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Need a little help getting started with my Paasche VL

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  • Member since
    September 2015
  • From: The Redwood Empire
Posted by Aaronw on Monday, April 5, 2010 10:40 AM

Thanks, we just got another foot of snow, but hopefully I'll start to have some cooperative weather by May.

I built a paint booth last year so I'm going to get an area all set up ready to go, hoping I'll be less likely to find excuses to use the AB. I bought it around 2002 and have used it maybe a dozen times, it is time to learn to use this thing. Embarrassed

  • Member since
    March 2010
  • From: Winamac,Indiana 46996-1525
Posted by ACESES5 on Sunday, April 4, 2010 1:18 PM

Aaron;        Just as everyone here practice practice practice keep it clean and don't abuse it i've been using Paasche Model 50 for over 30 years still good as new. If you need any repair parts most good auto parts stores can get them. I get nine at the NAPA store here in town they have both Badger and Paasche parts,good luck.                               ACESES5

  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: Steilacoom, Washington
Posted by Killjoy on Saturday, April 3, 2010 11:25 PM

Not sure about the 'ratio' on the water to retarder.  I use an empty contact lens soultion droper, so it's 2 fluid ounces I think.  To this I add 2 drops retarder and shake well.  That's my pre-mixed thinner.  I have had problems with adding retarder directly to the paint, even in a bottle like your Paasche uses I am never sure it has all mixed together.  Now that I use gravity feed almost exclusively, it's 4-5 drops of paint, 2-3 drops of pre-mixed thinner, swirl and shoot!

Good luck!

Chris

A veteran is someone who, at one point in their life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America," for an amount of "up to and including my life."

  • Member since
    September 2015
  • From: The Redwood Empire
Posted by Aaronw on Saturday, April 3, 2010 8:22 PM

That is the retarder I have.  The bottle of water premixed with retarder sounds like a good idea, one less thing to mix into the paint. How much water do you mix with the retarder?

The Floquil is acryllic, except for rattle cans I don't use anything I can't clean with water anymore.

 

Thanks, I know I need to get practice in but this should at least help me make sure problems are due to me and not the wrong set up.

  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: Steilacoom, Washington
Posted by Killjoy on Saturday, April 3, 2010 1:48 AM

Retarder will help a TON with the tip drying issue!  The big thing is what you're thinning with.

Tamiya either needs its own thinner, nice stuff, but spendy: OR 91% Iso alcohol with a drop of retarder.

MM Acryl, Polly Scale, Vallejo and GW all thin nicely with a little distilled water and a drop of retarder as well.  Though GW paints are notoriously inconsistent in quality, so stir like mad, and strain those before they go in your airbrush.

Floquil acryl or enamel line?  I am not as familiar with those, but have heard good results from others who use them.

Get a bottle of Goldens retarder at any Michaels or other art suppl store, it'll last forever.  I keep a little dropper bottle full of distilled water with 1-2 drops of retarder already mixed in, and thin my paints from that.

Good luck!

Chris

A veteran is someone who, at one point in their life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America," for an amount of "up to and including my life."

  • Member since
    September 2015
  • From: The Redwood Empire
Posted by Aaronw on Saturday, April 3, 2010 12:43 AM

Thanks, I do use acrylics and have some retarder although I haven't tried it yet. I didn't have problems with graiy paint but I'm hoping the retarder will help with the issue I had in earlier uses where paint was drying and clogging the needles as I was painting.

I mostly use MM Acryl and Polly Scale, but also have a fair amount of Tamiya and Citidel / Games Workshop paints, and a little Floquil and Vallejo. Aslo hoping to give the Talon acrylic metal colors a try.

  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: Steilacoom, Washington
Posted by Killjoy on Friday, April 2, 2010 11:16 PM

Well dust that bad boy off and throw some paint!

About 10 years ago, a VL was my first airbrush.  Though I have switched to Badger exclusively, I still remember it well enough to help a bit. 

Think of your #3 tip as a 'medium' size.  It will spray from a fairly fine line to about 1-1/2" pattern, and is very forgiving of most acrylic paints as long as they are properly thinned (to the consistency of 2% milk give or take.)  This will be the tip and needle you use for most 1/35 or 1/72 modeling.  The #1 is for very fine work, and will need very thin paint to flow well.  #5 is a broader pattern, good for base coating.  I almost never used ant tip and needle besides #3.

What paint brand will you be using?  I am asking because yeah, Paasches are air hogs in my opinion.  You will be shooting about 30 psi with Tamiya for example.  Maybe 25 if you go very thin.  You may want to add a bit of retarder to your thinner so your paint doesn't dry before it hits the subject.  This will give a grainy appearance  and texture to the paint job.

Spend a bit of time spraying something you don't care about.  I use plastic milk jugs or coffee creamer containers from coffee mate.  I prime them with a rattle can, then use them to test shoot a color or a new paint.  Their shapes and curves behave very much like a model will.

Wow, I get chatty!  Good luck, and practice, practice, practice!

Chris

A veteran is someone who, at one point in their life, wrote a blank check made payable to "The United States of America," for an amount of "up to and including my life."

  • Member since
    September 2015
  • From: The Redwood Empire
Need a little help getting started with my Paasche VL
Posted by Aaronw on Friday, April 2, 2010 9:56 PM

I've had this airbrush for several years and barely use it. Once the weather warms up in a month or so I'd really like to start trying to make myself start using it. In the hopes of avoiding some of the more blatant rookie errors I thought I'd try to start on the right foot.

I have a Paasche VL internal mix double action airbrush. My compressor is a small Craftsman with a regulator and tank, I do have a seperate water trap. The AB came as a kit and includes #1, #3 and #5 needles, and tips (two parts). The AB says it can be used up to 75 psi, but recommends 20-35.

So for general use what size parts should I use (I assume you don't mix and match needles and tips) and what would be a good starting pressure?

To start with I'm probably looking at aircraft, single colors and relatively simple camo (German splinter, WW2 British 2 or 3 color, maybe USAF SEA or European 3 color).

 

Thanks

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