New to airbrushing need help

[lv-eg]

So I picked up an airbrush about a year ago and finally got around to using it. I started by painting the inside black. Then I used a razor blade to cut the plastic film on the outside of the body. And used it for masking on the windows, trim and the grill. Then I used Wicked paints pearl white. sprayed a few light coats. I wish I would have taken a picture but.... It looked pretty even. But it was still light enough that the black was still showing through. Then I sprayed a candy red over the top of the white. I like the way it still has black showing in the shadows.
But what I'm having trouble with, there are a few spot where it looks like the paint isn't sticking and kinda separated? Is this from not getting the shell clean enough? I used a lint free cloth, used rubbing alcohol and the used spaz stix prep spray stuff. Gets rid of the static? And also, every once in a while the airbrush splatters? Don't know why? When it would happen I'd hold it to the side and spray it a couple times and it wouldn't do it again for another five min or so..... Now can I lightly sand the body down and paint over the existing paint to fix it? Or do I need to go all the way down to the plastic? Or get a whole new body lol. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Sorry for the bad pics. I'll try to get some out in the sun tomorrow.


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[penneyma79]

Originally Posted by lv-eg

So I picked up an airbrush about a year ago and finally got around to using it. I started by painting the inside black. Then I used a razor blade to cut the plastic film on the outside of the body. And used it for masking on the windows, trim and the grill. Then I used Wicked paints pearl white. sprayed a few light coats. I wish I would have taken a picture but.... It looked pretty even. But it was still light enough that the black was still showing through. Then I sprayed a candy red over the top of the white. I like the way it still has black showing in the shadows.
But what I'm having trouble with, there are a few spot where it looks like the paint isn't sticking and kinda separated? Is this from not getting the shell clean enough? I used a lint free cloth, used rubbing alcohol and the used spaz stix prep spray stuff. Gets rid of the static? And also, every once in a while the airbrush splatters? Don't know why? When it would happen I'd hold it to the side and spray it a couple times and it wouldn't do it again for another five min or so..... Now can I lightly sand the body down and paint over the existing paint to fix it? Or do I need to go all the way down to the plastic? Or get a whole new body lol. Any help would be greatly appreciated. Sorry for the bad pics. I'll try to get some out in the sun tomorrow.


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Great color, really nice! 1:1 finishes are layered like that too. Try blowing just air out of the airbrush every once in a while while painting, those splotches and dots are likely from the metallic and pearls clicking the needle a little and suddenly releasing, didn't appear to be lifting, at least not in the pictures. I don't have experience painting lexan, so not sure how often lifting occurs, but it seems you took good precautions, and even avoided solvents, or leaving them on the surface.
Hopefully someone else can share if you can strip or sand paint, either way could distress what I fear is a fragile body and very thin.May chalk it up to experience and rip on it hard, try a new body when it's too beat up. Hope this helps! :-)

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[lv-eg]

Thanks! Really appreciate the feed back! I'll have to try spraying just air through it every once in a while. It did seem to splatter more when I was spraying the pearl.


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[Jensen330]

Depending on the color and the brand of paint you may have needed to thin it a little or use a different PSI for a smoother spray. As mentioned before, do not start the color from a stop on the body as this is where you will tend to get the splatters like you have.

It also could have been from contaminates on the body as well. I always clean with a mild soap with warm water on a sos pad.

[lv-eg]

Mmk. Now that you mention it I did start spraying on the body a few times. Maybe that's why I didn't notice it splattering all the time? As far as the paint. For the black and the candy red I was using spaz stix. And for the pearl white I used wicked colors. I did use wicked's thinner. I did a 2-1 mix. Is this an ok mix? I've looked on you tube and it seems like everyone has there own recipes? Windex, thinner, water, 2-1, 3-1, 4-1? I'm sure it all depends on the application? I was spraying about 30 psi. I will try turning it down. I went off of wicked's instructions. And I just looked at the spaz stix and it says 15-20 psi. Didn't even dawn on me that they might be different.
I was unsure about mixing water base and lacquer. But it didn't seem to matter?
Thanks for the tips!!!


