Airbrushing Liquitex varnish question

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visgoth

New member
Anybody have advice for spraying Liquitex varnishes (both matte and gloss) with my airbrush? The advice on how (if) to thin them is different depending on if I read the bottle or the website.

I gave them a try based on the website info, but with both of them they sprayed just fine for a few seconds and then I lost flow and was just spraying air. I figured that was a good time to ask for some advice before I ended up having to buy a new airbrush. (I\'m using a cheap single-action Testors brush while I save up for a decent double action.)

Thanks in advance.
 
airhead

airhead

Coffin Dodger / Keymaster
water based or oil based?

water based = thin with water (duh) or alcohol.

oil based = any solvent will do, but drying time will vary and strong solvents may damage the mini (especially if it is plastic).
I\'d go with lacquer thinner (medium or fast).

****

as to the brush not spraying:
1. you didn\'t thin enough. it is too thick to pull up that straw and spray.

2. you have a bit of hard something in the nozzle. Clean with a fine wire. Cleanliness is production. you may be able to pass your finger across the pick-up bit and get it to work.

3. you thinned with the wrong stuff and it globbed up.

4. you thinned but didn\'t mix and sucked all the thinner out and left the thick goop.

5. simplest: Turn up the air about more 5 psi.

6. dial the pick-up nozzle up or down a quarter turn to get the air flow just right.

7. the air inlet hole is plugged. poke it with a paper clip. In the handle to let air back into the jar.

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All of the above advice is for this type gun:

bad250-4.jpg
 
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DaRat

New member
How much you thin depends on the psi that you are using.

It\'s been a couple of months since I pushed liquitex through my airbrush (Iwata HP-C), but I think that I thinned it about 1:1 and used about 20 psi. More psi, less thinning.

I just used the Lascaux matte varnish (which is about the same consistency though maybe a touch thinner) at 27 psi (or so) and a 4:1 dilution.

I\'ve only had the \"only air\" problem when the nozzle gets clogged (either I didn\'t clean well enough or the primer solids have solidified after spraying for a while).
 
Einion

Einion

New member
I think airhead\'s post pretty much nails all the possibilities!

Originally posted by visgoth
Anybody have advice for spraying Liquitex varnishes (both matte and gloss) with my airbrush? The advice on how (if) to thin them is different depending on if I read the bottle or the website.
Click to expand...
FWIW few \'normal\' sites will have information that you can directly rely on for airbrushing. In my experience you can successfully thin stuff waaay down with water when you\'ll regularly read that you shouldn\'t over-thin without using some additional medium of some kind.

With varnishes of the type I think you\'re using you should be able to use at least a 3:1 water to varnish dilution (which will be a breeze to spray) without a problem as long as you don\'t spray from too far back. I\'ve sprayed medium 10:1 and thinner on many occasions.

Originally posted by visgoth
I figured that was a good time to ask for some advice before I ended up having to buy a new airbrush.
Click to expand...
:) You shouldn\'t ever have that trouble if a brush gets clogged unless the solvents you need to clear any blockages eat the washers/seals, if they are made of rubber or similar.

Einion
 
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visgoth

New member
Originally posted by airhead
water based or oil based?

water based = thin with water (duh) or alcohol.
Click to expand...

So far as I know all the Liquitex stuff is water-based. I think the problem is I didn\'t thin at all, because the bottle and website both say not to thin their lacquers. From the other answers, though, I\'m thinking the website just isn\'t clear enough that they mean not to thin the stuff for brush application. I\'ll learn, I promise.

Thanks for the additional troubleshooting advice. I\'m sure I\'ll need it at some point.
 
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visgoth

New member
Originally posted by Einion
They also make Soluvar, their spirit-soluble varnish.

You\'re using this stuff, right?

Einion
Click to expand...

Yes, I\'m using the stuff you linked to. I didn\'t know about the Soluvar, as it isn\'t carried at the store I bought my varnish from. But I\'ll be going to the local art supply store this weekend, so I\'ll look for it there. I\'m trying all sorts of different products to figure out what I like working with most.

I\'ve collected and painted for quite some time, but just recently started going farther than basic colors and some drybrushed highlights.
 
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Saltofheearth

New member
I normally use tamiya acrilic thinner. 2:1 thinner to varnish ratio. Works great, just remember to clean up right away cus it clogs the brush up quick. And don\'t use a solvent because it causes a reaction that makes the varnish \"skin up\"
 
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visgoth

New member
Originally posted by Saltofheearth
I normally use tamiya acrilic thinner...
Click to expand...

Do you mean the Tamiya X-20 thinner? (I don\'t know if Tamiya has another thinner.)

I have a bottle of X-20, so that would be no problem.
 
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Saltofheearth

New member
Yup that\'s the one. :). I suggest that you start with the 2:1 ratio and then test and thin more if needed. It is rather thick stuff. Remember to clean ur nozzel well after with more x20 then warm soapy water cus of will gum up pretty quickly. Good luck!
 
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