Airbrush trouble

What are you thinning with and what air pressure are you spraying at?

modelmaker66

What are you thinning with and what air pressure are you spraying at?

 

Tojo72

Whatever works for you,its not an exact science.

 

Do you have Vallejo Model Air or Model Color?

Greg

Do you have Vallejo Model Air or Model Color?

 

Describe how you cleaned the airbrush following your last painting sessions.

I'd expect Model Air to be able to spray through a .35 needle unthinned. And then thin for personal preference from there, fwiw ( I like the silk like finish I get with MA with maybe 10% thinner added). I've shot it through a .25 needle unthinned as a test @ around 22-23lb working pressure or so with no issue. But I was using the Badger 200 single action brush not an Iwata double action....

Are you mixing in the gun cup,or another container?  If in the cup, try mixing in another container to avoid getting thicker unthinned paint coming out before you get into the thinned stuff.

MC I can run through my Neo .35 at around 2 - 2 1/2 parts thinner to 1 part color.

Fesan

 

 

Tojo72

Whatever works for you,its not an exact science.

 

 

 

 

I am having severe issues getting it to work. The thinning process was a fight to get them to mix and spray. I am still learning loads so probably something i am doing wrong.

 

 

ahh,I was looking at your results thinking it was working,not realizing you were having severe problems getting there.

oldermodelguy

Describe how you cleaned the airbrush following your last painting sessions.

I'd expect Model Air to be able to spray through a .35 needle unthinned. And trhen thin for personal preference from there fwiw ( I like the silk like finish I get with MA with maybe 10% thinner added). I've shot it through a .25 needle unthinned as a test @ around 22lb or so with no issue. But I was using the Badger 200 single action brush not an Iwata double action....

 

Are you 100% sure you have Model Air there and well mixed ? You haven't mixed up the needle and nozzles have you or do you just have the .35 set ( you had mentioned once wanting the .5, a .5 needle with a .35 nozzle would be interesting to deal with lol) ?

Some colors need more thinning than others, it's the nature of paints with pigments for color. FWIW thinner is usually better than thicker as long as it covers.

oldermodelguy

Are you 100% sure you have Model Air there and well mixed ? You haven't mixed up the needle and nozzles have you or do you just have the .35 set ( you had mentioned once wanting the .5, a .5 needle with a .35 nozzle would be interesting to deal with lol) ?

Some colors need more thinning than others, it's the nature of paints with pigments for color. FWIW thinner is usually better than thicker as long as it covers.

 

Did you take off the nozzle tip and give the "innards" a scrubbing with thinner and a brush?(I use dental picks) Or a brush and a little thinner around the inside of the nozzle tip? Sometimes when I do my marathon painting sessions with my FrankenNeo with alot of different colors, even with flushing and cleaning, there still might be enough build-up of paint to mess you up.

DasBeav

Did you take off the nozzle tip and give the "innards" a scrubbing with thinner and a brush?(I use dental picks) Or a brush and a little thinner around the inside of the nozzle tip? Sometimes when I do my marathon painting sessions with my FrankenNeo with alot of different colors, even with flushing and cleaning, there still might be enough build-up of paint to mess you up.

 

I’ve

Fesan

 

 

modelmaker66

What are you thinning with and what air pressure are you spraying at?

 

 

 

 

all 6 colors are different vallejo brands thinned with their airbrush thinner with a drop or 2 of their flow aid also. I was having a hell of a time to get them to mix and spray. The copper, red and sea blue almost had to be 2 parts thinner to 1 paint to even get a dribble of color to come out of the brush. Was running about 20 psi

 

 

Now you know why I hate Vallejo paints for airbrushing.... Model Color or Model Air... makes no difference. Time to find something a lot easier and forgiving to airbrush. Testors Model Master, Humbrol, Mission Model....

Sounds like you are doing everything basically right.

OMG's next question, how are you cleaning the brush between colors would have been my quesion too, and that too you seem to be doing exactly right.

Except, IMO 1:1 for model color shouldn't work at all. I don't spray a lot of model color, but when I get backed into a corner and have to, I pretty much start at 3:1 and add more thinner from there.

That said, I'm surprised you aren't saying the model air sprays pretty ok and the model color doesn't.

Still thinking........

I hate to say this, brand new airbrush and all, but have you inspected the needle tip under a glass? If you don't have a glass, you can rough it by pulling tip across your fingertip, and feel for a drag.

Just keep it at, Fesan. The spoons you painted actually like pretty nice from the photos. Alot of ABing is just getting experience. You are already way ahead of what I was when I started. Keep asking questions and watching videos on youtube. You'll get the hang of it. Even the Master Builder's around here have troubles with ABing.

Contrary to what some people say, VJ and VJMA are fine paints, reasonably priced, good variety, and relatively easy to buy. 95% of my paints are VJMA and couldn't be happier. 

Checked the tip this morning before work i do not feel or see anything under my magnifying glass i have. I am just going to have to play with it more when i get a chance this adult thing known as work is really getting in the way of life right now lol.

Your needle probably fine, it's always worth a check over anyway. I periodically polish up my airbrush needles with a piece of 000 steel wool. And check the tips that they are sharp and straight looking.

