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Ello all,

I just got into airbrushing. Before I had a regulator, I was just using straight PSI from the compressor (50+ I believe lol it was nuts) and using Vallejo Model Color. I had absolutely NO PROBLEMS with clogging.

I got a regulator, dropped it down to 25 PSI (the recommended it seems amongst the AB community), and I can't run any VMC (especially reds) through the dang thing as it clogs IMMEDIATELY.

The thinning mixture I am using is 50% distilled water to 50% liquitex slow dri and I typically dilute AT LEAST 1:1 (although after having the clog problem I even went nuts and tried 10:1 and it still clogged immediately).

Citadel colors work splendidly (I haven't had a chance to try P3, VGC, or VMA yet - VMA is on its way in the mail as we speak) at 20-25 PSI.

Thoughts? I'm getting pretty frustrated =/

Hey, try thinning with Vallejo airbrush thinner. I would suggest not using water at all as a thinner through an airbrush. Mix Vallejo thinner + Paint til milky. Vallejo paints used to gum up my airbrush too before I used their thinner with them.

Hope that helps,

Tom

Good deal. Will try it - I have a bottle of it coming. Just to clarify, you used vallejo MODEL color? (I can already tell this probably won't be a prob with MA or VGC due to their viscosity / lack of thickness). About what PSI do you use? Do you think my switch from crazy arse high pressure to low had anything to do with the sudden issue? Thanks mate!

I have found that different thinners will affect different colours differently, I found the Vallejo airbrush red would "gel" when I added metho as a thinner and it would seems water is the same ( haven't used water as thinner).
Tamiya thiner is what I have used to best success I have not had any clogging issues.

Water or I like to use Windex.....It helps alot

I currently use water... I also tried windex and had the same problem.

A couple of questions...

Is the ONLY thing you changed the pressure?
That is, were you thinning the paint the same way before?

if so, then it was not thin enough for lesser pressure....so ...
either thin more, or increase pressure.

The vmc 's have amazing pigment density, but i have not tried to run them through my airbrush (I use either thinned reaper or just use vallejo model air, which i love).

Thanks for responding.

Yeah, the only thing I changed was pressure. I looked up my compressor and it's strength is 57 PSI (Badger Airstorm). It doens't have a regulator so I assume it was 57 PSI that it was pushing. Only change is the regulator that brought it down to 25 PSI. I love VMC but I think maybe I will just have to stick to other brands for airbrushing (VMA, VGC, P3, RMS, GW).

I just realized that my airbrush doesn't have a tank - it just runs constantly. Is that bad? I thought I had done my research thoroughly, but I guess not.

On the lack of a tank, its not bad per se...
The theory is that a tank gives you more even pressure (as opposed to being direct to a compressor, which could go on and off) ...

Do you feel your pressure is inconsistent?
I ran a set up without a tank for a long time, and for the most part I was fine with it.

I use "golden" brand airbrush medium for mixing, but as I said, I have not tried it yet with model color. If you paint is old, it might have some lumps in it that the higher psi just blows out, but the lower can't. I do know that when I use my cheap basing brush, I can even force craft paint (thinned somewhat) through it with enough psi....

Best of luck.

I have used Vallejo thinners with Model Colour. I generally spray at 30 psi for basecoating, then lower it for more detailed work.

Do you have a cheap airbrush? I had a $5 harbor freight airbrush and it clogged every 30 seconds at any sane PSI. I got an Iwata Revolution, and it never clogs with normal use anymore. The main difference is probably the gravity feed (versus siphon feed) and the internal mixing. Cheap brushes usually have neither, nice ones usually have both.

I have a cheapo one fairly similar to this: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/0-3mm-Spray-DUAL-ACTION-Airbrush-Kit-for-Nail-Art-Model-Car-Painting-/221086800416?pt=UK_Crafts_DrawingSupplies_EH&hash=item3379ccda20 and it works fine with VMC mixed with Vallejo thinners...

What type of "clogging" is actually happening?

Internal clogging can happen if the air is dry and your paints are thick with low pressures. After that happens, you need to clean the gun very well - because even if you correct for everything else, you will have gunk on the inside (even if it is gunk too small to see with the naked eye, it will restrict flow and lead to clogging again).

The more common type of clogging though is "tip dry". This is build up at the nozzle (generally just outside of it...though it can happen just inside the nozzle). Tip dry happens, though it tends to happen more at high pressures, low humidity and too thin of paint.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tFQq7aRluVM&feature=plcp

More information regarding the brush and type of clogging will help to narrow in where you problem is. Most of the time with my fine airbrushes, 25 PSI is the top end which I will use for my internal mix gravity fed brushes. Normally, I will start at around 10 PSI and adjust up from there.

