Hooklineandsinker Posted July 19, 2012 Report Share Posted July 19, 2012 I've been painting cranks for about a year, mostly for myself. I do buy some acrylic hobby paints and thin them with water, but also use a lot of Createx paints (water-soluable). I have noticed that routinely, my Paasche dual action airbrush will spit and spatter and sometimes won't even blow paint out. I guess my question is two fold: 1. - do you thin your createx paints (and with what). 2. - what pressure do you set your compressor on? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluetickhound Posted July 19, 2012 Report Share Posted July 19, 2012 With Createx, it depends.... Some colors (mostly the translucents, in my experience) spray just fine without thinning and others (the opaque colors, generally speaking...) benefit from it. I used to run my pressure a little on the high side but i have come to see that lower pressures make my AB much happier.... I run at around 10psi spraying pressure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hooklineandsinker Posted July 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2012 Thanks. I try to use a recipe of windex - wtaer - rubbing alcholol - and glycerin to thin with. What do you use. BTW, is that Smokey in your pic? I'm a Tennessee boy myself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RayburnGuy Posted July 19, 2012 Report Share Posted July 19, 2012 I use Createx and Auto Air (both are made by Createx) and like to thin them with Createx 4011 Reducer. By thinning the paint I can spray at pressures below 5 psi for spraying things like eyes, lateral lines, shad spots, etc. A lower psi helps even when using stencils. The lower pressure keeps the paint from being forced out under the stencil and leaving spider webs on the bait. I can't really give you an exact amount of how much reducer to add to a given amount of paint as I don't measure it. It's become almost second nature and if I don't get it as thin as I like it to start with I just add a bit more reducer. Thinning should help with the spitting and sputtering. Given that your brush is clean to start with. Ben Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
garyo1954 Posted July 19, 2012 Report Share Posted July 19, 2012 (edited) Different strokes for different folks when thinning. Popular choices are water, Windex, and Future floor polish. The pressure will depend on how thin the paint is. I put my Paasche aside when I got a couple of Sumake airbrushes. They seem to like lower pressure. Don't know why. Could be a dirty airbrush with the spitting and splattering. Old post that might help you: http://www.tackleund...ng-information/ G Reread Ben's answer. He and Gene do smooth brush work. Edited July 19, 2012 by garyo1954 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted July 19, 2012 Report Share Posted July 19, 2012 (edited) If you are using hobby paints (Folk Art, etc) and the brush spits water, your tip is clogged. The pigment grains in that particular bottle of hobby paint are just too big to pass through the tip of your a/b. If you thin the hobby paint with something containing glycerin or a surfactant, it may help because they are flow enhancers. You also might try straining the paint through a piece of panty hose, etc. At some point, you will probably throw up your hands and decide to switch to paint that is formulated for airbrushes. I routinely shoot unthinned Createx at 30 psi and sometimes higher, and I seldom if ever thin it. If I am shooting very light shadings or details, then it's time to lower the pressure and thin the paint. Pressure and thinning are unique to every user - you just have to find what works for you, your particular airbrush, and the specific paint you are using. Edited July 19, 2012 by BobP Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hooklineandsinker Posted July 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2012 Thanks guys. I normally shoot at 20 - 30 psi. I wish I could shoot at 5 psi - maybe I just need to thin more. I have always had issues doing the fine detail such as stripes, etc. I know my pressure is too high because I get the "spyder web" blow out once and a while. I have read about Futur floor wax too. I may try that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bluetickhound Posted July 19, 2012 Report Share Posted July 19, 2012 (edited) Yep! That's none other than Smokey himself! Hope we don't have to sic him on Dooley by Octobrer.... I thin with distilled water and nothing else. I tried the future wax formula and didn't like it at all. A word to the wise though... If you use windex, either to thin or for cleanup, make sure its the ammonia free windex! Edited July 19, 2012 by bluetickhound Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hooklineandsinker Posted July 19, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 19, 2012 I saw a vid on Youtube with the formula and I believe you are right, it was ammonia free. Made up a half gallon of thinner and only used two drops of glycerin. Maybe a little more glycerin would help with flow and neddle dry. Keep ol' Smokey barking. We need to keep the coach! GO VOLS Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Musky Glenn Posted July 20, 2012 Report Share Posted July 20, 2012 I would suggest you simplify the process until you get used to spraying. I start out with a bottle of clean water and check that the air brush will spray that with no problem. Then I switch over to the paint, if it won't spray I thin until it will spray. I only thin with clean water. Musky Glenn Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jaythefisherman Posted July 20, 2012 Report Share Posted July 20, 2012 I saw a vid on Youtube with the formula and I believe you are right, it was ammonia free. Made up a half gallon of thinner and only used two drops of glycerin. Maybe a little more glycerin would help with flow and neddle dry. Keep ol' Smokey barking. We need to keep the coach! GO VOLS WHERE DO you get glycerin? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BobP Posted July 20, 2012 Report Share Posted July 20, 2012 Glycerin is In the pharmacy department of a drugstore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hooklineandsinker Posted July 20, 2012 Author Report Share Posted July 20, 2012 ditto. Got mine at Wal-Mart Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
