Automative paint with hobby airbrush?

igiveup

New member
Hi,

I'm having real problems. Damn it, I've almost had enough of this.

I have a white van I'm converting to a camper, and there are a bunch of small spots that need touching up. Normal automotive spray cans are too much for this job - they deliver the paint too quickly, and some of the areas are fairly inaccessible. Therefore, I'm trying to use my Iwata Neo siphon-fed hobby airbrush, which has a 0.5mm needle, at about 25 PSI.

The problem is that the paint (Halfords white primer, for example) is coming out dry, leaving a rough surface. It's truly awful looking. I've tried it over and over, and keep having either to sand it smooth or remove it entirely with isopropyl alcohol and start again.

What should I do? All advice appreciated.

Thanks!
 
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TAZ

Administrator
Staff member
How small are the areas? An airbrush might be too small for the areas. Anything bigger than a chip might require a mini-spray gun like a jam gun. This will put out a little more material versus an airbrush.
You will also be able to control both the fluid and the spray pattern if you need less material less than a spray can and more than an airbrush will spray
 

TAZ

Administrator
Staff member
It's basically a smaller than normal spray gun.
Used for smaller areas.
Gun is also known as mini gun, touch up gun, jam gun
Just like their bigger brothers, there are cheaper guns and more expensive guns.
 

igiveup

New member
It's basically a smaller than normal spray gun.
Used for smaller areas.
Gun is also known as mini gun, touch up gun, jam gun
Just like their bigger brothers, there are cheaper guns and more expensive guns.
Thanks, that's very helpful.

One more thing: most of the areas I need to paint are either on the inside of the roof, or the outside of the roof. As such, I have to spray up (vertically) or down (vertically). This can be a problem for some spray guns. Should I use a siphon-fed jam spray gun? Any other considerations I should take into account?

Cheers!
 

TAZ

Administrator
Staff member
Either gun should be find. I'd just use a hvlp gun (cup on top) though. I don't see any reason why you couldn't get both inside and the outside.
Is it a work truck? Would you be better off just brushing some paint on the inside?
 

bauchamalia

New member
I think you could thin the paint: Airbrushing requires the paint to be thinned to the appropriate consistency. Thick or improperly thinned paint can lead to clogging and rough finishes. You may need to use a suitable thinner or reducer to achieve the desired consistency. Moreover, instead of trying to achieve full coverage in one coat, apply multiple thin coats of paint. Allow each coat to dry before applying the next one. This method helps to build up an even and smooth finish. And more tip is to clean the airbrush regularly: Clogging can be a common issue when using an airbrush. Make sure to clean your airbrush thoroughly after each use to remove any dried or leftover paint that may obstruct the paint flow.
 
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