This is my first post here as I´m a new subscriber. I mostly do aircrafts (civil and military), but now I´m working an a Tamiya- McLaren mp4/5b with Ayrton Senna decals.
I´m sure there are a lot of experienced modelers here, so here is my question/problem: I was airbrushing the orange/red colors of the Marlboro team with a Revell enamel, thinned 40%. From the airbrush tip started to come like a spider thread material, as the one used to decorate houses on Halloween. I changed th pressure and the thinning ratio, but just the same. I´ve already experienced this problems with an enamel clear.
¿Does anyone know where is the problem, what I´m doing wrong? Thank you very much in advance I hope I can share with you this beautiful hobby.( Sorry for my English as it´s not language.)
What are you thinning with? Sounds like a similar problem I had thinning Mr. Surfacer 1200 with lacquer thinner. All I needed to do was use more thinner, something like 70/30, thinner/paint and the problem went away.
I’ve never used Revell paints before some can’t comment directly.
I´m using regular thinner, I´ve used it a lot of times without any problems. I tried changing the thinner/paint ratio but the problem didn´t go. I don´t know…
A spider web should mean that you’re either using too much PSI, too much thinner or are too close to the surface. I don’t know what the ratio is for enamels: but find out what it is - you want it about like milk. Then try setting your PSI at about 18. Now start experimenting with distance and also any valve on your airbrush that will limit the amount of air/paint coming out. Set the thing where the paint barely comes out and then start from there: loosen the valve until you get a relatively thin spray. If you want to cover a lot of ground, open the valve all the way. I know not everyone agrees, but I would not push the pressure above 20 PSI - 25 max. If the pressure is that high, your paint is too thick.
One other thing. Look at the tip of your airbrush. If things start out okay and then it starts to sputter, you might have a tip that is partially clogging. (Should be a bigger problem with acrylics.) Keep a cheap paint brush in some enamel thinner and swab off the tip. Obviously if things are really clogged you’ve got to clean the brush.
This is not easy stuff but it’s the single most important task to becoming a good modeler in my opinion. Don’t get discouraged. If either of us got paid for every person who had trouble with airbrushing, we’d be rich enough to hire other people to build our kits.
What do you think about a thinners/paint incompatibility? The last time I experienced this same problem was also with Revell paint. Changing the psi seemed not to solve the problem. Now I have to figure out how to “repair” all the spider web paint around my Mclaren!! (maybe sanding and re painting) Thank you all again and happy plastics!!