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[msd44]

Now I will start by saying that I have never sprayed via an air brush before, but I have seen in my years with rattle cans that if I mixed brands of paints, I would get Poor adhesion, flaking and what not. Not all brands play well with others. Possibly you are seeing the same here?

[lv-eg]

Originally Posted by msd44

Now I will start by saying that I have never sprayed via an air brush before, but I have seen in my years with rattle cans that if I mixed brands of paints, I would get Poor adhesion, flaking and what not. Not all brands play well with others. Possibly you are seeing the same here?

The only adhesion problem I had was on the hood. Looked like it lifted a little. Like someone else said. I probably didn't get that spot clean? Seemed like the rest of it took pretty well. But I will defiantly keep that in mind the next time! I probably won't use the lacquers. I really like the candy that spaz stix has but the fumes are vicious!!! Lol it was touch and go there for a bit lol.
I appreciate the input!


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[Creepy Inc.]

How did you prep the body? They have a releasing sprayed on them. You should wash the body with warm water and dish soap on the inside and at least wipe down the outside with IPA first. The spot could be "fish eye" from oil fingers can leave.

-Allen

[lv-eg]

Originally Posted by Creepy Inc.

How did you prep the body? They have a releasing sprayed on them. You should wash the body with warm water and dish soap on the inside and at least wipe down the outside with IPA first. The spot could be "fish eye" from oil fingers can leave.



-Allen

I didn't wash it with soap and water. Didn't know if the film would come off? But I used rubbing alcohol with a lint free cloth. I also wore some rubber gloves while handling it. And after I had cleaned it I used spaz stix surface prep stuff.... I must have missed the one little spot on the hood? The rest if he body took paint really well.


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[poomwah]

I have been learning more and more about airbrushing lately, especially trouble shooting. It COULD me metallic clogging like pennyma said (which is best cleared by occasionally blasting full air and full paint through the airbrush, into a container or rag would be a good idea, air alone won't free up a metallic clog since the air is not flowing through same passage as the paint flow, without the needle back, the paint passage is blocked from the air and blasting just the air won't do anything except maybe clear some accumulated paint from the tip, but not the needle... Anyway, I'm over explaining, sorry. USUALLY splattering is a result of paint being too thick or air pressure being too low.

[rustneversleeps]

Well i guess i have to confess I'm new to airbrush to.Just bought my first twin action airbrush,with good reviews.

https://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/...idProduct=9294

Already have a small compressor good enough to pump out 40 to 90 psi so i should be good there.What i need and undecided what paint to use for a more scale appearance..I was thinking faskolor,Pearl or basic

sorry for the highjack but you did say "new to airbrush need help"
thanks

[lv-eg]

Originally Posted by poomwah

I have been learning more and more about airbrushing lately, especially trouble shooting. It COULD me metallic clogging like pennyma said (which is best cleared by occasionally blasting full air and full paint through the airbrush, into a container or rag would be a good idea, air alone won't free up a metallic clog since the air is not flowing through same passage as the paint flow, without the needle back, the paint passage is blocked from the air and blasting just the air won't do anything except maybe clear some accumulated paint from the tip, but not the needle... Anyway, I'm over explaining, sorry. USUALLY splattering is a result of paint being too thick or air pressure being too low.

Makes sense. I'll try thinning the paint some more. See what that does for me. Thanks for the info!


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[lv-eg]

Originally Posted by rustneversleeps

Well i guess i have to confess I'm new to airbrush to.Just bought my first twin action airbrush,with good reviews.

https://www.hobbyking.com/hobbyking/...idProduct=9294

Already have a small compressor good enough to pump out 40 to 90 psi so i should be good there.What i need and undecided what paint to use for a more scale appearance..I was thinking faskolor,Pearl or basic

sorry for the highjack but you did say "new to airbrush need help"
thanks

No worries more info the better! I've been playing with the the wicked colors paints and I really like them they seem to spray well for me. I wish they had some candy colors. I've heard good things about faskolors. But I've never used them. Sorry can't I help.


