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It ain't the airbrush. It's the paint.


davral64

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<<<The Mr Color range for me shoots nothing like the MRP stuff (comparatively speaking)>>>

 

That's really weird that my experience is quite different than yours. Both Mr Color and MRP shoot pretty much identical for me through my airbrushes. For me, amongst all the acrylic lacquer brands, I can honestly say that there is no difference in performance among any of them and I have no particular favorite when it comes to airbrush performance as they are all fantastic. I buy more Mr Color than any of the others though (by a 10:1 factor), because it is significantly cheaper in price for me in the USA. Out of the bottle color match is my first criteria when selecting paint as I won't custom mix unless I absolutely have to. My thinner is always Mr Color Levelling Thinner and my psi is from 10-20 psi, mostly in the 15-20 psi range, no matter what brand. 

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Guest Peterpools

Totally agree that the majority of air brushing issues are mostly paint issues but not entirely.

I shoot at very low working psi's for the most part: 10-15 psi on the average, work close to the model surface and can achieve a consistent, smooth surface with a variety of paints and air brushes.

Prep is the key: paints need to be thinned correctly and the smaller the AB tip, the paint will need to be thinner so as not to clog the tip: I avoid upping the psi but there is a balance between how much to thin the paint, the pressure to shoot at and the tip size.

These days I shoot primarily MRP, Mr Color some Tamiya and AKAN. I thin my paints very carefully, counting drops of paint, to drops of the correct thinner and always add a retarder to help let the paint flow onto the surface before drying. This is especially important when using fast drying lacquers.

The variable is how thin to make the paint and not the air brush or working distance. The smaller the tip, the closer I get.

My weapons of choice for coverage and distance:

H&S Infinity CR Plus - .2 tip for delicate, precise and close in work

Iwata HP-CS with a .35 tip for wider coverage

Iwata Revolution CR with a .5 tip for wider areas and applying both primer, gloss and flat.

Peter

Edited by Peterpools
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So I spent 20 minutes using the new harder evolution .2 and Vallejo air on the me-262. I set the compressor to 6-8 psi an thinned the paint 40% paint 60% thinner and still consistently have splats. Crack the air, micro pull back for paint an get nothing-nothing. Oh wait there's a couple little bits of paint vapour... Splat!!! A blob the size of a capital O hits where I'm aiming. Wipe it off or if it isn't too bad I'll feather it in but, really?

In truth an airbruh isn't really capable of doing what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to shoot Ulta small. Maybe the scale size of a 48th scale human hand so I am setting myself up for the splats and what not and it is just a relaxing hobby after all.

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So I spent 20 minutes using the new harder evolution .2 and Vallejo air on the me-262. I set the compressor to 6-8 psi an thinned the paint 40% paint 60% thinner and still consistently have splats. Crack the air, micro pull back for paint an get nothing-nothing. Oh wait there's a couple little bits of paint vapour... Splat!!! A blob the size of a capital O hits where I'm aiming. Wipe it off or if it isn't too bad I'll feather it in but, really?

In truth an airbruh isn't really capable of doing what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to shoot Ulta small. Maybe the scale size of a 48th scale human hand so I am setting myself up for the splats and what not and it is just a relaxing hobby after all.

 

Ive got a H&S Evo. Even for that small, fully disassemble and clean the AB (of course being delicate with the seemingly ultra delicate needle)  try MRP paints, no mixing, no mess, and dial up the pressure to about 10 or so and try it again. Im betting you have a different experience. 

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So I spent 20 minutes using the new harder evolution .2 and Vallejo air on the me-262. I set the compressor to 6-8 psi an thinned the paint 40% paint 60% thinner and still consistently have splats. Crack the air, micro pull back for paint an get nothing-nothing. Oh wait there's a couple little bits of paint vapour... Splat!!! A blob the size of a capital O hits where I'm aiming. Wipe it off or if it isn't too bad I'll feather it in but, really?

In truth an airbruh isn't really capable of doing what I'm trying to do. I'm trying to shoot Ulta small. Maybe the scale size of a 48th scale human hand so I am setting myself up for the splats and what not and it is just a relaxing hobby after all.

