Question about Tamiya acrylics

The consistency of the paint should be that of 2% skim milk, which is thinner than you think! I usually spray between 15 and 20 psi.

One other thing that might be messing you up: if there was any enamel, solvent based paint or lacquer, or thinner in the airbrush when you first started, that will have caused a nasty clog the instant it encountered the acrylic paint. You might want to thoroughly clean (disassemble) the airbrush before you try again. I've heard that some people use a separate airbrush for acrylics and organic solvent systems, though I do not.

Triarius,

Thanks!. Indeed, it looks as if the paint was not thin enough. I don't thin my enamels or lacquers as much as that, though I do thin my Tam lacq primer about 50%. I thin it more next timeand see what I get.

As far as any left over material form the enamels in the brush, that may have happened. I usually run clean thinner through after there is no pigment left and then run the brush dry. I only do a complete disassembly about once every five uses or so. I'll start using my back up brush to do the acrylics.

Thanks again!

 

You're welcome! IIRC, I think I generally start dilution of Tamiya ~50%. It's not critical—a little too thin is generally better than not thin enough. This time of year, you can get some major orange peel or pebbling if it's too thick.

Another thing is even when you get the paint thin enough. It may still look like it isn't spraying. I may be stating the obvious here:

Tamiya smoke is a clear color. The first couple of passes may not look like anything is coming out. Just keep spraying little by little and let it build up to the shade you want it too.

The stuff works great if you let it do what it is designed to do. I got impatient with the stuff first couple times I use it and I had the smokiest looking canopies in my Neighborhood.