Aztec Airbrushes and Acrylic Paints

"Graeme Cosgrove" wrote

With PollyScale or Model Master acrylics I had no problems using the mfg's thinner (and window cleaner for clean up). Water just doesn't work that well at all as a thinner. For Tamiya acrylics I had more tenacious problems but finally followed Steve Zaloga's advice and used clear Windex (a clear, ammonia-based glass/window cleaner) as a solvent. Works great! Try 1 Windex to 4 paint to start, but you shouldn't have to go above 50% Windex for normal painting.

HTH, KL

That sounds excessive, unless you're using artist's tube paints. I've never thinned bottle acrylics more than 65/35 for airbrushing.

What's your air source? Do you have a pressure regulator, and if so, what do you have it set to? It should be 15-25 psi for properly thinned paint.

Try thinning with alcohol or windshield washer fluid instead of water. They'll reduce the surface tension so the paint flows better and goes on smooth.

Also, try adding a few drops of "acrylic retarder". You can find this at artist's supply stores and the better hobby shops. It slows the drying time of acrylics a little, which reduces the clogging problem.

Finally, you might try filtering your paint through a fine brass mesh to remove any lumps that would clog the nozzle.

"Liqui-Tex Low Viscosity Acrylic Air Brush Medium", I got mine at a Michael's art supply store. Makes old Poly S spray very well. I have used it with other Acrylics as well. Be it noted that Tamiya Paints are not Acrylic and I have not used this with Tamiya.

Bill Shuey

Some are, some aren't. Tamiya makes several kinds of paints, including acrylics, enamels, and synthetic lacquers. The label will tell you which is which.

PollyS were not acrylic, they were latex.

KL

True! I forgot that little detail. The liquitex medium made them flow through the airbrush just fine. Be it noted that they were formulated for hand brushing back in the early 70s when air brushes were not nearly so prevalent.

Bill Shuey

You don't say what brand of acrylics you're using, but you're most probably using the wrong thinner. Acrylic paints are emulsions of an acrylic monomer in a carrier solvent. The solvent can be just about anything, except ammonia. Obviously, the choice of the thinner demends on the nature of the carrier solvent. For instance, Tamiya/Gunze acrylics spray significatively better when thinned with an alcohol-based thinner (Tamiya's own, windex, vodka, or whatever. No, not beer). Andrea, Aircraft Colors or LifeColor will clog when thinned with anything other than distilled water. When in doubt, the first thing to do is to use the manufacturer's supplied thinner. At the very least, it will let you eliminate the most frequent source of problems. If that doesn't solve your problem, then you can start playing with pressure settings.

Argh! Wasting precious vodka on a model?

Well said! You can cut the surface tension of water reduced paint with a small drop (tip of a toothpick) of dishwashing fluid. The cheaper the better; you don't want any additives screwing up your formula. Obviously, this should be stirred and not shaken. hth

The Keeper (of too much crap)

Well, at least on MiGs...

I thin Tamiya acrylics with 70% isopropanol (ratio 50/50 and lots of thin coats) and it seems to work well, but I generally only use white and yellow, because I find Polly Scale behaves better through my brush. I'll try the Windex and see if it works better for me.

Mark Schynert

Aztec! 'nuff said!

Strange, I never had problems, and use acrylics in my A470 almost exclusively...

First, what paint brand? Second, tap water, distilled, ?? (I'd really suggest something *other* than water.) Third, does this happen right away or after a short period of time? Fourth, how much air pressure are you using? Any "bubbles" in the paint cup?

Yeah, like EG said, water isn't the best carrier even with some detergent in it. Windshield washer fluid is highly reccomended. You should also inspect the tip and see if there's paint build up. I keep a cotton swab with thinner on it ready for clean up. hth

The Keeper (of too much crap)

I use an Aztec and spray exclusively acrylic. Polly Scale, Life Color and Tamiya. I use Tamiya Acrylic Thinner for all three and thin them down by eye - I would guess around 40%. I use both acrylic and normal nozzles driven by a testors compressor. I get good results with this. I do make sure that I spray off the model and then continue across to ensure that any initial splatter doesn't hit the part I am spraying.

I like the Aztec.

David