrush forum that may not see your post in the Auto section.

And remember-Google is your friend-a lot of information on some other modeling sites maybe?

And please post pics of your build.

i use a lot of model master acrylic which doesn't need to be thinned much at all. i have a note that syas THIN THE CRAP OUT OF TAMIYA ACRYLICS. i find at least 50/50 sometimes more thinner than that and multipe coats to avoid runs.

MM are great...often I use them straight from the bottle...but, I'll definitely thin down the Tamiya paints.  Thanks!

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I also use Tamiya acrylic and thin it with x-20A, 50/50 and airbrush at 10-15 ppsi applying thin multiple coats.

well as for PSI for the airbrush you can crank it up to 30-40 PSI for Tamiya paint. Testors I usually spray at 20 - 30 PSI and Gunze Sangyo I spray at 40-100 PSI.

Good info, thanks guys!

I got my basecoats all sprayed, now I'm working on the decals, then it'll be gloss-coat time (I'm going to try out Mr Hobby Mr Top Coat Gloss)...then I can get into the actual assembly!

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