lthump

Badger , sounds like you are lacking control over your air pressure, that would mean even if you get the right paint thinning sorted you will still get splatters due to highish air pressure. Maybe experiment with the screw in the can lid, tho i think what your missing is an air pressure regulater (auto shops} At 15psi you should not have splatters caused by air pressure. Also ( sorry to burden you) straining the paint thru a stocking will remove lumps helps! Gets me in trouble if I grab the nearest ones ( missus)

swathdiver

I had a feeling it was a badger! Well maybe some of the Badger owners can help on getting yours to work right. If you take Ithump's suggestion, I'll recommend what I use. The Tamiya Spray Work Compressor and Airbrush.

It costs about $100 and uses the same battery stick packs that power our tanks. It's not loud and easy to use and clean. There's no regulation of air pressure, kept simple for people like me! There was a learning curve but I've painted all of my tanks with it and you can judge for yourself if it does the job with an amatuer pulling the trigger.

WhiteWolf McBride

My Feedback: (3)

madbadger:

Well, propellant cans are one of the WORST ways to provide air to your brush (short of that tire-adapter do-hickey) IMHO

If you want to really airbrush without the cost, go to eBay and pick up a Paasche H series unit when the art students dump theirs after the classes end. Then you can get a $100 (US) set for anywhere from $25 to $50 depending on who bids, and condition. Mine was practically unused, with fine, medium and coarse needle, a few bottles and a ~braided~ hose, for $30 bucks. I ~love~ it. I've even run thinned epoxy through it for sealing my wooden boat hulls!

When I got into it with my old Badger 350 (which I thought was so-so) I used the free can with it, then blew for a Badger compressor. I'm still using that same unit 20+ years later, but the prices have dropped incredibly. The only thing I'd add now is a storage bottle between the compressor and the brush, to help regulate the feed to the brush, otherwise you get a pressure drop in the line during spray runs, and re-pressurizes when you're off the button. With a bottle, you can keep the compressor filling the bottle to say 60psi, but you use a 30 psi feed off to the brush. Oh, and a moisture-trap in the air line.

Then mebbe invest in one of the 'How To Airbrush Models' books. You can read online these days too... http://www.howtoairbrush.com/ but some focus more on art & photo-retouching than models. Amazon found these on modelling:

Airbrushing and Finishing Scale Models (Hardcover) by Brett Green, Publisher: Osprey Publishing; Spi edition (Sep 23 2008) ISBN-10: 1846031990 , ISBN-13: 978-1846031991
Airbrush Painting Techniques (Paperback) by Jerry Scutts, Publisher: Osprey Publishing (Nov 15 1999) ISBN-10: 1902579224 , ISBN-13: 978-1902579221
How to Use an Airbrush (Paperback) by Robert Downie, Publisher: Kalmbach Publishing Company (June 2001) ISBN-10: 0890242879 , ISBN-13: 978-0890242872
Airbrushing and Spray Painting Manual (Paperback) by Ian Peacock, Publisher: Motorbooks International (Dec 31 1987) ISBN-10: 0852428022 , ISBN-13: 978-0852428023

Delta 3

What is a good air brush to get?

madbadger

AH...HAAAA!!!

went to a model shop today, got some more tamiya paints, i asked guy in the shop for some tamiya thinners, sorry mate, haven't got any, just use water, or you can use car screen wash!!!! yea, i was gob smacked as well. Car screen wash i asked? are you sure, he said it was all he ever used with tamiya paints, he also said turn the pressure down with the regulator on top of the compressed air can (which a few people on here told me to do)..........SUCCESS !!!!!!!!! it works like a treat, all i did was open the bottle of tamiya paint, top it up to the brim with Car screen wash, shook it up, gave it a stir then attached a new tin of propellant, turned the valve on top while pressing the button on the spray gun, a fine mist of paint. I have repainted the KT body work with Dark Yellow again, covering all the spatters etc. Now i need some tips on how to paint the Green and Brown camo without over spray......any tips?
i will practice with the spray gun first to try and draw a line before going any where near the KT.

