help with paint job

[gbetteley]

Hello all!!

I hope someone can hekp me. First off I am using an Iwata airbrush and compressor with a moisture trap along with a spray booth. The spraybooth I cover with a piece of cardboard to help cover the model up.

No matter how nice the finish looks I always get little pieces of dust atleast one on the paint job.

I clean my airbrush out after every use. Close paint up while waiting in between coats and even mist the area with a little water to help any dust settle prior to painting.

I am fairly new to models and know there has to be a trick out there to help. Any help will be greatly appreciated.

 

[tecdes]

A few things that may help.

Take it you use the fan on the spray booth. The fan will stir up the air & pull air from the air in the room you use. I only use the fan on mine when using cleaning liquid on the airbrush. I use Vallejo which is supposed to be non toxic. But use a nose mouth filter.

Make sure you put a cover over the paint holder on the airbrush to stop bits drifting in.

I use tack rags. You can get them at an automotive paint store also B & Q. These are used for getting rid of small particles dust hairs etc on cars etc before paint spraying.

Also after spraying I pop the piece into a plant propagator to reduce any hairs etc.

I do all the above but still get bits. Then very soon after the paint goes off I use wet & dry 2000 gauge paper to carefully remove hairs & bits.

Laurie

 

[Gomer Pyle]

Dust is the enemy in a never ending battle. With matt finishes it is usually not much of a problem, but with gloss paint and varnish it will get frustrating at times. First of I minimize the factor while painting by useing a very clean room and close of any draught. Then I'll use a water-mister and spray water in the air (you can use your AB for that too if the nozzle is big enough), remember to keep your model covered. Let the droplets settle and start painting.

When putting things to dry I usually cover the parts completely. There will always be a few dust specks in the paint, regardless of my precautions, these I polish away using micro-mesh products.

/Daniel

 

[tecdes]

Just to add GB that cover the paint cup all the time when not in use as a week of standing there open will collect a good few bits.

Laurie

 

[gbetteley]

First let me say how great this forum is lots of help!! Thanks

Here are the steps used.

I am decanting Tamiya spray paint (I can spray better with an airbrush not much for cans)

I am using a mixing tube to siphon the paint out of the decanted bottle to the air brush.

I am using the fan on the spraybooth.

I do mist area down prior to painting.

 

[tecdes]

First let me say how great this forum is lots of help!! ThanksHere are the steps used.

I am decanting Tamiya spray paint (I can spray better with an airbrush not much for cans)

I am using a mixing tube to siphon the paint out of the decanted bottle to the air brush.

I am using the fan on the spraybooth.

I do mist area down prior to painting.

Try all that Daniel & I have mentioned & see how it goes GB.

Just a further thought not sure what part of the USA you are in & if it is hot where you are. But if you use a room vent fan or air cooling they are about the worst enemy in the camp. In the winter fan heaters are number one enemy with convector heaters a close second as they stir up the air. Also when you are spraying if you enter the room close the door slowly as a door moves a lot of air at speed.

Laurie

 

[Ian M]

Funny not one person has said get the Hoover out!!! Dusts worst enemy

Ian M

 

[tecdes]

Well Ian a Hoover works by pulling in air at the front end & extracting at the other into the room. If you have a perfectly clean filter & a super Dyson you might get away with little dust movement.

But if I have used a vacumn cleaner I would not spray for a few hours until the air had cleared. A good test in my garage is to turn off the main light & switch on the magnifier spot & you can see the floating stuff in the air.

The worst is that cat that thunders in through the cat flap & then shakes itself. My god does that get me.

Laurie

 

[AJay]

Dust always lands on my paint jobs, and there's a lot of it floating around in deepest, rural France right now (especially as the combines are harvesting all night).

I do many of the steps above and just hope for the best. While spraying if there are any obvious specs I remove very carefully with a cocktail stick and continue. When the paint is dry they can also be removed in the same way, although annoyingly, a paint touch-up session is sometimes needed. All this is using matt paint. I've never dared to try a gloss coat!

 

[gbetteley]

First off thanks a million!! I used a tack cloth as mentioned above I also wiped the whole inside of my spraybooth with a damp cloth prior to painting and it worked like a charm no dust what so ever.

 

[tecdes]

Dust always lands on my paint jobs, and there's a lot of it floating around in deepest, rural France right now (especially as the combines are harvesting all night). I do many of the steps above and just hope for the best. While spraying if there are any obvious specs I remove very carefully with a cocktail stick and continue. When the paint is dry they can also be removed in the same way, although annoyingly, a paint touch-up session is sometimes needed. All this is using matt paint. I've never dared to try a gloss coat!

Yes frustrating Alex.

Always have a B & Q decorators wipe handy for spurts & bits. Quick wipe then spray straight away over the area. Keeps the edges wiped wet & you do not get a line.

Doing some extended airbrushing this afternoon on a 1/48 Catalina so there is a lot of it. Thought & did it give the garage a DEEP clean. Sprayed & washed all the shelves & tops. Hoovered the carpet tiles. All now dust free ?

Woke at 5am this morning to find them digging Jersey Royal Spuds with a huge tractor & harvester in the field only 40 feet from our house. What timing. Only a slight breeze so may be OK but it blows in despite seals around the garage door.

Love Jersey Potatoes but not in my back garden so to speak.

GB keep "your tack rag in the bag" or it will dry out quickly & then it is useless

Laurie

 

[selrach]

Hi Betteley, A couple of things that helped me with particles is to make sure the compressor is elevated off the floor and away from from possible sources of dust. Also if you have a hard surface floor you can moisten the surface with a mop so it will cause any particles to stick.

Selrach

 

[GeeBee]

A little trick I picked up years ago, before you start spraying, take a kettle into the room you use for spraying, and boil it a few times, the steam will attract the dust, whcih will then fall to the floor, if your spraybooth is clean, you will have a much better enviroment to spray in, I've been doing this for years now, and never have a problem with dust on my paintwork