Anyone used Lifecolor before?

TANGO 1

Member since
December 2002
From: A secret workshop somewhere in England

Anyone used Lifecolor before?

Posted by TANGO 1 on Sunday, February 20, 2005 3:31 PM

Hi all,

As I'm trying to get accurate colours for my aircraft models these days I thought that I would give Lifecolor acrylics a try. I've always used humbrol enamels before, but they don't make many FS or RLM colours so hence why the change of heart Clown [:o)]

Here's my question, I'm thinning the paint down with Lifecolor thinners and making sure that it's well mixed but when I spray it through my airbrush it leaves very small splatters(or small dots of built up paint) on the surface of the model. I've tried varying thickness of paint and stripped/cleaned my airbrush several times yet I'm still having the same problem.

If I can't fix this, I'm going to have to spend a small fortune on ordering paint from my internet supplier(They only mail paints with kit purchases Disapprove [V]

)

So can anyone tell me if they have had the same problem, or offer any advice?

Any help at all will be appriciated as I'm nearly at the end of my teather..... Confused [%-)]

Thanks,

Darren.

Regards, Darren. C.A.G. FAA/USNFAW GB

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maddafinga

Member since
March 2003
From: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

Posted by maddafinga on Sunday, February 20, 2005 4:28 PM

It sounds like some of the paint is drying in the air on the way to the model. You might try getting your brush a bit closer to what you're painting and be careful of tight angles where the pigment can bounce around before it lights somewhere. You might also condider using some retarder in there since it's acrylic. You can get that in most art supply stores, a drop or two will slow down the dry time of the paint. It should also help eliminate any tip dry you're getting.

Come to think of it, your splatters might be caused by tip dry on your needle also. A little clump of dried paint can disrupt your paint flow and cause spattering like that. Retarder will help with that as well. You can also take an old brush and wipe it off your needle as you paint. Hope some of that info has helped.

Madda Trifles make perfection, but perfection is no trifle. -- Leonardo Da Vinci Tact is for those who lack the wit for sarcasm.--maddafinga

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TANGO 1

Member since
December 2002
From: A secret workshop somewhere in England

Posted by TANGO 1 on Sunday, February 20, 2005 6:33 PM

Thanks Maddafinger, I've not used retarder before so I'll give it a go. I had heard elsewhere that acryiic paint dries quickly, but I did'nt realise that it could clog up my airbrush in mid-flow!

Thanks for your time and advice, its much appriciated,

Darren.

Regards, Darren. C.A.G. FAA/USNFAW GB

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maddafinga

Member since
March 2003
From: Broken Arrow, Oklahoma

Posted by maddafinga on Sunday, February 20, 2005 11:22 PM

No problem at all man! Be sure to keep us filled in, if the retarder doesn't take care of it, post back here and between everyone we'll get it licked. That's one of the great things about this forum.

Madda Trifles make perfection, but perfection is no trifle. -- Leonardo Da Vinci Tact is for those who lack the wit for sarcasm.--maddafinga

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Monday, February 21, 2005 7:57 PM

I used Lifecolor for my very first airbrushing attempt and thought it worked great. I thinned it about 50/50 with water and painted a Shelby Cobra and an F4-U Corsair. I primered first with Lifecolor, but did not use Lifecolor thinners. I found it did dry in the nozzle pretty quick but I was expecting that. I kept some wet q-tips at hand and a spray bottle of water to keep the nozzleclean from time to time. I've since switched to Model Master Acryl because of the color selection.

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Edit

KJ200

Member since
July 2003
From: Bicester, England

Posted by KJ200 on Tuesday, February 22, 2005 2:44 AM

QUOTE: Originally posted by TANGO 1

(They only mail paints with kit purchases)

That wouldn't be Hannant's would it? Evil [}:)]

Darren, I used Lifecolour without any problems. Best bet, get some Tamiya acrylic thinner, as this contains a built in retarder and try altering your paint mix between to between 30-40% paint to 60 -70% thinner as the the Lifecolour is a little on the thick side straight out of the pot.

Alternatively you could try Gunze acrylics, which is what I use. These are not available from Hannants, but from MDC, see link below:

http://dialspace.dial.pipex.com/town/place/gfb78/

And you don't have to order a kit each time you want to buy some paint. Big Smile [:D]

They are also cheaper at £1.25 a pot.

The Gunze range has all the main FS & RLM colours, and the paints are, IMHO the bast acrylics on the market.

Again you can thin with Tamiya acrylic thinner, but this time at about 50/50 paint to thinner as the pigments are finer.

Best of luck

Karl

Currently on the bench: AZ Models 1/72 Mig 17PF

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TANGO 1

Member since
December 2002
From: A secret workshop somewhere in England

Posted by TANGO 1 on Tuesday, February 22, 2005 5:31 PM

Thanks for the advice guys Blush [:I]

Karl, your right!! Big Smile [:D]

Hannants are a pain in the Censored [censored]

for that!

Thanks for the heads-up on the Grunze paints, next time that I re-supply I'll give them a go. In the meantime, I'll grab some Tamiya thinner and see how that goes. Thanks for the info,

Darren Wink [;)]

Regards, Darren. C.A.G. FAA/USNFAW GB

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