low10s........ not really. white is the best color to back both the yellow and neon red to retain their brilliance and proper color ( incuding water based paints). I wouldn't back either color with anything but white.........

silver is mostly used to back laquer ( pactra/ spazstix) candies and metallics with, and also as a final undercoat to finish up a painted body.

thanks i will go and get some white. :thumbsup:

dropping in to see how everything has been.. looks quiet.

I have been extremely busy with painting, my shop and school as of late.....

But, my hard work is finally starting to pay off !!!

After years of airbrushing bodies in obscurity to the R/C industry as a whole, you'll finally be able to see some of my work in upcoming issues of the new magazine " R/C Driver "........

Thanks to Dave Schultz and Dave Baker for helping out so much !

Hello all,

I've been looking for a way to host some of my paint jobs and finally found one. Let me know what you think!

http://www.rcpics.net/view_single.php?medid=12134

http://www.rcpics.net/view_single.php?medid=12135

P.S. Is there any way to aach a thumbnail link?

Badsign-

very unique designs, and I like color choices. It's so hard to be original any more, but your headed in the right direction!

I agree! Very nice job! I like the hood effects of the break-through pattern. Very nice touch!

PD2 :thumbsup:

While shooting some Pactra Pearl Green and Metallic Yellow my Aztek decided it had enough and stopped functioning. I had to return it to Testors for them to take a look at it.
I picked up a Paasche H external mix and boy has the Testor's airbrush ease of cleanup and color changes spoiled me.
Let's see if I can add a photo here in a few...not a real good photo of the handiwork...a little too overexposed. Should have shot it darker and a lot closer.
http://home.wideopenwest.com/~ldmartin/BRPSC18pearlmetallicGreen3.gif

I got a cheapie single action, external mix Paasche airbrush that I want to use to paint R/C lexan bodies. I have a compressor as well.

What is the correct pressure for the Pactra Lexan Laquer paints ? Do you spray them straight from the bottle or thin them ? If so, how much ??

Thx!

Goodwrench......... when thinned properly, pactra laquers will spray very well from 20-30 psi. Thin the with Pactra r/c thinner or acrylic laquer thinner only. The ratio for most colors except candies is 50/50 and candies can be thinned as needed for various results. if the paint cobwebs at 30 psi , it's not thin enough.


Rafster. not bad! for an external mix brush. I always hate those thing lol...... :D

OK thanks JS!

I was shooting it waaaaaaaaay too thick then !

It worked at around 40 psi, but it did have a "sandpaper" finish :)

JSBodies,

You wrote: "Thin with Pactra r/c thinner or acrylic laquer thinner only."

Are you talking the Acryllic thinner for Acrylic paints and Pactra lacquer thinner for the lacquer based polycarbonate paints?
Is there such a thing as acrylic lacquer thinner?

Generic store brand lacquer thinner doesn't work well for Pactra PolyCarbonate paints?
I typically would shoot it unthinned at higher pressures...in error...

Thanks!

You can get laquer thinner by the gallon from your local automotive paint store. It's cheaper by the gallon. The acrylic thinner is synthetic if I remember. Tell the paint guys what you're using it for and they should be able to get you the right stuff.

TeamGoodwrench-

LOL......... :D yep, it's just like that when to thick

Rafster-

Mars is correct, it's automotive laquer thinner for the pactra laquer paint.I use a medium set reducer from Martin Seymour, and although it's purchased by the gallons, it's cheaper than buying the metal pint cans from Pactra. although if you only paint occassionally , a pint will last a while......... always use a respirator when sprayng this stuff, the keytones in the thinner and paint are extremely harmful to the nervous system, trust me!

JSBodies and Mars,

Thanks for the advice. I have bunch of the Pactra R/C Paint left (some unopened) and have pretty much switched to the Acrylics...
I prefer the easy cleanup and the lack of neurotoxins in the acrylics.
At one point I thought they were totally discontinuing the Pactra R/C Paint that is ketone based due to EPA standards for VOC and other regulations.
I used a respirator most of the time when I would shoot that paint
or I would do the painting outside where there was plenty of fresh air.

