Vallejo air model drying/curing time

Dave, acrylics are prone to dry-tip. Dry tip means as the paint and air mixture passes by the tip of the airbrush, it (the paint) can tend to dry on the tip. This messes up the paint/air flow to the point that further spraying becomes extremely annoying to impossible.

Unfortunately, Vallejo is quite prone to dry tip. Folks use a what they commonly refer to as a 'retarder' to slow/stop this dry tip.

I think 'retarder' has be used a bit loosely in this thread, the only thing that really works with Vallejo Air to reduce dry tip is Vallejo's own "Airbrush Flow Improver".

All other Vallejo products with the word "retarder" have to do with brush painting, and in that case is not counter-intuitive at all because the sole purpose is to keep the paint from drying out on the pallete so soon. Using it in an airbrush to reduce drytip is an exercise in fulitily as it does just as you suspect, absolutley nothing to help dry tip and slows dry/cure time, and I suspect same has driven many potential Vallejo users away.

Good luck, hopefully you will come to grip with it. Hope this post helps you somehow. Vallejo's product naming isn't the easiest thing to figure out, and that doesn't help!

I tried it recently, it took about a week before it felt cured. It sprayed very well out of the bottle, and I don't think I had it on too thick. I'll stick with Tamiya and Model Master. 

laskdjn

One thing to note about acrylics....drying and curing are two different things.

 

I shoot almost exclusively Vallejo Model Air, and like everyone above noted, you gotta shoot multiple thin coats.  I normally do 2:1, paint to thinner.  When you're spraying, you stay on one spot just long enought to barely make it look wet and move on.

 

I understand that with commercial paint, curing is complete when you don't smell the paint any longer.  Using a retarder seems counter productive if it slows the drying time down though.  From what you all have said,my problem seems to be laying down too much paint in one coat.

Using Vallejo Air, I had the understanding that you did not need to thin it.  I have the thinner.  Just have never thought I needed to use it with this product.

I appreciate your help.

One thing to note about acrylics....drying and curing are two different things.

I shoot almost exclusively Vallejo Model Air, and like everyone above noted, you gotta shoot multiple thin coats.  I normally do 2:1, paint to thinner.  When you're spraying, you stay on one spot just long enought to barely make it look wet and move on.

Retarder

slows the drying time. People use it to keep the paint from drying too fast, especially acrylics. It's useful for keeping your paint from drying too fast in your airbrush or hand brushing blending techniques. I don't use it in my airbrush Because unless you mix it really really well it causes clumpy spray patterns.  I don't think that's your problem. I'm guessing like the others said you're putting too thick a coat on with one spray. Just practice different techniques on a test piece. You'll figure it out. Multiple thin coats are your best bet. 

Thanks for the feedback.  Being fairly new to using Vallejo Air products, I've not heard of a "retarder."  Can you point me to how to use this product? Ratios and all.

Thanks.

run a hair dryer over the paint when you are finished for a couple minutes. dries it rock hard.

Greg is correct, my experience with Vallejo Model Air was the same. Using only their thinner and no retarder it felt rubbery for at least a week. ):>(

By being careful to avoid leaving finger marks from handling I could clear coat next day, then in a couple of hours the clear set up OK. No difficulty applying decals in another day.

Greg is a very good friend, he took all of that Valley Joe stuff off my hands. Bless him. (:>)

Patrick

Vallejo dries funny. It can feel tacky/rubbery for weeks if applied heavily. It rarely feels 'cured' enough the next day to me, but as mentioned above it is probably ready for whatever needs to go on top of it.

Sometimes I wonder if not clear-coated if it might stay that way forever?? 

I wonder if that might be what you are experiencing?

Lack of retarder, spraying too close or heavy can be the cause.

I use model air a lot with about 3 to 1 paint to Vallejo thinner. It dries quite quickly. An hour or two I can clear coat it no problem. Are you using a retarder? It shouldn't take that long. Something is going on.