Earth-Friendly paints for Airbrushes

Keptin Barnes · Post by **Keptin Barnes** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 5:15 pm

Hello all.
I am wondering if there are any Earth-Friendly paints that are available that can be blown through an airbrush?
I need both EF paints and especially EF Primer.

I am hoping someone can help. Or has tried some and can give assistance.

I know that there seems to be a Automotive Paint selection that is out there. But I haven't seen if they have various shades of gray as well as their usual bright colors. (I generally do ST/SW models. Soon gonna start figures, too). I am also not certain if these Automotive-style paints will work through a Testors Aztek and/or a Sotar 20/20 a/b.

If anyone has info it will be very much appreciated.

Cheers all.

irishtrek · Post by **irishtrek** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 5:29 pm

Aren't acrilic paints earth friendly?

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 6:16 pm

Hmm... yes acrylics are more earth-friendly and A/Bing is far more earth-friendly than spray-bombs... Have ya asked the wise and hairy Tom Grossman? He might know.

I'll try doing some research and see what come up.

Jonas Calhoun · Post by **Jonas Calhoun** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 6:46 pm

I guess you need to define earth friendly...that can mean everything from doesn't put a hole in the ozone to biodegradable.

And frankly, I don't want my paint to be biodegradable.

I'd just stick with non-toxic water-based paints. Gunze, Model Master, Tamiya, Vallejo, etc.

Dan

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 6:59 pm

I was asuming low or non-VOC paints... Acrylics are low-VOC paints. Canna fins non-VOC paints.

Jonas Calhoun · Post by **Jonas Calhoun** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 8:28 pm

Eh, even low and non-voc paints can still be toxic...voc is volatile organic compound...

Here's a decent site: http://www.eartheasy.com/live_nontoxic_paints.htm although it's not quite our application of paints, it still gives some good definitions.

Now, a good thing to do would be to contact the various manufacturers and ask them about the voc content of their paints. Although I think most of the non-toxic ones reach astm section D4236. But that only talks about the health hazards, not environmental impact.

Dan

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 11:10 pm

Well you're going to have to define "Toxic" also. There's a lot of green items that'll kill you if injested.

Jonas Calhoun · Post by **Jonas Calhoun** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 11:20 pm

Absolutely...which is why I think we need April to define what 'earth-friendly' is...

What I meant by the previous answer is I think that something can be toxic with a zero voc count, and something could be non-toxic with a high voc count--I think voc count includes alcohols (but I could be wrong on that). ASTM section D labeling means it's a safe product, but I don't know if that means that it's composed of a bunch of things we generally regard as safe, but we really don't know, or if it's stuff that we know is safe (know what I mean? It's late, and I'm babbling again).

Dan

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 11:25 pm

There's a list at the bottom

Got to love 3-ethoxy-1,1,1,2,3,4,4,5,5,6,6,6-dodecafluoro-2-(trifluoromethyl) hexane, great on waffles!

Ah, and while alcohol is an organic compound it's not considered a VOC.

Jonas Calhoun · Post by **Jonas Calhoun** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 11:31 pm

Thanks for the link.

Now I'm going to have to grab Mrs. Calhoun's organic chemistry text--my eyes glazed over about halfway through, but nothing jumped out at me that was an alcohol.

Which is interesting, since basically the definition is a compound containing carbon that evaporates...which pretty much includes darn near anything fun.

Dan

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Sat Aug 04, 2007 11:33 pm

Yeah, the fun part is with Ethers.

Man I've been away from chemisty for waaaaay too long.

irishtrek · Post by **irishtrek** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 12:54 pm

Is it just me or is this thread starting to get off topic?

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 1:00 pm

Little bit.

So far the best EF primer I've found is Vallejo Air grey primer.

Keptin Barnes · Post by **Keptin Barnes** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 5:00 pm

I am trying to find paints and Primers that won't damage the air/atmosphere and such.
I know that paint/primer by it's very nature is chemicals and is likely to case damage of some sort.
However, I would like to be able to continue my hobby with as little damage to our Mother as I can.
In this case, not destructive to the air, but will still adhere well to a model.

Currently I am using Testors Acrylic paints. I have never used the Testors Acrylic Primer from the jar. I assumed that it would damage the a/b and tip.
Y'know, primer dries and paint can then be adhered to it. So any primer that gets onto a a/b tip will be incredibly difficult to come off and be clogged by other paint colors.
Just the way my mind works.
I assume that if I use water, or denatured alcohol (which is what I generally use to clean my brush and tips), to blow through the brush and tip that everything will be fine.
Is that correct?

Or is there a better, more clean, EF paint and primer to use instead of Testors?
What about Badgers line of paints? Are they okay to use? I plan to do figures soon.

Also, are there any good EF Primers in a can? Or is that pretty much impossible, and I should just focus on a/b primers?

Thanks guys.

macfrank · Post by **macfrank** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 7:14 pm

April, why not build a spray booth? You can use a large plastic document box (like the ones made by Sterilite) and cut an opening for a box fan or squirrel fan that sucks the air out of the booth through a filter (furnace or A/C) and into a dryer hose before venting it outside. This should capture most of paint particles. I can't suggest an easy option for the solvents, but most acrylic paint solvents are relatively benign.

The Sterilite 1888 is pretty big, and costs under $25 at most hardware stores. You can use it as a storage container for the airbrush afterwards, too.

Frank

irishtrek · Post by **irishtrek** » Sun Aug 05, 2007 11:25 pm

Tamya also makes acrilyc paints and if I remember correctly Bridgetown carrys them as well as MM.
You can always check out testors web site www.testors.com

Jonas Calhoun · Post by **Jonas Calhoun** » Mon Aug 06, 2007 11:41 pm

Thanks April--I thought that was the route you were taking, but I wanted to make sure (BTW--how much more on-topic can VOCs be? They are in the top 'bad for the environment' list).

Anyway, I've used the Acryl primer, no problem, cleaned up with alcohol and Simple Green. If it's really stuck on there, Testors makes an acrylic airbrush cleaner (but I honestly don't know how earth-friendly it is), and I've found only Mr. Surfacer to withstand it.

For paints then, I'd probably stick to the alcohol or water based paints mentioned above. If you want to go a step further, look at some of the artist paints, they are typically ASTM labeled non-toxic. Liquitex, Golden, and Com-Art are paints I've pushed through my brush with ease. I don't know if Testors, Gunze, Tamiya, Vallejo, etc. are ASTM labeled.

The recommendation on a booth is a great one too--just because it's earth friendly doesn't mean it's lung friendly.

Dan

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 10:56 am

And the CoMMiES recomend the JC MetalFab spray booth. 350cfm blower, steel construction, big enough top paint the FMMF in.

Post by **TER-OR** » Mon Aug 13, 2007 8:54 pm

I've used most of the acrylics, and they're fine over styrene. You don't need a primer for that, just clean it well. I do use a primer over resin and mixed media. I use Mr. Surfacer 1000. Yes, it's lacquer based. BUT I know it works well, uses very little material, and both of those mean I waste very little and don't have to do it twice.

If you ever need specific advice, don't hesitate to ask - I've tried most combinations with varying degrees of success over the years.