Spraying Vallejo paints

Well, thanks for the replies guys.

I will have to look for these other Primers. Only ones Ive ever used is Tamiya in a rattle can (Hate using it due to lack of control of flow), Model Master Acrylic and the Vallejo. I have noticed the Vallejo does scratch extremely easily, but I find that with everything Vallejo.   I am somewhat concerned using Tamiya under Vallejo as I have had some cracking of Vallejo paints going overtop standard Tamiya colours. 

Personal experience is that I dont find I have the paint come up when masking. I am in the process of doing a Tamiya DO-335 and literally just peeled off all the masking and had none of the paint come up with the tape.  I did however have some chips and scratches in the primer 

Anyways, Thanks again for the responses. 

Deeve_

I will have to look for these other Primers. Only ones Ive ever used is Tamiya in a rattle can (Hate using it due to lack of control of flow), Model Master Acrylic and the Vallejo

You can decant Tamiya primer into a 4 ounce mason jar and airbrush it.  It works like a dream.  I thin mine with MEK to give it even more bite on the plastic.  Can't comment on the cracking problem with Vallejo paint over Tamiya primer, as I stopped using Vallejo paint a few years ago.  Not into having to use a chemistry set to make the stuff do what its supposed to do, and there are other less-troublesome alternatives.  Also didn't like the ridiculously long cure times and fragile finish they produce. 

Eaglecash.

Totally didn't even think to decant it. I will do that next time. Do you think adding some solvent glue to it will have the same effect as pure MEK?

When I had the Vallejo paint crack, I did insignia white overtop a glossy gray tamiya. The paint split and cracked in spots. Might have been from putting it in too thick as it was white and I was trying to cover up some defects. Likely my screw up.

Not sure how the Tamiya primer would react with solvent glue.  I think most solvent glues for models are primarily Toluene, and I'm not sure of the compatibility.  What I have tried other than MEK was isopropyl alcohol, since that's what I use to thin other Tamiya paints.  Isopropyl alcohol and Tamiya primer definitely don't get along, the primer is pretty much instantly turned into something that resembles cottage cheese.  MEK is reliable and fairly cheap in comparison to other things.  Just have lots of ventilation and don't get it on your skin.  Latex gloves are pretty much impervious to it, so they offer good protection.  Vinyl gloves, on the other hand, will melt instantly.

Painting a second color over the top of any gloss paint is going to be inviting adhesion and cracking issues, especially if it goes on too thick.

For decanting, I usually get a box of 4 ounce mason jars with lids from somewhere like Amazon.  I take one of the lids and drill a big enough hole in the center of it for a 1/4" ID grommet.  That lid I use as my decanting lid.  Then I take the nozzle off the Tamiya primer can and attach a bendable party straw over the nozzle using epoxy and let that cure overnight.  After that, I take the can and shake it for a couple of minutes to get everything in it mixed and ready to spray.  Then its just a matter of putting the nozzle/straw assembly back on the can, screwing the lid with the grommet onto one of the mason jars, pushing the straw into the grommet, and spraying all of the paint through the straw into the jar.  Don't screw the cap on tightly when doing this, so the propellant can vent.  After that, leave the cap loose to allow the propellant to continue to come out of solution.  At about 2 hours, carefully stir the paint by hand (no motorized mixers) a little bit at a time...it will boil quickly as the propellant gas continues to come out, so you have to occasionally stop stirring to keep it from boiling over.  When it no longer boils when stirred, you can screw the lid on tight and you've got lots of airbrushable Tamiya primer that will be good for weeks or even months of primering model parts.

When airbrushing it, I find it best to put a little bit of the primer into a Dixie paper bathroom cup, and then thin/mix it with MEK.  You'll have to stir the primer in the mason jar each time because there is a thick, sticky sludge that settles to the bottom.  That sludge is normal though, so don't worry that your primer is drying out.  You just have to stir it each time.  I usually use a wooden skewer for stirring it since its too thick for a motorized stirrer.

I have found the key to airbrusshing vallojo paints,  and it is simply do not thin model color paint with airbrush thinner use only flow improver give it a try Ithink you will be happy with the result

I just stick with the tried and true.... much simpler, no problems.

disastermaster

I just stick with the tried and true.... much simpler, no problems.

 

EXACTLY!  Love Tamiya paint for its simplicity and reliability.  Started using MRP paint, which is even simpler to use.  No worries.  

disastermaster

I just stick with the tried and true.... much simpler, no problems.

 

Simple sounds good to me also,but for me,and just me,it's not simple for me to try to mix my own colors.If Tamiya has what I need great,otherwise I look elsewhere for something easy.Vallejo has a great color range and it has become simple for me,Mission Model paints are simple for me,and AK Real paint line I have found them to be the same as Tamiya only more colors,even the  same jar,thinned with LT,so their simple and basic for me.

No problems

dinglebery

Vallejo Model Air paint does not get thinned - it goes straight into the airbrush. If you have a large area to paint and don't want it to dry super fast and clog up your tip add some Flow Improver. .5mm needle at about 35psi 

That is generally true. Using an .5 needle is ok as you posted but try using an .2 one and unthinned. It will kinda of work but it will skip and spit unless it's thinned and still I don't get the same performance as an enamel that I can thin and use my Sotar brush and spray at 10-12 psi all day without skipping or tip dry.

I thin Model Air 10-20% or so with my own blend of thinner and it sprays beautifully through my .25 Badger at around 23 psi.That tip has always been an exceptionally good tip imo. No complaints at all. I'm sure their own flow improver would do the same with however much it took to get the job done. I've shot it straight from the bottle with the same tip and it works but I have to open up more, it doesn't take much to thin it that little bit and get nice smooth results in a range I like to shoot in.

Cafguy

TAMIYA paints are my favorite its getting harder to find them localy not sure why i guess my hobby lobby has a lazy maneger

i do not think it is your manager. we have a GREAT LHS in Denver and they are not fully stocked with Tamiya.

waynec

not think it is your manager. we have a GREAT LHS in Denver and they are not fully stocked with Tamiya.

The key to spraying Vallejo Model Air and other water based acrylics as Hataka Red Line and AK Gen 3 is thinning them with Vallejo Flow Improver.  In our dry climate, I use 2:1, Flow Improver to Paint. Vallejo AB Thinner causes tip dry too quickly and I don't use it anymore to thin paints (I do use the thinner on occasion to thin Vallejo Poly clears (satin or matt)).  

Thinning with Flow Improver makes Vallejo Model Air spray like properly thinned enamels, smooth with no tip dry.  Yes, drying takes longer using more Flow Improver but paint still dries as fast or faster than enamels.  I lay down one coat and let dry 24 hrs, then spray Camo pattern, let dry 48 hrs and then lay down an acrylic gloss (I like Createx 4050 or Vallejo) to protect underlying paint for decals.  Seal decals with gloss, let dry, and then coat with Vallejo Satin Varnish, let dry and begin weathering!

Jammer

Do not add alcohol to Vallejo paints.  Unless you want to spend an hour disassembling and cleaning your airbrush.  It clogs the tip almost immediately.

Distilled water works fine.

I always run water (and/or Vallejo thinner and Flow Improver) through my airbrush before using Vallejo paints. I've had Vallejo clump up based on what I last ran through the airbrush when I cleaned it, even if it had dried.

 

I second this. Also, don't use alcohol initially in the cleaning process. That will also give you a mucked up airbrush. I run distilled water (from my dehumidifier) through my airbrush first, and then once it's fairly clean, I'll run alcohol through it.