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Airbrush help

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  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: Kings Mountain, NC
Airbrush help
Posted by modelbuilder on Monday, April 7, 2008 1:38 PM

Hi guys

I have a Paasche Millinium airbrush and I need some help. General overall one color painting, it works fine. However when I switch to doing the camo and try to do fine lines I get a splatter effect. Also I get paint building up on the air cap and splattering as I spray. Is there anything I can do to stop this? I have considered purchasing a true aircompressor that has a storage tank on it so I can adjust the airflow, would this help any?

  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: MA
Posted by avadon on Monday, April 7, 2008 1:55 PM

I had the same problem with my paasche. To do fine lines/dagger strokes you usually have to turn the pressure up a little i've found and then get good with the dual action aspect of the brush.

 There are a few things you can experiment with. It could be your mixture of thinner to paint(to much or to little thinner) and it could be your pressure (to much or too little).

Try watching this video

 

http://youtube.com/watch?v=NlMLtDww4gg

  • Member since
    March 2008
  • From: MA
Posted by avadon on Monday, April 7, 2008 3:27 PM
 modelbuilder wrote:

Hi guys

I have a Paasche Millinium airbrush and I need some help. General overall one color painting, it works fine. However when I switch to doing the camo and try to do fine lines I get a splatter effect. Also I get paint building up on the air cap and splattering as I spray. Is there anything I can do to stop this? I have considered purchasing a true aircompressor that has a storage tank on it so I can adjust the airflow, would this help any?

 After doing some airbrushing and thinking through your problem i'm almost sure that it's a pressure problem. Try increasing the pressure till you can make fine dagger strokes at a decent length from a surface. Are you airbrushing without a regulator? Because if you are this could be part of the problem.

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: Kings Mountain, NC
Posted by modelbuilder on Monday, April 7, 2008 5:35 PM
 avadon wrote:
 modelbuilder wrote:

Hi guys

I have a Paasche Millinium airbrush and I need some help. General overall one color painting, it works fine. However when I switch to doing the camo and try to do fine lines I get a splatter effect. Also I get paint building up on the air cap and splattering as I spray. Is there anything I can do to stop this? I have considered purchasing a true aircompressor that has a storage tank on it so I can adjust the airflow, would this help any?

 After doing some airbrushing and thinking through your problem i'm almost sure that it's a pressure problem. Try increasing the pressure till you can make fine dagger strokes at a decent length from a surface. Are you airbrushing without a regulator? Because if you are this could be part of the problem.

 

I am using a badger piston compressor with a cheap regulator. No matter what I do the compressor puts ot a constant 35-40psi.  I thin my paint 2 parts paint to 1 part thinner

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 2:40 PM

Are you spraying acrylics or enamels?

 

E

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by namrednef on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 5:23 PM

 

Not sure that it matters with your set-up..............but is your regulator flowing in the correct direction? It does happen! 

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: Kings Mountain, NC
Posted by modelbuilder on Tuesday, April 8, 2008 5:35 PM
 namrednef wrote:

 

Not sure that it matters with your set-up..............but is your regulator flowing in the correct direction? It does happen! 

 

According to the markings on the regulator it is. And for the person who asked I use strictly Model Master enamels.

  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by Gigatron on Wednesday, April 9, 2008 12:57 PM

I think the 35-40psi is your culprit.  That's roughly 3-4 times higher than you should be spraying.  And it's a pretty good reason as to why you're getting splatter. 

You're not getting spatter, which happens when you develop dry-tip (improperly thinned paint) or from too low output pressure (pressure builds and spits out the paint).  What's happening here, is you're trying to get a fine line (so I'm assuming you're working closer to the model than normal) and your airbrush is a acting like a fire hose, firing out a watery mess.  When you're further away, the paint has a chance to mist, hence the lack of splatter.

I'll gaurantee that if you drop the psi to about 10, you'll get the results you're looking for.  It's time to invest in a decent regulator.

-Fred

 

  • Member since
    September 2007
  • From: Crystal Lake, IL
Posted by firesmacker on Wednesday, April 9, 2008 6:24 PM

I had a similar problem with my regulator. I purchased a Silent Aire Scorpion 2 and bought a like 8 dollar regulator from Harbor Freight. What I ended up with was a great compressor and, well basically, a cheapo regulator. All plastic except for the connection fittings. No matter what I tried, I couldn't get it below like 40 psi. Thats what it read but it felt like a hell of a lot more than that...I swear to God the pressure could have blown small animals and/or children across the room.

I ended up going to Home Depot and dropping like 20 bucks on an all brass regulator and haven't had any problems since.

Hope this helps.

