Enamels versus Acrylics using an Airbrush.

[Mike Broom]

Searching and reading available threads, does anyone have a preference for Enamels or Acrylics using an Airbrush to paint brass locos etc.
I have 2 Worsley Works diesels ready to paint and would be interested to hear any advice. Plenty of YouTube videos using Acrylics but they are mainly on plastic models not brass. Mike B.

[engerth399]

For what it's worth I had difficulty applying the paint when I started using an airbrush.  I was booked into one of the modellers weekends at Great Missenden and they say if you are having a particular problem bring it along.  Their advice was to use enamels when airbrushing and I have stuck with this.

Peter

[tebee]

I switched from enamels to acrylics about 12 years, partly out of concerns for my own health ( I was doing it semi-professionally at the time so using it much more than most) but also because I had an asthmatic partner and the fumes used to affect her even though I was working in the cellar  with an extractor fan going.

I think enamels are slightly easier to use, but after a while found I could get a better and more consistent finish using acrylics - I used Liquitex  artist's acrylic mostly.

Main problem I found was a constant buildup of dry paint around the inside of the rim of the tip of the airbrush with acrylics - I needed to spend a lot more cleaning it and often had to dismantle it  and clean the bits in the ultrasonic machine.

Tom

[Graeme Dunbar]

That's a relief - I get build-up of dried acrylic paint too. I wondered if it was me, the airbrush, settings or whatnot.

I've yet to try enamels in my airbrush. I've heard that being solvent based the the paint atomizes more readily so lower pressure can be used which may help with spraying into small corners.

I've found George Dent's book a great help:
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Airbrushing-Railway-Modellers-George-Dent/dp/1847972659

[Baconbutty0]

I use Vallejo Air paint sometimes thinned with liqiutex airbrush medium with a Iwata airbrush.  Find that the paint build up is minimal, but always clean it out between colour changes.  I do get a fair bit of build up with the Vallejo primer though.

I always do a strip and thorough clean after each session which is a bit of a pain and remove the needle from the airbrush for storage as I have found it sometimes sticks to the seals in storage.  Not sure why but may be caused by the airbrush cleaner.

Ollie.

[Darren Hedges]

I use Vallejo 'Model colour' almost exclusively now, and have done for a number of years.

I too have found that there is more paint build up using acrylics than enamels, but this is widely known in the military modeling world where acrylics have been the predominant painting medium for some years now.

Most acrylics can be thinned with water (the one exception that i know of being Tamiya which is alcohol based), although for best results I would suggest using the manufacturer's recommended thinners.

To quote Vallejo 'You may want to use our Thinner (70.524) if you are painting very small details. This thinner does not contain solvents, it has the same formula as the colors but without pigment.'

When airbrushing I thin Model Colour approx 50% with their thinners. I purchased some small (10ml) eye dropper bottles from ebay and I mix up a batch of a thinned colour in these bottles as I find that it is much easier to accurately mix or thin a larger amount than a smaller one. The paint stays usable in these bottles for quite some time.

A point to note:- Vallejo reformulated their thinners a couple of years ago and it is much more like their airbrush cleaner, both in appearance and function. I have even used the cleaner as thinners in the past with no issues with the resulting paint finish.

Here are a few links to various useful downloads from Vallejo.

Catalogue.
http://cdn.acrylicosvallejo.com/b1feddde4a0207ea8be192da70e63fc4/CC075-rev10-catalogo-modelismo.pdf

Frequently asked questions.
http://cdn.acrylicosvallejo.com/65a2f7365274da82fe3b0d786827957b/model-FAQS-CC001-rev03.pdf

Conversion chart for other makes of modeling paint.
http://cdn.acrylicosvallejo.com/0049261608364909a238add9b4a53745/CC073-rev05.pdf

Colour chart
http://cdn.acrylicosvallejo.com/96921f6a542f9c4908aacc121b259cc0/Carta_ModelColor_rev01.pdf

Hope this helps.

Regards,
Darren.

[Mike Broom]

Thanks for responses. The Vallejo range looks amazing and I will certainly investigate their offerings. Comments re cleaning are very valid if the number of videos on YouTube are anything to go by.
Not sure if I will have a completed and painted loco by the end of September, but if I do I will have it with me at Swanley where I hope to see the sales stand and staff and meet other 009 members who maybe present. (I live in Aus)
Thanks again, MikeB.

[Elmgate]

Mike,

The "approved" gathering point for Society Members is the Sussex Downs Group display stand  ;) . Come and make yourself know there.