How much does Humidity affect spraycan painting?

[Rambo]

I am planning to paint my helicopter model during rain season (don't have time to do it in summer)........I was wondering if humidity in the air from the rain will affect/ruin my paintwork? (I'll be using Tamiya spraycans for painting)

Can anyone give me any advice?

[I.Illes]

Tamiya Cans?

1) use a proper mask

2) you need dry place with reduced humidity (80-100% is simply suboptimal)

3) Tamiya Cans are expensive, for the price of 10-20 Tamiya Cans, you can buy a decent airbrush with a compressor and achieve great results, so thinking in long terms, it pays off.

István

[f14peter]

I recently did some painting with Tami's spray cans during rainy weather, and I had to spray outside! I was literally watching the sky, then dashing out between showers to shoot on the paint. I was using their metallics (Silver Leaf and Bare Metal) over their primer and saw no problems.

I'll agree with István that in the long-run, an airbrush certainly makes economic sense. I have an airbrush myself, but I don't have a permanent spray station and my modeling time is limited so any time spent setting up, breaking down, and cleaning the airbrush when I can use a spray can to get what I want is time spent not modeling. Some paint effects do require an airbrush, so I factor that in when determining what, and when, I'm going to build.

[kap64]

I've had paint remain tacky for a while, meaning more than a week, when the humidity was too high. It eventually cured.

[Bucky Katt]

Yup, slower dry times were the only issues I have had...mainly with the gloss/metallics...using the Tamiya cans in the 80%-90% humidity in south Texas. The 2 primers, never seem to be affected either way...for me anyway.

Brian

[Bob Beary]

Hi, I spray in a humid basement all the time without problems and use Tamiya spray can paint but decanted and shot through an airbrush. One good bit of advice...spray two light mist coats about 30 minutes apart and then spray the heavier color coats. This gives the heavier coats something to grab onto. Lacking the mist coats the heavier coats will tend to pull back from panel lines and sharp outside corners and then the primer or color of the plastic will show through. I also prime just about everything with Tamiya white primer.

Hope this helps, Bob