Also, keep in mind that most pressure gauges are not terribly accurate (unless you spend the money for the extra accuracy). When you get a new gauge, you will need to play around with it a bit to figure out what that particular gauge will read when you are doing certain work. I know I have one gauge which is off by about 20% on its reading. It regulates just fine...but the numbers don't mean much at all.

I've been using other brands with great success...

Now the problem that I'm having is with zenith highlighting... there just doesn't seem to be any definition in the recesses. I tried putting a wash over it and just ruined a paintjob (RMS grey/blue triad - breonne blue, templar blue, ashen blue). It looked great, but there was just no definition in the recesses, so I tried applying Drakkenhoff Nightshade to it to give the recesses some pop. RUINED!

Maybe I should start with a black undercoat and then work the highlights from there? Thoughts?


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EDIT: I'm using a Badger Patriot 105.

The 105 is a great little brush, normally I run mine at 15 PSI - so you might consider dialing back your pressure a bit more still.

One thing which I had noticed though with it is that it really likes to be lubed. Not sure if it is the way the needle seats or something else, but if I forget to lube it after cleaning it out I sometimes get a situation where I nearly have to open the air stream all the way to get the paint to flow well. Disassemble, lube, reassemble - the paint is instant on.

Might just be my brush, might be the way I thin my paints, might be a design quirk of the brush...you should always use an airbrush lubricant anyway - but, sometimes I forget. It tends to remind me more than others.

Am pretty sure this is a thinning error.
From reading what has been said in the thread, you are trying to spray paint designed for brush work without any thinning?
Most acrylic paints are fine with most acrylic mediums and additives, but if in doubt stick to the brand of paint your using. (occasionally a paint wont respond correctly to another brands additive cus of the way its made...its not a good or bad things.. just a thing to be aware of)

Airbrush paint shoiuld be really thin.. they always say like milk... which never really felt very helpful to me I drink semi skimmed milk and its about the same as water in viscosity lol.
What I think is meant by the 'viscosity of milk' is actually closer to double cream! Any how I am certain that the paint in your vmc pot wont be this thin. Using the Valejo thinner I would expect to be able to get exactly the results found in valejo model air colours. I've never used vallejo paint but I would get hold of a model air pot to get an idea of the consistency your looking for. Also some colours have larger and smaller pigment particle sizes and will not want the exact same viscosity as other colours in the same product line.

A veteran airbrusher would still realise that paint viscosity required depends on airpressure used, and detail levels desired.

Those guys painting hair width freehand lines with airbrushes on youtube videos that make you sick theyre so talented! are thinning their paint out far beyond that which any bottle suggests. often they say that theyre overthinning it. They have to specifically seek out high quality paint that wont loose too much pigment density at such low viscosities.
Which has lead to the market for airbrush detailing paint seperatly to general airbrush paint. But you can thin your paints at home to get the same results.
I really like using Liquitex acrylic inks because of how fluid they are (but they do have a very high gloss which doesnt always suit my figures)

I love it. It's alot of fun. The MAIN purpose of it was to make my commission business faster (basecoat, dip, basic highlights - there are way too many Golden Demon winners in my area to compete with for high quality commissions (Bursley, Aaron, etc)) but for my own personal collection, I really want to take it to that next level. I'm still not sold on zenith highlights for Space Marines (I really like the comic book-y look of a basecoat and then a BLACK dip with extreme highlights), but I am definitely doing it for Spartan Games stuff.

What do you mean by lubing it?

It's funny I researched the crap out of airbrushes before I pulled the trigger but I had no idea that the P105 is used by some of the big name painters (I just discovered this morning that Bursley uses the 105 after switching from Iwata).


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EDIT: As far as commissions go, obviously, I am priced extremely low as it's for very basic table-top quality miniatures (I'm thinking probably $1).

 Thorn678 wrote:
What do you mean by lubing it?

The say a picture is worth a 1000 words - videos must be worth at least twice that:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IDRBBvkjn-s&feature=plcp

Basically the part which will lead to issues is the needle itself. The video shows 3 in 1 oil - but I use Iwata Super Lube since it is less likely to react with the paints which I use.

For lubrication, lots of things will do.
But you want something really fine. Purpose made airbrush lubricant is going to be the winner
But in a pinch I have also used some skateboard bearing lubricant. 'Bones Speed Cream' is any one is interested which particular one. It has an amusing name sure, but its just some really fine grade oil for tight tolerance moving parts.