pphaneuf

I recently started out using an airbrush, with Createx paint, and one thing that I've been having an issue with is that it seems to take a *really* long time to dry properly?

I lay it thin, and I put it in front of a fan, but I've had a wing that I did on a Wednesday still be "tacky" to the touch (and leaving slight fingerprints on it) two days later, on a Friday!

I've been using the paint as-is, without thinner (no problem applying it).

Is there something I should be doing that I'm not doing? I hear some people talk about hair dryer, I haven't got one, is the heat itself really a factor?

oeoeo327

iTrader: (75)

Using light coats, and drying each coat using a hair dryer before applying the next color or layer should dry the paint very quickly - usually the paint should be dry to the touch after a few minutes. If the paint hasn't dried after two days, I'd start thinking there's something wrong with that particular bottle. That said, use of a heat gun/hair dryer is highly recommended.

pphaneuf

My final coat on those wings was indeed a bit on the thick side, but I figured that leaving them with a fan blowing on them for hours, and a few days later ought to do the trick, so I was rather surprised!

I guess I'll obtain something that's got some heat to it, I've been hearing that it might make a difference (compared to just a fan)...

Thanks!

oeoeo327

iTrader: (75)

Heavy coats of Createx, Faskolor, etc. don't dry very well (as you've discovered firsthand). Always spray light, and use heat between coats - you'll be glad you did.

Caci623

painting thick is the main cause of the paint peeling or chipping etc and basically not sticking to the plastic.

pphaneuf

Got my hands on a hair dryer, and that went a lot better, none of that sticky feeling! I still left it in front of the fan for 10 minutes after the hair dryer, to be on the safe side, but it looked like I could have just put on the next coat immediately!

I'm really amazed, just a minute or two with a hair dryer did more than a few hours in front of a fan, the heat must activate something, chemically?!? In any case, it works great, thanks!

MOE

iTrader: (14)

I use a hair dryer between every coat.

OopsDidIDoThat

iTrader: (8)

I think the hair dryer is important part with creatix

Kawboy368

iTrader: (5)

Hair dryer is what I use. When you're doing shading you should be a to highlight a little bit and the paint should be able to dry with just the air of the gun. If you get the paint too thick and hair dry it it won't stick good and it'll dry crack.

pphaneuf

As I mentioned, the hair dryer makes a huge difference, but the black is still proving to be difficult... It dries quickly on the nozzle, needing to unclog it sometimes, but on the shell, it doesn't seem to matter how light I do the coat, or how much I use the hair dryer!

With other colours, I can see it dry with the hair dryer (turn from shiny wet to matte dry), and even isn't sticky to the touch, but the black, always looks a bit wet, and always a bit sticky...

Do I need to thin the black first, or something? All the other Createx, I just them straight from the bottles.

Thanks!

Cosmo

iTrader: (5)

I would definitely thin them. They are going on too thick which is why you're having a hard time getting them to dry.

I thin them about 3:1 with water.

pphaneuf

You'd thin all the colours? Other colours haven't given me any grief, once I started using a hair dryer, it's just the black that's being annoying.

I was wondering how to do shadows (I've only been doing simple flat colours up to this point) with black, since it's pretty intense, I thought I might have been needing their transparent black (5132) to do that sort of thing, but maybe what I need is thinning!

Still quite a newbie, using Badger 200NH and 250 with propeller cans, just to give an idea, basic kit.

Thanks!

Cosmo

iTrader: (5)

I thin them all. Makes them spray better for me.

pphaneuf

You said 3:1, that's to say 3 volumes of paint, 1 of water, or the reverse?

uatemycookie

I thin every color. sometimes only a drop or two or reducer, sometimes 50%. depends how old or thick the paint is to begin with or what I'm trying to do with it..