Jeff 

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Hayward, CA
Posted by MikeV on Thursday, April 10, 2008 12:17 AM
 Gigatron wrote:

I think the 35-40psi is your culprit.  That's roughly 3-4 times higher than you should be spraying.  And it's a pretty good reason as to why you're getting splatter. 

You're not getting spatter, which happens when you develop dry-tip (improperly thinned paint) or from too low output pressure (pressure builds and spits out the paint).  What's happening here, is you're trying to get a fine line (so I'm assuming you're working closer to the model than normal) and your airbrush is a acting like a fire hose, firing out a watery mess.  When you're further away, the paint has a chance to mist, hence the lack of splatter.

I'll gaurantee that if you drop the psi to about 10, you'll get the results you're looking for.  It's time to invest in a decent regulator.

-Fred

 

I totally disagree Fred.

He is using a siphon-feed airbrush and 10 psi is far too low for that type of airbrush.

I rarely spray that low with a gravity-feed airbrush.

 

Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom. " Charles Spurgeon
  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Thursday, April 10, 2008 5:29 PM

Mike's right.  Also, the Badger compressor probably doesn't have enough CFM's to atomize the paint with the VL.  Try adjusting to about 20-25 psi and hold a distance of one to one and a half inches from your surface for better line control.

 

E

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: Kings Mountain, NC
Posted by modelbuilder on Sunday, April 13, 2008 6:37 PM
 H3nav wrote:

Mike's right.  Also, the Badger compressor probably doesn't have enough CFM's to atomize the paint with the VL.  Try adjusting to about 20-25 psi and hold a distance of one to one and a half inches from your surface for better line control.

 

E

 

Does my ratio of paint to thinner seem right? Could it be part of the problem?

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Sunday, April 13, 2008 8:10 PM

Ratio sounds good.  The next variable outside of pressure is what are you using to thin your paint?  If you're using a compatible thinner, then it might be that you are getting water in the line from your compressor.

 

E

  • Member since
    October 2006
Posted by Inquisitor on Monday, April 14, 2008 6:40 PM

Agree absolutely with MikeV.  With a siphon feed, you need increased PSI to get the paint to move.  If you want to pray at 5-10 PSI, you need a GF brush, or a Side feed, like the iwata SB (which I love!)  You also need relatively thin paints.  High air flow = faster tip drying too. 

 

 

 

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: Kings Mountain, NC
Posted by modelbuilder on Monday, April 14, 2008 10:19 PM
 Inquisitor wrote:

Agree absolutely with MikeV.  With a siphon feed, you need increased PSI to get the paint to move.  If you want to pray at 5-10 PSI, you need a GF brush, or a Side feed, like the iwata SB (which I love!)  You also need relatively thin paints.  High air flow = faster tip drying too. 

 

 

 

 

I guess the real root of this question is how can I get really fine lines with no splatter/spatter and very little over spray with the set up that I have? My budget doesnt allow me to purchase another expensive airbrush.

  • Member since
    November 2005
Posted by Anonymous on Monday, April 14, 2008 11:07 PM

All things considered, you can probably get close if you swap out the medium needle and replace it with a fine tip, fine air cap, and fine polished needle.  I'd have to go to the Paasche site to be sure, but I believe the Millenium takes the VL's needle, tip, and air cap.  Yes, you have to be able to regulate the air for really fine lines.  Additionally, you have to have a needle with a fine taper to get it down consistenly.  The Paasche medium needles were designed for thick mediums like textile paints.  Please find attached a copy of the Paasche trubleshooting guide for the VL.  HTH.

E

Skipping or Spitting:

1. Paint too thick -Reduce with thinner

2. Tip not seated -Tighten VLB aircap body with wrench

3. Tip split or damaged Needle -Replace tip or needle

4. Needle or tip dirty -Clean and replace

5. Air pressure too low -Increase pressure or thin paint further (need 20 or more PSI to spray most paints

  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Hayward, CA
Posted by MikeV on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 12:16 AM
 modelbuilder wrote:
 Inquisitor wrote:

Agree absolutely with MikeV.  With a siphon feed, you need increased PSI to get the paint to move.  If you want to pray at 5-10 PSI, you need a GF brush, or a Side feed, like the iwata SB (which I love!)  You also need relatively thin paints.  High air flow = faster tip drying too. 

 

 

 

 

I guess the real root of this question is how can I get really fine lines with no splatter/spatter and very little over spray with the set up that I have? My budget doesnt allow me to purchase another expensive airbrush.

What exactly are you trying to accomplish that you need to spray really fine lines?