As far as paint, think milk lol ! Thin your paint to a similar viscosity and behavior, at least as a starting point, then tweek it from there. If it's already there then it should spray. Also try 22-23 psi working pessure to start with and tweek that from there as well ( working pressure is with the trigger pushed down on the airbrush and after the drop on your compressor gauge, adjust that with the air flowing). That combo should flow paint like crazy from a .35 nozzle when pulled back for full flow. I think Iwata suggests 15-20 psi as a good working pressure ultimately but there are conditions that can effect this, like atmosphere, altitude, paint viscosity. Just try bumping it up and see what happens with paint flow then.

oldermodelguy

I periodically polish up my airbrush needles with a piece of 000 steel wool. And check the tips that they are sharp and straight looking.

As far as paint, think milk lol ! Thin your paint to a similar viscosity and behavior, at least as a starting point, then tweek it from there. If it's already there then it should spray. Also try 22-23 psi working pessure to start with and tweek that from there as well ( working pressure is with the trigger pushed down on the airbrush and after the drop on your compressor gauge, adjust that with the air flowing). That combo should flow paint like crazy from a .35 nozzle when pulled back for full flow. I think Iwata suggests 15-20 psi as a good working pressure ultimately but there are conditions that can effect this, like atmosphere, altitude, paint viscosity. Just try bumping it up and see what happens with paint flow then.

 

Were they all really well mixed in the bottles ?

Back in '12, FSM posted this video by Aaaron Skinner where he demonstrates how he thins paint for airbrushing. Sadly, it appears the video link might be dead. Can anyone find a way to bring it up?

It has been my thinning method since I first saw it.

Trying to describe what he said, dip a little stick or something (I use a flat toothpick) into you paint. Transfer a dab of paint to the side of your vessel (I mix in my paint cup, sorry, your vessel might be a mixing jar). If it sticks to the side, it is not thin enough. If the dot of paint breaks down and runs down the side, it is correctly thinned. Don't thin any futher.

It has worked well for me.

oldermodelguy

Were they all really well mixed in the bottles ?

 

Greg

Back in '12, FSM posted this video by Aaaron Skinner where he demonstrates how he thins paint for airbrushing. Sadly, it appears the link might be dead. Can anyone find a way to bring it up?

It has been my thinning method since I first saw it.

Trying to describe what he said, dip a little stick or something (I use a flat toothpick) into you paint. Transfer a dab of paint to the side of your vessel (I mix in my paint cup, sorry, your vessel might be a mixing jar). If it sticks to the side, it is not thin enough. If the dot of paint breaks down and runs down the side, it is correctly thinned. Don't thin any futher.

It has worked well for me.

 

 

Fesan

 

 

Greg

Back in '12, FSM posted this video by Aaaron Skinner where he demonstrates how he thins paint for airbrushing. Sadly, it appears the link might be dead. Can anyone find a way to bring it up?

It has been my thinning method since I first saw it.

Trying to describe what he said, dip a little stick or something (I use a flat toothpick) into you paint. Transfer a dab of paint to the side of your vessel (I mix in my paint cup, sorry, your vessel might be a mixing jar). If it sticks to the side, it is not thin enough. If the dot of paint breaks down and runs down the side, it is correctly thinned. Don't thin any futher.

It has worked well for me.

 

 

 

 

 

Thanks for this tip will try this later and see if there is any difference for me. I have these shot size solo cups i usually use for mixing since they are disposable should switch to glass one of these days

 

 

It will work, it's more or less what I do. That drop you place on the side of the cup should return down the side in 1-2 seconds or so and leave just a film behind as it goes. If it takes many seconds or won't run down it will do something between spatter or it won't spray. If it returns instantly but leaves a film it will spray but probably either be runny on the model or require many coats. If it returns instantly and leaves no film it will spray like cleaning fluid and not cover anything.

Greg

Back in '12, FSM posted this video by Aaaron Skinner where he demonstrates how he thins paint for airbrushing. Sadly, it appears the video link might be dead. Can anyone find a way to bring it up?

It has been my thinning method since I first saw it.

Trying to describe what he said, dip a little stick or something (I use a flat toothpick) into you paint. Transfer a dab of paint to the side of your vessel (I mix in my paint cup, sorry, your vessel might be a mixing jar). If it sticks to the side, it is not thin enough. If the dot of paint breaks down and runs down the side, it is correctly thinned. Don't thin any futher.

It has worked well for me.

 

 

I use a flat plastic coffee stirrer, I think it came from Starbucks or someplace like that. But same routine as you basically Greg. 

See, that's why we don't have trouble shooting VJ paint ! But it works for other acrylics too. People want ratios, it's not about ratio, it's about proper viscosity. Course once someone knows a paint they will come to know what ratio makes that proper viscosity. In 1/1 painting we used to thin using a viscosity cup, which is a fancy name for a metered funnel with a specific outlet size. Fill the cup, when it was properly thinned it would empty/drain in x amount of seconds. In time we came to just know that drip rate off a mixing stick.

Fesan

I have these shot size solo cups i usually use for mixing since they are disposable should switch to glass one of these days

I acquired some of those just before I re-located for the winter. You just reminded me, I need to try them out.

oldermodelguy

People want ratios, it's not about ratio, it's about proper viscosity.

That's it, I agree. I'm a rule guy. I like definitive solutions, like ratios. It took me a while to buy into the method we are talking about. I'd much rather have a hard and fast rule or ratio.  But after I decided that Aaron was on to something afterall, life with Vallejo and acrylics in general has been better.

Greg

 

 

oldermodelguy

People want ratios, it's not about ratio, it's about proper viscosity.

 

 

That's it, I agree. I'm a rule guy. I like definitive solutions, like ratios. It took me a while to buy into the method we are talking about. I'd much rather have a hard and fast rule or ratio.  But after I decided that Aaron was on to something afterall, life with Vallejo and acrylics in general has been better.