Hello Everyone

I am recently back into the hobby and I purchased a single action Paasche airbrush. I have completed a couple of kits with it but I seem to have an issue with spraying white paint. It always seems too thin and it runs and bleeds giving an inconsistent coverage. I dont seem to have this problem with other colours. Is there something I am doing fundamently wrong with white? I use Tamiya acrylics. Any advice would be most helpful.

White paint is a pain to spray and brush . It takes many coats to get an even coverage . For spraying white paint use a flat white . It takes less paint to cover the surface . Gloss base will take many thin coats with drying time in between . With the flat white you still need to have couple coats . I use Tamyia but I don't thin white like I do other colours . I use a little less thinner and my pressure is set to 20 - 25 psi so it is almost dried when it hits the surface but still has enough tooth grabbing the surface . I also don't use water for thinning Tamiya paints . Either their own brand of thinner or I will use lacquer thinner .


If you have a scrap model practice with different thinning ratios and see what works best for .



Terri

I find using a spraycan White gives me a good enough finish. Games Workshop produce Skull white which gives good coverage and you have no problems thinning.

This is counter-intuitive, but it is worthwhile.
There are many shades of white, all of which are defined by their undercoat. Try an undercoat of a grey BEFORE the white. this really defines the shade or quality of white paint. It also gives a smoother, even coverage.

Cheers
Karl.

I find spraying white is a PITA as well, so I started using Vallejo White Primer in the airbrush. Sprays well out of the bottle, great coverage, and easy clean up.

If you need gloss white, just give it a coat of gloss varnish afterwards!

Hi all

Thanks for the tips. Some good things to try.

Cheer

I've been using a Paasche single action air brush for more then 40 years. Recently I replaced the old gun with the same exact model.

I'm assuming that you're applying Tamiya flat white. For all light shades I use a primer: Tamiya gray lacquer based. It gives the paint a really good surface to bite into so that the 1st few light tack coats go down evenly with no runs. It also tones down the brightness of the color, which has a more scale effect. The smaller the object, the darker it looks compared to a similar, much larger object. To prove the point, take a brightly colored object and look at it from a few feet away. Then under the same lighting conditions move it to the other side of the room, and it looks darker even with the same light intensity.

The point is that there is no reason to use a white based primer unless you want a bright color.

I thin Tamiya flat white out 1:1 with Tamiya X20-A or plain Jane Lacquer Thinner. The LT will further break down the paint particles, so that the flat paint is smoother. The decision is really yours.

I usually set my compressor to 18-20 psi for general coverage of Acrylic paints. 5 psi less for enamels and lacquer based paints.

Apply a few light tack coats, then a few heavier coats till the paint completely covers the surface. Just don't stop. Keep the gun moving.

Joel

A light grey undercoat will help. and then try very thin white coats with drying time in between; Don't fooll yourself putting one thick layer down. it will ruin your model.

By the way, yellow and red tend to be equally difficult colors to airbrush and I find yellow impossible to brush on as well.

Welcome on board

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A light grey undercoat will help. and then try very thin white coats with drying time in between; Don't fooll yourself putting one thick layer down. it will ruin your model.

By the way, yellow and red tend to be equally difficult colors to airbrush and I find yellow impossible to brush on as well.

Welcome on board [/quote]

Agreed, that Yellow is the hardest color to lay down a nice color coat with.

Joel

I find white harder than yellow, I use white undercoat under yellow and grey undercoat under white. Someone told me once that black laquer works under a gloss white finish but I haven't tried it. Similarly, apparently orange works well under yellow, giving a more even appearence, but I haven't tried it.