"Airbrushing varnish" Topic

Any warnings before I started varnishing figs ?

Will be extra careful cleaning out

Will be using the Vallejo RC Matt varnish 62.062

Thanks

John

What needle/nozzle size and psi are you using? I'm pretty sure this stuff will need thinning with less than 0.3 and requires a pretty high psi 30+

You really need to be careful how diluting varnish as it can easily be thinned to a point where separation of carrier and matting agent no longer work. That's when you encounter problems with a coating going white, drying uneven, etc.

Test it first on something else.

I've been airbrush varnishes with testor's dullcote with pretty good success. It took awhile to get the hang of how much to thin it, how far away to spray it, etc. But it's very easy cleanup being lacquer based.

I agree with EagleSixFive to test on something not important. But I would recommend erring on the side of too much thinner – I haven't had problems with whiting which is the major thing I worry about.

Thanks for the advice

Using an Iwata Neo 0.35

The Vallejo varnish is ready to spray – it's the poly-urethane/acrylic varnish from their RC line. They recommend no thinning for nozzle above 0.2 and 30-60 psi – I will probably start at 30

Will try it out on something non-critical first. That seems like a no-brainer but I hadn't thought about it. So perhaps it was a no-brain thing on my part

John

So long as it isn't cold or damp you should be good to go. The white hazing that Eagle mentions is more often than not one of these two things. It can also occur if the distance between nozzle and object is too great.

Personally I'd be tempted to dilute with about 20% of Vallejo's own airbrush thinner. It's my standard practice and I finish nearly all my figures with Vallejo Polyurethane Matt Varnish through an airbrush.

I use a 50/50 solution of Vallejo matte and concentrated window cleaner.

I've done hundreds of minis and had one bad batch of frosting 20 troops. I hand painted Vallejo gloss and then hand painted the matte on; it made 90% of the frost disappear.

I've also tried about every brand of aerosol clear matte finish. GW's is normally good, but my fourth can frosted two units and it went into the trash.

Valspar brand flat clear sealer is the best I've ever used and don't ever plan on changing. Humid or dry, sprayed on thick or thin, four inches or twelve, it doesn't ever frost on me.