What is the best way to airbushing Tamiya metallics, such as Flat Aluminum? I thinned at about 5:1 thinner to paint, at 18-20 psi, and I couldn't get a consistent flow out of the airbrush. I'm using an Iwata CR Revolution.

As always, any help would be greatly appreciated.

Happy Modelling, -zon

Hey Zon Whats up?I sprayed some Tamiya gunmetal on the Panther for the What If campaign.I reduced it 1:1 with flow aid(mixed 20 parts water to one part flow aid)with a drop or two of liquitex retarder.At about the same pressure as you did.Worked well.It was pretty bright so I sprayed it with some matt and it was much better.How big is the fluid tip on your Iwata?Jeff T.

Jeff, that sounds good. I think my tip is 0.3 mm, but it might be 0.5. I'm thinking your flow aid and Liquitex help a bunch. Mine would spray, then stop, spray then stop, then of course I would open it up and get a huge dump, then it would stop again.

Snowed on the mountains again about 3 days ago but it's gone now, still 80's down on the coast.]

Happy Modelling, -zon,

Yeah,sounds like the paint is drying too fast and clogging your fluid tip.Since I started using the flow aid and the retarder most of my AB problems have gone away.I use the stuff in everything,Tamiya,Vallejo,and I have some Model Master acrylic coming and will try it in that.The stuff is cheap and lasts forever.So it snowed in the mountains and it's gone now?I'm going to get 4-6 inches IN MY YARD tonight and I'm guessing it will stay there until the middle of May Model on,Jeff

Yes,the Revolution CR has a .5 mm nozzle and the paint is drying on the tip. The Liquitex products are the solution.
Also, I keep handy a medicine cup of airbrush cleaner with a cotton swab in it to quickly clean the tip while shooting. In case of blockage or buildup, a quick ( but gentle, don't bend the needle ) swirl in the nozzle cup with the swab and shooting resumes. I also thin Tamiya 1:1 with good results.

Matt: I think it was on your advise somewhere on this site that I started using the Liquitex products.They work so well for me that I purchased some of their soft body acrylic artist colors.Black and white.You get 2 oz. for about 3-4 bucks.It is a lot thicker than Vallejo model color.I'm still messing around with it to figure out ratios for spraying and brushing,but it looks like it will work well.J.T.
I see that the theme for the IPMS AMPSEast 2012 show is "Naked Models".Does that mean all the entries will be unpainted?

Thanks to Matt and Jeff. I will be looking for some more Liquitex.

Happy Modelling, -zon

Zon - You're welcome, let us know how you do.

Jeff - I'm certainly not the only guy to use Slo-Dri and Flow-Aid, but I think I turned a lot of guys here on to them. I don't know why they've been a secret for so long.

Our show theme - actually, surveys have shown that 50% of adult modelelers have never seen a real naked woman, so as group therapy we've hired a few......
NOT!
Our theme is "Naked Models - No paint allowed! Show us all the styrene, brass, resin, aluminum, and scratchwork normally hidden by layers of paint." This is just for models entered in the theme category. The theme title was just too good to pass up.

Matt,Ha I was right then,it was just a wild guess,just trying to be funny
I am part of the 50 percent that has seen a naked woman.(do pictures count?)And I'm not above seeing one again....Any time now would be good.J.T.

I spray a base coat that would be near the color of the metallic paint. I agree about 1:1 should do it. I actually thin mine at about 2:1(thinner:paint), with the similar base coat. A couple of coats should do at this ratio. Also, you may try adding a couple of drops of glass cleaner to the paint. You should be able to pick up a gallon of the automotive stuff for a few dollars.