At least im getting somewhere.......but car screen wash to thin down tamiya paint??????

thanks for everyone's help, much appreciated.

Kev

WhiteWolf McBride

My Feedback: (3)

Maddie:

I assume 'screen wash' was is windshield wiper fluid (Wiki says yea) That would explain things, as it used ethylene glycol for the antifreeze form, and simple methanol alcohol (or ethanol for the eco-brands) Rubbing alcohol from the chemist (pharmacy over this side of the pond) is about the same, but you need the high-concentration stuff (90% +)

Read the label ingredients, it'll tel you what the chemical components are. If it has 'ammonia' too its probably the UK equivalent of Windex. If so you can use it for cleaning your household glass/windows, and even some metalwork.

Thing with the automotive stuff (and more likely in the UK) is it has a lot of water in it. You should use the stuff with less water.

As for practicing, you can buy the dollar store 'latex' kids paint, thinn and strain it for consistancy, and practice on cardboard or whatever. It allows you to practice with ~cheap~ paint, without wasting the good stuff, and without needing to un-do a botched job on your model. Another option is the botched batches from the paint stores - they often sell it off when they bollix'd the shade.

I suggested a better airbrush as the different nozzles & tips allow you to do anythnig from coarse patterns to fine lines. In a pinch, patterns cut in paper or 'foto-frisket' (adhesive sheeting for DIY patterns) can be used.

When in doubt, experiment with cheaper paints and 'target' items. It'll pay off in the end, trust me. But definately look into a powered compressor of some sore, it'll ssave you a lot in the long run. Some of the light automotive ones even come these days with an adapter to attach an airbrush hose. Not to mention airbrushes (when turned up high) are great for cleaning your models too! It won't break off delicate pieces like a brush will.

WhiteWolf

gigantohawk

Kev,
Just read your email...Sorry my reply is a bit late. I see you are having some success with your airbrush, That's good. I'm sending you a pm in a few mins.

Nick.

swathdiver

Good job and keep at it! I freehand my camouflage but I've read that some guys use "silly putty" to cover the areas they don't want painted. It pulls off without leaving a mess, it's like Play-Doh.

Delta 3

Just purchased a Paasche airbrush, and after searching the web for the best thinner to use (or make) and at what % I am still stummped.

Any tips?

madbadger

here are some photos of my newly painted tank......i gave up with the spray gun trying to paint lines so i ended up using a brush, funny thing is, this morning i was watching a youtube video of the KT at Bovington museum and my KT looks similar (well i think so) let me know what you all think of my first effort
thanks for all your help

Kev

Delta 3

Wow! That realy looks great!

I have not done much camo. Did you use stincels or masking tape to get the fine boarders?

Great job!

I love to build RC's and I feel I am pretty good at it ,but I am still working on my painting skills.

Bryan

madbadger

you really thinks so Delta 3 ??????

no i did it all by hand, i tried masking it off but the paint ran underneath the masking tape, so all i did was get a small brush and go over where it had bled on the green, i ran over all the green with the brush then painted the brown with the brush.

i was quite disappointed with it, the wife said it looked ok, but i was told these tanks were painted by really young men, who sometimes used anything they could get there hands on, brush, mop, spray gun whatever as the life of a tank was not that long!! i suppose if it looks messy, it will look authentic. I have seen a KT on this site which the guy must have spent a small fortune on (unfortunately i cant) and it looks like a real tank, hours and hours must have gone into it. I don't have the skill, time or money to make it how i want it......

thanks for your comments.

Kev

Delta 3

I always believe that if you put your own time and effort in to somthing it makes you that much more poud of it!

I really think it looks great, but who am I to judge.

Your biggest critic is your self.