Need some paint? :cool:

For Pactra's acrylic what do you use for a reducer...I've had some problems with excessive drying while shooting some of the Pearls or Metallics with the Testor's Aztek using acrylic specific tips. I tend to notice less trouble shooting in gravity feed rather than siphon in dual action mode.

The Pasche H airbrush is more difficult to work with for color changes or I don't know how to do it the easy way...

You certainly do some nice paint work JS...you and CharlieB and others here turn out some excellent bodies.

I did a couple Ferrari 360 Modenas (RAD Racing Aero Dynamics bodies) for a recent Ferrari Challenge (18th scale) race that were pretty cool, replicas of some of the race cars in the Ferrari Challenge with a bit of liberty and artistic license. I don't know if I got some good pictures (35mm) of the cars prior to racing. Since my 12 year old son and I were bashing them up pretty good they aren't as pretty now...

Thanks again for the advice!

Yeah... but ya gotta love the smell of that Pactra laquer :)

Team Goodwrench- LOL!!!!!!


RAFster- I swapped to the Parma paint, and use it because it and the createx paints are basically the same thing. I had been using createx auto air for a while on various things like riding mowers and such, and it didn't take long to figure out that it was great for r/c bodies once I started using the faskolor paint. I began looking at the colors real close and HEY ! what do ya know! they are they same! :D it's also more bang for the buck than the pacra paint.

I had heard that some of the guys where using alcohol to thin the pactra acrylic and createx, but have been using plainold water to thin my water based paints for years.

I also use an Iwata Eclipse to shoot Water based paints...... (and
for all of my work now) one tip for everything, it sprays a line to 2" wide strokes and clean up is a breeze.

also, I use a crown cap, and it makes tip cleaning even easier, and is great for fine line work.

I spray the createx/faskolor at 35-45 psi........

JSBodies---- I am new to this air brushing stuff and I have been using faskolor and it seems to clog the brush I think its to thick how much do you thin yours thanks

Josh- I hardly thin it all unless I just have too. I have gotten used to spraying the pearls and irridescents at 45-50 psi, but will thin them only with a 1/2 teaspoon or so to spray well at a lower psi if it's needed.

What kind of brush are you using? the faskolor will tend to clog up the Testors/Aztek brushes, and the smaller tips on Paasche brushes too. It's basically like "tip dry" sometimes.

What kind of brush are you using? the faskolor will tend to clog up the Testors/Aztek brushes, and the smaller tips on Paasche brushes too. It's basically like "tip dry" sometimes.
No kidding. Iwata here I come...

Dan- Lol!!!! :d

What kind of brush are you using? the faskolor will tend to clog up the Testors/Aztek brushes, and the smaller tips on Paasche brushes too. It's basically like "tip dry" sometimes.

I am using the Badger Anthem and get the tip dry thing going all the time. I have learned to deal with it but it just a pain in the @$$ to have to stop to clean it. I have still had gerat painting results but would like it to stop. I spray all water base and am doing so at about 45 psi.

I got the Paasche VL maybe I need to change needles or tips

hi, i was woundering if anyone has tried the acrylic waterbase paints in the craft dept in walmart. like to know if they will work on the rc lexan bodies. they just say for all solid surfaces on the bottles. the bottles look just like the one the parma faskolors come in.

BIGDON

T- main... yep, it's always gonna be something to clean up with water based paints, even with Iwata's too although not as bad.

Bigdon18.... nope, haven't tried it myself. I know that the createx/faskolor paints are flexilbe when dry.

Try out a bottle on some scrap lexan to see how it adheres and flexes when dry.

Purchase white, because if your happy with the results, you'll be using a lot of it......

JSBODIES,
i try that this weekend, it be nice to run and buy some paint when you need some instead of ordering it,, the nearest hobby shop to me is a hour and a half away.

also where can i order the createx paints at? or can i might buy them locally also. thanks for any help in advance.

