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Hello! I think I may have messed up...

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  • Member since
    January 2012
Hello! I think I may have messed up...
Posted by Super person on Saturday, January 28, 2012 8:27 PM

First off, I'm finally back into the model building scene, which ive been away from for a while.  Also, for the first time Im using an airbrush.  I wanted to use acrylics instead of enamels because the enamels require alot of ventilation and I dont have a setup for that.  Ok, my actual question.  I'm using Tamiya acrylics (Flat Base X-21 specifically) and I thinned it out about 50/50 paint/bottled water and got to spraying.  I sprayed it on the wheels and power train of the model Im working on (Tamiya's 1/35 Sd.Kfz.222) and accidently touched one of my parts and the paint just rubbed off.  Not liquidy, or sticky, but kinda powdery which scares me.  Thoughts?  Advice?  Thanks in advance!

  • Member since
    July 2004
  • From: Sonora Desert
Posted by stikpusher on Saturday, January 28, 2012 9:19 PM

Tamiya Flat Base is not for use by itself. It is supposed to be added to a gloss or semi gloss paint or clear carrier such as Future to flatten out the color. It probably has no adhesion qualities of its own. If you are gonna use it as a clear top coat for finishing add it to Future.

 

F is for FIRE, That burns down the whole town!

U is for URANIUM... BOMBS!

N is for NO SURVIVORS...

       - Plankton

LSM

 

  • Member since
    January 2003
  • From: Washington, DC
Posted by TomZ2 on Saturday, January 28, 2012 9:30 PM

Welcome Sign There are lots of things that make sense when you’re sitting in the big high-backed leather chair in the inner sanctum of your secret volcano lair.

===begin brand new thingy===

Short compatibility matrix (thanks to Masataka Narita)

 

____________ Over coat
Under Coat___________
 Acrylic  Enamel 
 Lacquer
                 Acrylic      OK   Maybe      NO
                 Enamel      OK      OK      NO
                 Lacquer      OK      OK      OK

The L E A (Lacquer Enamel Acrylic) Rule: Lacquers, enamels & acrylics can safety cover base lacquers. Enamels & acrylics can cover enamels (but not lacquers!). Base coat acrylics can only be covered by more acrylics.

Occasional factual, grammatical, or spelling variations are inherent to this thesis and should not be considered as defects, as they enhance the individuality and character of this document.

  • Member since
    January 2012
Posted by Super person on Monday, January 30, 2012 9:31 PM

First off, thanks for the responses!  I dont think I wouldve figured that out myself.  On to my next problem.  I cleaned all the base off and sprayed it.  And ended up with this...  (see pics)  I'm running at 20 psi, and this is tamiya acrylic thinned with bottled water.  Please halp!  >.<  And how do you know about my secret volcano lair?!  Thanks in advance for any advice you all have!

  • Member since
    August 2005
  • From: Sydney, Australia
Posted by Phil_H on Monday, January 30, 2012 11:29 PM

It's hard to tell what your perceived problem is from the pics. I'd start by not using water as a thinner. It does work, but it's one of the least effective thinners.

You could use the proprietary X-20A acrylic thinner, Isopropyl alcohol, denatured alcohol or, when you get a little more advanced. lacquer thinner.

My next suggestion, assuming that you use one of the alternative thinners I've mentioned, is to thin the paint more and perhaps reduce your air pressure, depending on your airbrush setup. Tamiya acrylics work best when very thin and at lower pressure (and correspondingly, at a close distance to the subject).

When airbrushing with acrylics, particularly Tamiya and Gunze, you should not exceed about 4-6 inches distance from your airbrush to the surface that you're painting. If you do so, you will run the risk of "pebbling", which is the paint drying in mid-air before it reaches the subject, causing a dusty, grainy finish.

The key points are:

  • thin paint
  • low pressure
  • short distance to subject

 

  • Member since
    January 2012
Posted by Super person on Saturday, February 4, 2012 4:09 PM

sorry for the crappy pics, I guess I have alot of work to do with all this!  I did exactly what you told me Phil and ran it at 10 psi and it turned out alot better!  Thanks man!  What are the rules for enamels and lacquers when it comes to pressure and distances?

  • Member since
    September 2011
  • From: Medford, OR
Posted by OMCUSNR on Sunday, February 5, 2012 11:07 AM

Rule #1 - experiment on a piece you don't need.

 

Rule #2 - Whatever works is right.

 

OK, seriously, what I do is start at about 15 psi, and thin to 50/50 (enamels are a bit heavier than lacquers, and the thinner doesn't evaporate as fast as lacquer).  I'll spray light coats in several different directions for full coverage.  I'll check spray pattern & coverage on scrap 1st & adjust as required.

 

Reid

Grumman Iron Works Fan.

"Don't sweat the small stuff.  And.... it's ALL small stuff, until you hear INCOMING!!!!!!"

  • Member since
    January 2012
Posted by Super person on Wednesday, February 29, 2012 8:31 PM

Ok, Ive worked hard on this thing for a couple weeks every second that I could and now Ive lost my motivation for it.  The truth is that Ive started following the WRC (World Rally Championship) and now I want to build rally cars.  Any advice on finding inspiration to finish this one?  Or should I just go to HobbyTown and buy a rally car to do?  Here are pics of the 222 as it stands on the spray can now.  Thanks in advance for all the advice that is offered!  :D

  • Member since
    January 2012
Posted by Super person on Tuesday, March 6, 2012 7:50 PM

Ok, I finally finished the 222.  I know this prolly isnt the right place to be putting up the "look what I did" pics, so hopefully someone can point me in the right direction, or yall will just ignore it and give me yalls input.  And sorry the pics suck, its what I can do right now.  Ill be working on that too!  Thanks in advance for the advice, and please please give me suggestions!  :D

  • Member since
    September 2011
  • From: Medford, OR
Posted by OMCUSNR on Friday, March 9, 2012 10:42 AM

Looks good - I've seen some full scale jeeps around here that look like that.  (Minus the gun).

Grumman Iron Works Fan.

"Don't sweat the small stuff.  And.... it's ALL small stuff, until you hear INCOMING!!!!!!"

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