…and perhaps other methods. I have been finishing up a 109G-14 (for weeks now, but that’s another story). Anyway. I am using MM enamels. I have been fighting the almost imperceptible ‘splatter’ that comes right at the beginning and end of paint strokes. Various mixtures. tips (mostly fine), pressures, etc. My latest effort was with my Iwata HP-CS.
Ok, so I’ll get the point. I have always set the airbrush needles in as far as I could forward into the nose seat. Today, I left some slack in the seat. Just a smidgen. No more splatter! Smooth beginning and end of the paint stroke/release. Not sure how this works with other paints and not sure if I just ‘cheated’ the thinning a bit, but it worked for me. Just another ‘technique’, I suppose. Anyone else ever noticed this?
I accidentally left the needle slack once, and I couldn’t get the paint flow to stop. It wasn’t cool.
To fix your splatter, try the technique in the video linked below. This is how airbrush artists use a double-action airbrush. I can’t say it’s the “proper” way to do it, but it is how I learned. I’ve never had any splatter like you describe. The Australian chap in the video is a bit goofy, but I like him. Give it a try and see if it doesn’t eliminate the splatter.
www.youtube.com/watch
Chris
I’ve had some splatter from two causes. Most common was not cleaning brush well enough, leaving deposits in nozzle. Paint tends to collect around the deposits and then break loose. I keep some Que tips handy to keep nozzle clean.
Used to get some small spatter at times when the teflon head washer (Badger brushes) would go bad. Now I keep a couple of spare ones on hand and replace at first sign of trouble.
Thanks, guys. That Iwata has a pretty big tip. I think that’s where the problem is. I just need to clean it out really good, more often. Instead of just the usual shooting laquer thinner through between colors.