Spraying Tamiya X paints, HELP

[Lynx]

I have primed with Ultimate white primer with an airbrush and sprayed with Tamiya X7 but I'm getting dull patches on the paint work. Does anyone have any ideas as to why this is happening?

[alextheblue]

I have primed with Ultimate white primer with an airbrush and sprayed with Tamiya X7 but I'm getting dull patches on the paint work. Does anyone have any ideas as to why this is happening?

Can be a common problem with Tamiya. They're great paints, but they can dry very quickly and this causes the dull rough patches (can almost look like fine sand). If you're happy with the thinner you're using, lower the pressure a tad and spray closer to the model. Personally, I always use Mr Hobby Multi Levelling Thinner with Tamiya paints to get them nice and "wet". A light mist coat over the primer to start with and then increasingly heavier coats until you've got the coverage you want. Best of luck!

[Lynx]

Ok thanks. I'm using Ultimate thinner. What sort of pressure would you recommend? Thank you for your help.

[alextheblue]

Ok thanks. I'm using Ultimate thinner. What sort of pressure would you recommend? Thank you for your help.

Depends on your AB. start with between 15 and 20 and see how you go. Slightly lower if you've got a Harder & Steenbeck.

[Lynx]

Ok. To be honest it's just a cheap one that came with my compressor, just to get me started.

[digger303]

Not due to finger prints ? Paint pulling away from certain area's ?

[Lynx]

That maybe a possability. Will double check next time and clean the surface. Thanks for the help.

[barryf1fan]

I have primed with Ultimate white primer with an airbrush and sprayed with Tamiya X7 but I'm getting dull patches on the paint work. Does anyone have any ideas as to why this is happening?

I had this same issue, Lynx, as I am a complete n00b using the airbrush. I had some XF-1 (flat black) that I had already thinned with Mr Hobby MLT, I then thinned it out a bit more for airbrushing and it sprayed beautifully (sprayed the chassis and bits). BUT, I had already thinned that paint quite a bit with the MLT (for brushing before I got the airbrush)... so when I go to spray the white for the base color of my car, it was terrible - exact same issues that you were having. Plus I was getting some orange peel from spraying too far away from the subject.

The guru's on here gave me the advice about how Tamiya Acrylics will dry really fast, and that Tamiya X-20A Acrylic thinner is junk (don't use this by the way!!) and to use either MLT and/or the Tamiya Lacquer Thinner. Once I switched over to that the paint went on great. I think the Tamiya Acrylics can be used, you just have to be mindful of their nature. Once I use up some more of the acrylics I have I will switch over to the LP paints, but I have quite a bit of Tamiya Acrylics... so...

Anyway, let us know what you figured out or experimented with. All of us are trying to learn and sharing your trials will help some of us that are going through the same thing. Remember, knowledge comes from mistakes not success. Having the knowledge makes us successful, and thanks again for sharing your struggle - right there with'ya brother.