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[IPT]

I don't log in here often but just saw your thread. Wicked, makes Candies but the are under the brand Auto Air (both by Createx - but Autoair and Wicked are essentially, basically the same - from what I was told at an Airbrush course I took a few years ago where Createx was a sponsor). They, Autoair/Createx just released a new Candy (2.0) that is supposed to be awesome and more like the solvent based candies.

Did you spray on the outside? You will need clear coat and will be at risk of scratching it off but you must know that. Most spray the inside but it can be tough to get even coats since the air bounces back at you spraying inside. To spray metallics they recommend .5 nozzle to allow good flow. You can try and reduce down but that won't make the metallics any smaller so if you have a small needle you make keep having an issue. You can use light box, or even just a white (or black) piece of paper behind the panel you painted to asses for even coverage. It helps, but sometimes it's just tough on these to get even paint all around especially spraying inside the body because of the bounce back).

If adhesion is an issue make sure you clean with soap and water. If you do that it shouldn't be an issue. I use Wicked all the time and haven't had an issue. If your really worried you can use Bulldog, it's an adhesion promoter to make sure it bites and sticks to plastic. Always start your spray OFF so it's flowing as you move onto it. Don't stop the paint until you're OFF the other side. If not, at the very least make sure the airbrush is still moving and air is on when you stop the paint. That will stop heavier paint at the end of your stroke. If you get splatters it's possible you stopped the paint and air at the same time leaving paint on the tip of needle. Then when you went to spray that residual paint got blasted off causing the splatter.

Anyway, good luck! Here' the last body I did .

[lv-eg]

Originally Posted by IPT

I don't log in here often but just saw your thread. Wicked, makes Candies but the are under the brand Auto Air (both by Createx - but Autoair and Wicked are essentially, basically the same - from what I was told at an Airbrush course I took a few years ago where Createx was a sponsor). They, Autoair/Createx just released a new Candy (2.0) that is supposed to be awesome and more like the solvent based candies.

Did you spray on the outside? You will need clear coat and will be at risk of scratching it off but you must know that. Most spray the inside but it can be tough to get even coats since the air bounces back at you spraying inside. To spray metallics they recommend .5 nozzle to allow good flow. You can try and reduce down but that won't make the metallics any smaller so if you have a small needle you make keep having an issue. You can use light box, or even just a white (or black) piece of paper behind the panel you painted to asses for even coverage. It helps, but sometimes it's just tough on these to get even paint all around especially spraying inside the body because of the bounce back).

If adhesion is an issue make sure you clean with soap and water. If you do that it shouldn't be an issue. I use Wicked all the time and haven't had an issue. If your really worried you can use Bulldog, it's an adhesion promoter to make sure it bites and sticks to plastic. Always start your spray OFF so it's flowing as you move onto it. Don't stop the paint until you're OFF the other side. If not, at the very least make sure the airbrush is still moving and air is on when you stop the paint. That will stop heavier paint at the end of your stroke. If you get splatters it's possible you stopped the paint and air at the same time leaving paint on the tip of needle. Then when you went to spray that residual paint got blasted off causing the splatter.

Anyway, good luck! Here' the last body I did .

Well, that clears up a lot!! guess I need to get another brush for the metallics. And I'll look into the Autoair paints. How many companies is created a part of lol. I appreciate the help! Your work is amazing. That body looks great, good job

[IPT]

You might be able to get away with a .35 tip. I usually use my .5 for metallics and pearls but I'm sure I've sprayed through the .35 before. I like the Iwata Eclipse. It's an awesome brush that's easy to maintain and not too expensive.

This might be helpful but I never scuffed my lexan bodies. http://www.createxcolors.com/PDFs/Ap...rushColors.pdf

[poomwah]

Originally Posted by IPT

You might be able to get away with a .35 tip. I usually use my .5 for metallics and pearls but I'm sure I've sprayed through the .35 before. I like the Iwata Eclipse. It's an awesome brush that's easy to maintain and not too expensive.

This might be helpful but I never scuffed my lexan bodies. http://www.createxcolors.com/PDFs/Ap...rushColors.pdf

+1 on the Iwata. I had a Badger 155 Anthem for several years and while it was a nice airbrush, I just got my Iwata Eclipse BCS a couple months ago and OH MY GOD