Mr. Color lacquer paint problem

[Guest]

I’ve tried spraying Mr. Color lacquer paints for the first time just now, and I’m sure I’m doing something wrong:

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It looks like there are cobwebs all over the model! These appear immediately when I spray the paint, and though I can brush them away by scrubbing with a soft brush, they build up quickly enough around details that paint doesn’t get to the plastic in small nooks and crannies. And what’s even weirder is that they seem to keep forming for some time after I stopped spraying.

Anyone have an idea of what’s going on here? Am I maybe using the wrong thinner? I’ve used cellulose thinner from the hardware store, which worked fine to get other lacquer paints I’ve used out of my airbrush (these paints were pre-thinned for spraying) so I figured it would thin this paint so I could spray it too.

[adt70hk]

Sorry Jakko. Can't help as I only use water based paints through the AB but I've never seen anyone complain of this sort of problem before.

Hope you get an answer.

[Steve Jones]

I will be interested to find out what the answer is because when I spray Mr Metal Primer my bench looks like an arachnid holiday camp.

[BattleshipBob]

Never had a problem Jakko, i use mr color self levelling thinner.

I find the ratio is flexible, i use 60 thinner/40 paint. Give the jar a good stir then mix with thinner, stir again i spray at 10 psi for close, 18 psi otherwise, never had a problem sorry.

Apart from the pong, love the stuff

[BarryW]

I would suggest that the thinner is then issue. Use Mr Levelling Thinner, I would suggest a 50:50 mix to start with and spray at a low psi of around 15psi in very light coats. You may have to experiment with the thinning/psi. Of course if you used MRP lacquers then there would be no issues, you just have to get the right psi....

[David Lovell]

Wow never seen anything like that before ,if I use mr color ive always used mr color thinner or mr color self leveling and never had a problem. I've mumbled on about it before but I use a lot of paints from diffrent manufacturers but only use that manufacturers thinners. Sorry you've had problems I rate mr hobby stuff as some of the best out there. Dave

[BattleshipBob]

Agree Dave, luv the stuff, just wish the paint bottles were bigger

[Tim Marlow]

Another one that’s never had that issue with Mr Color and MLT. Usually it sprays like liquid silk. It could be that the cellulose thinner is too hot and is, doing something to the paint structure, perhaps by drying too fast, but god knows what! I did have something similar happen many years ago when I still used enamels, but just attributed it to my poor skills and bad atomisation from the Aztec I used at the time….

[Guest]

I would suggest that the thinner is then issue.

That’s what I’m thinking too.

Use Mr Levelling Thinner

Problem is that I’ll have to order that somewhere, and I don’t feel like paying more for postage than the item I’m buying costs … (Just yesterday I ordered paints, books and other stuff … if I had sprayed this model a day earlier I would have added the thinner to the order.)

Of course if you used MRP lacquers then there would be no issues

That’s the only other lacquer paint I’ve used, and like I said, that was airbrush-ready. However, this is for a Japanese tank, and when I bought the kit second-hand, the seller also had a set of Mr. Color paints specifically for such tanks, so I took them as well.

I've mumbled on about it before but I use a lot of paints from diffrent manufacturers but only use that manufacturers thinners.

I’ve never had any issues using generic thinners with any paints I’ve used, except this. I really like the alcohol-based Mr. Color acrylics (which I thin from a litre bottle of isopropanol), and these lacquers also appear to spray very well, but it seems to be much more important to use the correct thinner with them.

Another one that’s never had that issue with Mr Color and MLT. Usually it sprays like liquid silk.

The paint that’s actually on the model is really nice — it’s just that it forms these cobwebs

I did have something similar happen many years ago when I still used enamels, but just attributed it to my poor skills and bad atomisation from the Aztec I used at the time….

I used an Aztek A470 for this too. It doesn’t have problems like this with any of the other paints I’ve used through it.

[Tim Marlow]

Might be you need to do a bit of investigation as to the correct spray distance, thinner ratio, and air pressure Jakko. More thinner, lower pressure and spraying closer might eliminate the problem? The more I think about it, the more I think you have an issue with the thinner drying before the paint hits the surface. It seems you are getting the paint forming chain linkages while it is in the spray pattern, causing these fine threads. When I had this I was using enamels and Precision paint quick drying air thinners (try saying that after a few drinks). They markedly speeded up the drying time of enamels, so may have been the root of the problem for me. Have you tried ghosting over the finish with neat thinner to see if the surface can be reactivated and levelled up?
Failing that, patent the method and say it’s for producing cobwebs during the weathering stage of a build…..

[Guest]

I’m not sure what I want to do about this. I have half a mind to find colours that come close to what’s in the jars of this paint set, but in paint that I know will work fine, and just use those But I think I’ll first try finding out what kind of thinner works and that I can actually get my hands on easily, then decide whether or not to give this another try.

[Jim R]

Hi Jakko
That is weird. Never seen anything like that. I can only guess, as others have said, that the thinner is the problem.
Jim

[David Lovell]

Tough one Jakko you seem to be out on a limb logistically as to what you can get your hands on ,I also use a lot of mr hobby aqueous paints but only thin with mr hobby aqueous thinner ,as you said it seems to be much more important to use the correct thinner ,I think its more than that ,any company has developed the best product to thin THEIR paints making their paints trouble free using them correctly ie air pressure and thinning ratio. I'll hold my hand up to thinning tamiya paints with mr hobby self leveling thinner but its well know that it works a treat with no problems. I don't care what the chemist or local DIY/car parts place's sell and that you can buy a lifetime's supply for a couple of quid the ingredients might be close but its not the brand thinner for that paint , a bottle of branded thinner lasts for ages plus your safe in the knowledge that all your hard work won't go down the river when you point the air brush at it(air pressure/ thinner raitios being correct). I hope you can sort this problem as these knocks really take the pleasure out of it all ,perhaps its time to drag out a old cupboard queen to take a few practice shots at as some of the lads have said it could just be down to air pressure thinning raitios, but still maintain branded thinner to branded paint any problems that part is correct so you can work away from there to solve the problem ,please keep us all up to date with how this progress. Dave

[David Lovell]

Looking at the picture again have you primed the plastic prior to spraying? Dave

[BattleshipBob]

Agree David, i always use the makers thinner, been bitten in the past