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Does anyone know what would cause bad paint atomization? I'm getting uneven coverage and flecks of paint that look like I was flicking a paintbrush. I've tried it with neat Vallejo Model Air and thinned Model Air at different pressures, so thinning or pressure probably isn't the problem. I'm guessing it's probably just because it needs a clean, but I wanted to run it past you guys. Luckily I've repainted, and I've only been doing priming and a basecoat since this problem started.
"Gaiety is the most outstanding feature of the Soviet Union." - Josef Stalin
I use Vallejo model air for all my color coats, and it chokes up a nozzle so fast, even thinned. I thin 30 to 75 percent, depending on which layer I'm working on, and have to wipe my needle tip constantly, even with a 0.4mm nozzle. So, I would start with a cleaning and at the same time look for a bent needle or cracked nozzle.
I am using an H S infinity, normally a 0.2 mm nozzle, I just keep thinner or water and q tips at hand during paint. I use Vallejo airbrush cleaner first and an ultrasonic bath second when I clean.
Hope that helps.
Life is hard, it's even harder when you're stupid - John Wayne.
Yes, this definitely happened despite the cleaning of the needle tip during painting. I'm going to do a quick clean of the nozzle and stuff tomorrow (I'll save the real deep clean for next weekend), and I'll see if that helps. I really need to get around to buying an ultrasonic cleaner and a real airbrush holder.
How big are the flecks? Spraying fast drying paints from too great a distance can cause a rough surface due to paint particles drying before hitting the surface. If the flecks are about the size of the grit in coarse to medium sandpaper- say 120 or 150 grit- this could be the problem.
Don Stauffer in Minnesota
I recently started using Vallejo 71.262 Airbrush Flow Improver,and it has made a diffrence for me.
Why you have to doctor up their paint with additives to work is beyond me,but it does seem to work.
Don Stauffer How big are the flecks? Spraying fast drying paints from too great a distance can cause a rough surface due to paint particles drying before hitting the surface. If the flecks are about the size of the grit in coarse to medium sandpaper- say 120 or 150 grit- this could be the problem.
This is not a drying problem, it's more of an atomization problem. The paint is landing wet, it's just really bad atomization. The spray is not consistent or small enough, I could get better atomization with a spray bottle.
Tojo72 I recently started using Vallejo 71.262 Airbrush Flow Improver,and it has made a diffrence for me. Why you have to doctor up their paint with additives to work is beyond me,but it does seem to work.
I've been considering getting some of that, but I wasn't sure how useful it would be. I'll pick some up, thanks for the advice!
I decided to just clean the whole airbrush, as it didn't make sense to do part of it.
air pressure too low can cause poor atomization
You may want to read this article and see if you can pick up some tips on how ti fix your problem.
http://www.vivilon.com/instruction-005.html
What size needle/nozzle are you spraying through?
Greg What size needle/nozzle are you spraying through?
Ok, I found the instruction manual. It's a little vague, but I'm pretty sure the needle/nozzle size is 0.38mm.
Moff Ok, I found the instruction manual. It's a little vague, but I'm pretty sure the needle/nozzle size is 0.38mm.
I think .38mm is right, it's what I found too.
Reason I ask is as much as I like Vallejo acryls (and I use them primarily), I do not believe they have the finest pigments in the world, and IMO, although I read of folks shooting it through tiny detail needle/nozzles, anything less then .35mm might be tricky.
That said, you should be fine at .38mm and that shoots down my first guess at your spurting problem. Next comes dry tip as mentioned above.
Could be a bad paint, try it with a different brand of paint and see if you have the problem
Greg Next comes dry tip as mentioned above.
Next comes dry tip as mentioned above.
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