Managing Painting Conditions in the Garage

FatherRob · Post by **FatherRob** » Wed Sep 05, 2012 10:03 am

G'day all,

So I am working on painting models in my garage, the only location I have avaliable to me. In working on my 18 inch AMT kit over the weekend, I wound up having a myriad of painting problems.

I am using a rattlecan... don't have the $$$ for an airbrush.

The temperature in our garage was ranging between 70 and 75 degrees, but I had no good way to gague humidity, save for using the local weather station to see what the humidity level was.

I now assume that the humidity was too high, as I have spots where paint is bubbling up, or where it appears to have either ran or clumped.

I also did a Klingon Battlecruiser in matte green over the weekend... it has fewer problems, to be sure, but I still have a few places that will need to be sanded down and resprayed.

So, my question... for those of you who have to paint in the garage... are there any tricks you have to manage conditions so that you don't have to wait until mid-spring or mid-fall in order to have humidity and temps right for painting?

Rob+

Joseph Osborn · Post by **Joseph Osborn** » Wed Sep 05, 2012 6:02 pm

I think you answered your own question in your last paragraph. Without having control over the temperature and the humidity where you are painting, you are completely at the mercy of Mother Nature. Humidity is the real enemy of a good paint job. Using an airbrush will help, chiefly because it atomizes the paint in finer droplets and you can control the consistency of the paint directly (add more thinner, retarder, whatever). If you can paint quickly and then get the pieces into the house to dry in a more controlled environment, you'll have better results. With just rattlecans, though, you're already fighting an uphill battle with paint application. About the best thing I could suggest would be using very good rattlecans (i.e., Tamiya) and using several light coats to cover the pieces.

Hope this helps.

kenlilly106 · Post by **kenlilly106** » Wed Sep 05, 2012 6:57 pm

To add to Joseph's post if you're out in the garage you may have a problem with airbrushing as well if the conditions are very humid as well. I know a couple of guys online that work in their garage and they live in dry climates, humidity isn't a problem for them but the hot and dry temperatures will cause problems with paints drying too fast, their solution is similar to yours, they don't paint on very hot days.

Ken

dizzyfugu · Post by **dizzyfugu** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 6:38 am

Did you use primer on the kit, or (additionally) cleaned it before using the spray paint? Grease stains from your fingers on the model could also cause such problems, as well as a lack of primer. You might also have used too much paint at the time, when the paint started running on the kit - this happens easily if the dirty underground (s .o.) does not accept the fresh paint.

Best advice: make a test before you take on the real thing, and take your time when using rattle cans. Better 10 times too little paint than once too much - and make sure the kit is fat-free.

Ziz · Post by **Ziz** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 7:41 am

Did you have the spray cans in the air conditioned house just prior to taking them outside to paint? You could have gotten condensation inside the spray can when you moved from cool indoors to hot outdoors. Next time, let the cans sit out in the garage for an hour or so prior to painting to let them get to ambient temperature.

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 11:23 am

Which helps, spray cans spray better when warm. Helps everything work better, smoother, flatter.

Also be careful of handling the model as increased heat brings out oils in the skin that when transferred to a model cause the paint to not stick.

southwestforests · Post by **southwestforests** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 12:30 pm

FatherRob wrote:The temperature in our garage was ranging between 70 and 75 degrees, ...

so far that has been perfect spray painting temp in my experience.

southwestforests · Post by **southwestforests** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 12:32 pm

Kylwell wrote:Also be careful of handling the model as increased heat brings out oils in the skin that when transferred to a model cause the paint to not stick.

Would wager that advice arrives by virtue of personal experience

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 12:38 pm

southwestforests wrote:
Kylwell wrote:Also be careful of handling the model as increased heat brings out oils in the skin that when transferred to a model cause the paint to not stick.
Would wager that advice arrives by virtue of personal experience

How do you think I found it out...

nicholjm · Post by **nicholjm** » Mon Sep 10, 2012 4:39 pm

I airbrush in my garage all the time. That is where my spraybooth is located. I've never had a problem with the paint adhering, and I live in Houston, which is crazy humid. I do tend to avoid airbrushing in the hottest months of the summer, mostly because it just gets too freakin hot in the garage (90+ degs) and I don't want to coat my model in a layer of sweat as well as paint. My advice would be to get an airbrush. It doesn't even have to be a fancy one. I used a $15 Harbor Freight airbrush for years with good results. Try that and see what happens. I also bring my sub-assemblies back into the house to dry as soon as I'm done. Not sure if that matters or not.

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Managing Painting Conditions in the Garage

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