SEARCH FINESCALE.COM

Enter keywords or a search phrase below:

Tips on airbrushing Future

770 views
4 replies
1 rating 2 rating 3 rating 4 rating 5 rating
  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Tempe, AZ
Posted by eptingmike on Thursday, June 4, 2009 1:39 PM

Well for airbrushing I use acrylics and haven't had any trouble.  I airbrush indoors with a smallish Sears compressor and everything is A-OK.  I have only airbrushed Future(undiluted) once and it was fine though I layed it on a bit too thick but it pooled in a hidden area so I am not telling! Ha ha!!  It is with my spray primer that I have a problem with.

Mike

Horten_IX_Go-229

  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Phoenix, AZ
Posted by Fly-n-hi on Thursday, June 4, 2009 11:10 AM

Are you using enamel or acryllic paint?  I am currently working on 2 models right now...one with acryllic paint and one with enamel.  The acryllic one worked really good but I was having trouble with the enamel paint...which is funny 'cause you'd think that in the dry air here the acyllic would be more difficult to work with.  Now, I have to say that I've never tried airbrushing enamel paint before so I am probably thinning it incorrectly or doing something else to screw it up. 

The Future finish worked really well, though, after I figured out what I was doing wrong.  Plus, tempurature isn't really an issue because you can apply it in your kitchen.

  • Member since
    January 2009
  • From: Tempe, AZ
Posted by eptingmike on Thursday, June 4, 2009 9:08 AM

Thanks for the tip.  I will have to try it next time I actually finish something!  Ha ha!!

I live over in Tempe and have had a bit of trouble priming when the heat goes up and the humidity goes down so I understand your 'pain.'  Last summer I decided I was going to to a bunch of prep and only prime in the winter...like that worked out!

Mike

Horten_IX_Go-229

  • Member since
    October 2007
  • From: Massachusetts
Posted by Darth_Vapor on Wednesday, June 3, 2009 6:26 PM
FWIW, I've found that light coats of 50-50 Future/91% alcohol seems to work best for me.
  • Member since
    December 2006
  • From: Phoenix, AZ
Tips on airbrushing Future
Posted by Fly-n-hi on Wednesday, June 3, 2009 11:27 AM

Hi guys.  This subject has been beaten to death, I realize that, but I've been experimenting with Future and I found some ways that seemed to work well for me.

I followed alot of the advise here on the furums and got fairly poor results.  I think one of the factors is that I live in Arizona and its very dry here.  Obviously, some techniques that work in Houston aren't going to work as well here so adjustments are necessary.  So this advise is mainly for the desert rats out there.

I experimented with pure Future, 50-50 Future/water, 75-25 Future/water, and a whole bunch of other ratios.  I've found that in the dry desert a good mix is 75% Future and 25% 91 Isoprophyl alcohol.  I have my airbrush, an Aztek A470 (with the white tip), set to about 16-18 psi.  I spray the Future from about 4-5 inches away.

Now, the real key is slow and steady brush strokes.  In my "trials" I got alot of grainy and rough texture finishes.  That's because I was applying the future like I was applying Model Master Acryl.  In order to get the shiny finish you have to use slow strokes...but keep the airbrush moving!  As you apply the Future the surface of the model should look as though its getting very wet. 

Also, I think it helps to set the model so that the surfaces being sprayed are level with the ground.  For example, just do the top of the subject, let it dry, then flip it over and do the bottom, then let it dry, and then set it on its side and do the vertizal stabilizer, then let it dry.  I got more runs when I sprayed the whole model while it suspended from a coat hanger or something else.  It takes a little longer to do it this way but you can minimize any runs.

Again, this is what worked for me in the dry Arizona climate and I'm not suggesting that any other advise is bad.  I figured I would post this for the frustrated desert dwellers who want to use Future.

Just my $.02

 

JOIN OUR COMMUNITY!

Our community is FREE to join. To participate you must either login or register for an account.

SEARCH FORUMS
FREE NEWSLETTER
By signing up you may also receive reader surveys and occasional special offers. We do not sell, rent or trade our email lists. View our Privacy Policy.