I have a Badger 350 airbrush that I have been using on and off for the past couple of years. Last week I painted up a resin caboose kit using Modelflex paint. The dried paint had a bit of a rough texture but given that the model is a wooden caboose, it didn't bug me too much. This week I'm trying to paint a resin model steel boxcar with the same bottle of paint but in my two attempts, it is leaving a splotchy orange peel finish. My pressure is around 25 PSI and I frequently clean the airbrush between paint applications as well as wash the model is warm soapy water and blow it dry with compressed air. The only difference is that the weather is a more humid this week than last week. Is this the reason for the orange peel texture or are there a few other things I need to correct? I also didn't thin the paint since the bottle says it is already thinned for airbrushing.
Lone Geep
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I have a Badger 350 as well as Harbor Freight rip-offs and the only time I get splotchy or orange peel is when the object being painted isn’t clean.I use Tru Color Paint at 30psi and always end up with perfect paint jobs if the thing I’m painting is clean.When I’ve had a problem I go with a primer first.Mel My Model Railroad http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/ Bakersfield, California I'm beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.
RR_MelI use Tru Color Paint at 30psi and always end up with perfect paint jobs if the thing I’m painting is clean.
I agree.
I've had resin and 3D printed items that did not want to take paint at first. Soap and water won't cut the mold release or "oils" remaining on the parts.
A scrubbing with a soft tooth brush and lacquer thinner works. IF you don't want to mess with VOCs you could try some citrus-based degreasers but it may take several attempts to wash away the contaminants.
Good Luck, Ed
Both of the models are Sylvan Scale Models kits and were cleaned with their proprietary citrus mold release cleaner before assembly. Thanks
orange peel: caused by quick evaporation of thinner, low air pressure, too much paint too fast
Looks like orange peel
You want a fairly slow evaporating thinner, so the paint can flatten out. Problem is, you have to go slow before adding the next layer, because you have to let the thinner evaporate from the first layer before adding more. Patience is the word.
fish eye: caused by contaminated surface
I discovered fish eye on a heavy duty flat car I was painting. The paint looked like it was trying to get away from itself. The surface was covered with flat spots, surrounded by "walls" of paint. Apparently, the problem manifests in various yucky surfaces--this was mine.
Before painting, I had washed it with dish soap and rinsed. I suspect I didn't rinse well enough, and left a layer of something behind. Only happened once. Once, of course, is more than enough.
sandy surface: caused by paint drying before it lands on the model
Looks sandy and rough. It might be because you're too far away. Maybe too little thinner or the thinner is evaporating too quickly
I surely don't know what "citrus" has to do with prepping for painting, unless you're putting it in your vodka. It's possible that some of that stuff is staying behind and messing up your surface.
For plastics, I recommend detergent and water, with no additives. Dish soap CAN fit the bill, though I worry about additives. And rinse with PLENTY of warm water.
For metals, the above can't hurt, though I might also rinse it with some kind of thinner first.
And don't touch the surface after cleaning and before painting.
Ed
7j43kI surely don't know what "citrus" has to do with prepping for painting, unless you're putting it in your vodka.
My first choice is Lacquer thinner. Some people are either sensitive to stronger aromatic hydrocarbons or prefer not to have them in their home.
Citrus All Purpose Cleaner is an alkaline-based liquid concentrate that contains a natural citrus solvent for extra grease and soil cutting power. It leaves a pleasant, fresh orange scent. This product cleans all washable hard surfaces, and is also safe to use on most floors: asphalt tile, cork, concrete, rubber, vinyl, linoleum, terrazzo, ceramic and quarry tile.
I should have given more consideration before posting my reply.
One more reason for me to find another forum or, just keep my trap shut and not bother to reply.
Thanks so much, Ed
ED
I for one appreciated your post. Always like to hear about other options available to solve a problem. Thanks
wdcrvr
gmpullman 7j43k I surely don't know what "citrus" has to do with prepping for painting, unless you're putting it in your vodka. My first choice is Lacquer thinner. Some people are either sensitive to stronger aromatic hydrocarbons or prefer not to have them in their home. Citrus All Purpose Cleaner is an alkaline-based liquid concentrate that contains a natural citrus solvent for extra grease and soil cutting power. It leaves a pleasant, fresh orange scent. This product cleans all washable hard surfaces, and is also safe to use on most floors: asphalt tile, cork, concrete, rubber, vinyl, linoleum, terrazzo, ceramic and quarry tile. I should have given more consideration before posting my reply. One more reason for me to find another forum or, just keep my trap shut and not bother to reply. Thanks so much, Ed
7j43k I surely don't know what "citrus" has to do with prepping for painting, unless you're putting it in your vodka.
Absolutely not!
After that debacle with that flat car, I became very sensitive to the mere possibility of leaving ANY chemical behind. So I advocate for very simple ones.
I will say that "leaving" a pleasant.... feels like a warning sign to me.
Better to just wear a breathing mask and go outside with the nasty stuff.
You are a valued member of this forum, and of others.
It appears I misinterpreted a few things here.
In his opening paragraph the OP states:
lone geepas well as wash the model is warm soapy water and blow it dry with compressed air.
So I was under the impression that this was the only cleaning that his resin kit was seeing.
I suggested a stronger solvent. Knowing some contributors here prefer to NOT use VOC solvents I also, pretty much as a footnote, mentioned a "citrus cleaner" and even provided a link.
That's about where you came along and mentioned what I interpreted as a distain for the so-called environmentally friendly degreaser.
