Wondering if someone can give me some advice with this. On a lot of my models when I am trying to spray a camo pattern I end up with very tiny dots of the color over on the color I am spraying next to (over spray). Doesn't seem to matter what air pressure I am using or what mixture of paint to thinner. I haven't been able to get a handle on this issue and it's not always as bad that seems to vary from project to project.

Now I have been using tamiya paints with alcohol as a thinner (sometimes water) and a Badger 175 brush. My air comes from a CO2 setup and I can dial in any pressure I want up with my having tried 12 to about 25 and none of them working. For paint mixes I have tried everything from 50/50 (seems too thin) to almost straight from the bottle (definitely too thick). It is well mixed also.

The brush is not sputtering and I know there are no moisture issues since I am using CO2.

Any suggestions on things I can do to correct this?
Thanks
Rob

Been there - lived through it...... Bottom line - switch paints......

You may be to far away from the model too. Try a bit closer. Also, try not thinning the tamiya paint at all.

Use a strong maginfier and check your tip... could possibly have a split, or be deformed, which no matter what you do, will always give you a bad spray pattern. Also check for a bent needle, especially if you are using the fine tip, the slightest bend will send out a crappy pattern, with the larger droplets going off to one side. Small amounts of dried paint inside of the tip, will also disrupt the spray pattern.

As Grumpy said, check your airbrush for a bent needle or broken head.

If that is not your problem, from reading what you wrote, even at 50/50 paint to thinner, its not thin enough to get nice tight camo lines.

For Tamiya paint, which is what I use exclusivly, I usually thin it about 60/40, thinner to paint, I use nothing but Tamiya's own thinner, I have tried pretty much every concoction going, water, distilled water, alcohol, windsheild washer fluid, and just about any combination of those, and nothing works as well as Tamiya's own brand of thinner. Expensive compared to those above?? Yes....but the end result more than makes up for it.

Crank your air down to less then 10lbs, I usually use somewhere between 5-8lbs, but I have an Aztek 4709 and gravity feed, so don't need as much air to push the paint, with a Badger 175 you are syphon feed so may need a little more air.

Now time to get up close and personal with your model....with that thin of paint, and that low of airpressure, you want to be about 1/4" away from the subject before you push the button, slowly bring the trigger back until you get a bit of paint coming out, and outline your camo pattern, then fill it in with a little wider spray.

If I get a chance I will post a couple of pics of my Bradley that I just finished painting.

Here are those pictures......

One thing I hate about digital cameras, more so when the flash is on.

They will pick out every flaw on a kit no problem at all. You can see in the pics some places where the paint is thin, or no paint hit at all, or so it looks....and it can only be seen in the pics, in real life it can't be seen!!!! LOL

Anyway, here are the pics, the cam job was done freehand, ie: no masks, with an Aztek 4709.

Thanks guys ! Some great tips. The Bradley looks good post some pics of the completed project

about the thinner...you used alcohol, which type? is that alright? Im using MM brand and it quite costly, would it be wise if I also use alcohol too for my MM enamels? or maybe mineral sprite

MM Enamels??? NOOOO you don't want to use water, or alcohol....

Enamels are enamels and should be thinned with turpentine, mineral spirits, paint thinner ect. If they are MM Enamels, MM makes their own thinner, and again, like Tamiya's thinner, is expensive compared to the alternatives, is the easiest to use and gives the best finish.

Only acrylics or water based paints should be thinned with water or alcohol.