Airbrushing with Model Master Aluminum Paint

I was advised to thin MM Metalizer paint only with MM Metalizer thinner.

which MM aluminum paint is it,,,,,,there are a couple of different paints from them,,,,,,,the Aluminum in the MM "regular" paint line is a different formula than the Metalizer paints

MM and MM II like either Testors' own hot Airbrush thinner or hardware store good quality lacquer thinner

none of Testors' paints that I have ever used really ever behaved for me with the "thinner and cleaner" combo products that Testors has sold over the years

WAS it metalizer paint though? If it was just straight-up aluminum paint from the normal line, then that might not look too good either. 

I use the Model Master Metalizer metallic colors that say (for airbrush only). They are pre-thinned and pour straight into the airbrush and haven't had any problems spraying them. If they still do need to be thinned, they use MM Lacquer thinner, NOT enamel.

Fuddy Duddy it is the MM FS Enamel not metalizer paint.

Does the MM Metalizer have an issue going over the enamel? I have only sprayed the bottom of the plane with poor results.

Model Master metalizers are meant to be sprayed on bare plastic only, for best results, according to an old Testors instruction leaflet I found some time ago.

Just clean the plastic surface first with soap and water.  Do not use primer.  Avoid handling the parts so as not to get skin oil on them.  Spray one or two light coats of Metallizer.  After it dries and you buff it out (if it says "Buffing Metallizer" on the can or bottle) it will be nice and smooth and glossy and you apply decals right over it.  If you want to then seal it with a clear coat, use Testor's Metallizer sealer.  This will, however, tone down the shine of buffed metallizer.  It will also act as a decal setting/solvent, so do not be alarmed when you see the decals wrinkle up.  They'll snug down nicely when the sealer is dried.

D4379

Does the MM Metalizer have an issue going over the enamel? I have only sprayed the bottom of the plane with poor results.

No, shouldn't. Just wet sand your previous coat a little and wip it down then try spraying the metalizer lacquer.

Do not spray it over an enamel coat.  Model Masters Metallizers are designed to be sprayed on bare, clean, untreated plastic only.

This may not be a thinner issue.  Rough finishes are frequently the result of holding the airbrush too far away from the surface, or using too high a pressure.  This is true whether it is aluminum or some other color.  While that thinning ratio will allow you to be a little further away, or use a higher pressure than, a 1:1 ratio, you still may have used too high a pressure or been too far away from the surface.

One common problem with airbrushing is to be too far away from surface and using the airbrush like a spray gun.   Coveragewise, an airbrush is more like a regular paint brush, cover a small area at a time.

I was holding it about a foot away, to far?

D4379

I was holding it about a foot away, to far?

I'm no expert but I think the answer is "Yes" too far away. Three to six inches would be more like it. What Don says is important! Put some thinned paint in your AB and spray something with a glossy surface - even smooth cardboard will work - and move your AB toward or away from the test surface until you get a nice even coat but not dry coat then use that distance to spray the model. I think that distance will be much less than a foot.

I went to the hobby shop and got the acryl aluminum paint. Will sand down the enamel and try with that holding the brush closer.

I would agree that spraying from a foot away is too far. 

Having said that, I've not had such good results with any MM metallic paints.  I've found Floquil's Railroad paints to work out much better.  They come in several types of silver (Old and Bright and Platinum Mist).

I thin them with plain old lacquer thinner, plus I add a little of Floquil's Glaze.  I've usually been pleased with how they turn out.

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Damn I wish I saw that before I bought the acryl paint! Nice job! This will only be my third attempt at airbrushing. First was a tank, second just camo on a flying scale rubber model

As Don said if you are to far away the a paint starts to dry as it goes from the brush to the surface so that's why you get the sandpaper texture. He also said to use the brush more like a paintbrush not a spray gun but for me success lies somewhere in between. Depends what I'm painting. If it's an airliner with gloss white then I spray more like a spraygun.

Do a couple light coats then hit it with a fairly heavy coat. Enough that it looks wet, but not so much it runs. It took me awhile to get this ballance. If the paint goes on heavy enough to look wet it seems to flow better into a smooth coat.

I spray at about 4 - 6 inches at about 18PSI. Keep the brush moving and don't be afraid to pull back a little on that needle! I also never stop or start the brush pointed at the surface I'm painting I start just before and stop as soon as my brush clears. (if that makes any sense?)

Thanks for the hints, the tank was a bit gritty on the finish also but it worked there!  I will try it after I wet sand the emanel down with the acryl paint, thinned 50/50.

I've found a light rub with a coffee filter can help a lot.

I'm assuming that your using an airbrush. I'm not an airbrush expert but I've been using my airbrushes for a while now , first it looks to me that you over thinned the paint(a 70%paint to 30% thinner would do good). It also looks like you are using to much air pressure. Bring it down to about 11 to 14 lbs. it should improve things and again I am just saying this by my own experiences with my airbrushes. Also, I think you cant use brush cleaner as a thinning agent, Use Testors Universal Enamel Thinner for airbrushes. I built and painted a Dc-3 in 1/72 and had no problems painting with chrome aluminun. Hope this helps and if in doubt, ask for help.

ricmac

I'm assuming that your using an airbrush. I'm not an airbrush expert but I've been using my airbrushes for a while now , first it looks to me that you over thinned the paint(a 70%paint to 30% thinner would do good). It also looks like you are using to much air pressure. Bring it down to about 11 to 14 lbs. it should improve things and again I am just saying this by my own experiences with my airbrushes. Also, I think you cant use brush cleaner as a thinning agent, Use Testors Universal Enamel Thinner for airbrushes. I built and painted a Dc-3 in 1/72 and had no problems painting with chrome aluminun. Hope this helps and if in doubt, ask for help.

 

 

I hope that in the six years after this was posted that he figured it out...

Yes I bought a new Iwata brush and it solved a lot of issues

D4379

Yes I bought a new Iwata brush and it solved a lot of issues

 

John, I gotta say you are my kind of forum member.

It ruffles my feathers when O.P.'s ask a question then either disappears or worse, responds in a fashion to ignore most every poster who tried to offer help. So rude.

And here you are replying 6 yrs later or whatever...... You get the biggest 'atta-boy' ever from me.

I wasn't going to respond except you had. I am sure he meant well but just didn't see the date of the posting.

One of the problems is that Testors keeps changing the way they label aluminum.  It used to be gloss at one point- the current just-plain-aluminum is flat.  Flats dry a lot faster, so you need to put them on appropriate for a flat paint- make sure you see the beginning of a sheen or flash, else it may be a bit rough.