Air brushing virgin

[mossiepilot]

I've toyed with getting an airbrush for ages, since I returned to building, and have always been put off by the cost. But now I've went and got one, a cheap Am-tech one granted - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Am-Tech-Brush-170cm-Vinyl-0-75oz/dp/B002Y35SU8, but I don't want to spend lots of money if I can't get away with it. I also got a canister of propellant, reason as above, some vallejo airbrush cleaner and some vallejo thinners, also thought I'd practice first on an old kit from the stash.

I put some model air paint in the bottle and thinned it about 60/40, cleaned the kit in warm soapy water and rinsed well, and after running some cleaner through the brush I tried it out, but don't know if I am doing it wrong.

The paint doesn't seem to like the panel lines and moves away from them leaving "tide marks". Do you think that there was moisture still in them, I didn't wait too long after cleaning them before painting, I was excited about using my new toy !!!

I suppose what I really want to know is, is there a tutorial on here for complete novices, you know the sort of thing, like "Air brushing for dummies"

I'd love to use the thing but really have no idea what I'm looking at or what to expect when air brushing.

Any help, tips, advice, pointers, etc, gratefully recieved.

Tony.

 

[andygh]

You shouldn't really need to thin ModelAir paint, you could try again without

 

[mossiepilot]

Thanks Andy, I'll give it a go.

Tony.

 

[Ian M]

OK You have washed the kit and it is dry.

Have you primed the plastic. Some paints especially if they are thinned out will not settle on the plastic and either form beads or run away from edges, like panel lines.

I would try without thinning and see how that goes. If the airbrush don't blow the paint, try with just a drop or two of thinner. Normally I would suggest playing with the air pressure but as you are on tinned air thats a bit hard to do.

Ian M

 

[mossiepilot]

Thanks Ian, no I didn't prime the kit, I'm just spraying it on its sprues as all this is just practice at the moment, but the point is well taken, and as for the pressure, I'm turning the regulator screw on the top til the pressure seems right, a sort of suck it, or blow it and see thingy

Andy, I tried your advice and it worked much better.

Another dumb question, the bottles that are provided are listed as 3/4 oz, which seems to be about 40 or 50 ml. Each bottle of vallejo air holds 17 ml, so how much paint should I put in the spray bottle so it flows without sputtering. Think this is the reason I thinned the paint in the first place, as the amount I put in, which seemed a lot to me, barely covered the bottom of the of the spray bottle. This seems to be a really fast way to use up paint

I know that practice is really the only thing, but I'll be grateful for any help I can get.

Tony.

 

[m1ks]

Most likely you've thinned the paint to much and/or tried laying on too much too soon.

To be brutally honest I'd say for anyone wanting to get serious about airbrushing, ditch the sa brush and canister and get a da brush and compressor kit.

Not talking top of the range, £70ish well get a two brush and basic compressor deal from eBay.

The sa brushes are good only for brief sessions and large areas, the propellant cans freeze on extended sessions and the airflow is too unpredictable added to which you have virtually no control.

Honestly, you'd think an airbrush is an airbrush but it's like comparing a biplane to a jet.

 

[m1ks]

For jar content btw, as long as your pickup tube is immersed into the paint it will work so 5mm at the bottom will do much the same as 50mm, make sure you keep the breather hole in the cap clear, it's tiny and clogs so easily.

 

[tecdes]

Seems to me Tony you are putting the paint on to thick.

Try to start with about 6inches from the model & pull the trigger back until you see a mist of paint form on the plastic. Do not get trigger happy ?

Priming is best but even with out priming you should get a reasonable paint coat. If it is forming curtains you are definetly putting on in to thick a layer. First coat put on as a mist layer then build with subsequent layers.

I have used about 35% Vallejo thinners with Model Air with out problems.

Just thought have you a dual action brush ? ie with a dual action you press the trigger down for air then pull back to regulate the amount of paint released.

Just had a look on Amozon & although it is not described as such it looks like it is a single action brush. ie the trigger does not control paint flow. But it says that there is a paint control probably on the paint capsule head. I would turn this well down & then increase by steps as you experiment.

Laurie

 

[mossiepilot]

Thanks for the advice guys.

