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Minimizing overspray

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  • Member since
    December 2012
Minimizing overspray
Posted by jvtroyen on Monday, March 3, 2014 3:39 AM

Hi all,

I recently attempted airbrushing camouflage free-hand for the first time. I have an Aztec A470 with 7 different nozzles. Some are high-flow, some are (supposed to be) for detail work. I experimented with almost all nozzles for this, but there's many other variables to play with and I don't seem to be zeroing in on the best combination.

First off, I'm having issues with either overspray or paint-spidering. Because I want to do fine work, I dialed the pressure to 7-10 PSI (the lowest my compressor goes before giving nothing anymore) and brought the brush in really close to the surface. This close however, half of the time, the air still blows away the paint before it dries (which only takes a few seconds, but still too long). I'm using Vallejo model air straight out of the bottle, so it's not like I overthinned it. I use the trigger very gently, but there seems to be no sweet spot between "no paint, pull a fraction further" and "too much at once".

If I pull the airbrush further from the surface, the paint doesn't run away, but the spray is too wide as a logical result of the increased distance.

On top of that, at this low pressure and pulling back the trigger very carefully, I find it hard to get any paint to spray at all (also a result of not using thinner to avoid spidering).

I was hoping you guys had any tips? A picture of the result is below. More if you follow this link.

Thanks for reading,
Jeroen

  • Member since
    May 2013
Posted by Snibs on Monday, March 3, 2014 5:25 AM

I had similar problems when I tried detail work with my A470 just recently. I've had mine for years but I have to say buying a HP.C plus (among others) was one of the best moves I ever made, by far much easier to set up and use for fine stuff.

That's a great collection you have, well done indeed.

Mick.

Some stuff that might be interesting.

https://sites.google.com/view/airbrush-and-modeling/home

On The Bench.

Tiger 1 and Tooheys.

 

  • Member since
    March 2010
  • From: MN
Posted by Nathan T on Monday, March 3, 2014 8:29 AM

About the only humans I know that can get great results from the Aztek are Brett Green and Chris Wachup. Good luck, try the smallest tip and up the air pressure a bit more. I'm not sure how good Vallejo is for fine lines too??

 

 

  • Member since
    December 2011
Posted by Chrisk-k on Monday, March 3, 2014 10:39 AM

In my experience, Vallejo isn't great for spraying fine lines because it cannot be thinned too much.

Here's what I do and it works for me.  I use an Iwata HP-B Plus (awesome for fine work) and thin Tamiya acrylics with it lacquer thinner (1 part Tamiya and 2 or 3 parts thinner).  Tamiya acrylics even when thinned a lot with its lacquer thinner adheres to plastic extremely well.

Iwata HP-CS | Iwata HP-CR | Iwata HP-M2 | H&S Evolution | Iwata Smart Jet + Sparmax Tank

  • Member since
    January 2014
Posted by Silver on Wednesday, April 2, 2014 2:14 PM
Use with your other hand a small cardboard piece and guide it along side the area you are painting.
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