To me it came off as sounding condescending. Maybe I misread, as often happens in these threads, your response to my suggestion of citrus-based degreasers.
As it turns out, the OP had already used a citrus cleaner as suggested by the manufacturer of the kit.
lone geepBoth of the models are Sylvan Scale Models kits and were cleaned with their proprietary citrus mold release cleaner before assembly.
But he left this bit of information out of his first thread posting.
I copy>pasted some drivel about citrus cleaner that stated that it left a "citrusy scent" behind. It should be noted though that an additional cleaning with detergent and (I use distilled) water is still necessary.
I notice that when I use Naptha or Acetone or Carbon Tet it also leaves behing a bit of a "scent" as well.
That said, I DO like a bit of citrusy overtones in my Manhattan or sometimes I'll even have a daring twist of lime in my gins and tonic.
Sorry for any misunderstanding.
Regards, Ed
The only other note on the OP post I can think of is that he stated he is using ModelFlex, and 25psi.
Please note: This is the bare minimum pressure that ModelFlex is required to be sprayed at. Most times, I have found that 30, to even 32psi works much better with ModelFlex.
Read further for my latest experiences with ModelFlex paints - Skip if easily offended...
But my latest bottles of ModelFlex all have an issue with "beading/orange peel" type finish, so I have switched to TruColor.
Prep work seemed to not matter, as even using new disposable gloves, hot water, dish soap with a brand new toothbrush, dried with a hair dryer on low heat, my last batch had this occur. Whether it was something got added in to the dish detergent during C19, or something changed in the ModelFlex formulas, something is certainly different with how ModelFlex is reacting to being airbrushed onto model bodies.
I had zero issue with the same model using TruColor.
I thought maybe I just had a bad bottle, and have a GP35 Kato I'm painting and decaling with a different color. That color bottle, purchased new, and is the latest bottle style so not "sitting forever unused stock" also had the beading/orange peel issue, even after the wearing gloves, new toothbrush, hot water prep, with a final rinse using distilled water.
The GP35 is now sitting in a Isopropyl bath awaiting a scrub down to remove the stubborn bad paint from a detailed area. (The "quick hot water bath and soapy scrub" ModelFlex uncured "oops" removal trick did not work.... So something is "off" in this bottles formulation.)
I emailed Badger, and have had zero response back so far....
I have placed an order for the needed color in TruColor paint now.
YMMV.
(I warned those easily offended to not read further, as it might sound like I'm bashing Bardger. I'm not. Simply stating facts of my latest experiences.)
Ricky W.
HO scale Proto-freelancer.
My Railroad rules:
1: It's my railroad, my rules.
2: It's for having fun and enjoyment.
3: Any objections, consult above rules.
This problem with Modelflex has happened before when it was called Accuflex. They had an issue at the time with contamination by not cleaning something properly.
An I am still using Scalecoat because I am not fast enough or smart enough to use acrylic paint in an airbrush. Everytime I ever tried to use acrylic paint in an airbrush I ended up with that stuff rock hard inside the airbrush.
Sheldon
ricktrains4824 The only other note on the OP post I can think of is that he stated he is using ModelFlex, and 25psi. Please note: This is the bare minimum pressure that ModelFlex is required to be sprayed at. Most times, I have found that 30, to even 32psi works much better with ModelFlex.
So that explains it. A few years back I was trying to use modelflex with an air compressor that didn't have a regulator valve on it and it was terrible. When I researched, I thought I'd read that 20 psi was the max for that paint but it appears I was mistaken. Thanks for the advice and keep it coming!
lone geep ricktrains4824 The only other note on the OP post I can think of is that he stated he is using ModelFlex, and 25psi. Please note: This is the bare minimum pressure that ModelFlex is required to be sprayed at. Most times, I have found that 30, to even 32psi works much better with ModelFlex. So that explains it. A few years back I was trying to use modelflex with an air compressor that didn't have a regulator valve on it and it was terrible. When I researched, I thought I'd read that 20 psi was the max for that paint but it appears I was mistaken. Thanks for the advice and keep it coming!
Here is a link to their own instruction sheet.
http://www.badgerairbrush.com/PDF/ModelFlex%20032613.pdf
Part 4A says internal mix airbrushes work best, at 25-30 psi. I've always had to go the higher 30+ psi on an internal mix airbrush with ModelFlex though. And I've tried with both internal and external mix airbrushes, the external mix brush I was able to go a bit lower, I think ~27psi, or it applied the paint very thick.
And it didn't seem to matter if I used my Iwata Neo, a HarborFreight knock off, my Testors external mix, or a Amazon knock off airbrush. They all required more than the minimum 25psi in my experience.
Note - The HF knock off airbrush, and the Amazon version, both internal mix like the Neo, work extremely well when compared side-by-side with my Neo. The only noticable difference was the finest "dot" size they could do, the Neo had a finer "dot" size than the Amazon, with the HF being the largest. But for painting HO scale railcars and locomotive bodies, dot size didn't really come into play.
ATLANTIC CENTRAL An I am still using Scalecoat because I am not fast enough or smart enough to use acrylic paint in an airbrush. Everytime I ever tried to use acrylic paint in an airbrush I ended up with that stuff rock hard inside the airbrush. Sheldon
In my experience, from years of painting model cars, I get the smoothest finish at low pressure (15 to 20 psi) and well thinned paint. Regardless of brand of paint the low pressure allows paint to flow better. The high pressure paint recommendations make me leery as this often contributes to the exact finish the OP describes as the high pressure can dry the paint before it hits the piece to be painted.