Need some paint help

[ffolkes75]

Looking for some assistance. Having some airbrush issues and I'm not sure if it's the paint or the brush. The basics....the machine is an Iwata HP-C +. Using Garage Kit Colors at between 25-30 psi. I've had excellent results in the past. I've laid my opaque base down fine and then started with my transparents. The pic is showing what's happening. It's pebbling on the surface and not really misting fine enough. I've started over a couple times. Is the pressure too much? I'd appreciate any assistance.
Steve

[sippog]

I've had a few problems with my HPC recently too - usually a reliable work-horse.

There are lots of possible reasons for your problem but start with the brush. Can only suggest you give it a really thorough clean from aft to stern. With reliable brushes, the danger is taking them too much for granted

[wendigo00]

Have you checked the tip of the needle? If it's bent or damaged this can happen.

[ffolkes75]

I've done a thorough cleaning before starting the project...done another after running into the issues. Did discover the needle might have had a slight ding in the end...so I bought a replacement. that didn't have any appreciable difference. Is it an airpressure issue? It seems to be much worse with the transparents then the opaques.

[lugnut]

Psi sounds ok. It depends on the paint and the brush plus temp and humidity. But always feel free to crank it down or up and increase/decrease your tip-to-kit distance. Last weekend I tried spraying some older Kitbuilders Freestyle transparent which had gone bad. Had to toss it.

[Avall15]

Still impresses me that Jordu Schell during a demonstration at Jerseyfest asked us to crank up the compressor to 70 psi. Worked just fine for him. LOL....and i think he was considering that a little low. LOL!

[greenfield]

70 psi will damage the seal on the iwata if you use it continuously at this pressure and causes bubbles to blow back and froth up the paint.

[ManthingVT]

Looks like it's beading on the surface? What kind of paint is already on the kit? What are you using to thing the GK paint (if anything?) Did you seal the surface before spraying the transparent? If it were strictly due to the brush, you would notice the paint spitting out with your eye most likely...but it could still be a clog in the tip I suppose. Try spraying on a white paper towel or some paper. Does it still give that spattering look? That would narrow it down. Try a different paint also to see if that is doing the same.

[ffolkes75]

Looks like it's beading on the surface? What kind of paint is already on the kit? What are you using to thing the GK paint (if anything?) Did you seal the surface before spraying the transparent? If it were strictly due to the brush, you would notice the paint spitting out with your eye most likely...but it could still be a clog in the tip I suppose. Try spraying on a white paper towel or some paper. Does it still give that spattering look? That would narrow it down. Try a different paint also to see if that is doing the same.

Yes it looks like surface beading but thats part of the confusing part. I admit I'm not a long term fig painting vet but I've painted a few in my opinion successfully. This fig was washed thoroughly, dried and primed prior to painting. No it wasn't the exact same brand of primer I used on my other figs...I was trying a grey primer this time around, the others used a ruddy primer. I'm using GK paints, which is what I used before. Typically after a coat or two depending, I shoot a testors dullcote layer to seal the previous work. I'm getting this "beading" look over both the primer coat and the opaque base coat of GK paint. I'm using the same airbrush and compressor that I used to paint the other pieces. Pretty sure the pressure is about the same too. Some of the paint was purchased a year ago and some within the past month. I shake them well before using. The paint doesn't appear any thicker then it was when I first used it. I don't think the brush is atomizing the paint fine enough. Why, I don't know. I've replaced the needle...wondering if theres something off with the nozzle, but thats a couple bucks to spend to see if that is or isn't the issue. I don't see anything off with it visually. I didn't want to get into thinning the paint...as it's supposed to be airbrush ready. I've now primed the fig with the same ruddy primer that I used before...and I may try and up the pressure to see if that'll atomize the paint better. Painting figs can be challenging enough without having to deal with troubleshooting equipment or media issues. Very frustrating.

