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I just got a Citadel Spray Gun, and get's clogged every 2 seconds with metallic paint, and whatever areas I can get paint on dry splotchy. The paint I am using is a mix that the rest of my army is painted with so I'm not going to change paints. What do I need to do, and/ or what affordable stuff should I buy, to get me better results?

 Weboflies wrote:
I just got a Citadel Spray Gun

OK, I'm sorry to be the bearer of bad news, but you're not going to achieve good results with that gun. Ever.

You mention affordable, which makes me think you aren't going to really have the option of buying a proper airbrush, I suppose if there is no alternative, simply getting some airbrush thinner and shaking the living bajesus out of the paint with the thinner in it to make sure it is as consistent as possible will be your best bet. Also, make sure that the brush is as clean as possible before you begin.

How does airbrush thinner differ from thinning it with water?

Airbrush thinner usually has some kind of alcohol (or something) in it which is thinner than water. For normal paints, water is fine, but for metallics it might be just enough of a difference in consistency to give you decent results.

I actually don't think even airbrush thinner is going to help. The problem I've had with non-airbrush metallic paint is that the metal flecks inside are big enough to clog the nozzle on their own. However, if you're deadset on using the spray gun and need to match GW paints, GW is releasing a line of airbrush paints and there are several metallic paints available.

Just to throw my 2p worth in here, I've had no problem using GW metallics (current range) through my Iwata Eclipse. Its a bit of a step up from the Citadel spray gun, but just wanted to reassure you that there are tools out there which you can use with GW paints without issue. I used Liquitex airbrush medium with it, and obtained a nice smooth finish ( I didn't actually try with water as I had the medium to hand as I was painting).


Regards

Bellyfluff wrote:
Just to throw my 2p worth in here, I've had no problem using GW metallics (current range) through my Iwata Eclipse. Its a bit of a step up from the Citadel spray gun, but just wanted to reassure you that there are tools out there which you can use with GW paints without issue. I used Liquitex airbrush medium with it, and obtained a nice smooth finish ( I didn't actually try with water as I had the medium to hand as I was painting).

I think an Iwata Eclipse is a step up from a Citadel spray gun the same way a quake cannon is a step up from a bolt pistol

Yeah, yeah, I know it's fashionable to rag on the poor Citadel spray gun, so to be fair, the badger one that's essentially the same ideal (can of compresed air) is just as bad, especially considering how cheap entry-level airbrushes can be had now.

But the trick is really the airbrush medium. Thinning the metallic paint makes a HUGE difference. By the way, even if you put Vallejo Air (metallic) through an airbrush, if it's dried out some (just with age, for instance), some colors like copper can really require thinning to go through. two other potential problems - airbrush metallics (or metallics mixed with airbrush medium) tend to separate in an unappealing way; and also, the flecks of mica are not really healthy to breathe down, so make sure you wear a respirator

There are MANY threads on buying airbrushes, and how to thin paint - do a few searches. But the executive summary is the citadel spray gun is junk.

Get either an iwata neo, or a badger patiort 105, and thin with an actual airbrush medium (or make your own).

Again, a few searches will turn up hundreds of posts on this topic - which many people took the time to write - so please take the time to look.

best of luck