Airbrush help

[Trek 1701]

I have a Crescendo 175 airbrush and I am having problems with putting paint through it. I am using watered-down Createx Airbrush paint (because the stuff is really thick) and it doesn't spray evenly. I have been cleaning the airbrush really well after each use. Should I be using enamels and oils instead of acrylic? Is my airbrush mainly used for enamel?

[photoguy]

Which Createx are you using? The straight Airbrush Colors line is more of a low-end illustration paint - not really the best for models, but I've used it. Use Createx Illustration Base to thin your paint instead of water. "Water Clean-Up" does not mean "Thin With Water".
On the other hand I LOVE using Createx Auto-Air Colors. These are an acrylic automotive paint that happens to work really well on models, helmets, plastic, metal, fiberglass, plexi-glass, illustration board, and just about anything else you care to paint.
http://www.autoaircolors.com/
Tamiya acrylics are also quite good on plastic. Again, use THEIR Thinner to thin your paint, and you'll never go wrong.

I don't like running enamels or lacquers through my brushes. These are much harder to clean out completely, and you are just asking to gum things up.

[Trek 1701]

I'm using the Createx paint anyone can find at Hobby Lobby. I'll have to look for that Createx Illustration base next time I go to Hobby Lobby. What exactly does it do?

[TER-OR]

Does it seem like the paint is lumpy or there are chunks when you're airbrushing or is it more the result on the model that's the problem? I know Liquitex makes an airbrush thinner for their paints - it's not just solvent, it has clear acrylic media so you're not watering down the carriers too much.

There's a thread here called 'The Frugal Airbrusher' and it may have more info for you.

I use isopropyl alcohol to thin both Gunze and Tamiya paints.

[Trek 1701]

It is more of the result on the model. I probably have it too watered down or it just spits out paint a little bit at a time.

[Ziz]

Are there different size nozzles you can get for it? My Paasche has different sizes available that can be swapped out to handle different consistencies of paint or for different diameter spray pattern limits. Maybe yours is getting clogged because even thinned, the paint is still too chunky.

Another trick is to strain the paint thru a piece of panty hose to remove the chunks.

[USSARCADIA]

Have you strained it? A friend of mine was having a similar problem running Createx fabric paints, if he could even get it to spray at all. After poking around this site: http://www.howtoairbrush.com/ I learned you have to strain it. I cut up some paint strainer mesh for him, put it over the bottle and tightened the cap back down. He then squeezed color into cup and it sprayed fine. Don't know if fabric colors are the same as their others, but it's worth a try.

[Wug]

Hi Trek 1701,

In situations like this, disassembling the airbrush, soaking it in lacquer thinner and thoroughly cleaning it is a good idea. If a clot from unstrained paint or a build-up on the needle or nozzle caused the problem this will take care of it.

Have you ever gotten good results with that airbrush or paint? Without cleaning it can spray a decent pattern of water or rubbing alcohol?

Mike

[Trek 1701]

It sprays water just fine. I might have a different needle/head attachment connected. The airbrush is almost new- maybe used it 3 times.

[Lt. Z0mBe]

Strain your paint after thinning with the prescribed thinner. Also, do not soak the airbrush in lacquer thinner. Lacquer thinner works fine for cleaning an airbrush via shooting it through, but lacquer thinner is what you use to remove teflon too; Badgers have teflon bearings and the teflon will absolutely be degraded by this. If you don't believe me, take a piece of teflon and drop it in a jar of lacquer thinner overnight. Next day it will look like bloated Swiss cheese.

Also, get in the habit of writing down what you're doing when you're thinning your paints. Keep a paint bible and that will help you isolate indivdual factors like water or alcohol or thinner or the paint itself. Finally, only change one variable at a time, otherwise you'll never be able to repeat your results once you do figure it out.

I hope this helps.

Kenny

[TER-OR]

Listen to Rev. Zombe sounding positively scientific!

[Lt. Z0mBe]

Listen to Rev. Zombe sounding positively scientific!

Shh! The faithful will hear and grab pitchforks and torches!

Kenny

[photoguy]

He DARES to use the manufacturer's thinner!

This is considered heresy against the church of Windex, Washer Fluid, Future, and Alcohol!!!!!!

[Mark Yungblut]

Lacquer thinner works fine for cleaning an airbrush via shooting it through, but lacquer thinner is what you use to remove teflon too; Badgers have teflon bearings and the teflon will absolutely be degraded by this. If you don't believe me, take a piece of teflon and drop it in a jar of lacquer thinner overnight. Next day it will look like bloated Swiss cheese.

Kenny

Which is precisely why I use my Paasche AB's for painting with enamels and laquers. I have to tell you though I could not disagree more with the idea of not using enamels and laquers. They are still the toughest finish out there and frankly really good underpainting is best done with enamels. the beauty of enamels for that is that the over coat will slightly melt the underpaint and thus you get a much more subtle effect on panel lines etc.

As to your problem with the acrylic here are a few thing to consider. Add a surfactant to the paint (i.e. something to break the surface tension of the water). Typically I thin acrylics for airbrushing with 50/50 water to alcohol. However, you can also get flow improvers from Windsor and Newton and Grumbacer.

The other thing you should do is make sure that your model is free of any oils that might cause the paint to not lay down evenly. I clean my model (after a primer coat) with alcohol. from that point on I do not handle the model without laytex or cotton gloves. If you use cotton gloves be aware that they will absorb sweat and finger oils after repeated use and should be washed in the sink with dish soap every now and then.

Hope this helps,

Mark

[Lt. Z0mBe]

He DARES to use the manufacturer's thinner!

This is considered heresy against the church of Windex, Washer Fluid, Future, and Alcohol!!!!!!

Pipe down, you!

I don't know about that paint, unfortunately. If I had it in my hands, I would start with dragon saliva, Windex, Future and some panda sweat, each in turn.

Kenny

[Mark Yungblut]

When I airbrush Humbrol colors I ALWAYS use their thinner. They have one of the best Clear Flats out there and it only really works with their thinner...

For most acrylics I tend to shy away from thinning with Windex. I do have a jar with the attachment for the AB to run windex through between colors and periodically in long painting sessions to keep the brush clean and fowl free.

Mark

[photoguy]

Yep. ALWAYS use the manufacturer's thinner. My airbrushing experience improved 1000% by simply switching from alcohol to Tamiya Thinner for airbrushing with their paints. Each line of paint has a corresponding thinner for airbrushing. USE IT.

Keep it simple - keep it fun!

[Trek 1701]

That's what I'm going to do. Buy up some iridescent pearl Createx paints and the thinner the website recommends (Createx 5608 Illustration Base, Wicked W100 Reducer or Auto Air 4011 Flash Reducer). I want to paint up my 3-foot Connie.

[TER-OR]

Remember to test on something you don't care about - an old FROG kit or something...it can be stripped later.

And when you get the process down, add the info to one of our sticky threads above.