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Airbrushing Exhaust Stains?


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I have my Prowler close to complete and would like to add exhaust stains. One thing I have always had a problem with airbrushing is thinning the paint and then the pressure. While I am sure these variables depend on the compressor and job, I usually use my brush at about 20 PSI.

 

If I was going to slowly build up exhaust stains with Testor's oil airbrushing paint, should I move down in the PSI to like 10? Anyone have any tips?

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Exhaust stains with an airbrush are tricky. Takes a light touch with the airbrush, thin paint and low pressure. You have to build up the layers until you get something that looks like what you want.

 

There may be another way. I have recently tried the Tamiya weathering powders. This is those sets that come with 3 colours with an applicator that  has a brush on one end and a foam pad on the others. These worked great and I was able to build up the colour slowly. I tried using the brush end but could not get any of the powder to transfer to the brush. The foam side worked great. I will try and post a picture tonight of the results.

 

 

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Thanks Skyhawk! I will look online for such a kit. And yes, pics would be greatly appreciated. 

 

My skills have improved over the years, but I am slave to my airbrush... I rarely use anything else. It would be nice to increase my skillset.

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I have been using pastel chalks for years.  They come in a set with many colors.  Works great for exhaust stains, gun stains etc..  Can be found in most craft/hobby stores ie Hobby Lobby, Michaels, etc.

 

Ge

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11 hours ago, Geoff M said:

I have been using pastel chalks for years.  They come in a set with many colors.  Works great for exhaust stains, gun stains etc..  Can be found in most craft/hobby stores ie Hobby Lobby, Michaels, etc.

 

Ge

I second this approach.  You can pull off some really nice weathering effects with pastels.  A box cost me $10 at Michael’s and it’s pretty much a lifetime supply.   

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23 hours ago, skyhawk174 said:

Exhaust stains with an airbrush are tricky. Takes a light touch with the airbrush, thin paint and low pressure. You have to build up the layers until you get something that looks like what you want.

 

There may be another way. I have recently tried the Tamiya weathering powders. This is those sets that come with 3 colours with an applicator that  has a brush on one end and a foam pad on the others. These worked great and I was able to build up the colour slowly. I tried using the brush end but could not get any of the powder to transfer to the brush. The foam side worked great. I will try and post a picture tonight of the results.

 

 

 

 

If it is a larger stain like ww2 planes or tornado reverse trust I prefer airbrush with tamiya clear colors. If it is a small went or the area affected is smaller I use tamiya "makeup" sets too :)

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23 hours ago, Jimd0586 said:

 One thing I have always had a problem with airbrushing is thinning the paint and then the pressure.

Anyone have any tips?

 

What do you consider thinned paint? I've moved to thinning my base coats up to 75% thinner, even the ones said to be thinned for airbrushing.

Using a tinted clear, I would consider similar ratios. Less clogging but you must be disciplined as to not expecting to complete the job in a couple of passes with the airbrush.

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Not sure this will help much but what works for me with an iwata HP-CS  airbrush: 

-Clean brush well, including the nozzle (not just needle and cup and whatnot).   I guess this goes without saying, but figured I'll mention it. 

-12 psi

-Remove airbrush tip (or use the crowned tip)

-Thin paint till it flows well right at the threshold... even if it says DO NOT THIN on the bottle.  At this point I will only adjust my compressor + - 1 psi if needed.  

-Get in super close and apply the paint in small bursts.  I mean tiny.   This is where your muscle memory really comes in handy. 

-"Clear" the brush often onto my painting mat (ehh, a piece of cardboard). 

-Layers are your friend, lots and lots of layers.   You can always re-add some color if it gets washed out, and you can also dull a color down if you think you sprayed a bit too much.  

 

I used DIY stencils for pitting and any of the fine patterns that cant be made with just an airbrush.   I used stretched open-cell foam (shaved with a fresh razor), paper and thin clear plastic in which I poked holes and cut gashes. 

 

I have not tried pastels or powdered pigments yet.  I was happy with my results with just using the airbrush, so I didnt bother.   Full disclosure, I have no idea what I'm doing... total noob.

 

Anyway, you get the point.  The prowler exhaust heatshield have that cold, almost blueish color fading back into that burnt, sooty, warm and dark metal.  I would start with a metallic color that looks like the cooler portions, then tint that with a thin layer of whatever color you come up with, and then fade back towards the rear with bands of your warmer rusty colors and finally finish it off with a bit of good old jet exhaust (or whatever smokey colors you prefer).  Sort of like the top portion if these flanker exhausts... but with that cool, metallic blueish color up front, and much less pitting and texture (the gradients seem more smooth from the photos I've seen of the prowler). 

 

20190228-145635-zpsr7kgl5ze.jpg[/img]  

 

 

 

Post a picture of what you've got so far.  Maybe you'll get a bit of direction from some of the more experienced people here. 

 

 

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  • 2 weeks later...

https://postimages.org/

 

No-frills image hosting.  No watermarks!  Totally free. 

 

Once you upload an image, click "share" and then copy the text you see in the "direct link" box.  You get all sorts if image size options, but that one is the link to the full-resolution image.  You can then just paste the text, and then wrap it in the [ img ] [ /img  ] tag (i added spaces as to fool the browser... but remove them).

 

 

-igor

 

Edited by BaconRaygun
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I think that looks pretty damn good!  Looking forward to seeing it 100% finished. 

 

No sense to feel pressured or anything... we are all just a bunch of people building models for fun.  That's all that matters.  

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