Interesting Video on Correctly Airbrushing Vallejo Model Air Paints

[thibaultron]

I found this video on YouTube, about how to properly Airbrush with Vallejo Model Air paints. He also has several other videos that would be useful to plastic modelers. One of the additional videos is on how to properly clean your airbrush after using the Vallejo paints. Prior to his video on airbrushing them, he had dismissed them as useless, based on his many years of airbrushing other paints. Now he likes them. He has about 40 years of plastic modeling experience.

 

 

[Keithbrad80]

Very helpful video, thank you!

 

Bradley 

[Canute]

Excellent video, Ron. I may have to find the appropriate needles for my Badger 105.

[thibaultron]

A couple more painting videos from Barbatos Rex.

 

The first is a general arcylic painting video. This one was a few months before the "Painting Vallejo Air" video, I first posted. He is using the .2mm needle for these, rather than the .5mm in the other video.

 

 

 

The next is one one the new Vallejo Mecha paints. These are designed for rougher handling, in this case for poseable models (robot models).

 

 

He says he is going to be doing decalling, clear coating, and making your own decals videos, soon.

 

 

[Canute]

Ron,

 

That first video was extremely helpful with covering those 6 different acrylics. Thanks

[kurtvd19]

On 1/4/2021 at 11:11 AM, Canute said:

Excellent video, Ron. I may have to find the appropriate needles for my Badger 105.

Your 105 most likely came with the .5 needle/tip.  They do make a .7 needle/tip (you need to match the tip and the needle).  Unless you have one of the newer extremes, the 105 with the standard .5 nozzle is perfectly adequate for any acrylics - properly thinned/airbrush ready not tube stuff you need to heavily thin.

There is a .3 needle - but anything other than the .5 needle is only available by order.

 

 

 

 

[Nirvana]

Amazing, I need to get a new compressor with tank.

Because having a tank is essential for even pressure and proper constant airflow.

I haven't had any issues with Vallejo paint  - I used the thinner with their regular "brush" paint  - not with the air.

My Bluenose is painted with Vallejo.

Practice, practice and more practice is essential to achieve proper coating.

Never thought about using the pure air from the brush as quick drying.

Thanks for all the videos - these can be used for any type of airbrushing. 

 

[Canute]

Kurt, thanks. I've been an enamel/lacquer sprayer and wanted to use all these acrylics. These couple of videos and one on another site on Mission Model paint have me interested in them. These 2 that Ron brought in are the first I'd seen discussing the nozzle.

 

My old Badger 360 is in need of a major overhaul, when I saw I had a bent tip.

[kurtvd19]

Ken

You just need a new needle.  But if you send the brush to Badger they will go over it and repair anything needing work for the cost of the return mailing - I don't know about the needle cost as that's owner damage, but I have sen some real abuse to brushes they receive and they just fix and return them.

[Canute]

Kurt, thanks. I'll reach out to them about doing that.

[ERS Rich]

In my experience with Vallejo, Flow Improver is the key.  Model Air does not need to be thinned.
 

Often airbrush small amounts of paint, 5-10 drops.  Starting with an empty cup, load a couple of drops of flow improver, then dump the excess.  This coats the interior of the nozzle, and the needle, then a drop or two after the paint is in the cup.  Stirring is needed.

For larger jobs the label directions work -  ratio of flow improver to paint drops.

 

Watch for tip buildup and have a cotton swab moist with thinner at the ready to clean the tip.

 

Tip buildup or bubbles in the cup means more flow improver is needed.  A lot of bubbles?  The nozzle is clogged or needs to be tightened.

 

My go to airbrush is Paasche Talon with 3mm tip, about 20 psi.

 

Took a while to get it just right, been around for a while and started with and have Testors Airbrush/Paints, Badger, etc.  Vallejo is go to in my shop, water cleanup, no toxic waste, etc.  Like the opaque properties of Vallejo, buildup the color, etc.  Paasche Talon for small jobs.  Iwata RG3 mini spray gun for big jobs.

 

Learning how to keep the brush clean, without removing the nozzle after each color, was important for me.  Tamiya Airbrush Cleaner is essential.  Instantly dissolves paint.  It’s powerful, fragrant, and toxic.

 

Found that it’s easy to get caught up and distracted with compressors, airbrushes, tips, techniques.  
 

The bottom line is it comes down to a clean brush and properly thinned paint.  
 

At the end of a session my method, with Vallejo paint, is rinse the brush with hot water, slide the needle in and out until water flowing in the cup flows out of the nozzle.  Wipe out the cup residue with a swab with Tamiya thinner.  Load the cup with Tamiya thinner, shoot that out, then extract and clean the needle.  Clean the needle with steel wool.  Finally leave a few drops of Tamiya thinner in the cup.  Usually the nozzle does not need to be removed and cleaned.

