Airbrushing larger models

[clockworks]

It's been years since I have used an airbrush, and then it was mostly for 1/32 armour models.

I've got a couple of 1/8 scale Pocher car kits to build, and I plan to do a fair bit of painting. Although the Pocher kits are mostly pre-painted, their colour choice is not that realistic, and many of the parts need a lot of deserving (and then repainting).

My question is about the "technicalities" of spray painting.

Am I correct in thinking that nozzle size and air pressure are the main variables governing spray pattern (size)? Bigger nozzle and higher pressure gives a larger "fan"?
What size nozzle would I need for painting something like a 1/8 engine or exhaust with acrylics - covering the whole thing before the paint starts drying?

I've got an Iwata Eclipe with a 0.35 nozzle, and a Badger 360 with a 0.75 nozzle.

I was thinking about getting a detail spray gun, but the much-recommended Iwata LPH 50 has a smaller nozzle than my Badger, so I'm thinking that the Badger might be suitable. It's got a swivelling paint feed - top cup, or bottom bottle.

[dr_gn]

clockworks said:

It's been years since I have used an airbrush, and then it was mostly for 1/32 armour models.

I've got a couple of 1/8 scale Pocher car kits to build, and I plan to do a fair bit of painting. Although the Pocher kits are mostly pre-painted, their colour choice is not that realistic, and many of the parts need a lot of deserving (and then repainting).

My question is about the "technicalities" of spray painting.

Am I correct in thinking that nozzle size and air pressure are the main variables governing spray pattern (size)? Bigger nozzle and higher pressure gives a larger "fan"?
What size nozzle would I need for painting something like a 1/8 engine or exhaust with acrylics - covering the whole thing before the paint starts drying?

I've got an Iwata Eclipe with a 0.35 nozzle, and a Badger 360 with a 0.75 nozzle.

I was thinking about getting a detail spray gun, but the much-recommended Iwata LPH 50 has a smaller nozzle than my Badger, so I'm thinking that the Badger might be suitable. It's got a swivelling paint feed - top cup, or bottom bottle.

Depends what you're doing I guess. For covering large areas quickly, then a larger nozzle might seem great, but my experince painting a 1:12 F1 car body was that all switching to a larger nozzle achieved was emptying the reservoir very quickly (making a wet coat more difficult to achieve in one go, and less control of coat thickness.

I's have thought for 1:8 a rattle can for bodywork would be the least hassle.

For engine components etc, that probably aren't glossy, I don't see a problem with paint drying too fast, since you don't need a wet coat to get a good finish?

End of the day, just try what you've got and see how it goes.

[clockworks]

dr_gn said:

Depends what you're doing I guess. For covering large areas quickly, then a larger nozzle might seem great, but my experince painting a 1:12 F1 car body was that all switching to a larger nozzle achieved was emptying the reservoir very quickly (making a wet coat more difficult to achieve in one go, and less control of coat thickness.

I's have thought for 1:8 a rattle can for bodywork would be the least hassle.

For engine components etc, that probably aren't glossy, I don't see a problem with paint drying too fast, since you don't need a wet coat to get a good finish?

End of the day, just try what you've got and see how it goes.

Good point about paint capacity.
The Badger, in "jar mode", holds 20ml of paint. The Iwata detail gun holds 130ml.
The Badger, in "cup mode", holds just 1.5ml. My Iwata Eclipse cup holds 7ml.

As you say, bodywork is the only thing that really needs a consistently glossy finish, and the kit I've already got will do everything else.

Might make sense to stick with rattle cans for really big parts, as they probably wouldn't fit comfortably into my tabletop spraybooth anyway.