Acrylics Problems

Try to thin the paint to the consistency of 2% milk.  Unfortunately, there is no real ratio to get this consistency.  It's more or less practice and eyeballing.

20 PSI is way too high.  I'm surprised you're not blowing your pieces half way across the room.  Drop the pressure to between 8 and 12 for a gravity feed and 10 - 15 for a bottom feed.

Right now, you're shooting too thin of a paint at too much pressure.  It's almost like giving the model a pressure wash instead of a paintjob.

-Fred

Ok I tried your suggestions and I found that it was indeed over thin paint. The 3:1 worked perfectly, though I am think for my next round to go with just a tad more as when I was painteing I was not getting good continual flow. As for the PSI, I tried the 10-15 and got horible flow, almost no paint at all. I then increased it to 20, got better but still not great. However at full blast, about 40 psi I was getting great flow. So I guess my stuff is just wired like that, or could my moisture trap be the culpret?

If you are having to use that much pressure something is DEFINITELY wrong.  The only time I have to use that much pressure is to clean out my airbrushes.  I normally spray at 10 to 12 psi (gravity feed or siphon feed) and never have any problems.  I never go any higher than 15 because I get too much overspray.  Not sure what airbrush you have  but it sounds like something is partially plugged up smoewhere.

Ranger_Chris61 wrote:

Ok I tried your suggestions and I found that it was indeed over thin paint. The 3:1 worked perfectly, though I am think for my next round to go with just a tad more as when I was painteing I was not getting good continual flow. As for the PSI, I tried the 10-15 and got horible flow, almost no paint at all. I then increased it to 20, got better but still not great. However at full blast, about 40 psi I was getting great flow. So I guess my stuff is just wired like that, or could my moisture trap be the culpret?

I had a similar problem and this is what happened to me:

Back when they first came out with the older model/heavier framed airbrush compressor at Harbor Freight, I grabbed one, only to discover that they were about to issue the next model which included the filter/regulator with it.

Since their add-on filter/regulator is only $15.00, I decided to adapt it, but here's the rub; unless I cranked the regulator valve wide-open, since I got poor airflow volume and pressure control for my airbrushes, I was actually getting better performance out of the Testors canned propellent I could pick up at Wal-Mart! So it seems that the aftermarket filter/regulator range is mainly made for a higher pressure model, but it works with my little airbursh model at the wide-open valve setting.

In your case, if it has a few hours on it, your compressor might be weak as well.

Before I jump to any conclusions about my compressor/accessory set-up, I always first try running my brushes on canned propellent just to make sure. If you need a nice adaptor for the canned propellent, Harbor Freight throws in a dandy with their $4.00 single-action airbrush.

Also, Testors now advertises that their acrylics need no thinning for air-brushing. I have tried a couple of their colors without thinning, and aside from higher-consumption of the product, the main problem I get into is with metallic colors, the unthinned metallic paste clogs up the siphon tube in the jar. I havn't tried this with their flats yet, but I would guess they would do all right.

Tom

Thats was mroe or less what I was thinking, a combination of the filter and the compressor being old, exactly how old I dont exactly know, hell it could be older than I am for all I know. I have yet to try the MM paint unthined, and really dont plan to if the consumtion rate is higher as i am already going through a large quantity of the stuff as is, however the 3:1 work perfectly with them.

Try this link, and see if this might be a good solution for you:

 /forums/787246/ShowPost.aspx

Tom

The simple reason the consumption rate of unthinned paint is higher, is because when you thin paint, you have more paint!

My problem is what to do with the unused thinned paint I have leftover, not getting a new bottle of Testors acrylic at Hobby Lobby or Wal-Mart. If I like a color, always buy more then one bottle, just in case something happens to one anyway, so using up a bottle faster is only a problem if I am painting a larger subject.

Tom