Airbrush - Splatter finish!

[Cooperman69]

Hi all,

Not sure what I've done wrong here but perhaps you can enlighten me.

Just been airbrushing the underside of the Spitfire and it all started well on the one side with a nice thin consistant coating but when I turned the model around to start on the other wing the airbrush started to splutter tiny blobs of paint across the surface which dried and eventually created an orange peel/grainy effect on that section of the wing!

I'm using Tamiya paints thinned with about 60/40 thinners to paint mix. The AB is a Badger 200G with a Sparmax compressor running at @15-20 psi.

What might have some bearing to the problem was I was spraying outside on my patio late this afternoon on the hottest day so far (27C) but I was in the shade.

Could it be that the paint was drying too quickly or my thinners was evaporating causing a thicker paint mix due to the outdoor temperature. I seemed to get through a lot of thinners today and had to keep cleaning the needle too.

Luckily I've removed all the paint with Xtracrylics Purisol and I'm back to as new.

Thanks, Colin.

 

[john]

The paint might be drying on the tip too quick, try wiping the tip or using your nails to pull of any dryed on paint

 

[stona]

I agree,it sounds like paint drying in the nozzle and getting blown off. It's also worth checking the nozzle and the needle to make sure neither are damaged.

Steve

 

[Cooperman69]

I've only used the AB a couple of times so hopefully it shouldn't be damaged. Needle looks straight when adjusting.

You might have a point with drying on the tip as it did seem a little inconsistant with the paint flow at times and the splatter did seem dry as it landed on the model. I did have to occasionally remove the nozzle and wipe the tip too.

It was the same set up I used a few days back with pleasing results but it was so hot out there today I wonder if it was evaporating the thinners out of the AB cup as I was spraying. I did get through a hell of a lot of thinners to paint.

 

[Ian M]

I had similar problems yesterday this too was the paint drying on the needle. Sure was hot here as well. I find a cotton bud / Q-tip, with a bit of thinners or water, depending on the paint is an easy way to keep things running smoothly.

Ian M

 

[tecdes]

Colin I found this helpful. Before starting airbrushing the model I always have a spurt on a discarded large plastic drink bottle. Also if I have stopped even for say 10 secs I have another spurt. If the brush is a bit clogged I pull the trigger right back & this more often than not clears any clogging. As you can see I am always spurting. The bottle is also looking quite handsome sort of Art Deco.

Just started using Tamiya 20x thinner tonight & found this is working well & better than Vallejo thinners.

Laurie

 

[Cooperman69]

Thanks Laurie, I've just order a 250ml bottle of Tamiya X20 myself.

As Ian indicated, he was having similar problems due to the heat too. Also I've been watching some tutorials from Flory Models regarding spitting and splattering paint and it points toward my paint mix being slightly thick and drying too quickly, probably due to the thinners evaporating in the heat. I did find some excess paint around the nozzle regulator too which had started drying.

Really good tutorials on his website, ideal for a beginner like myself.

Good tip about spraying on a test patch first as I wasn't doing that. I did find when I opened the needle a little that the AB cleared the clog as well.

So a mixture of a hot day, bad habits and an eagerness that outweighs my ability at the moment!!

Another lesson learnt :thumbsup:

Thanks for your help everyone.