Airbrushing

[Jim]

After many years of brush painting, I`m just trying my hand at airbrushing. I have gone for acrylic paints, on the basis that they are easier to clean up (being water based) but to be quite honest I don`t feel they look as good as enamels.
What do you guys use and am I wrong to leave enamels alone ?
I`d be more than interested to hear your views. Jim

[Bluecorsair]

Hi Jim, I just changed fron enamels to acrylics, I thnk it is great, but I am not an expert, if you can get Scott Craig or Mike V from FSM to talk to you they can tell you much more, And Rob (lobbie), I 4got if he uses acrylics! Here are some things to read.
www.evergreenscalemodels.com/Chapter8.pdf
theminiaturespage.com/workbench/364880/
www.ninfinger.org/~sven/models/rms_tips/rmsfaq.17.html
www.ehow.com/how_13318_airbrush.html

[chasc]

I do all my stuff in acrylic paints but what you have to do to keep up for the shine and to make it look like enamil or even lacquer is the clear you use. This stuff is pricy but its the bang for the buck.. Dupont Hot Huges Clear Coat. $32 a qt and its self leveling so no more runs and also no more polishing or wet sanding needed. spray let dry and be happy.

[Jim]

Thanks for the advice. (I need more LOL). Blue, there were loads of interesting tips and ideas on the links you gave - thanks.
Chas, Has the clear product got another name over here? i.e. Future / Klear. At the moment I`m using several thin coats of Klear (as recommended in several articals that I`ve read).

I`ve been toying with the idea of making a spray booth out of an old cooker hood but have read that acrylic isn`t toxic. What do you think? Jim

[Bluecorsair]

My preference is Enamels, I think they come out the glossiest.

[Bluecorsair]

Hi Jim,
acrylics are non toxic, true, but....you will still get paint material floating in the air and settling on ...whatever is in your room/garage, etc. My workshop is a spare bedroom that I took over. I have my comp in there also.
I made my spray booth from leftover wood from projects done around the house, took the stove vent hood from my own stove cuz it just blew right back into the kitchen! no good there, used a section of clothes dryer vent hose going out the window. what I am getting at is that the venthood will collect the paint material along with any vapors, just in case you do use enamels once in awhile, I still use some enamels, I just buy a pack of A/C filters and they collect the paint material just great!
Here, you see how much material would be floating around and settling on your stuff w/o the booth.
I just stick the Filter between the exhaust and the hole i cut out for it. Almost every1 has a better looking booth than I do, but.. all I can say 4 mine is that it cost exactly nothing, and it works like a champ! The 2 speed exhaust fan is very strong and quite, has a light. Well, ok, the filters I buy 4 about 2 dollars for a pack of 5 of them, and they last a loooong time!!
Basically, yes, make or buy a booth!




The round hole is cut out for the exhaust in the vent hood. Hard to see but the filter is right there. The rectangle is for the light in the vent hood, I did also pay an extra 7 dollars for an undercounter flourescent light to suppliment the vent light. So, I guess really mine cost 7 dollars and 2 dollars about every year 4 the filters.

Good luck Jim,
Bill

[naplak]

One simple hood i made is here: www.naplak.com/modeling/tips/painting_hood.htm

And my current one is here: www.naplak.com/modeling/Modelers/neil's_page.htm

[Jim]

Thanks for the tips and photos guys. I have all the basic materials (I think). I`ve a 3 speed cooker hood with filter & lights that I`m going to use.
Space is my main problem as my workshop is in the shed at the bottom of the garden. I`m hoping to make it portable so that I can stand it in the corner when it`s not in use. I don`t know how long it will take, but I`ll post a photo when it`s done. Don`t hold your breath LOL

[Bluecorsair]

Ha! I bet you can whip one up in no time!
You already got the most important part, that being the exhaust fan ;D.
Your good to go!

Goo luck, have Fun, And send pix!!!

Bill

[Jim]

Well, I`m on Spaybooth Mk.2 and I havn`t even begun to build it yet! I decided to reject the cooker hood idea on the grounds that it was a) too powerful and b) too big for the space I have.
Instead I`m going to use two 12V DC cooling fans that I removed from my old PC towers. I`m starting the build tomorrow (before an idea for Mk.3 comes into my head). Photos will follow. Jim

[Weird Willie]

I started using spray can enamels back in 1960. I bought my first single action airbrush around 1997 and then a couple of years later I bought a double action airbrush. I first used them with enamels and then I tried the acrylic paints which do clean up much easier. Now I'm using Tamiya rattle cans and there's NO clean up at all So I guess you can say that I've made the full circle when it comes to spray painting