Hey Everyone.

I have just scrapped my Tamiya Mosquito because the paint job went so badly wrong. The surface was all gritty and almost dusty. I sprayed at 20 PSI and used a badger 200 at about 6 inches away. The model had been coated in Tamiya grey primer-decanted from a can and airbrushed on. I then used Tamiya Acrylics over it all. I also used Humbrol enamels- do they react to each other does anyone know? If so how’d they react?
Am I right in thinking that enamels and acrylics can be used over the Tamiya aerosol primer?

I know this seems like loads of questions but I dare not start any of my more expensive kits in case I get repeating events. Any answers or options would be great

Cheers

The reason it is dust y and gritty looking is the paint is drying before it hits the model. Six inches away is to far.Most of the stuff i paint is usually a inch to two inches away. The paint has to be thinned enough also. About the consistency of 2% milk. You can soak the model in Windex to strip the model and paint over again. Usally takes 24 hrs.Just practice on some scrap plastic or a pane of glass. The brush you are using can be adjusted to flow a lot of paint or a little. Start with the needle all the way in and adjust out a couple of turns at a time. Hope this helps

I've just started airbrushing too. I've had this grittiness occur a couple of times. All I did to get rid of it was to 'sand' the paintwork down with a finger nail polishing file (not a nail file- a polishing file has almost no discernible grain to it). This removed all the grain an left the paintwork nice and smooth.

I plan on buying some acrylic paint thinner that is designed to slow the drying process.

Hi Tim,

You're definitely holding the airbrush too far from the surface. Thinning is also essential for a nice coat of paint. Practice on a scrap of paper or plastic till your sure you've got the right paint/thinner mix. As long as the paints are completely cured you should have no problems using acrylics over enamels.

@Ben I've been using car windscreen wash (the blue stuff) as my thinner for a while now and it's fantastic stuff. The blue colour doesn't affect the paint and it keeps the acrylics wetter so as to avoid a grainy/dusty finish. It's also an ideal airbrush cleaner.

Hope this helps,

Mike.

I've just started airbrushing and still finding my feet with it. Testing on scrap is a definite must.

As others above have said thinning to a milky consistency. I spray at much less that 6inches. A drying paint will
give you that dusty appearance. Finescale modelling had a pullout with a load of trouble shooting
advice from this to spider webs, spattering. Was pretty good you might be able to get it online

here is a wee checklist. But there is no substitute for practice and asking here for advice.
If you are chucking the mossie I'll take it. I use oven cleaner as a paint stripper a lot more a
aggressive than windex and works on enamels.

I have to strip almost every build at some point due to mistakes!
http://www.getpainted.com/troubleshootingguide.html

Good luck