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Vallejo fluorescent paint, airbrushing problems


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Some time ago I settled on Vallejo and find I'm fairly competent at airbrushing both Air and Model colour through my Iwatas; I prefer Air, but if I thin the Model Color with plain water and a drop or two of artists flow enhancer, it goes on OK.

For the first time, I just tried some Vallejo fluorescent stuff, and couldn't make it work. Even adding more water and half a dozen drops of flow enhancer failed to prevent it from clogging up very quickly. And what gets onto the model is very thin, watery, feeble stuff.

Is there a special technique? I wanted to use an Airfix aerosol fluo colour but blasted Antics in Bristol were out of stock yesterday...

Thanks, Tony

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Some time ago I settled on Vallejo and find I'm fairly competent at airbrushing both Air and Model colour through my Iwatas; I prefer Air, but if I thin the Model colour with plain water and a drop or two of artists flow enhancer, it goes on OK.

For the first time, I just tried some Vallejo fluorescent stuff, and couldn't make it work. Even adding more water and half a dozen drops of flow enhancer failed to prevent it from clogging up very quickly. And what gets onto the model is very thin, watery, feeble stuff.

Is there a special technique? I wanted to use an Airfix aerosol fluo colour but blasted Antics in Bristol were out of stock yesterday...

Thanks, Tony

I've just used some old Humbrol enamel this week- with a small bit of bother, see my postings on the subject. Came out well in the end and the model is now 'resting' for a week or so to thoroughly 'gas off' before I seal it.

Unsure about Vallejo but someone else on here was extolling the virtues of Halfords rattle can fluoro recently. I like Halfords paints for general work and will probably go that way next time for fluorescent paint.

Nige B

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I've just used some old Humbrol enamel this week- with a small bit of bother, see my postings on the subject. Came out well in the end and the model is now 'resting' for a week or so to thoroughly 'gas off' before I seal it.

Unsure about Vallejo but someone else on here was extolling the virtues of Halfords rattle can fluoro recently. I like Halfords paints for general work and will probably go that way next time for fluorescent paint.

Nige B

Nigel, is that enamel paint, i.e. cellulose thinned, perhaps with some xylene too? I should have emphasised I use Vallejo because I decided a while back that I prefer using acrylics, though I know Humbrol enamel airbrushes very nicely when thinned with cellulose; and that I need currently to airbrush onto expanded polystyrene - which reacts very adversely to cellulose, xylene, other powerful solvents...

So is the Halfords stuff acrylic? I believe the Airfix aerosols are..

rgds Tony

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I'm assuming you're using it on a white basecoat?

Andy

Yes indeed - fluo's work best on that. I could have used Tamiya fine primer but in fact I just sprayed on some Vallejo white. The basecoat is fine, it's just a problem in getting the fluo stuff through the airbrush... I might give it up as too much hassle, and get an acrylic aerosol, which will probably give better results anyway and will be far easier to use for the comparatively large area I need to cover.

rgds Tony

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Nigel, is that enamel paint, i.e. cellulose thinned, perhaps with some xylene too? I should have emphasised I use Vallejo because I decided a while back that I prefer using acrylics, though I know Humbrol enamel airbrushes very nicely when thinned with cellulose; and that I need currently to airbrush onto expanded polystyrene - which reacts very adversely to cellulose, xylene, other powerful solvents...

So is the Halfords stuff acrylic? I believe the Airfix aerosols are..

rgds Tony

Tony,

The exact formulation of the old (35+ years) tins of Humbrol are a mystery see my discussions earlier in the week( http://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/topic/234969146-humbrol-fluorescent-enamel-thinning-issues/ ). I tried initially white spirit which curdled it as did cellulose thinners. The only thing which worked was 'proper' real turpentine. This I used to thin succesfully for airbrushing and also the clean up operations on the airbrush components. It stinks but I airbrush in my shed so that isn't a problem although really it is the same smell which one gets when decorating the house with standard gloss and undercoat paints.

The Halfords stuff, of which I now have a can, is the usual cellulose based which is definitely not indoors friendly. it was £5.99 (I think) so relatively economical.

Cheers, Nige

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FWIW I've used a 50/50 mix of Humbrol Thinner and Cellulose for thinning Humbrol paints old and new and never had any problems.

HTH

Andy

Aye Andy but this old Humbrol fluoro paint of mine which I mentioned is very different from any Humbrol paints I've ever encountered. I too have never had problems before ever with any Humbrol enamels and I've been using them now for over 50 years. Actually, some of the tinlets are also around 50 years old too! Time I shuffled off maybe.

Nige B

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