 

Too many times, I’ve forgotten and left the paint in brush - the phone rang or something.  No big deal.  Let some Tamiya thinner soak in the cup until the needle can move. Clean as above.  Soak the nozzle in Tamiya thinner.  Then run the cleaning brushes through the brush.  Steel wool the needle.

 

Tip bent?  It’s all over.  Time for a new needle.  Coast Airbrush out in California is my supplier, they sell individual parts/needles.

 

Good luck with it.

 

-Rich

 

 

Edited January 10, 2021 by ERS Rich
Grammar

[thibaultron]

This might be an alternative spray booth for some.

 

 

[thibaultron]

Here are some reviews on the airbrushes Barbatos Rex uses in his videos. I neither have these, nor represent the manufacturer, etc. It is interesting to note that these brushes are made in the same factory as IWATA!  I think I'm going to pick up the 290, at least as it seems to be the same as the IWATA, but less expensive. I need it for priming large models at least. I'm thinking of a Badger Patriot for general use, but the adjustable air flow valve on the 270/289 might come in handy.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[thibaultron]

I forgot to mention. The ps-290 (the trigger one) uses a fair amount of air 35 liters/minute, or (thanks to the internet) ~1.25 gallons/minute. The small airbrush compressors are rated at ~20 l/m, so one with a tank is pretty much required, and then with breaks to refill. My Harbor Freight 3 gallon compressor is rated 0.9 g/m at 40PSI, so it might be able to keep up at 30 or so PSI.

 

A corrding to the one video, the IWATA Pistol grip fits the 290.

Edited January 11, 2021 by thibaultron

[thibaultron]

Here is his test of some of the Badger Stynylrez primers. Badger also has several other color primers, the Black, White, Gray, and Red Brown (and maybe the Flesh) are probably more along our lines (for ships at least). The Synylrez has a better durability, and sandability reputation than the Vallejo ones. Vallejo has, in my experience, terrible sanding properties, and requires 48 hours or so of setting before overcoating for decent durability.  Styntlrez is rated for a 0.5mm needle, and I believe 30PSI for application.

 

 

 

[Seems ok to me]

I have found both stynylrez and Vallejo to be just awful when trying to sand no matter how long I’ve let it dry.  I’ve ordered some Mr. color primer and thinner and will just improve ventilation to deal with fumes.   

[kurtvd19]

On 1/10/2021 at 8:00 PM, thibaultron said:

Styntlrez is rated for a 0.5mm needle, and I believe 30PSI for application.

 

 

I have been using STYNYLREZ since before it's introduction to the public.  Great primer and it is used by many miniature painters as a top coat - I did the same for a model that was featured in Ships in Scale - only STYNYLREZ paint.  It's a primer do the .5 needle is correct but I haven't used anywhere near 30 psi - well under 20 psi.

Excess pressure promotes tip dry more than any single other factor.  I have not had need to sand it - properly used it is very smooth. 

[thibaultron]

On another aspect of using Vallejo, and other flat paint, and something I've been wondering about myself. Decaling. Specifically, how to apply the decals to a flat paint surface. It has been a few decades since I did any decalling, and then it was on gloss finishes.

 

I was watching a Model Railroad seminar last weekend, and one of the presenters described his method. He shoots the entire finish painted model (painted with Vallejo) with Future Floor polish (I assume any good gloss clear would work). I had thought of spot glossing the decal area, this is much better. He then applies the decals with the appropriate solutions to get them settled. He then shoots the entire model again with clear, step I had not considered. He says that this blends in the clear part of the decal film. A good idea. Then he finishes with a final flat coat. In his case Dullcoat. As model rail cars get handled a lot, I this must give a good durable finish.

 

When I get to the decalling stage on my models, I'll try it this way.

[Canute]

Ron, definitely apply a gloss coat before decaling, otherwise they will "silver" around the edges, This is the best solution. No amount of setting solutions will settle the decals.

 

[Jeff59]

On 1/4/2021 at 4:43 AM, thibaultron said:

I found this video on YouTube, about how to properly Airbrush with Vallejo Model Air paints. He also has several other videos that would be useful to plastic modelers. One of the additional videos is on how to properly clean your airbrush after using the Vallejo paints. Prior to his video on airbrushing them, he had dismissed them as useless, based on his many years of airbrushing other paints. Now he likes them. He has about 40 years of plastic modeling experience.

 

 

Thanks for that Ron, shall get myself organised and put this into practice. 🤛

[thibaultron]

Another video by Barbatos Rex, on Decal Setting solutions. This is a comparison of several brands of decal setting and settling solutions that mat be of interest. I learned a lot (mostly about how I've been doing it wrong)! And Yes, there were a couple winners.