 

 

Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom. " Charles Spurgeon
  • Member since
    April 2003
  • From: Hayward, CA
Posted by MikeV on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 12:19 AM
 Inquisitor wrote:

Agree absolutely with MikeV.  With a siphon feed, you need increased PSI to get the paint to move.  If you want to pray at 5-10 PSI, you need a GF brush, or a Side feed, like the iwata SB (which I love!)  You also need relatively thin paints.  High air flow = faster tip drying too. 

 

 

 

That's the toss up with airbrushing.

Higher pressures atomize paint the best but it is harder to control overspray so you have to find a happy medium. Smile [:)]

Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom. " Charles Spurgeon
  • Member since
    October 2006
Posted by Inquisitor on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 10:57 AM

I agree.  It used to really bother me.  I was always looking for one set up/paint/etc. that would do everything.  Then I realized how dynamic ABing is, esp. with the interplay with all the variables.  No one brush would do everything or be better than every other (though some really come close IMO), and no one line of paint was 'the best'. 

It then became a matter of what did I want overall the brush/paint to act like and what did I want as a final result.  Then it was simply learning to use the brush, thin the paints, etc. to get the results that I want. 

I like to spray at much lower pressures, and have very fine control (using iwatas), but to do this, I had to get used to manipulating my media, understanding how each of my brushes acted at certain pressures, distances, etc. (i.e. pressure drops, use of MAC valves on the fly, etc.). 

 I do think there is a difference between using an airbrush as a spraygun (paint blaster) and using one more artistically.  For the former, you need very little control over the variables to assure outcomes.  For the latter, you need a little skill/experience, but its not hard to pick up.  It takes practice, a tolerance of bad outcomes and a willingness not to give up!  :) 

  • Member since
    May 2004
  • From: Kings Mountain, NC
Posted by modelbuilder on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 11:17 AM
 MikeV wrote:
 modelbuilder wrote:
 Inquisitor wrote:

Agree absolutely with MikeV.  With a siphon feed, you need increased PSI to get the paint to move.  If you want to pray at 5-10 PSI, you need a GF brush, or a Side feed, like the iwata SB (which I love!)  You also need relatively thin paints.  High air flow = faster tip drying too. 

 

 

 

 

I guess the real root of this question is how can I get really fine lines with no splatter/spatter and very little over spray with the set up that I have? My budget doesnt allow me to purchase another expensive airbrush.

What exactly are you trying to accomplish that you need to spray really fine lines?

 

 

 

Mike

I am mostly concerned with doing fine line camo on 1/35 scale German armor and 1/48 scale German aircraft. I have the #1 needle and tip and cap set up now, I also have the #3 and #5. Sounds like my biggest problem is the cheap regulator I have. Is there a certain distance from the compressor that I should mount my moisture trap and pressure regulator?

  • Member since
    February 2008
  • From: San Bernardino, CA
Posted by enemeink on Tuesday, April 15, 2008 1:04 PM
i guess one thing to say is that the more air movement you have the more paint you will have to go with it. even if you open the throttle just a little bit the suction of the air moving past will pull out paint and in larger volumes, then if you had lower PSI. or maybe i'm just beating a dead horse.
"The race for quality has no finish line, so technically it's more like a death march."
  • Member since
    January 2007
Posted by Gigatron on Tuesday, April 22, 2008 8:55 AM
 MikeV wrote:
 Gigatron wrote:

I think the 35-40psi is your culprit.  That's roughly 3-4 times higher than you should be spraying.  And it's a pretty good reason as to why you're getting splatter. 

You're not getting spatter, which happens when you develop dry-tip (improperly thinned paint) or from too low output pressure (pressure builds and spits out the paint).  What's happening here, is you're trying to get a fine line (so I'm assuming you're working closer to the model than normal) and your airbrush is a acting like a fire hose, firing out a watery mess.  When you're further away, the paint has a chance to mist, hence the lack of splatter.

I'll gaurantee that if you drop the psi to about 10, you'll get the results you're looking for.  It's time to invest in a decent regulator.

-Fred

 

I totally disagree Fred.

He is using a siphon-feed airbrush and 10 psi is far too low for that type of airbrush.

I rarely spray that low with a gravity-feed airbrush.

 

 

this is probably a moot point now (especially considering that he started a new thread saying a new reg. fixed his problem), but I have an Iwata Eclipse BC-S (siphon feed) that I can shoot hair thin lines with at 15 PSI.  The only reason I stopped using the BC-S as my main gun was the fact that I hated cleaning up all the bottles at the end of the day.

And my two gravity feed brushes (Iwata Eclipse and Revolution) I shoot between 8 and 12 depending on the paint.

-Fred

 

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