I was in the feild artilery devision in the US army and drove many tanks (M88, 109, bradley, abrams, ect) and there actual paint sceam is very imperfect.
It blends better with the enviroment.

hdbeast

Hey madbadger
The King Tiger came out looking GREAT, nice paint job. Delta 3 is right you will always be your worst critic, after you weather it and add some stowage items, it will all come together, I like it. [sm=thumbs_up.gif][sm=thumbs_up.gif][sm=thumbs_up.gif]

Gary

madbadger

thanks, i have been putting the accessories back on shovel, hammer tow ropes etc. I'm not sure how to weather it though, i have mixed black, a rust colour, and dry brushed them with a little silver paint added to the brush then dabbed off onto a tissue and painted then exhaust pipes and im quite pleased with the results, it looks like a 20,0000 mile exhaust pipe.....i may take the German stickers of and make a stencil and paint them on....

any ideas on how to weather it would be appreciated.

as for battle damage i thought of driving down my drive and deliberately scraping it down the brick wall as to damage the side skirting, then paint a little rust paint where the scrape marks would be, what do you think???

i would like to put some shell marks on the hull maybe some bullet holes in the skirting, but don't really know how to do it, Ive seen someone on here use a dremmel (i have one) but they can be violent at times, another guy used a soldering iron and just 'dent' the hull, it really did look like a shell mark but im scared of making a mess now Ive got this far......plus the wife would kill me with all the moaning and complaining and money Ive spent on paints etc......LOL

a friend of mine who is into model trains told me to get a piece of lint free cloth, spray some brown paint on lightly and wipe it in the direction of travel from front to back of the tank, he said he did this with his trains to make them look dirty.......

thanks guys, im starting to feel good about what ive done.....thanks.....

Kev

lthump

Madbadger , that looks great . No reason to be down about that job mate. The important part is you did it and you can now do it again any time you want to on the next tank. Congratulations[8D]

Me-109 Jagdflieger

If you want a cheap way to weather your tank just get a set of Tamyia Weatering Materials A Or B, you just brush them on and then cover with a coat of testors Dullcote, Works well and looks good, and plus its cheep arround $8 USD so the wife wont kill you!
Jonathan

madbadger

is testers dullcote available from model shops? i have seen the tamiya weathering materials, does the dullcote stop it from coming off or does it dull the overall look of the tank? i wouldn't know what it was called here in the UK.

thanks

Kev

Me-109 Jagdflieger

Yeah the Testors Dullcote is sold here in the states in most model shops, The Dullcote keeps the weatering materials from comming off and it dulls the tank overall, but not to much take a look at my photos in the gallery, The dullcote for the most part dulls down the brightness of the decals, not to sure what it would be in the UK, im sure someone on here would know though, hope this helps,
Jonathan

madbadger

yea i see what you mean, i will have a look round in some model shops, the decals i have used are from a heng long tank, i would like to paint them on but the largest font size i have is 72dpi and not big enough (was hoping to make a stencil) the cost of the decals is ridiculous in this country, cheapest i have seen are £20 which is around 30-35$ ???

I may practice freehand as some photos i have seen of tiger tanks, it was roughly painted on by the crew...

thanks again

Kev

Me-109 Jagdflieger

wow those are spendy, I also used the decals that came with the tank and used carbon paper to trace my unit marknings on to the tank, Im looking forward to seeing how your tank turns out,
Jonathan

madbadger

you have just given me an idea, i could trace the left over decals and use them......thanks.....will post some more photos when i get it near finished..

cheers

Kev

Me-109 Jagdflieger

Glad i could help, looking forward to the finished tank,
Jonathan

Delta 3

What is the best airbrush paint thinner (home made) to use?

What % do you thin the paint.

Any suggestions.

Thanks,

Bryan

madbadger

if its Tamiya paint, use car screen wash, all i did was use a brand new jar of tamiya paint, topped up to nearly the top, shake it up, give it a stir then use in a spray gun. Worked for me...

Kev