"PRODUCTION" TURRET KING TIGER

[HERMAN BIX]

Gave the airbrush a go. Changed to the smallest needle, lowered the air pressure until it barely sprayed and used a normal paint mix. Used a bit of cut off guard as the sacrificial sample.
Here are the results.

No consistency, no sure way of getting a controlled application, not using this method on the King.

[ALPHA]

I don't know Grasshopper ...personally I think you are almost there ...as you don't need each circle to be perfect...

a smaller image than the one you first provided....you are damn close

try a medium tip and needle...then a slightly thicker mix so you don't get as much spatter ...a little higher pressure...press your trigger without pulling back for flow...till the air stabilizes then slowly pull the trigger back...once you get the feel ...it will go fast

Remember Herman...you can always correct the circle should you need too...a good way to practice that is to go over the same circle over and over ...that way you can get a good idea of the pattern that is coming out of your gun also the position of your finger

ALPHA

[ALPHA]

By the way Herman...what are you using? Gravity feed or Siphon?

ALPHA

[HERMAN BIX]

Gravity feed. The teqnique as such Im happy with, but the variation of the paint mix, air pressure and overspray control is just to wild.
I masked using blue tack and it worked bang on, so that at least is a tick.
I will repaint the base on my sample & try the cut down brush to see if its more consistent.

[ALPHA]

Gravity feed. The teqnique as such Im happy with, but the variation of the paint mix, air pressure and overspray control is just to wild.
I masked using blue tack and it worked bang on, so that at least is a tick.
I will repaint the base on my sample & try the cut down brush to see if its more consistent.

OK MAN I HEAR YOU....Gravity feeds are a little trickier ...thickening the mix is good on a gravity feed...the trick is finding the correct distance between the tip of the gun and the surface you are applying the paint to....for those donuts...you will have to go closer than usual....now here's the tricky part...when going so close...you get back splash...or fine overspray that blows back towards the gun....this will eventually clog the tip and will need to be cleared...on a siphon feed...it's an easy back flush then go full flow on to a piece of scrap paper (you should always have one handy )....back flushing a gravity feed can be messy...as the blow back will blow whatever is in your paint cup out ....so be cautious
Best thing to do is do as many donuts as you can with a half full cup ...then clear the following parts...the go at it again

The parts to keep clear is 1a 1b and 1c in the diagram...you don't need to take the gun apart to do this...only after the job is finished...but during the paint job...it's a must to keep it clear of paint 1c is your flow tip...1b is your siphon cap...air passes through that pulling the paint from 1b ....1a is your velocity cap...this provides additional vacuum for the siphoning of the paint...if the surface of that gets too much debri...you pattern will go crooked

To clear 1a...pull your needle all the way back...or remove it ..a wet Q tip will usually do the job...make sure there is a gap between 1a and 1c as that is your vacuum tunnel

To clear 1b is a little harder on a gravity feed...after you clean 1a dip the tip in a bowl of water...then shoot the residual onto paper...if there is no paint in the bowl...fill that with water and flush it that way as well

To clear 1c... remove all the paint in the bowl and flush with a pumping motion on the trigger...the movement of the needle should clear any muck that has built up

It sounds like a lot to do...but it really isn't ...should take only a few mins ...as you can sometimes combine the clearing methods ...this should give you more consistent patterns

And as I noted before...take notice of just when the paint comes out...that is generally your finest line ...and always let the line pressure stabilize before allowing the paint to flow...it will decrease the over spray and paint spatter


Hope this helps Herman....it's easier if I could demonstrate...but I do think you are there

ALPHA

[HERMAN BIX]

You are bang on with the described problems.
I just stuck my finger over the end of the nozzle to back blast the blockages as they occurred.
No way I want to risk this on so many rings.

I did have a bit of an abstract thought today.............as I do.

Went to an office stationary supply place to get a few options on white paint pens. Might be handy option for turret numbers etc.
Found PAINT PEN fine liners., in dark green & a kind of Khaki.
They use an ink rather than paint as such, but after trials which included over spraying with matt sealer to see if the ink reacts, and dabbing with tissue paper to absorb any excess, I am now confident in the solution.

With the 2 colours I can go over each ring multiple times until the desired result is obtained.
Dab with a tissue to flatten it out & go on to the next one.
Has the added result of looking hand applied-because it is, and some controlled application- which my/me airbrushing will not do.

[ALPHA]

And that's all she wrote for that ...donuts no longer a problem...carry on sir


ALPHA

[HERMAN BIX]

Seems I have lucked out alright. There were racks of these coloured fine tip pens. Ranged in sizes from 0.2mm tip to 2.5mm tips.
Now I'm not saying the colour is a spot on match for the Tamiya paint blend I have, but for the risk involved in freehand airbrushing its going to be near enough.
A mild dusting with XF 57 Buff and/or XF 52 flat earth (society of which I am not a follower of !!) should bring any differences into line once done.
Just goes to show that outside the square is well worth looking into, and I would never have discovered these pens unless a seed of an idea was germinated by the possible use of a simple white paint pen to do turret numbers. Mr Bhudda, thanks.

Lets see how it actually goes eh................

[ALPHA]

Seems I have lucked out alright. There were racks of these coloured fine tip pens. Ranged in sizes from 0.2mm tip to 2.5mm tips.
Now I'm not saying the colour is a spot on match for the Tamiya paint blend I have, but for the risk involved in freehand airbrushing its going to be near enough.
A mild dusting with XF 57 Buff and/or XF 52 flat earth (society of which I am not a follower of !!) should bring any differences into line once done.
Just goes to show that outside the square is well worth looking into, and I would never have discovered these pens unless a seed of an idea was germinated by the possible use of a simple white paint pen to do turret numbers. Mr Bhudda, thanks.

Lets see how it actually goes eh................

Paint pens have been around for a long time....Tamiya even has a line of their own.... I think you did luck out...because as you say...the color isn't all that bad....they have them here.... I generally buy only black and white...as the other colors are more like crayon colors... very bright and not really suitable...reason I didn't mention those lol
But hey...problem solved...it's great when things work themselves out isn't it


ALPHA

[PainlessWolf]

Good Morning, Herman,
Cool idea with the Paint Pens! I used a white one on 'Maxene' and it worked out well to give me that paintbrushed look to the name. Following along.
regards,
Painless