**** DONE: 1/48 Spitfire IXc - Defense of Britain/Atlantic.

Airframes · Sep 16, 2015

In general, it's always better to mix paints and thinner in a separate container, stirring well, and then transfer to the cup. Mixing in the cup can result in an improper mix, with some of the thinner still in suspension, as a quantity of the mix will descend to the lowest level, in the gulley at the bottom of the cup.
Seeing as you've experienced drying in the nozzle/tip, and as these are acrylics, there's a strong chance that the needle has been coated with a thin film of paint, like a plastic membrane - one of the reasons I'm not that keen on acrylics.
This can cause spitting, feathering, splutter and all sorts of clogging problems, even though the 'coating' is microscopically thin. It's worth removing the needle and giving it a good clean - check it under a magnifying glass, and you should be able to see the coat of paint, and see when it's been cleaned off.

Crimea_River · Sep 16, 2015

Sounds like what I used to experience with my old PollyScale arylics. They never worked well and it was always a fight. Addition of Retarder helped but not 100%. As Chris said, cleaning the tip every 30 seconds or so also helps.

JKim · Sep 16, 2015

Thanks guys! Went home for lunch and test shot some Hataka Ocean Grey again but it was sputter city. I spent the rest of the lunch hour custom mixing Ocean Grey with some Tamiya paints (Neutral Grey + Royal Blue + Black in inexact amounts). Shot a text piece of plastic with all three camo colors (I'm considering the bottom in Hataka Med Sea Grey finished) having found a good match for the Dark Green in a old bottle of Gunze. Not there yet but I think I can get there. FWIW, the Tamiya mix and the Gunze Dark Green shot beautifully through the brush as expected. I'll post some pics when I'm closer to final results.

Terry... I don't think it is a hardware problem. I clean my airbrush quite fastidiously and will remove and clean my needle after every color shot, sometimes more. I get the sputtering even with a freshly cleaned needle and nozzle.

Oh and BTW... I tried mixing the Ocean Grey and thinner in a separate container and pouring the mix into the airbrush... same sputtery results!

Wurger · Sep 16, 2015

The thinner is recommended for the Hataka paints. The Hataka Hobby Thinner contains the retarder. If you don't have the one I suggest using the distilled water as the thinner.

Gnomey · Sep 16, 2015

Great work so far!

parsifal · Sep 16, 2015

Ive never used those brands, but I do use Tamiya paints. there are two variables I found that im control of....the thickness of the paint and the pressure at the needle. Pressure wise, ive found operating at around 20 psi is optimal, but the ratio of thinner to paint more a case of trial and error. Acrylic paint, even in a sealed container will gradually dry out and thicken, which means a slightly higher amount of thinner is needed. as a starting point, rule of thumb, I would suggest about 50/50 paint to thinner. Depending on the size of your aperture, your paint/thinner mix should be about that of milk.

Spitting paint is almost certainly a sign of some obstruction in the gun, or the needle not seating properly. Id pull it apart and clean everything.

If you try all this and it still isn't working, maybe the needle is bent, or, as you are thinking ther is some unknown problem with the paint

Airframes · Sep 16, 2015

Given that the other paint mixes are spraying OK, and the 'brush has obviously been cleaned, then I'd think that the Hataka paints are the problem.
Bin - open -dump -change brand !

fubar57 · Sep 16, 2015

Looking great despite the paint issues. Can't help you there as I won't graduate to airbrush use until next month and then i will be looking for massive amounts of advice.

Geo

destrozas · Sep 17, 2015

I also have problems with this painting I therefore obstructs 50/50 airbrush the paint diluted with solvent, in Vallejo and the Gunze, today in the trial period has used 96 ° ethyl alcohol, methyl alcohol 96º Mr Hobby thinner and at the same Aqueous solution and tell you, I saw a video on youtube with ultimate airbrush thinner 50/50 and trouble to paint

View: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j9cbLXFSkJc

JKim · Sep 17, 2015

I did some work last night but it went a little too late and I didn't have time to download and post the photos. I finished mixing the Ocean Grey and came up with an acceptable substitute. I wanted to do a comparison between the new paint mixes I'll be using and the Hataka paints since the reviews have said that they are fairly accurate color-wise. So I played with the Hataka paints again.

First, using Wojtek's suggestion, I used distilled water as a thinner. No initial sputtering but slowly, less and less paint was coming out of the airbrush until it finally ceased altogether even though there was ample paint left in the cup. Removing the needle revealed a buildup of dried paint... kind of like what Terry described before. Strange... no sputtering but failure nonetheless.

I normally use 90% iso alcohol as a thinner but given that alcohol evaporates so fast, I thought I'd give 70% iso a shot. So using 70% iso alcohol, I was able to greatly reduce the splatter but not eliminate it completely. The Tamiya and Gunze shoot so much better out of my brush that this isn't going to change my course of action but I still may be able to utilize the Hataka paints in the future.

Wurger · Sep 17, 2015

Undoubtedly the retarder is needed. Here in Poland quite al ot of guys had the same problem. Therefore the firm decided to add the liquid to the thinner. The Hataka paints are similar to the Vallejo ones. So the retarder for the colours can fit.

Wurger · Sep 17, 2015

Oh.. BTW... you can use some of clear vodka as the thinner. Please try to that .

PZL 23 Karaś painted withe Hataka set for the September 1939.. pic source: Modelarstwo z pasj? ? Zobacz w?tek - PZL P.23 Kara? B Mirage/WCM 1/48

parsifal · Sep 17, 2015

vodka...after a while it wouldnt matter i expect if the gun was spitting...one for the gun, one for the gunner.....ill get my coat

Wurger · Sep 17, 2015

Of course the gunner needsa a bigger cup.

Airframes · Sep 17, 2015

Or in Jan's case, a bucket !

Wurger · Sep 17, 2015

Nope. Jan uses his Viking's helmet with horns.

Airframes · Sep 17, 2015

Ah, of course ! Four pints in the helmet, and two in each horn !

Wurger · Sep 17, 2015

Exactly...

chris brown · Sep 17, 2015

I haven't tried it myself, but I've heard good things about Ultimate Airbrush Thinner for all acrylic paints including Hataka. Ultimate Acrylic Airbrush Thinner & Cleaner - Tools Paint Reviews - Britmodeller.com

JKim · Sep 17, 2015

Vodka! I haven't tried it but a similar thought crossed my mind. I can just picture the look from my wife as I try to sneak a bottle of liquor into my workshop. "It's for airbrushing! Seriously! Wojtek said so!"

The Hataka thinner is probably the ideal solution but I've been able to progress on this build without it so I'll be putting the Hataka paints on the backburner for now.

**** DONE: 1/48 Spitfire IXc - Defense of Britain/Atlantic.

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