Help with Vallejo & airbrushing

IMO, for MC you want at least 50-50 thinning solution to paint, whatever your combo of thinner solution may be, and maybe more with a finer needle. I thin it around 50-50 with a larger needle. And try around 23 psi, even 25 is not unthinkable. MC is a thick paint and intended to be brushed, so you have to do your own airbrush ready mix so to speak. And one suited to your system and airbrush used.

Just try it on some primed spare parts. You can always back the thinner off if need be, but I doubt that will be the case. And more flow improver in the blend should help the tip dry. Also I highly recommend heat setting between coats, this will aid in relieving that tacky feel of the finish. Just a suggestion.

Strongeagle

Love your candor. I'm about ready to throw in with you on this one.  I continue to use Vallejo Air and Vallejo Color and always feel that I haven't got it quite right yet.  When it works it's wonderful, but it seems to not work more times lately than it works.  I'll continue to take my punishment until I finally give up on Vallejo, but I'm not there yet.

Thanks Strongeagle,

I bought a bunch of the Vallejo Model Air paint way back when I was starting on the exterior paint work on an FB-111A build, and I was pretty jazzed about how great it was going to be since I had heard such good things about it.  Not my cup of tea.  It was difficult to get it to spray consistently and predictably, and even after weeks of letting it dry, it just never felt like it had much more than a tenuous grasp on the plastic.  That was the FS36622 camouflage grey paint, so I decided to press on and go to the lightest colors in the SIOP camo scheme.  The FS34201 looked about right, but I still wasn't happy with how it felt after weeks of drying.  Then came their FS34159, and that was when I went back to Model Master.  Vallejo's version of it wasn't even close.  It's supposed to be a nice, grey-blue-green color, but their's was basically just another shade of brown.  My Vark ended up looking like it was wearing desert camouflage.  Stripped all of it off...which was extremely easy due to poor adhesion...and went with some decanted Model Master Enamels that I had still been able to find in spray cans.  The Model Master looked exactly right...did have a long cure time...but when it cured, it was on the model.  It was much more durable.  I know there are techniques for getting Vallejo to perform well, but there were so many better options available, I just didn't see the point in beating my head against the wall.  Then MRP came along, and well, that paint is my go-to now...LOVE the stuff.  Very durable, no BS or fiddling with it, and a complete cure in less than 1 hour.  Lets me focus on actually building and finishing the model, rather than figuring out how to make a troublesome paint happy.  I still have lots of Tamiya paint as well, which also is pretty much hassle free for airbrushing.

what i was most interested in is what ratios, etc, psi especially for .33 needles , people use for VMC.  maybe ill try a little bigger needle...

Eaglecash867

 

 

Mrchntmarine

the reason I picked VMC is I couldnt find the color in Tamiya. 

 

 

 

 

Is there something that makes a critical difference with the VMC gloss white versus Tamiya gloss white?  

 

So its not so much the gloss white.  As mentioned , i can gloss over the white Tamiya primer i used.  BUT, i started with VMC gloss white and its a pain so far.  I had a hard time finding a color i liked for the deck - the LHS didnt have a lot of choices and i setteled for another Vallajo color - Calavery Brown - 70.982.  So i figuring if i had this much trouble - again - with the gloss white, i was in for another treat with the brown.

Who knows, maybe not - as whites in general are trouble for me.  And, the brown may not even look right.  we'll see.....

Dear Eaglecash,

"Sorry to be a weisenheimer, but the only advice I can offer is to just go back to using the Tamiya paint.  Not a fan of airbrushing Vallejo paint, its a lot more trouble than its worth."

Love your candor. I'm about ready to throw in with you on this one.  I continue to use Vallejo Air and Vallejo Color and always feel that I haven't got it quite right yet.  When it works it's wonderful, but it seems to not work more times lately than it works.  I'll continue to take my punishment until I finally give up on Vallejo, but I'm not there yet.

Mrchntmarine

the reason I picked VMC is I couldnt find the color in Tamiya. 

Sorry forgot to add .33 needle. 

the reason I picked VMC is I couldnt find the color in Tamiya. 

The 10-2-2 mix has never failed me,could be the white,tough to use with any brand.I have taken to using  Tamiya white primer in the rattle can,covers nicely.

Sorry to be a weisenheimer, but the only advice I can offer is to just go back to using the Tamiya paint.  Not a fan of airbrushing Vallejo paint, its a lot more trouble than its worth.