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Folks,

Hoping the community can help me out a bit with air brush splatter. I'm trying to get better at airbrushing and do know how to cut down on the likelihood of splatter happening in the first place. What i want to know is...how do you fix it when it does hit the model?

I'm using a Badger Krome and what I find is that it sprays great for a few minutes but then splatters. Unlike the usual causes, it appears to me that the two prongs on the tip gather paint droplets, which inevitably splatter. Anyone else experience this with that type of tip?

Thanks in advance for your help.

Stabbyhotep

Oddly enough depending on how wet the area was i just lick it off

then when it drys blend it all back together.

its gross dont do it.

a soft cloth could work just dont put too much pressure or you will take the other layers off.

I have a standard size "wash brush" and my mug of clean water... if I make a huge mistake I just wet the brush and get it off.

I've tried the soft cloth idea but don't seem to have a light enough touch. I'll try the water cup.

Is there ever a session where there isn't at least some occasional splatter?

I've found that I splatter when paint accumulates on the needle and around the nozzle which will likely cause some turbulent flow and definitely causes splatter with mine. Now I am NOT a good airbrusher.... below average at best. Mainly I use it for zenithal and rapidity. So others may realize that I am telling you incorrect info. Nevertheless I keep a moistened toothbrush and gently scrub my needle and nozzle when it accumulates. Then I spray on to a paper towel before returning to the work-piece.

I don't usually do anything to "fix" it after the event, I just take steps to reduce the chance of it happening. Trying to fix it usually just makes matters worse, lol.

To the primary question: A brush (I use an old synthetic round that, whatever its original designation, is now about 1/8" diameter, 3/8" long, and bushy - I find it a perfectly middling size and stiffness, equally suited to my Sotar or my cheap HF siphon) and either water (for very fresh paint and/or delicate surfaces) or a mild solvent (for slightly drier areas, especially if over varnish or thick/well-cured paint), e.g. airbrush cleaner or rubbing alcohol, each diluted with water. Depending on how well the underlying coat has dried, every attempt to remove the new layer comes with at least some risk to those below it. Balance the aggressiveness of your solvent and agitation thereof with what is needed to remove the new paint and what the existing layers will withstand. Well-cured acrylic varnish should hold up to a toothbrush and water with little issue, while a fresh, wet coat over a barely dry base requires a much more gentle touch. Lacquers (same with enamels) are not so easily affected by acrylic solvents and vice versa, so alternating types can make for useful 'save points' when you're experiencing issues or simply experimenting.


On the continued conversation of the root cause of splatter: I've seen some otherwise surprisingly decent airbrushes with terrible crowns/caps/guards (different models are integrated to varying degrees). Without them (design allowing), the guns work nicely. If your particular model will still work without bleeding off all of the airflow, just remove the suspected obstruction and see how it performs. Sometimes, a fat needle/nozzle and clumsy design make for a mismatch between the delivered spray pattern and the front end of the airbrush, as the piece was cloned from a model with different performance characteristics. The number of two-pronged 'pinch tips' that have been copied from higher-end detail machines onto cheap knockoffs with broad spray patterns explains a lot of issues similar to yours.

On something like a Krome, however, I wouldn't immediately assume this was the case. How closely are you checking the needle as you work? Partial blockage, whether from tip-dry or chunks in the cup, can disrupt the airflow and mess with the spray pattern without causing complete blockage. A bent needle tip or split nozzle can do the same or worse. It may be that your splattering issue isn't caused by the prongs, but the meeting of needle/nozzle/paint. In other words, paint on the front end is a symptom, not a cause. No guarantees, of course, but a more careful consideration during use might help you diagnose your exact problem. Better to avoid it than correct it, if possible. No?

I agree that it is always better to avoid the problem, of course. I attempt to thoroughly clean and inspect all of the parts when I do get splatter but I'm still learning, so it's possible many eye isn't yet trained well enough to spot any other causes.

I am curious, though, is there ever a session with no splatter? Or is splatter just something you have to contend with as part of the process?

I never get splatter and I use several different airbrushes. I think the key is proper thinning with a decent thinner.

I always use Liquitex Airbrush Medium... you might find some cheaper household cleaner whatever I dunno - but this crap works.

My airbrush mixes are always very thin.

I've tried to intentionally get a 'stipple' / splatter effect with the airbrush by thinning less and lowering the psi a hair - but it's dangerous because it goes from 'cool stipple effect' to massive splatter really easily hah.

You never get splatter? Ok...that helps to know. It used to be a lot worse for me, which means things I've tried have me on the right path. I'll try to thin a touch more now that I know it can be avoided completely. From previous articles I read, I got the impression that splatter was just part of the whole airbrush experience!

It's a very common issue, but not inextricably tied to the process. It is definitely possible to have an issue-free airbrushing session, it just takes a bit of care and a lot more familiarization with your equipment, practice with technique, etc. A marked reduction in splatter does mean, as you guess, that you're on the right track, at least!

If I blast away at a model with wild abandon, I'll invariably get tip-dry, disrupted airflow, buildup on the crown, clogs, and the accompanying sputters and spitting. If I slow down a touch, clean the tip every now and again, and do the occasional test spray on scrap, I'll get little. If I make an active effort to stay conscious of what I'm doing and how everything is performing, interceding when appropriate, I'll have no nasty surprises.

I had read all about this stuff, but it still took a while of actually doing it for it to 'click' to the point where preventative measures became second nature and I had the 'tools' needed to problem solve more complicated issues. Just try to mitigate, for now, knowing that these issues will eventually be but a memory.

netgeist99 wrote:
You never get splatter? Ok...that helps to know. It used to be a lot worse for me, which means things I've tried have me on the right path. I'll try to thin a touch more now that I know it can be avoided completely. From previous articles I read, I got the impression that splatter was just part of the whole airbrush experience!

Yeah that's not a problem I ever deal with. Though I have a lot of other airbrush problems, like breaking every darn nozzle I touch haha, and eventual clog issues etc. The spring on my H&S air release valve is a constant headache etc etc. But I'll use various levels of broken airbrushes for a long time before finally fixing them and I don't ever get splatter.

Everyone has an opinion on thinners and what's cheaper, better whatever, I've been airbrushing close to 10 years, I just do simple stuff and I'm no pro - but when I switched to Liquitex Airbrush Medium everything got better. I just use the darn product that is intended for the darn job yah know?

Oh and I know people say the consistency of milk... but I always go thinner than that. Hope that helps, best of luck.

The hardest time to avoid splatter, I find at least, is when doing really fine detail work. That's because it's also the time when paint build up on the tip is the worst (running really low pressures and a small spray annulus allows paint to build up on the needle). Painting the camo scheme on my 15mm German tanks I can only spray for an inch or two before having to clean the needle to avoid splatter.

If you're not doing painfully detailed work though, you can usually reduce tip dry to the point it's not a huge problem, up the pressure a touch and/or thin the paint a touch more.