to make up for my abysmal painting day a couple of weeks a go, this one went terrificly. I fired up the AB with the new needle in it,cleaned right up in 2 minutes. Ahhh, if all days could be like this. But I have learned my lesson. From now on I work EXCLUSIVELY with enamels…
Hey tanky a mix of water windex and simple green between acrylic sprays will give you more options… not to deter you from using enamls. Just thinking of your health
Thanks Jeff. But I think I’ve got the health thing sorted out, I wear a respirator and spray into an artograph spray booth. Never smell a thing.
Acrylics can be a major hassle, but Tamiya thinner sure does give a major improvement. I’ve been there. A couple of weeks ago, I trashed a 1/72 nose & cockpit because I skipped the thinning part before airbrushing on some Acryl flat white. It ruined everything because getting that crap off the outside meant destroying all of the work I had done to the inside instruments and seat. That’s the way it goes with acrylics… one slip, and down the hole you fall. Everything about the entire chunk you’re working on is trash if the acrylic job goes wrong. But, with the right thinner/retarder combo, there are no such problems unless you just do bad masking.
Hmmm I used to use enamel but I have made the switch to Tamiya acrylic and have been very happy so far. Although I would use enamel rather then use mm acrylic.
Tanky - I use almost exclusively acrylic when spraying… my favorite is Vallejo acrylics… they go on smoother than… well you get the picture. adhere well (I use the vallejo thinner which has a retarder and adhesive helper in it) and never have problems… I use MM acrylics too with similar results (just be careful masking over some of them) and lastly I have used a few of the Tamiya ones and had no real probs…
with acrylics I defnitely use needle lube, it prevents a lot of the tip dry and clogging you get with them… soak the airbrush parts in lacquer thinner about every 20 to 30 hours of brushing and you are set!
I do recommend having a spare needle handy in case it happens again. I learned my lesson much the same way you did and immediately ordered 3… one in the brush one one as a spare… the other is just there for emergencies…