[ManthingVT]

I haven't sprayed the GK paint yet but I still use what I have of the Freestyle (which is almost the same) and yes, the transparents can sometimes bead. Never really looked into it much except to try and shake the bottle better as they do separate over time. Perhaps some flow improver will help? Something to help cut the surface tension... super smooth surfaces can cause really thin paint to bead. Sorry, thats all I've got for now.

[Jesse321]

You can spray transparents at a much lower PSI than opaques (I usually spray mine with 15 or less), because they're made with dyes rather than pigments. The shelf life of the paint (provided it's stored in a temperature controlled environment) is up to 7 years. As Mark said, most folks are still using the Freestyle formulation which (to my knowledge) hasn't been available for several years now, with no problems.

I don't recall this type of problem ever being brought to my attention, but if it is the paints, I would like to make sure that Lifetones takes care of it right away. We recently had issues with the Acrylic Chrome, and both they and I are replacing all the bottles with the botched up mixing agent.

2 Questions:

Did the opaque undercoat go on smoothly, or did you have to put on a few coats?

Can you tell me exactly what colors and primer you're using so I can try to recreate this effect?

[Jesse321]

70 psi will damage the seal on the iwata if you use it continuously at this pressure and causes bubbles to blow back and froth up the paint.

70 PSI will damage a lot of AB's seals.

[amubis]

I only use my airbrush at 15-20 psi ....25-30 seems a little high to me which will cause moteling

[ffolkes75]

Well I'm a freaking idiot and I apologize for taking up your time. I was once again trying to trouble shoot my issues. This time I got out my magnifier app and was examining the nozzle...figuring it can't be anything else...well the nozzle looked good...but lo and behold inside the nozzle cap was a bit of color. not much but obviously enough. cleaned it out and she works like new. So now I feel like an idiot for not catching that first.

[Avall15]

70 psi will damage the seal on the iwata if you use it continuously at this pressure and causes bubbles to blow back and froth up the paint.

70 PSI will damage a lot of AB's seals.

he didn't seem to blink an eye when three of us looked at him and said 70??? He mentioned this is what he sprays at all the time. If he had any problems he never mentioned it and I'm sure he uses it quite often. Our faces were priceless....70???????

[justinyattaw1]

Well I'm a freaking idiot and I apologize for taking up your time. I was once again trying to trouble shoot my issues. This time I got out my magnifier app and was examining the nozzle...figuring it can't be anything else...well the nozzle looked good...but lo and behold inside the nozzle cap was a bit of color. not much but obviously enough. cleaned it out and she works like new. So now I feel like an idiot for not catching that first.

I'm glad you got this figured out! I was in a similar boat and was using airbrush ready paints in my Sotar, ended up replacing the AB AND compressor before realizing it was just really old, crummy paint in the bottles. Pain in the sphincter, as you know.

Like I said, though, glad you got it squared away.

[Jesse321]

Well I'm a freaking idiot and I apologize for taking up your time. I was once again trying to trouble shoot my issues. This time I got out my magnifier app and was examining the nozzle...figuring it can't be anything else...well the nozzle looked good...but lo and behold inside the nozzle cap was a bit of color. not much but obviously enough. cleaned it out and she works like new. So now I feel like an idiot for not catching that first.

Glad you were able to figure out the issue ... Createx makes a great product called "Restorer" it's like 5 times more powerful than AB Cleaner, DO NOT SPRAY IT THROUGH THE AB (I don't stock anything like it, because it falls under hazardous materials chemical shipping), if you dunk your nozzle in some of it (I use a shot glass) and leave it overnight, I don't care what's in there, that stuff will eat it up.

[ffolkes75]

Thanks for the tip Jesse. Like I had said, I knew my issue wasn't your paint. I hadn't heard of the restorer product before. I might have to look into it. Still feeling like an idiot for not catching what was wrong earlier!

[amubis]

Just get yourself a sonic cleaner, the ones to clean jewellery with...fill it with screen wash and there you go spotless airbrush.