I'm Gonna Do It - Any Advice?

Alright - after about 5-6 years of ownership, I finally ran some colour through my Aztec AB. The experience went something like this:

• I ran an extension cord through the floor joists and across the basement into the corner where I set up my makeshift cardboard "spray booth."
• Then I removed the quick coupler for my air hose and tried to hook up the moisture trap/filter, only to realize it had 2 female connectors,
• Off to Canadian Tire (a hardware/department store) to buy a male/male connector,
• Drove home and witnessed a non-injury car accident. The only casualty seems to be the 1990-ish Chevy Corsica,
• Then I came home and finished assembling the air compressor and hooking up the Aztec.
• I ran about 2 small cups of food colouring though the AB, spraying patterns and designs on some paper towel and then ran some distilled water through the AB to rinse it out,
• Then I had to find a bottle in which to mix some AB cleaner. I used 1/3 Simple Green, 1/3 Windex and 1/3 distilled water, I ran a cup of this through and finished off with a cup of distilled water.
• Then I cleaned it with a denture brush through the nooks and crannies.

I learned a couple things:

1. I should use my respirator when spraying. It was okay with the food colour but the cleaning solution didn't feel great in my throat. I have a respirator but I totally forgot about it because I was so excited to try this ABing thing out,
2. I need to build a bucket or something to spray the cleaners and water through when cleaning. I saw something in a recent Scale Auto AB special issue that I think I'll build.
3. I need to get a better feel for the brush. I found that as I was painting lines or shapes, my finger would gradually start to release more and more paint. This is all fine and good if painting larger areas but not so much for finer detail work (or painting a small 1:72 model as I am hoping to do.

I thought it was fun to try and I'm anxious to start with some real paint. I think I'll take some time over the next week or so to thin out some of my Vallejo primer and start practicing on some plastic bottles.

It seemed like a lot of hassle to set everything up and then to clean up afterwards but I think that will improve next time as I left the extension cord in place, won't have to run to the store nor mix the cleaning solution up. Hopefully, the results will prove to be worth the effort as well.

Alright - a little update!

I've entered the Airfix GB so I have some extra incentive to get the model finished.

I went out and stocked up on supplies:

• Windex with Ammonia,
• Simple Green,
• Silly Putty (for masking),
• Wooden coffee sticks for holding pieces,
• some alligator clips and dowel to make holding clips while painting,
• Pledge with Future (I hope this is the right stuff),
• Pipe cleaners,
• Denture brushes (recommended by Don Wheeler), and
• Super glue.

I already have some lacquer thinner and distilled water. I think I have all the paints, brushes, thinners and cleaners I need now. I'm going to hook  up the AB on Sunday and try it out with some food colour on paper towel to try to get a feel for it.

I have two (or so) newb questions though:

1. What do I need for masking? I was at a LHS tonight and I saw Tamiya Masking Tape in 3 sizes (6,10 and 12mm I think). Which should I get (if any)? What about Post-it notes? Other regular masking tape (any particular colour)?
2. For brush painting Vallejo paints, what should I thin with? I have distilled water, I think I have Vallejo Thinner. I've heard about mixing dish soap in. Does this help? How much dish soap?

Thanks for your help guys.

Edit - I did some forum searching and came up wit some masking answers. I bought Tamiya masking tape (6mm and 10mm) and some blue painters' tape.

I could still use some advice about thinning Vallejo paints for brush work though.

I saw that there's an Airfix GB starting up next week. I may start my model and enter it into the GB. It may help me to stay motivated.

I looked at the Spitfire GB but I couldn't find start and end dates.

Don't believe all the hype over Windex with ammonia.

It has been used to clean airbrushes for years without problems.

Just spray out with about 1/2 the airbrush cup full of distilled water when finished and you will be fine.

The distilled water is a good idea after any cleaner for acrylics really.

Griffin

Also, once I've run some paint through it, what's the best way to clean the darned thing?

What I use for cleaning up after spraying with acrylics, a mix of 1/3 Windex,1/3 Simple Green, 1/3 Distilled water.   I got this mix from this site many moons ago.

Thanks Doogs,

I'm going to give it a whirl one of these nights with the food colouring like Don recommends. I just want to get the feel for the AB before worrying about thinning paint and such.

For cleaning, I'll probably start off with Windex and distilled water but I have a bottle of lacquer thinner in reserve in case more cleaning is required.

What do you guys spray your cleaning solutions into?

Griffin

Thanks for the comments guys, keep them coming!

Doog, you mentioned using Windex for cleaning but said that some ABs can be damaged by the ammonia. What do you use for cleaning your ABs after using Vallejo? If I used Windex, would it be safe if I flushed with distilled water afterwards to prevent the ammonia from damaging anything?

I have lacquer thinner but I'm kind of hoping to be able to use something less hazardous. It was mentioned above that alcohol based thinners would just make matters worse.

I still use Windex (especially if I'm thinning with Future)...I just take pains to flush the brush several times with distilled water and then usually a cup or two of thinner before calling it a night. 

Water will still clean up Vallejo just fine, it's just that Windex ATTACKS it, and basically cleans out your brush for you. 

I believe it was Grex that had a warning with their airbrush not to use ammonia in it. Which seems weird, since it was plated and used the same materials as other airbrushes. But to be safe, I try to run that stuff through quickly, and would never soak components in Windex overnight, for example.

