Problems spraying

[BattleshipBob]

Hi all

I would consider myself a good airbrusher however recently i am having big problems with paint flown/ splatter. Never had this before.

I have even gone back to the basics but still problems.

For example spraying lines, starts off fine then no paint comes out, getting the same on a model. i have not moved the trigger at all. A slight movement of the trigger to let more paint through but no change, bit more a splatter.

I mix the paint in a cheap plastic shot glass and follow what i was shown on a course i did, adding thinner with a dropper. I am using vallejo and life colour thinner.

I have thinned the paint to super thin, played around with pressures but nothing. I am not getting spiders webs.

Its driving me nuts, help!!

 

[Komedy]

Hey Bob

Have you stripped down the airbrush and deep cleaned and have you drained the compressor tank ?

W

 

[BattleshipBob]

Hi yes twice!

Driving me mad, i have used new paint. No problems using model air.

I know paper is not the best to practice on. I can write my name, do different size dots then the paint stops.

Thanks bob

 

[Komedy]

Compressor Model ?

 

[stona]

Starting with the obvious, have you tried just spraying water through the brush and looked at the spray pattern as you add more and less fluid?

After that I would check under a magnifier of some sort whether the needle is bent/hooked at the tip or the nozzle itself is split.

Cheers

Steve

 

[BattleshipBob]

Compressor and airbrush both new, getting same with my older iwata.

 

[Tim Marlow]

Not just acrylic tip drying is it?
If not, you need to check everything common to both brushes. It can’t be the brush if they both show the same issue.....so everything from the hose connector backwards needs to be checked Methodically.

 

[Deleted member 7181]

Hi yes twice!

Driving me mad, i have used new paint. No problems using model air.

I know paper is not the best to practice on. I can write my name, do different size dots then the paint stops.

Thanks bob

Sorry Bob, does that mean it's happening with a type of paint you haven't used before?

If so I'd start with the obvious stuff, like are you thinning it with the correct product?

 

[BattleshipBob]

Not just acrylic tip drying is it?
If not, you need to check everything common to both brushes. It can’t be the brush if they both show the same issue.....so everything from the hose connector backwards needs to be checked Methodically.

Hi Tim, was wondering, i found some, cleaned then it returned so have ordered some retarder, the garage where i spray is either freezing or warm / hot

Sorry Bob, does that mean it's happening with a type of paint you haven't used before?

If so I'd start with the obvious stuff, like are you thinning it with the correct product?

Hi Andy

no used vallejo many times and no real issues with model air? using life color thinner as i have a bottle to use. no problem with pre-thinned MRP or lacquer so assume its me??

thanks both

 

[Deleted member 7181]

Ah, sorry Bob. I couldn't see where you mentioned what type of paint you were using.

I can't help, I have nothing but issues most of the time with water based paints too

 

[stillp]

Could be the combination of Vallejo and Life Color thinner. Try just using water.
Pete

 

[BattleshipBob]

not a problem Any, apprecite the help

will retuirn with swear box in the morning

 

[Tim Marlow]

Only other thing I can suggest is that you minimise tip drying by always keeping the air on while the paint is flowing, so trigger down, pull back for paint, stop paint flow, then stop air flow....

 

[BattleshipBob]

Could be the combination of Vallejo and Life Color thinner. Try just using water.
Pete

i threw out the vallejo thiner as it went very thick, will try that as well, many thanks Tim

 

[SteveH]

Hi Bob

You are having some stress with your AB!

As it has already been said, it seems to be pre AB?

Have you a sheet of plastic card to spray on, to test rather than paper/card, that might be a better test vehicle.

Plasmo has an AB problem solving video which might help?

I have my AB sat in Surgical spirit which is 80% alcohol, to help with the deep cleaning, the inner seals are mostly Teflon, so shouldn't be affected, though I do have a full set of replacements just in case.

The ambient temperature and humidity can affect the mix and results, so I tend to try and spray on the ""same"" type of day, not too hot or cold and not raining either, but its the UK and look at the Summer weather, though it could be hot again next week?

You could check if there are any videos of your AB brand with a problem solving guide, also the manufacturers web site too.

I have had my best results with Hataka paints , a flow enhancer and branded thinner

Never an easy problem to resolve, but persevere it will get better

Regards

Steve H

 

[BattleshipBob]

Some excellent points Steve, will have a look

Got enough in the swear box to.insure the car

 

[JR]

Bob, suggest you check the nozzle seals as well, and are you using the vallejo flow improver ?

 

[Steve Jones]

Use a paint brush mate.

 

[BattleshipBob]

Bob, suggest you check the nozzle seals as well, and are you using the vallejo flow improver ?

Hi John

Only started since using 4BO. Yep using flow stuff

Use a paint brush mate.

Thinking of a roller!

 

[BattleshipBob]

sorted

Carried out some experiments

started using a bottle of blue vallejo (shaken to xmas and bacK) and for the first time thinned with water, started a lot better but after a few lines the problem returned, noticed a lot of blue paint on the tip, yes the dreaded tip dry, cleaned and it sprayed fine again then quickly tip dry returned. i added more and more vallejo flow improver but never really totally cured the tip dry.

Next i used modelair with much the same result, but sprayed better

finally lacquer, MRP pre-thinned, perfect no problems, sprayed lines, dots and signatures etc

then a strange thing happened, After spraying the vallejo i removed the needle, put some medea airbrush cleaner on some kitchen roll and run the needle through it, no problem a bit of blue paint left on the towel, after using lacquer did the same but used liquid reamer as a cleaner and to my surprise more blue paint was on the roll not red lacquer????

I may use liquid reamer to clean the needle in future as it seemed to have cleaned the nedel a lot better than airbursh cleaner

thanks all for the advcie and help

bob