What is the average drying time supposed to be for acrylics, and does it depend on the temperature? (I’m thinking it would, but it doesn’t hurt to be sure.)
It’s just that I’m a first-time airbrush user, and I know squat about how acryilcs work. Thanks again.
When airbrushing, I can usualally handle a model spayed with acrylics within half an hour or so. To be safe I usually let it sit over night. However, I have had luck with masking over a painted area after 3-4 hours of dry time. As for temperature, I am not sure. I do my building in the basement which is usually around 60-65 degrees and all seems to work well
Lucien -
Acryls dry very quickly. Some time you can “handle them” in minutes. I wait at least 1/2 hour before any serous work, and won’t mask until 24 - 48 hous. Iver the decades. I’ve learned a little patience, and now models that took days (hours) in my youth, now take months, and happily look a little different!
Archer out.
agreed - most are safe (depending on the humidity) to be handled within 1/2 to 1 hour… but as far as masking I always wait overnight to do anything like that… or painting over… I wait for that as well…
Drying time and curing time are different. Drying time, the time it takes to be able to handle the parts, is generally only a few minutes. Curing time, the time it takes the paint to completely cure, is significantly longer. Acrylics do not adhere to the surface in the same way that enamels and laquers do and if they are not completely cured (and frequently even if they are) they will pull loose when masked.
I frequently spray subsequent coats, even other colors, after 30 to 60 minutes of drying time. IF you have to mask it, wait at least 24 hours. If you have to spray enamel or laquer over it, wait at least 24 hours and even then sray the first couple of coats very, very lightly.
I haven’t noticed that temperature has a large affect on the drying time, at least within reason. My basment is usually pretty cool and they still dry to the touch very quickly. Humidity, however, does have an affect on how long they take to dry and cure.
A word of warning if you haven’t used acrylics much; THOROUGHLY clean the parts prior to painting. Acrylics do not have the chemical solvents in them that enamels or laquers do and usually cannot dissolve any oil or grease that is on the surface. Additionally, priming of the parts is more critical with acrylics than with enamel or laquer for the same reason. They just do not adhere as well as enamel or laquer.