MM acryl trouble

[model_citizen]

A few days ago I was trying to shoot some MM acryl through my airbrush and it just would not spray. I would get little bursts of color, but it would not spray even. I try to use tamiya acrylics as much as I can and I have never had trouble with them. In the past I have used MM as well and had no trouble. When I looked at the needle, it looked like the paint had clumped. I cleaned it off and still the problem persisted. Are MM acryls prone to drying out too fast?

Thanks for any help.

Chris

I'll even admit that I was working on a 1/700 battleship, not an AC. But the ship has a Kingfisher on the catapult, so it sort of fits! :blink:

[Mark M.]

I've had build up on the needle before, that needs to be cleaned off, but as for clumping, you need to use a different thinner or a more of it.

Generally speaking, when it's too thick it really won't come out of my syphon airbrush well. When I get it thin enough that means 1) it goes on thin and 2) I have to use patience and multiple thin coats to get the coverage I desire.

It also might be the thinner you use. I have this bottle of testors (?) acryllic thinner, and have had problems with it in MM before. Recently I tried the same bottle on some Floquil and it just did not mix well. The same paint, however, reacted amazingly to Tamiya brand acryllic thinner.

So, first try MORE thinner. If it's just too dense to go through the brush mix it better. If that still doesn't work buy a different brand of thinner.

Oh, P.S. naturally don't mix enamel thinner with acryl paint and vice versa.

[model_citizen]

Actually, that was what was confusing. I use the MM acryl thinner and I don't usually thin too far, but I had thinned this paint out pretty well. At least I thought. The clumping was more of a build-up, but it happened really fast.

I stripped the paint and am going to try again. Normally I use Tamiya acrylics and thin with rubbing alcohol and that works like a charm.

I can't use enamels because I live in a small apartment and I have a daughter who has lung problems.

[Mark M.]

There's a couple of things... If you add the thinner but don't keep stirring it until it's fully "blended" you can get clumps and so forth. Usually I don't experience this with MM, however.

Also, if you take a Q-tip and dip the end in thinner, you can usually clean up external build-up without stripping things apart. I have an external mix airbrush, so this may not apply to internal mixes.