Thanks for the comments guys, keep them coming!

Doog, you mentioned using Windex for cleaning but said that some ABs can be damaged by the ammonia. What do you use for cleaning your ABs after using Vallejo? If I used Windex, would it be safe if I flushed with distilled water afterwards to prevent the ammonia from damaging anything?

I have lacquer thinner but I'm kind of hoping to be able to use something less hazardous. It was mentioned above that alcohol based thinners would just make matters worse.

Vallejo is acrylic?  Not enamel? 

Never mind..... 

The above comments are right- there are no right answers or formulas.  You just have to monkey around until you find what you like.  Practicing on scrap plastic is a good idea, until you get the hang of it.

Hi,i use Vallejo often and use to thin Water-alcool mix without problems.But i use the serie Model (not very thin...) and the serie Air (i thin 50% or more....)........Can be that they changes country to country.......Ciao Enrico.

Hi Griffin,i use often Vallejo colors Model and Air.Both are acriylic-vinilic colour you can diluite them with a mix:50% distilled Water+50%Alcool(with more of 92°,the kind to make liquours you can buy in a supermarket,not that for medical).First of all with Vallejo you must primer your model ,then try to thinn the colour (you can start 50% thinner-colour,then increase the thinner).To clean your brush you can use a cleaner for acryilic ,or like me acetone or laquer thinner.Attention to the airbrush o-ring ........Don't soak it in acetone or laquer thinner.......Ciao Enrico.

Vallejo paints are acrylic and seem to come recommended by many. I will be using the grey version of Vallejo's primer for my painting.

My compressor is a 2-3 gallon compressor with a regulator up to 100+ psi (I can't remember how low it goes. I have a moisture trap for it as well. The documentation that came with the Aztec says to regulate the pressure between 15-28 psi. I don't know if the Aztec is an internal or external mix gun.

Once I get the necessary items (thinner, gloves, windex, etc.) I will start practicing on plastic pop bottles. I hope to actually put paint (or at least the primer) to the model within a month or so.

I'm going to start with the Aztec and see how I like airbrushing. I'm hoping it wil help speed up my production and quality a bit. If things go well, I may buy a new dual-action AB in the future.

Oh yeah - should I use the siphon feed or the gravity feed with my AB? It has the option for both.

A few words of wisdom:

If you are using Vellejo paint (enamels, I presume) use the thinner made by Vallejo to go with it.  Always stick with the same brand thinner and paint, whatever brand you use.

Use that same thinner to clean the airbrush by spraying it through after wiping out the cup as best you can.  Remove the needle, wipe it clean with some more thinner, then spray thinner again until you are sure it's thorougly clean.

Use hardware store solvents only for cleaning brushes and bottles.  Clean and save old empty paint bottles, they are handy for storing custom colors that you will no doubt mix yourself as you get more sophisticated at painting.

Keep lots of Kleenex and paper towels on hand and use them freely.

I have found that a 50/50 mix of thinner and paint works well for airbrusing.  It should be about the consistency of skim milk.

Throw out the single action, external mix air brush and start with the double action and get used to it from the start.  No sense in starting with something inadequate then moving up and unlearning bad techniques.

Get a decent compressor with a regulator and a pressure gauge.  You will want it to be adjustable from about 15 to 40 psi.

I hope this helps you.  It has taken me many years of trial and error to figure this out!  Good luck and drop in often, we would like to see photos of your work as you progress.

Thanks for the suggestions.

What is a good place to start for thinning ratios?

Should I start with my Aztec or should I keep it simple and go with my single-action?

Use a Vallejo Polyeurethane primer on plastic, available in lots of armour colours, + black, white & grey.

Vallejo ModelAir needs a primer to bite to.

Vallejo Model AIR paint likes a little thinner, I use their Thinner (Dilutante on the bottle) this is the gloopy carrier, er w/o pigment.

I also use a little Medea Airbrush cleaner as a thinner.

I have heard of Future as a thinner, but I haven't used it as a thinner, I have used Vallejo paint to TINT Future to apply a tint to clear glass, so it could work.

Keep Windex for cleaning up!

First - welcome back to the hobby! Just polished off a (far larger) Spit myself - you may want to consider tossing it into the Spitfire Group Build that's going on right now.

Second - you'll get tons of different recommendations for thinning Vallejo. My theory - it depends on climate.

I've never had any luck thinning their stuff or anything else for airbrushing with water. It sprays like water, which means it spatters and runs everywhere. 

I've used Windex with some success...but the thing is, Windex attacks the paint, too (this makes it EPIC for cleanup), and the ammonia can damage some airbrushes. That and if you get tip dry and build a clog, get ready for all the bubbles!

There are two thinners that I've found work fantastically well with Vallejo.

The first is Future. Lays down nice and smooth with a gorgeous semi-gloss, very tough surface.

The second is Testors universal acrylic thinner. I've only discovered this one recently, to be honest, and the only airbrushing I've done with the Testors/Vallejo mix has been Vallejo Dark Rubber on some Panzer wheels this morning, but it went on with no problems at all. Great when you don't really want to deal with knocking down a glossy surface.

In both cases, I use Windex for the initial rinse or two, then flush with water.

Best of luck! And if it's the Paasche H you've got - fantastic workhorse of a brush there!