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Having trouble using airbrush with model paints

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  • Member since
    June 2006
Having trouble using airbrush with model paints
Posted by Tankluver on Saturday, March 31, 2018 9:00 PM

ive tried to use my new point zero air brish wth vallejo paints, I’ve tried thinning them with paint thinner but it still won’t go through the airbrush. I’m not sure what’s wrong, I’ve read to thin Vallejo with distilled water would that make it work? I’m at a lost i thought all airbrushed could be used for model paint ?

  • Member since
    July 2013
Posted by steve5 on Saturday, March 31, 2018 11:18 PM

are you using vallejo thinner's or tamiya , because tamiya is alcohol based and will not mix with water based vallejo paint's , ask me how I know !!

 

  • Member since
    September 2012
Posted by GMorrison on Saturday, March 31, 2018 11:33 PM

You can’t go wrong using the thinners that are designed to work with specific paints.

Home brew solutions form the bulk of painting problems reported here.

 Modeling is an excuse to buy books.

 

  • Member since
    July 2013
  • From: Chicago area
Posted by modelmaker66 on Sunday, April 1, 2018 12:58 AM

GMorrison

You can’t go wrong using the thinners that are designed to work with specific paints.

Home brew solutions form the bulk of painting problems reported here.

 

GMorrison is 100% right. You can only use vallejo airbrush thinner with their paints. Any other thinner will turn them to a gooey mess.

  • Member since
    October 2016
  • From: .O-H-I-O....
Posted by DasBeav on Sunday, April 1, 2018 6:51 AM

As a fellow Point-Zero ABer, I thin VJ with distilled water and it works fine. Have never tried their thinner.

 Sooner Born...Buckeye Bred.

 

  • Member since
    March 2003
  • From: Western North Carolina
Posted by Tojo72 on Sunday, April 1, 2018 7:25 AM
I echo the others,the best thinner for Vallejo is their own,also you should use their Airbrush Flow Improver,even then it’s not a perfect science,you will still need to experiment.

  • Member since
    June 2006
Posted by Tankluver on Sunday, April 1, 2018 9:15 AM

DasBeav

As a fellow Point-Zero ABer, I thin VJ with distilled water and it works fine. Have never tried their thinner.

 

shooting you a pm dasbeav

  • Member since
    June 2006
Posted by Tankluver on Sunday, April 1, 2018 9:16 AM

okay I need to go get vallejo thinner than because that’s the one thing that i haven’t tried also. 

  • Member since
    May 2008
  • From: Wyoming Michigan
Posted by ejhammer on Sunday, April 1, 2018 9:33 AM

I use their "Model Air" product right out of the bottle (With a drop or two of their airbrush flow improver (71.562) for airbrushing with no problems. I always use their airbrush thinner (71.161) if absolutely required for super thin coats of paint, and Airbrush cleaner (71.199) for cleanup of the airbrush after.

I use their "Model Color" for brush painting, adding a drop or two of retarder (70.597) with excellent results.

Using Tamiya paints, I stick to their thinners. For perfect results - stay in the product family.

Completed - 1/525 Round Two Lindberg repop of T2A tanker done as USS MATTAPONI, USS ESSEX 1/700 Hasegawa Dec 1942, USS Yorktown 1/700 Trumpeter 1943. In The Yards - USS ESSEX 1/700 Hasegawa 1945, USS ESSEX 1/700 Dragon 1944, USS ESSEX 1/700 Trumpeter 1945, USS ESSEX 1/540 Revell (vintage) 1962, USS ESSEX 1/350 Trumpeter 1942, USS ESSEX LHD-2 as commissioned, converted from USS Wasp kit Gallery Models. Plus 35 other plastic and wood ship kits.

  • Member since
    June 2006
Posted by Tankluver on Sunday, April 1, 2018 11:35 AM

Yeah I’m slowly learning that you can’t mix and match products. Which is unfortunate but i see that the results vary.

  • Member since
    May 2013
  • From: Indiana, USA
Posted by Greg on Sunday, April 1, 2018 11:57 AM

It would help to know if you are trying to spray Model Color or Model Air.

ejhammer alluded to this above.

  • Member since
    June 2006
Posted by Tankluver on Monday, April 2, 2018 10:05 AM

Sorry it was model color 

  • Member since
    May 2008
  • From: Wyoming Michigan
Posted by ejhammer on Monday, April 2, 2018 10:11 AM

Give their "Model Air" line a try. It is specifically designed for airbrushing. It works well for me.

Completed - 1/525 Round Two Lindberg repop of T2A tanker done as USS MATTAPONI, USS ESSEX 1/700 Hasegawa Dec 1942, USS Yorktown 1/700 Trumpeter 1943. In The Yards - USS ESSEX 1/700 Hasegawa 1945, USS ESSEX 1/700 Dragon 1944, USS ESSEX 1/700 Trumpeter 1945, USS ESSEX 1/540 Revell (vintage) 1962, USS ESSEX 1/350 Trumpeter 1942, USS ESSEX LHD-2 as commissioned, converted from USS Wasp kit Gallery Models. Plus 35 other plastic and wood ship kits.

  • Member since
    May 2013
  • From: Indiana, USA
Posted by Greg on Monday, April 2, 2018 11:59 AM

ejhammer

Give their "Model Air" line a try. It is specifically designed for airbrushing. It works well for me.

 

I second that. Good advice.

Model Color can be airbrushed, but it isn't designed for it, needs a lot of thinning (which ejhammer alludes to two of his post up), and is finicky at best. Best to wait until you know your airbrush and Vallejo paints better.

It's no wonder you are frustrated. I think Vallejo thinks the whole world knows the difference between Model Color and Model Air, but when we are getting started we don't know. I didn't.

  • Member since
    January 2013
Posted by BlackSheepTwoOneFour on Monday, April 2, 2018 10:27 PM

This would be better posting in painting forum thread, not here.

  • Member since
    June 2006
Posted by Tankluver on Tuesday, April 3, 2018 7:16 AM

Would model air have the same numbering as there model color paint chart or is it totally different 

  • Member since
    May 2013
  • From: Indiana, USA
Posted by Greg on Tuesday, April 3, 2018 9:08 AM

Tankluver

Would model air have the same numbering as there model color paint chart or is it totally different 

 

Great question.

Model Color are numbered 70.xxx whilst Model Air are 71.xxx

Is 70.123 (Model Color) the same color as 71.123 Model Air)? No, don't count on that.

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