Hi all

I'm new here so please be kind. I've read many of the advice threads and some quote similar problems, but none quite so severe.

I have a Badger Renegade Velocity Airbrush gravity fed. An AB Compressor with water trap. I have an ultra fine tip. I use Vallejo Paint thinned to approx 50:50 with Tamiya thinner. I've tried thinning more but without success. The airbrush is relatively new, and has a brand new needle and tip fitted. I use between 15 & 25 psi.

The problem: when I blow water/thinner it produces a beautiful controllable jet. However as soon as I add paint (seemingly in any concentration) it clogs. The clogging takes as little as 5 seconds. Looking at the paint in the cup it seems to have seperated leaving a thick gloop in the bottom. It appears to mix well, but then seperates in the first 5-10 seconds of use. The same happens with a number of colours

I feel I'm cleaning the airbrush well. I have purpose made cleaning brushes, I blow back to remove gunk etc etc

This is driving me nuts now and sapping all the pleasure from this hobby.

(Just thought, perhaps the thinner is contaminated - seems unlikely and I'm not sure how that could happen. I'll get some Vajero Air Paint tomorrow and try that on its own)

In the interim if anyone suspects they might know what is causing this - Help please!!!

Thank you in advance

Are you using Vallejo Paint or Vallejo Air? From what I have seen is you should be using dilluted water for thinning Vallejo Paint. I shoot Vallejo Air through my Paasche and Iwata straight with no thinner with no issues.

Thanks for getting back to me. I'm using Vallejo Paint 50:50 with Tamiya thinner

Andy you will be told you can thin various paints with all types of carrier but I would always advise using the thinner designed for the paint at least until you are accustomed to mixing paints.

Vallejo and Tamiya don't mix. Vallejo's thinner works excellent with Vallejo paint, although you can also thin it with plain old water (preferably distilled).

As others have alluded to you should be thinning with distilled water not Tamiya thinners. Tamiya X20-A is an Alcohol based thinner, while their Orange cap thinner is Lacquer based.

Try thinning with distilled water, and let us know how you made out.

Joel

Hi Andy,

From my experience the Vallejo Model Colour isn't really suited to airbrushing, especially as you are using a fine tip. I tried using it for a while when I first started airbrushing and had the same problem as you and I WAS using distilled water. I switched to Tamyia and their thinners and haven't had a bad airbrushing session since. Try a few other paints and see what suits you, I use Vallejo exclusively for painting figures, they are designed for this and perform exceptionally well. Hope this helps.

All the best,

Paul

The quick seperation and "glops" are indicative of a paint/thinner conflict. As others have said, I'd start there for a resolution.

Hey Andy-
Your problem is that Tamiya thinner is not compatible with Vallejo paints. Tamiya thinners are formulated for Tamiya paints (their "acrylic" paints are a vastly different in composition of conventional acrylics like Vallejo) which is causing the clogging.

To thin Vallejo paints, use water. Distilled water will negate any chemical contaminants you might have in your tap water, if it please you.If you are using their Model Color range (white cap), thin about 50:50. If you are using their Model Air range (which I hate, btw) that has a black cap, the paint should be thin enough to spray without thinning, but if you do need to thin it, still use water.

Hope this helps!

Yep Andy, Tamiya thinner has isopropyl alcohol in it, which turns Vallejo paint to gummy glop.
Vallejo is incredibly good paint, and you want to thin it with their new #71361 Airbrush Thinner. It has a lower specific gravity than water [it's thinner] and a retarder to reduce clogging. Alternately, use distilled water.
With an ultrafine tip, if you are using Modelcolor paint, you may need to thin it 10/1 thinner to paint and shoot at 15 PSI to get excellent results. Modelair paint will need a little thinning too, for the ultrafine tip, maybe 1/5 thinner to paint and shoot at 10-15 PSI. Use Vallejo airbrush cleaner to clean, then shoot through with distilled water. You should have no problems.

Thanks all for your words of advice

I have bought some airbrush cleaner and I will clean it to within an inch of its life

I have some distilled water (Vallerjo thinners is only available by mail order here).

I will have a go tonight and see what happens.

I'm actually nervous about this, if it doesn't work I'm at a loss! Lol

Thanks guys, it worked. Not perfect, but loads better. I'm getting dry tip from hell with the paint/water combo, but at least it works.

I think I'll get some of the new thinner and retarder that was suggested.

Huge thanks

Andy .. If ya want to make your life a pleasure when you airbrush go for Tamiya .
I have spent years airbrushing models and used to spray real bulldozers and earthmovers and for the most simple to work with and the easiest to learn to paint with i would have to say Tamiya .
Water distills their XF ranged paints with ease and damn dude they spray super flat and when its layed on it looks brilliant ..you will love the results mate .

Phill

With the new Vallejo Airbrush thinner, you don't need to thin Model Color that much, 2/1 or 3/1 Thinner to Paint should be all you need.

If you were using the old milky looking thinner, then I would say yes, 15/1 at times, depending on the color, but the new thinner really rocks, easy 2 or 3 parts thinner to 1 part paint and it works every time.

Andy, if you can't get the specific retarder over in the UK, try looking for the LiquiTex brand. It works great with distilled water and Vallejo paints (both Model Color and Model Air). I used it up until the new Vallejo thinner came out and that stuff is gold!

Good luck!

+1 on this!

The "milky" looking Vallejo thinner works very well for hand-brushing the paints. I mix that Vallejo thinner 50:50 with ordinary water and then about 50:50 with the paint for brushing. I also add a drop or two of their Matt Medium along with a drop of flow-aide and a drop of retarder to make about 25 drops total of paint thinned and ready for brushing. I like my acrylics thinned so that it takes multiple coats to prevent brush marks, and this ratio gets good coverage in two to three coats for large areas and most details only need one coat.

Check out your local fine arts supply or crafts stores for the acrylic drying retarder and flow-enhancer/flow aide. Grumbacher, LiquiTex, Golden, and Windsor&Newton all make products that will work with acrylic hobby and craft paints (as well as artist tube acrylics). Brand availability just depends on what you local stores carry, but I've used all of these over the years and all work about equally well.

However, for airbrushing, Vallejo's Airbrush Thinner will reduce their Model Color paints down the exact same as for their Model Air paints. GREAT STUFF!

If you're going to airbrush Vallejos, it's definitely worth getting their Airbrush Thinner even if you have to special order.

As others have said, though, don't use the Tamiya X-20A with pretty much any other paints besides Tamiya. The Tamiya paints will spray great with it, but with any other brands it's a "science fair" project to test out the results before hand.

Omg - thanks for your words of advice. Bought some distiller water, some of the new Thinner, and some retarder. Behold I am now an airbrushing god!!!!

Thanks so much