I can’t continue the hobby until I figure out why I can’t produce good coat when airbrushing.
I have two airbrushes, an Aztek with a portable compressor and a Badger Anthem hooked up to a Campbell Hausfeld (?) compressor. This also has a moisture trap attached to it.
Both airbrushes produce coarse finishes (sandpaper-like) when spraying Tamiya acrylics, yesterday I had a minor problem with the Aztek and a few minutes ago the Anthem produced the worst coarse finish I have ever seen. The tank hull looks like it’s made of sandpaper.
I really don’t know what to do, I’ve tried everything. I sprayed outdoors in pretty intense sunglight and humidity (I don’t believe sunlight affects the job though). The compressor has a moisture trap.
What’s the purpose of building those models when I’m 100% certain I will fail in the airbrushing process. It’s discouraging.
I had the same problem. My problem was thinning the paint with 99% ISO. I bought the Tamyia X20A thinner, and mixed the paint 50/50. Problem solved. ISO will actually half dry the paint before is hits the model.
I have the Badger anthem. I used to have a caompressor with air tank. It has no air regulator so I’m blasting my spray at around 40 psi! So imagine what the finish was on my kit. Coarse and sometimes wbes of paint bulids up around my work place. Then my friend told me too lower the pressure. Now i’m doing smoother finishes thanks that tiny bleed valve under the tank.[:D]
What pressure are you using and what distance from the surface are you spraying at? The coarseness is caused by the paint particles drying slightly between the aibrush and the model. This can be caused by the type of thinner, as pointed out by sincky, and by too much pressure or distance from the model as Reggie pointed out. Acrylics are notorious for fast drying times, so sometimes you have to force them to dry more slowly.
I spray at about 15 psi, at about 3" - 4" from the surface. I also frequently put a drop or two of acrylic retarder in the paint mix. I normally spray either Tamiya or Model Master acrylics, and usually thin them with 91% isopropyl alky. I think the Tamiya thinner is mostly alcohol, however I think it contains some retarder as well. Like sincky, I’ve noticed that Tamiya acrylics dry much slower when using Tamiya thinner.
Ditto what others have said about thinning ratios and distance. I have had good luck thinning 1 to 1 with 91% alcohol however, you will never be wrong in using Tamiya thinner particularly with their gloss paints as alcohol will flatten them. Practice is key. Try spraying on a sheet of flat plastic or a model that can serve as a test bed for painting practice. You can always strip the paint from these and start over. Don’t get discouraged. Think of painting as a learning experience. The more you do the better you will get. I see no problems with your equipment but I would tend to favor using the Anthem over the Aztec. You certainly have a good community out there that is more than ready to help you through the learning curve! Just ask.
monster, your paint job looks a little like sandpaper right?? I had the same problem. like the others said, try thinning it out a little more, about 2 parts thinner to 3 parts paint works well for me. some colors are harder to work with than others like white or glossy stuff. if you airbrushed with a tamiya acrylic, just spray the mold down with Windex & watch the paint disolve, rinse it under water, let dry & start over fresh. I had to do that before. easy way to strip & start over. good luck.
The first tank model I ever airbrushed with my new airbrush and compressor setup was a Trumpeter Stalin 3. No problems really, but then this guy at the hobby store who looks like dumbass but talks like an “expert” told me to increase the pressure to 25PSI. I’ve been spraying at this pressure ever since. I think that could be the cause. The paint is ejected with such terrific pressure it becomes “sand” in midair.
I lowered compressor pressure to about 12.5 PSI I produced the most perfect coat I have ever seen. Thanks for help, the construction of the model goes on.