Frustration setting in

[CrustyDemon]

Ok, I got an Iwata eclipse bcs. I'm painting model cars. I set my pressure regulator at 36 psi. I'm using Kustom Kolor paints that I bought at my local hobby shop. I shook the paint well and I used my battery powered paint mixer. I thinned the paint approx. 3-1. It's gloss white, by the way. Anyhow, I'm painting away and suddenly here comes the clumps . I look at my needle tip and I notice that paint is clumped up on it. So, I took a q-tip and dipped it in thinner and wiped off the tip , but this didn't help. I opened up the siphon paint bottle to look into it and I see that the paint is clumped up on the siphon tube . What the heck is wrong ? Did I not thin the paint enough? This same thing happened when I tried to paint the car with Modelmaster gloss white paint, that's why I tried the Kustom Kolor.

Anybody got any suggestions?


Crusty

[KDSilverBrush]

What are ya thinning it with Crusty? Kinda sounds like what yer thining it with isn't compatible with the paint.

[Diaz Dezine]

I agree with KD. If your paint is waterbased it may not mix well with anything solvent based and it may not clean well with the paint thinner that you are using, it will gel or get all clumpy.
I have heard that some people strain there paint, especially if it is waterbased, through some kind of strainer, like a piece of panty hose.
Make sure you are cleaning your brush with something that is compatible with your paint.
Hope this helps.
DIAZ

[redesigns]

I agree with KD and DD on this issue..
I have experimented with different reducer finding what brands can cross breed and I have found that what your experiencing is the typical result. Diaz said it best "it will gel or get clump". Those have been my findings exactly..
KD and DD are a great source of info ,there suggestions and solutions will work perfectly.

[yardartnut]

I may be wrong in chimming on this issue, but are you using the Kustom Kolor enamels?
If so KK has a reducer for them.
It sounds like your reducer is not compatable......or as stated you need a straining system......
cut a piece of panty hose and ad between the cap and bottle of the paint.....
or Don has posted this in tutorals
http://www.howtoairbrush.com/paint_strainer.htm

[CrustyDemon]

Kustom Kolors is enamel paint and I just cut it with their Kustom Kolor paint thinner. There's not any instructions as to what to use to thin the paint with, so I figured that their paint thinner would be ok.

With the Modelmaster acrylics, I used plain water.

It wasn't that the paint was clumpy, just where it splashed up on the siphon tube, it had already......."dried" and was flaking, I guess would be the best way to describe it.

I'm just getting a little frustrated because I spent $100 on an airbrush, $100 on a compressor and I was getting better results from a $29 Testors single action el-cheap-o brush with a $10 can of compressed air. With some things, I just don't have a lot of patience.

Thanks for the tips guy's, I'll try the pantyhose trick.

Crusty

[fontgeek]

Try thinning the paint to about the consistancy of skim milk. While you gave us a ratio of reducer to paint, it doesn't tell us how thick the paint was when you started out, or when you finished.

How long were you painting before it started clumping up or drying out on the needle cap?

Mixing and straining are almost always a good idea.

[hairbag]

tip dry on the needle is common with all paints, most airbrush artists run without the needle cap on the airbrush so they can easily clean the tip dry with thier fore finger and thumb, i'd be leary of using a q-tip or anything like that as you may get fibres stuck in the tip or worse you may damage the tip or needle.

make sure the paint is clump free before you reduce, squirt some out on a piece of paper and swish around with your finger. look for grit, lumps and clots, if it comes out of the bottle that way return it and go somewhere else.

the paint could have been sitting in a cold spot of the art store for months/years and gone bad, i see this all the time at one of the art stores i go to. they keep all the golden airbrush paints against the store front window. when left in the sun and this close to the window the constant heating and cooling seperates the paint and causes it to go bad.
cold is especially bad for acrylic paint.

[KDSilverBrush]

If your paint is drying to fast, there is an additive that you can get that prevents it from drying to fast....... I just can't remember the name of it, never had to use it..... I believe KK sells it for thier paints.

[hairbag]

its usually called "retarder"... retards the drying or curing process

[KDSilverBrush]

thats it ! ty hairbag lol

[Kaiilla]

IF you look at your tip as you go you'll probably find that there is getting to be a buildup of paint. And then when there's enough for the air flow to grab and move. Viola! splatter. White does this kinda thing more than other colors.

What everybody says will help. Play with the mix - thinning, air pressure, tip cleaning etc. until you get the right combo.

[CrustyDemon]

Thanks ya'll.


Crusty

[Sabreghost]

Hey crusty, i'm a newb, but... have you tried a colour other than white?? I haven't been painting long, but i used white for the first time today, and got nowhere near as much mileage out of my brush, without tip dry and 'splats'. maybe try black and see if you get a more consistent flow...