BIGDON

Createx is available locally from craft stores or online at coast air or bear air.

Will the Createx in the craft stores such as Michael's craft stores or Dick Blick's art stores carry a Createx paint. These aren't the Auto Air line of paints... Are they the same and are they compatible with the Lexan bodies? My understanding was the Auto Air had better bonding agents than the textile paints the craft and art stores carry.

Some of our hobby shops carry the Parma Faskolor paints.

Another online source is http://www.dixieart.com as JSBodies mentioned...

The autoair will stick to lexan better but I've used both. You have to get a significant amount to make ordering autoair worth it.

When I was using the water based stuff, I used the Parma paint for my main colors and the normal Createx for accents. If the body's not clean, it won't even think about sticking. I also tried using a bonding agent and it helped.

Hey guys, thinking of getting an airbrush, for RC only. Which would you recommend. I heard the dual action may be more trouble than what it's worth. ??

Sorry if this has been aksed before I havent had the time to look at all the pages.

I would get a Pashe or Iwata dual action airbrush. I personally prefer the Iwata Revolution for RC painting ($75-$80).

As far as dual action being more trouble. In a word, nope. There is more control with a dual action and it's very easy to master. Basically, With a single action, you push the button and get both air and paint with very little control of how much. With a dual action, you push for air and pull back to get paint. The more you pull back the more paint you get.

In either case, practice a little on a piece of glass or scrap Lexan.

Okay, so Iwata makes the Revolution series, in bottom and gravity feed versions. The cup looks friggin' huge, but I guess it's really no bigger than the one on my VL.

The Eclipse has a better selection of cups and feeds. It costs about $15-25 more.

Why? What, if anything, is the difference?

Dan-

the revolution brushes basically fill the gap between the cheap entry level airbrushes and the higher quality brushes such as the eclipse. While they function almost as well as the eclipse brushes, they were primarily designed for the model/hobby industry and come with a solvent proof seal to resist the deteriorating effects of enamel and laquers that are available to model builders, and still spray water based paints well while being a great and affordable first airbrush to the model/hobby enthusiast with quality that is second to none. ( lol :D I sound like a sales pitch )

The brush is designed differently internally, and has a few more parts than the Eclipse series. Iwata has a brief description of each on their site, and you can check them out and compare designs. Dixieart.com also has a diagramatic break down of the brushes too.


http://www.arttalk.com/iwata/hp-cr.htm


http://www.arttalk.com/iwata/new/neweclipseairbrushes.htm#HPBCS

Yeah, I went all through those webpages today and found an appalling lack of info among the expected fluff. Why can one airbrush cost $70 and another can cost $270? I know it's mainly the manufacturing tolerances, but still, from a salesmanship perspective, it's a crappy site. You'd think they'd go for a hard sell rather than just "Great for the beginner!" or "Great for the professional!"

There's nothing that says what's included with the brush, either. Do I need to buy hose at least? There are several box sets too, but with a similar dearth of information.

Nevertheless, I believe I'm headed for an Eclipse CS or SBS.

Dan- purchase you eclipse from Dixie art, Bear air or Coast airbrush. They offer the eclipse complete with a 6 or 10' hose and all are about the same price.

Trust me, there is a big difference between the $70 entry level and $270 fine art airbrush.

I am considering getting an Iwata Revolution, but was wondering what the pros/cons are of a siphon feed vs gravity feed brush. My primary use would be painting RC bodies.

Thanks

Gubawatts-

A gravity feed brush will allow you to get closer in to the lexan body, and will allow you to create finer lines and details if needed. the downside to it is you will have to refill a little more frequently for large coverage areas or backing colors.

A siphon feed brush will not let you get as close to your work, but you will be able to use quick change caps directly on your paint bottles. Keep one bottle full of cleaner, and you'll be able to swap between colors almost as quick as a gravity feed brush. The upside is that you will not run out of the color you are working with unlees your bottle is out of paint.

