Airbrushing with Future

[hawkwrench]

I'm sure this has been asked before, but what's the best way to airbrush Future, and then how do you clean it afterwards?

I've heard about Windex, and then flushing it out with water, but I want to be sure.

Thanks

 

Tim

[Slartibartfast]

Go to the Tools 'n' Tips forum and search for the term "future". Be sure to select titles only.

[adamitri]

I flush it with windex then a quick flush of leveling thinner. 

[hawkwrench]

So spray it full strength around 15ish psi?

Clean it with Windex, followed by lacquer thinner and what do you flush the thinner out with?, anything?

 

Tim

[11bee]

I must be in the minority.   I could never get satisfactory results with this stuff.   Didn’t spray evenly and it didn’t give a very shiny coat without multiple layers.    Saw a WIP here where the builder highly recommend Tamiya X-22 gloss.    Said it beats everything else he’s ever used, by far.     Got some on order, fingers crossed.   

 

Good luck!  

[modelingbob]

Future thins very nicely with Mr Color Levelling Thinner (MCLT). I use a 1:1 mix of thinner:Future and airbrush at 15 PSI. I have not had great results airbrushing Future unthinned, but adding MCLT makes Future airbrush beautifully. For clean up and flushing I use regular hardware store generic lacquer thinner. Also, Tamiya X-22 gloss also thins beautifully with MCLT and I would recommend that as a gloss coat that I think is superior to Future.

[dnl42]

8 hours ago, 11bee said:

I must be in the minority.   I could never get satisfactory results with this stuff.   Didn’t spray evenly and it didn’t give a very shiny coat without multiple layers.    Saw a WIP here where the builder highly recommend Tamiya X-22 gloss.    Said it beats everything else he’s ever used, by far.     Got some on order, fingers crossed.   

 

Good luck!  

Me too! I've had great luck with Model Master clear lacquers (essentially bottled GlossCote or DullCote), Mr Color, and Tamiya. For flat, I now use MSI Micro Flat. For decals, I've been doing just fine with direct decal application atop Mr Color gloss colors.

[hawkwrench]

Flushing it out with lacquer thinner and then leaving it to dry doesn't hurt the airbrush or the seals?

 

Tim

[dnl42]

I routinely use hardware store lacquer thinner to clean my airbrush. I transfer lacquer thinner from a gallon can to an 8oz jar to keep it handy while painting. 

 

I never use that stuff for thinning paint, however.

[Fighting Eighty-Four]

29 minutes ago, dnl42 said:

I routinely use hardware store lacquer thinner to clean my airbrush. I transfer lacquer thinner from a gallon can to an 8oz jar to keep it handy while painting. 

 

I never use that stuff for thinning paint, however.

Same here.  I use that stuff to clean out pretty much everything from my airbrush.  It pretty much instantly clears it out.  I usually run some IPA though after though just to kinda flush the system of residual thinner, but I dunno if that is really necessary.

 

As far as spraying future, I have never been able to get a good finish through an airbrush.  But I do get a fantastic smooth finish by brushing it on.  It's self leveling properties give a very nice, even finish that way, and it is very fast using a somewhat wide brush.  Two coats is enough, and over some paints one is plenty.

[Chris L]

 

 Windex is your friend

or you can try Mrcolor leveling thinner

[Alternative 4]

I airbrush straight future, it never goes really really glossy but it does provide a nice surface for decals (which confirm nicely with micro sol/set). I then clean my air brush with mentholated spirits (I use a harbor freight air brush)

[Kurt H.]

17 hours ago, 11bee said:

I must be in the minority.   I could never get satisfactory results with this stuff.   Didn’t spray evenly and it didn’t give a very shiny coat without multiple layers.    Saw a WIP here where the builder highly recommend Tamiya X-22 gloss.    Said it beats everything else he’s ever used, by far.     Got some on order, fingers crossed.   

 

Good luck!  

 

Me neither. Way back when I first read about using Future in FSM in like 1994, I tried it on a car body straight out of the bottle and it worked perfectly.  Years later I tried again, and it seemed like the paint, gloss or flat would absorb the future and I only would only get a semi gloss at best, or at worst, a blotchy finish.  I had some luck brushing it with foam brushes, but sometimes I would get drips and thick spots. 

 

After trying tamiya clear gloss and Mr. Leveling thinner, I do not use future on models, but I do keep it around for model rockets. 

 

When I asked a similar question a few years ago,  the best answer was to use many light coats, waiting 30 minutes between coats. I never ended up trying it.  

[Chris L]

From my personal experience , it brushes on better than by spraying.

 

 Cheers, Christian

 

[skyhawk174]

2 hours ago, Chris L said:

From my personal experience , it brushes on better than by spraying.

 

 Cheers, Christian

 

I tired that many many years ago without success. I figured you put it on the floor with a mop so a brush would work. I tried it on a car model I was building at the time and it pooled along the edges so probably put on too much. Now I simply airbrush it.

[skyhawk174]

I have been using Future for my gloss coat for some time now. I simply airbrush it and then clean up with water. I think I will use some lacquer thinner next time to make sure it is really clean.

 

Also, thanks for the idea of using the Levelling Thinner guys. I will try that the next time as I normally don't thin at all and I was getting good results. However having said that I think I am going to try Tamiya X-22 using Chuck's method as shown in his 1/32nd Spitfire build. I used to use Tamiya gloss but did not get the results I was looking for. Time to revist I guess.

[RCAFFAN]

But how does X-22 work on floors?

[11bee]

2 minutes ago, RCAFFAN said:

But how does X-22 work on floors?

😂.     Just airbrush at low psi.  

[Ichitoe]

Never had success with Future, undoubtedly operator error. X-22 with MCLT has been idiot proof for me. 

[skyhawk174]

13 minutes ago, RCAFFAN said:

But how does X-22 work on floors?

 

Probably would be okay but Tamiya does not sell in BIG bottles 😂

 

Also that would be the most expensive shiny floor ever.

[Thommo]

I keep flip-flopping between Future & Tamyia X-22 for my gloss coats.  Can't seem to decide which is best.  I put a few drops of Windex in my Future when airbrushing, read somewhere it helps "break the surface tension" whatever that means.

[Chris L]

  Future has proven to be tricky . I think much harder with an airbrush as it dries so quickly it becomes grainy . It needs to be thinned and have some retarder added to the mixture .

 

 Brushing it on only requires a couple applications for a descent result but I work in 1/72 so , I can do small areas very easily.

 

 It can also be mixed in with the Tamiya paints which require s less steps  . On the plus side, I still have plenty of Future .

 

I am starting to experiment with the X-22 and my first attempt was much easier than with the Future . I have read that it can also be mixed with the HF colors , so that will be my next experiment .

 

I have yet to spill any X-22 on the floor, so I can't tell you how that might works yet .

 

 Cheers, Christian 

[foxmulder_ms]

Future airbrushing: A gentle mist then *hose* it WET. It is amazing. Best gloss. 

[Scott Smith]

16 hours ago, foxmulder_ms said:

Future airbrushing: A gentle mist then *hose* it WET. It is amazing. Best gloss. 

 

Yep, just like we sprayed old non-catalyzed enamel on full size cars 30+ years ago.  We would put down a very light coat and let it flash off until tacky.  

Second and third coats were laid down with good coverage. 

[Fighting Eighty-Four]

17 hours ago, foxmulder_ms said:

Future airbrushing: A gentle mist then *hose* it WET. It is amazing. Best gloss. 

Hmmmm, this makes sense and a good solution to my spraying issues with future.  I think I might give this a try.