@ Mike, yes I think you're right, a double action and compressor is the way forward, and £65 to £70 seems to be the price for a starter kit on E-bay. Going to see if there's money in the old piggy bank to get one in the next few weeks.

@ Laurie, I've had a practice and I think it was a combination of too much thinners and trying to put on too thick a layer for the first coat. Also you're right, it is a single action brush with the paint regulated by the tip position.

Once I have the new brush and compressor the plan is to practice, practice, practice til I at least know what I'm looking at and what to expect from the brush.

And I've realised this thread should be in the Airbrush and compressors section, would one of the Mods move it for me please.

Thanks again guys for letting me talk through my concerns and problems with the airbrush, I've just looked at the practice piece I did and I think I'm going to get on fine.

Tony.

 

[Stevekir]

There are tons of airbrushing movies on the Internet. Search on UTube for:

airbrushing techniques for scale models

Airbrush 101 is a good series

flory

(Phil flory runs a model supply shop and has lots of movies).

Hear's my list (search on YouTube for the words in the titles):

View attachment 58498

I have found that practicing with the various parameters is important, such as amount of thinner (if any); air pressure; distance from the model; amount by which the airbrush is opened when you pull back the trigger etc. etc. etc.

View attachment 60360

 

[mossiepilot]

Thanks for your reply Steve. I've watched a few videos and will be watching many more I'm sure. But you're right about practice, that's something I'm going to be doing lots of.

Cheers again.

Tony.

 

[Stevekir]

And write down what you did (pressure, thinning etc.) and the result. I forget otherwise, or get confused. Use plastic milk bottles (lots of them) for practice. some of their surfaces are stippled, so try to avoid them. Also, I don't know what plastic they are made of, but if different from models, that might have a small effect on the results (but of course not concerning spatter, running, etc.)

 

[cutandfold]

wow, some great information here.

I have airbrushed for years, but I really know squat about scale model paints and such.

And with Paper Modeling (which is mostly what I do) I don't require any painting.

Lots of great advice here, but M1ks said exactly what I was thinking when I read your first post.

Thinned too much...laying it on a little too heavy.

I have a rule about most paints...and I use a lot of different types of paints in my airbrush work.

First, I try to put the paint thru the brush unthinned.

(Unless its obviously way too thick)

Then I start thinning, maybe 5% at a time, until the paint flows smoothly and doesn't puddle or spider on the surface.

Although there are some "paints" that are designed to be "reduced", these are not "ready to use paints" to start with.

Thinning "ready to use" paints (especially overthinning) can sometimes break down the binders in the paint

which will affect the paint's quality, adhesion and life. So, you want to avoid it whenever you can

.....

Dave "airdave"

 

[Stevekir]

Thanks for the advice guys.@ Mike, yes I think you're right, a double action and compressor is the way forward, and £65 to £70 seems to be the price for a starter kit on E-bay. Going to see if there's money in the old piggy bank to get one in the next few weeks.

Tony.

I got my compressor from:

airbrush-pro.co.uk offers airbrush airbrush compressor autoair paint airbrushes createx paint

Scroll down to the AS186 which has a tank. £79.00. I see many of these in use in tutorial movies etc. I am pleased with it. The free gift is useful.

 

[jd5live]

HI.Just to add to this topic,A good supplier of compressors and air brush kit is : www.RDGTOOLS.CO.UK .Their prices are very keen the AS186kit listed above iis now listed on that sit at £100-00 plus 20% VAT. RDG are offering it as RE:769080 with 2 aribrushes included £85.00 inc:VAT and free delivery.

I have had the same set up for a number of years and found it very good,my background is in 1:24 th truck modeling having started some thirty odd years ago,I have now started to use Revell Aqua Color paints as my partner suffers from intolerance to spirit based paint fumes( she used to work in a paint factory!!) These paints are easy to use,and can be applied in very thin coats so if you are working in small scales the loss of detail in minimal, bonus is they are water based so cleaning up is simple.

Hope this is of help

Regards John.

P.S. I am new to this forum but must say there is lots of great advice and fantastic high grade modeling !!!

 

[Stevekir]

Hope this is of help

Regards John.

P.S. I am new to this forum but must say there is lots of great advice and fantastic high grade modeling !!!

Welcome to our community. Yes. I have found people's advice invaluable, and the quality of models is outstanding, especially the painting of aircraft etc.