 

I still think your air pressure is too low, particularly for a 60/40 paint mix. A .2mm needle should be sufficient for what you're trying to do. I also don't think Vallejo Air is the best paint for this kind of job. MRP would eat it for breakfast, but when I reviewed their new aqueous range (as opposed to their existing lacquer-based range already discussed in this thread), I couldn't get them to behave at all for small stuff - similar to what you're experiencing now.

 

Kev

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Well guys, I still like Model Master enamels. Yes, paint thinner stinks, but it ain't all that bad. Not like I'm painting a room in the house. I also like Tamiya paints, and use rubbing alcohol to thin them. Model Master Acryl paint is fairly good so long as you use their thinner. I have some Vallejo Air, but haven't shot it yet due to the mixed reports I read about it. Seems like you either love or hate that stuff. Gunze, I have shot, and it's ok. To me, it has always been how much you thin the paint, and air pressure. Regardless of what paint you use. Of course, a proper working, and maintained airbrush, is important.

I have always used a Paasche H single action airbrush. I use a number one needle and cap, and the number 3 that usually comes with it. Double actions have always intimidated me, although I do have a couple of them that I've never used yet. But, I swear by what I know, and that's my H airbrush. So, there ya have it from an ole Texan in Amarillo!  :D

 

:tumble:

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Tamiya's solvent-based acrylics are the easiest, most dependable airbrushing paints I've found that don't have a strong smell. They can be thinned and cleaned up with 91% isopropyl alcohol from the drugstore (although I use Tamiya's X-20a proprietary stuff for thinning. It seems to give the best leveling).

 

If you have the ventilation equipment to handle the smell, MRP and Mr Color are both quite airbrush friendly. They cover and level nicely. The only reason I don't use them more is that they are not water-permeable: you can't use the hairspray chipping method with them.

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Guest Peterpools

Draval 64

I really don't see you trying to do anything that your the AB shouldn't be able to do. I regularly shoot with my H&S Infinity CR Plus with a .2 tip and low working air pressure with Model Air paints and haven't experienced the problems you are encountering.

Seems the problem is your working psi is too low. Up the pressure to 1`2-15 psi and you should be good to go

Peter

Edited by Peterpools
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+1 for Model Master enamels. I've been shooting them for 20 years now. I also like Tamiya paint (from the spray cans) decanted.

 Steve

I like them too for a lot of jobs. Sadly, I hear they are being discontinued–at least the excellent "Military Flats" Line.
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If you have the ventilation equipment to handle the smell, MRP and Mr Color are both quite airbrush friendly. They cover and level nicely. The only reason I don't use them more is that they are not water-permeable: you can't use the hairspray chipping method with them.

 

That's not quite true, Adam. If you don't allow them to cure for too long, they're perfectly usable with that chipping method. This upper wing was done that way, through MRP-133 Blue-Grey:

 

cv9OSM.jpg

 

And the wheel bay was done using MRP-98:

 

UOSf7j.jpg

 

In both cases, AK Interactive's Worn Effects was used as the chipping medium.

 

Kev

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That's not quite true, Adam. If you don't allow them to cure for too long, they're perfectly usable with that chipping method. This upper wing was done that way, through MRP-133 Blue-Grey:

 

cv9OSM.jpg

 

And the wheel bay was done using MRP-98:

 

UOSf7j.jpg

 

In both cases, AK Interactive's Worn Effects was used as the chipping medium.

 

Kev

Kev, is that your Trump build? If so, looks really nice!!

Cheers

Alan

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Damn, looking really nice Kev! It is intersting to hear all the personal experiences with airbrushing the different paints!

Cheers

Alan

 

I have personally gleaned more airbrushing/paint info on this site then all the years and money I wasted with FSM, and their flakey Airbrushing for Scale Modellers book where their author claims to do a typical Luftwaffe camo scheme by mottling over the upper fuselage color, while making blots that resemble check-marks and worms instead of rounded spots on a '109.

 

Also the book while favoring Testors Aztec stuff, does nothing to discuss airbrush needle sizes, paint type differences, advantages/disadvantages with the cheap to expensive airbrush/compressor types, etc., and to top  it all off, the author's recommended airbrush thinner "for all paints" simply does more harm then good with a major paint product.

Edited by Gigant
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