hi, this is my first post.
im having trouble spraying tamiya acrylic paint thru airbrushs. either its too thin and splatters with too much air(tried turning down the pressure) or it speckles all over(not a tight pattern) with not being thinned enough. ive tried extender for acrylics. what am i doing wrong?
thanks in advance.

It would help if you tell us more about your conditions you are using when spraying, what kind of airbrush and what is your air source, what are you thinning with.

For tamiya paints, I start out at 25%paint/75% TAMIYA THINNER. I recommend using their thinner as it works the best with their paint. I spray at around 20 psi. For more gentle effects, I thin the paint more toward 10 paint 90 thinner, lowering the air pressure toward 10 psi. I tip I learned here on Armorama that seems to be working is that the thinner your paint, the lower your psi needs to be.

I know some people start out at 50/50 paint thinner and 25 psi. this works well too.

Sean

Through my Iwata CR, I use a 3:1 paint/Tamiya Thinner ratio at 20psi and have gotten good results. No tip dry, good coverage on the model. So far, so good with that ratio for me.

- Frank

bet way to see if your paint is too diluted is to much is to use a tooth pick, dao it in the paint and put it on a with paper... if all you see if a minimum of pigments(paint) then your to thin. also, when i mix my paint i would recomend doing so before spraying it for the reason that if its to thinck you will clog everying and will have to clean it.

What type of airbrush are you useing? if its a badger or iwata make sure your needle is placed properly.

i doubt the pressure is in cause if its above 10-15 psi, id say your paintisnt thinned well or your airbrush has a problem

I use tamiya acrylics and dont use their thinner ( i use rubbing alcohol instead) and use a sparmax dh-2 available at luckymodels.com. Its a great grvity fed airbrush and gives very nice clean lines and a nice control. The downside is i had to buy their braded hose also, but now that i own i i find it a joy as it never tangle up. Basicly, its a great brush, i spay oils( well thinned!) enamels, and acrylics no problem. its easy to clean, and under 50 usd with shipping!

What kind of ab do you use? is it aztek?

Frank

Ok Sean:

What brush and air source are YOU useing my friend????

When people give a psi reading is that working or static pressure???

Yes folks asking for help need to give ALL INFO so others with the SAME
systems can give the advice as to what works for them.

Wellll Tony, you're correct I did not give that out. The reason is simple. I use 2 different kinds of airbrushes, so without knowing the brand he is using, I wanted to avoid getting too specific to one kind of system. However, the same general guidlines I gave work for both as far as thining goes, but each has there own nuiances in different specific situations. The air pressures are I give are static, but the compressor I use stays relatively true to that in operation.

The airbrushes I use are Iwata HP-B plus double action and the Paache F series single action. My air compressor is the Aztek AC550 1/8hp motor and I think a 1/2 gallon air reserve tank(I bought this awhile ago).

I recommend very highly the Iwata HP-B and have read many great things about there other products. for finedetail work this airbrush is extraordinary. The Paache is decent and I have had for over 20 years. This is now used for primer and base coats as well as varnish spraying, but does well at other applications and is very affordable. The air compressor works well, but I wish I had a bigger reserve air tank

the reason I brought up the question of specific system for him was that once we know, someone with that paritcular system could be more in line to help him. My advice, keep in mind far from expert advice, was meant more for a general sort of feel in trying to help. I


Sean "I have just worked 15 hours staight and am cranky" Lynch

Not trying to sound like a smart [auto-censored] but as you say i'm
a little cranky myself.Sorry

I'm just now getting back to model building after about
50 years. I've got a Paasche VL double action,suction feed
brush and a Sears 3/4 horse 10 gal, compressor.

I built 1/6 scale RC aircraft for awhile and that combo worked
very well for me. Now that i've dropped down to 1/35th it sucks.

First off the lowest gauge reading on the compressor was 20psi,
from there to zero it was blank. I go out and get a smaller regulator
and a gauge that reads 0 to 30psi in one pound increments,much
better control of pressure now but something is still not working
to get that fine line control you need.

After much testing and I mean many hours,I think the problem is,
My Paasche is suction feed and at the lower pressures needed for
those fine spray patterns,the paint is not being picked up.
If you increase the pressure to get the paint flow, it blows the paint
around.

Yesterday I found a Iwata Revolution gravity feed brush. No time to check
it out yet but I think the gravity feed is going to be the ticket at those lower
pressures,we'll see.

BTW, you're working to much,not enough play.
I know,it caused me to have two heart attacks.

I talk to much:-X
....The Mutt....

thanks all,
i use both a badger 360 and a iwata hp-c
i try 75% thinner to 25% paint with about 10 to 15 lbs pressure, still splatters . thinner is tamiya. compressor is a v star(i think)

With the Revolution you will see a big difference with spraying at low pressure. You will also like what you see. The Revolution is my first double action gravity feed brush and I could not be happier with it.

Hey Jafo:

Try 3 parts paint to 1 part thinner. I use and Iwata Revolution CR and with this mixture I cant lose. Also try your pressure alittle higher, perhaps between 20-30 psi

HTH

I've been down in the shop all morning just
playing around with this brush.

"IT'S INCREDIBLE" and to think I almost didn't
buy it because of all the green stamps it took
to take it home.

Jafo, that is similar to what I spray and I get no splattering. Just a couple of thoughts. Have you totally disassembled the airbrushes and cleaned the tips and other parts completely by hand and not just by solvent through the air brush? Just asking as sometimes it can be the most obvious. My other thought is do you have a moisture trap on your compressor? Maybe you are getting moisture build up in your line that is coming out when you spray, which can cause the splattering.

Tony, no problem. sometimes things can be read the wrong way on the internet. Yes, gravity fed is the way to go IMHO. the difference is amazing. I had a Paache siphon fed Millenium Double action for awhile and I was not happy. That when I got the Iwata and wow. I quickly sold the Millenium soon after. I kept the siphon fed F just for quick basic work for things like varnish that are a real pain to clean from the Iwata. I will be sending you a private message off line.

Sean

Hi Sean
I read your pm but can't find it again

No,I don't get out much,just locally and that's
not very often.

Break time is over, time to go play with my
new toy some more.

..Later..
..Tony..

Hello Jafo

I too use the Badger 360, the best advise I ever got for airbrush thinning of paints is to thin to the consistancy of whole milk.. When I was learning to thin my paint I would actually put a little milk in a paint bottle to compare it with.. the last time I used Tamiya acrylics it was 70% paint to 30% tamiya thinner.. siphon feed at aprox 20 psi..



hope this helps

thanks all
i use a moisture trap and regulator
i tottaly clean all airbrushes
and will try the suggestions and let you know
thanks! :-)