I use the createx bottle tops with redi caps for my faskolor and auto air colors, it makes color changes quick and easy. since I paint a lot of bodies, it has been most effecient for me to use a siphon feed.

If you plan on painting occasionally, I suppose a gravity feed might be better for you, and easier to flush clean before storing.

The biggest difference for me is that gravity feed brushes waste less product. You can put a few drops of paint in a gravity feed for accents but a siphon feed wastes the paint in the tube each time you change.

Siphon feeds are great for changing colors quickly (that's why the shirt painters use them)

The quality is the same between gravity and siphon feeds of the same model.

The difference between a $70 dollar airbrush and a $300 airbrush is huge. I've used the microns and they're way different. You use less paint, the spray pattern is more fine, and you can paint hair lines. They're also much more delicate.

As for the site, it sucks. If you're in the market for a high end airbrush you are in the custom or illustration industry and you know what you want.

I have to agree with Fred!



If you have a bottle and cap for every color, the paint in the bottle tube is not wasted and you'll be flushing the same amount of color from your brush..... but if your just changing from color to color using only one bottle top for every color, it's a BIG waste!

I paint bodies like T-shirt artist's, and the quick change bottle tops are a must for me, and allow me to move quickly from color to color.

I hope to pick up a spectra wand and micron B soon, that way I can just go from color to color without any bottle changes!

Yeah, unless you're painting a lot of bodies at once, gravity feed is the way to go. If you paint a lot at once, then siphon feeds are faster and time is money.

I saw that spectra thing last year, looks like it's pretty cool. Wonder how much fun it is to clean if any paint dries in it. The micron's are a little bit overkill for what most of us do anyway.

Thanks JS and Fred B.

I appreciate the experts' opinions on this. I only expect to paint a few bodies of my own, and a couple for friends a year.. and maybe a few other occasional odd uses, so it sounds like the gravity feed would work well for me.

:thumbsup:

Fred- Oh yeah, the micron is over the top! but I also airbrush other stuff too, and it's just been a "gotta have" since I watched Craig Frasier use it at one of his siminars.


I'm kinda concerned about paint drying in that spectra wand too, but I'm hoping it won't be a problem if I use it on a daily basis.. I'm going to just bite the bullet and get one I think?

I'll let everyone know how it goes if I do..............

Jsbodies ,
i tried the acrylic and the acrylic enamel,, the acrylic did good but the other didnt do to good ,,,but i had to try it,,it was a glowin the dark,

i sprayed several light coats and back with white ,, but it still didnt look good in light and didnt stand out in the dark really.

but the purple of acrylic did good for me so far.
thanks for your help and others.

BIGDON

Bigdon- keep us posted! who made the glow in the dark paint?

Here's a few pics of my finished T-4. The dark color is actually faschange scarebeus but it doesn't show too well.


T-4 (http://www.jsbodies.com/t4001.JPG)

T-4 (http://www.jsbodies.com/t4002.JPG)

T-4 (http://www.jsbodies.com/t4003.JPG)

great looking paint job,

BIGDON

Just reading back...

Jsbodies, what seminar did you go to? I was at Vegas last year.

FB

http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/showthread.php?t=66390

I didnt know where to post it.. so I put it in the model forum. Maybe someone with Airbrush experience can take a look please?

Thanks!

Fred B... He had a one day seminar here in april.

RcMits...... try this very helpful PDF file from paasche

http://www.paascheairbrush.com/parts_2003/VVJRVLVLSAirbrushes.pdf

Nobody is painting bodies since October...??? Or, is everyone too busy?

I have a question about Fasglitter... Can I spray it effectively using a Paasche H airbrush with the large needle and standard tip?
Thanks for sharing any experience and tips you might have!

I finally got my Testor's Aztek replacement airbrush body in late November. I had one of the early black bodied dual or single action airbrushes and the body started leaking at the control lever. I've not tried the replacement 470 airbrush body they sent me... Looks the same as far as controls but is more comfortable in the hand.

Thanks!