Okay, I’ve checked the archives and watched Airbrushing 101 but I still need help. Bottom line, paint comes out of gun either splotchy or not at all; can’t get a good flowing spray. (When I spray water through everything seems okay)Is it the paint brand(that stuff they sell @ FOAMEZ)? Have I not thinned it enough so it’s clogging the gun(after reading all the archives I worry about thinning it too much as is warned about)? Is it some setting on the gun I don’t know about (again it’s the gun they sell @ FOAMEZ and it came with no instructions!! My confidence in them is deteriorating by the moment!!)? Please help; my new longboard looks like some tie-dye experiment gone bad!!! All I wanted was one simple solid color!
I use tempera paint to spray all the time and get good results even through an air brush. I thin it about 25% 3/1 ratio paint to water. Be sure to strain it! keep your air pressure under 40psi. do one light coverage and let it dry completely before successive coats. dark colors may take up to three coats, let dry completely between coats. By all means test it on broad area before committing to foam. oh yeah and don’t handle it too much before glassing!!!
I just tried fiddling with it again: Was able to figure out the adjustments on the gun by spraying water through. Fine to large spray, everything seems fine there. But when I put the siphon into the paint, the color first comes out splotchy then gradually fades until I’m getting only air. When I stick the siphon back into the water to flush it, I get a quick burst of wet paint (like a paint ball splattering!) then it gradually cleans up to the water spray again. Is it the paint I’m using that’s clogging the gun? I’ve tried thinning it more but then it just seems watery and runs all over the place. Help please; I’m new to all this with the compressor, the gun and all that but I’ve had better results in the past using just a spray can!
YOU NEED TO GET YOUR WIFES NYLON AND STRAIN THAT PAINT TO GET OUT THE CLOGS, IT IS A MUST! IF YOU HATE THE SPRAY JOB YOU CAN SAND IT OFF WITH A SCREEN, SAND PAD AND AIR NOZZLE, JUST SLOW DOWN AND TEST THE PAINT OR WATER ON SOMETHING ELSE WHILE ADJUSTING SPRAY, FOAM HAS A STATIC CLING TO IT ALSO, SO YOU NEED AN AIR CURRENT GOING UNDER THE BLANK OR IT WILL PULL ATOMIZED PAINT OUT OF THE AIR AND ON TO THE OTHER SIDE…ANY QUESTIONS?
Better than that, go to Pearl and get some good paint… try the “Basics” series. Get some Airbrush medium if you have the bucks - the flexable varnish works well to thin and reinforce. I’ve never strained them and shot it through a #1 nozzle no problem. You have an air compressor? When I use the big gun (the foam EZ one) I crank it up - it spits a lot of paint, but that’s OK. Just don’t let your brush sit dry - especially if you used the varnish. Bottom line - those poster paints at foam EZ suck. Go get some cardboard and a paintbrush, then use the paint to make a sign that says, “Free Paint”, and give the stuff away.
I’ve had good results airbrushing with an automotive touch-up spraygun. It’s the gravity flow type with the paint cup on top, and produces a very fine spray. The three main things to do to get an even paint pattern are: 1)Make sure the gun is absolutely clean inside. You’re dealing with very small diameter holes for the air and the paint. Plan on cleaning it often. 2)Mix the paint, mix the paint, and mix the paint. Water based acrylics tend to stay lumpy for awhile when they’re diluted with water. Strain the paint through a piece of panty-hose. I know it sounds funny, but it’s a very fine mesh that works great, and will even stand up to lacquer. 3) Get the air pressure right (trial and error). Too low and you’ll get spatters. Too high and you’ll be blowing too much air. It needs to be just high enough to atomize the paint. Keep experimenting, and don’t hesitate to get a new gun if that one isn’t working. Have fun, and good luck! Doug Schuch
…and don’t forget to take your girlfriend’s/wife’s leg out of the pantyhose first… that’ll start a fight for sure.
Guys thanks for the advice. I got some Liquitex, thinned and strained it but it didn’t seem to work any better so I thought maybe it’s the gun. I haven’t tried it yet but my new question is; is it possible to sand off the paint I’ve already splotched up my board with and start over or is that going to make more of a mess? I’m afraid if I try to blend it all togethere at this point I’m gonna end up with too much paint and the dreaded crystallization problem…
howzit Lobster, 2 things that might be the cause:1: a clogged vent hole, if this is clogged the paint cup can’t equalize pressure in it and paint can’t be syphoned up to spray nozzle.2: In front of the trigger on your sprayer where the needle goes in to the sprayer there’s a little screw with a hole that the needle goes thru, if the screw is loose air gets sucked in and this cuts down on the suction that draws the paint into the nozzle. water is thinner than paint so it might get sucked up ok but paint is thicker and needs more suck to get up to the nozzle. There’s a gasket in the hole that can be damaged and needs to be replaced and or the screw needs to be tightened to keep air from being sucked in. Hope this Helps, Aloha, Kokua
Thanks Kokua. Actually, I bought a new gun that works much better. I did lightly sand off most of the botched paint and started over. It still isn’t perfect but tolerable. I think mostly at this point I just need more practice using the damn thing! I haven’t got an artistic bone in my body! Again thanks everyone.