Using an airbrush for automotive...?

[The Z'eer]

I'm still yet to purchase my compressor, airbrush and any other hardware required but I have another question to ask.


I have a few areas on the underside of my Camaro which require attention, the plan is to paint them with the parts in place. As such fine detail would help compared to an HVLP gun which emits a great deal of paint at a fast rate.


Has, or does anyone use their airbrush for other uses than spraying small models, particularly automotive use?


Thanks

 

[Ian M]

In theory, paint is paint and as long as the seals in the airbrush can cope with the thinners in the paint it should be OK. You might want to clean it quickly afterwards....
Custom car painters use airbrushes a lot so not just for models... Cake decoration, finger nail are (!?!) Art painting and illustration. So It's just down to what you put in it and what you point it at. (I have painted a skid lid or two in the past. ((Yes I used the correct paints for the job)).

 

[The Z'eer]

In theory, paint is paint and as long as the seals in the airbrush can cope with the thinners in the paint it should be OK. You might want to clean it quickly afterwards....
Custom car painters use airbrushes a lot so not just for models... Cake decoration, finger nail are (!?!) Art painting and illustration. So It's just down to what you put in it and what you point it at. (I have painted a skid lid or two in the past. ((Yes I used the correct paints for the job)).

I'm planning to use an expoxy mastic paint on the underside. However it's quite a thick paint in comparison with more regular paint. I guess this means a larger spray nozzle will be needed?


Also from the knowledge I have on this paint, the thinners are rather aggressive for expoxy mastic. You mentioned about the seals on the airbrush. Could this be a problem?

 

[colin m]

I'm planning to use an expoxy mastic paint on the underside. However it's quite a thick paint in comparison with more regular paint. I guess this means a larger spray nozzle will be needed?


Also from the knowledge I have on this paint, the thinners are rather aggressive for expoxy mastic. You mentioned about the seals on the airbrush. Could this be a problem?

Not my area but I don't think a 0.2 or even a 0.4 needle will be big enough for epoxy mastic, even if it was, it would take for ever to cover the underside of a car.

 

[Ian M]

I'm planning to use an epoxy mastic paint on the underside. However it's quite a thick paint in comparison with more regular paint. I guess this means a larger spray nozzle will be needed?

I don't think you will be able to press that through an airbrush. You might be better off with a mini spray gun. I'm sure we have a couple of guys here that paint full size cars/bikes. I recon one of them would be able to point you in the right direction.

 

[The Z'eer]

Not my area but I don't think a 0.2 or even a 0.4 needle will be big enough for epoxy mastic, even if it was, it would take for ever to cover the underside of a car.

I did wonder if a .2 or .4 may cause issues with epoxy mastic. I wouldn't use an airbrush for the whole of whole of the underside, simply a few parts which I care not to remove.

 

[The Z'eer]

I don't think you will be able to press that through an airbrush. You might be better off with a mini spray gun. I'm sure we have a couple of guys here that paint full size cars/bikes. I recon one of them would be able to point you in the right direction.

I've been advised elsewhere that I might have trouble. Though I did wonder if a very large needle was available for an airbrush this may suffice?

 

[dubster72]

I've sprayed epoxy mastic 121 & I can assure you that I'd never ever use a modelling airbrush to do it!


The minimum size to do the job is 1.5 mm & I've not heard of an airbrush like that. You'd really need a 1.8-2.0mm setting. Plus I'd hate to imagine the clean up needed after using epoxy in a precision instrument. 


My advice is to mask up what you don't want or need covering & use something like the DeVilbiss FLG 5.