[NSRCA-discussion] Learning to Airbrush

[John Ferrell]

Painting with an airbrush is very easy. The secret is in the paint! Any airbrush including the $5 Harbor Freight tool works. Art work is another subject, some of us don't have it and cannot get it!

I would start with a cheap external mix unit and simply paint outside on a reasonable day, the main hazard being dust on the subject and overspray on the surroundings. I test materials and setup on stuff out of the recycles can, mainly plastics. 

20 psi is plenty of pressure for the airbrush, regulate down from there. Again, the Harbor freight filters & regulators work very well. The real advantage of base coat-clear coat is that it is easy to remove and redo! When something don't come out right, remove the paint & do it until it is right. 

The Art Work is out of my reach, but the process is just not that hard!

BTW, I use an inexpensive Sears diaphragm compressor for everything from painting to impact wrenches. Harbor sells long air hose cheap!

BTW#2- The motorcycle guys pay big bucks for their paint work and it is a lot easier than Pattern Airplanes...
John Ferrell  W8CCW
 
"A nation of sheep will beget a government of wolves."
-Edward R. Murrow
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Lisa n Larry 
  To: NSRCA 
  Sent: Sunday, February 28, 2010 10:49 AM
  Subject: [NSRCA-discussion] Learning to Airbrush


  I'm going to learn how to use an airbrush. I will start with water based paint (Createx) to learn the techniques of using an airbrush.

  Once I have learned how to use and control the airbrush, I will be using Pactra paint for the lexan canopy.

  Where do you paint using a small paint booth (width -30" or less)? Is there a paint booth that will allow safely airbrush painting indoors with the Createx paint (water based)? I'm going to assume that airbrushing Pactra indoors even w/ carbon filters is not wise. If you have a set up that allows for it, I would be curious but I will probably wait till the weather warms up and airbrush in my garage with the Pactra due to Lisa's trips in and out of the hospital.

  Airbrush is a Paasche VLSTPRO with #3 and #5 needles (had it for about 10 years now). I plan on using the #5 as there isn't any fine detail I'm looking at. I have a compressor and a portable air tank w/ regulator and water separator (??? not sure if that is the correct name).

  My plan is to mask off the bottom of the canopy with 1/8" masking tap. Blend in from the tape working up a 1/2 inch or so with Pactra Metallic Red (RC64). The next step would be to fill in the rest of the canopy with Metallic Flake Silver (RC69). To finish the scheme I plan to use black as a backing to the metallic colors. Remove the masking and paint the bottom edge using Pactra Sprint White...Trim the edges off the canopy and attach to plane.

  Does this seem like the right path? I don't mind if there is some lightly blended in red throughout the canopy resulting from overspray as this would be the effect I'm looking for. I'll practice this on white paper first (opposite order) with Createx paint. Then switch to lexan sheets to ensure the desired effect. Then hit the canopy...

  If you have a Paint Booth and can send me pics off line I would appreciate it. Please let me know if I'm on the right path..

  Larry Diamond

  PS - The canopy is for my wife's plane Tower Hobbies Kaos 40, I want to get it right and jazz it up a bit...Ohhh and don't tell anybody, but this will let me practice airbrushing before I start on any Pattern plane.VBG.



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