How do you do it with airbrush?

I am wondering how do you all paint the tricky and tight area with airbrush when you paint the car body?

This is my first time but second attempt using airbrush on my first model.

After 3 mist coats (rather wet actually), I still couldnt get the paint in those area.

back light area
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/270831backlight1.jpg

hood area
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/270831hood1.jpg

head light area
http://files.automotiveforums.com/gallery/watermark.php?file=/502/270831headlight1.jpg

TIA.

I tend to give those areas a couple of light coats with the fine tip before I move onto spraying the rest of the body.

Now I see it.

Seems like paint brush those areas is the only option I have now.

Thanks Ray.

No, I mean the fine tip in the airbrush.
I don't brush paint any area on the body, I use the fine tip in my airbrush to first spray the areas which are difficult to cover and around areas like panel lines where paint otherwise tends to pull away from edges.

Very low psi, with low paint. 2 or 3 coats then it will be coverad (wet coat for overal final)

How are you holding the body? You might need a better way to position it as you paint. I use the top of a rattle can wedged and taped under the body, then I hold the can with one hand as I airbrush with the other. When I spray the body goes in all directions - upside down, sideways, etc. If the car is just sitting there while you spray you're bound to miss some spots. Don't be scared to shoot at different angles.

When shooting bumpers I always do the bottom with the airbrush pointing up, then head-on, then from the top with the airbrush pointing down. I do the same thing with the cowl, go left/right/left/right across the body. Don't worry about uneven paint coverage because it won't happen unless you're shooting deep pearls or metallics.

Thanks guys, I will try those methods and then cover it with wet coats.


How are you holding the body? You might need a better way to position it as you paint. I use the top of a rattle can wedged and taped under the body, then I hold the can with one hand as I airbrush with the other. When I spray the body goes in all directions - upside down, sideways, etc. If the car is just sitting there while you spray you're bound to miss some spots. Don't be scared to shoot at different angles.

When shooting bumpers I always do the bottom with the airbrush pointing up, then head-on, then from the top with the airbrush pointing down. I do the same thing with the cowl, go left/right/left/right across the body. Don't worry about uneven paint coverage because it won't happen unless you're shooting deep pearls or metallics.

I have made a wire stand to hold my car body. I keep rotating them as well while spraying. But, I always hold my airbrush at 90 degree no matter I spray the top or underneath the car. I only move the body around instead of my airbrush pointing down and up.

The car that I am doing now showing in the pic is Tamiya Metallic Blue. :lol2:

The 90-degree rule works great on large areas like fences, but for models it doesn't work so well. You can't shoot 90 degrees to the roof, cowl, and bumpers unless you tilt the airbrush 90 degrees, but you end up spilling the paint out of the jar or cup. That's why you need a way to hold the body up with your hand. You'll also be able to easily shoot under the wheelwells and rocker panels.

I used a wire stand for a while but gave up on it since I always miss something under the car, or the paint comes out noticably thinner under there.

Just keep practicing away, you'll get the hang of it. Try to get a model you don't care about and practice on it a lot. Optionally, you can buy some CSC and 91% rubbing alcohol to strip the paint so you can start over and practice some more. I have an old NASCAR body in my paint booth with tons of paint coats on it. I use it to test spray patterns, mixing ratios, paint coverage and all that.

r

What I meant is I hold my airbrush at 90 degree at all time going left and right, but I tilt the car body around when I need to spray the top and the bottom. That way, the paint wont spill out.

Hope you get what I meant. :p

Ah, gotcha. Now for the spots you missed, tilt the car forward and back and spray from side-to-side.

You could also try opening up the paint flow, but you'd have to sweep faster. You'll eventually find a technique that works for you.

I try and find the areas that will give me the most problem and begin spraying there...From the fist mist coat to the last wet coat. Start in those spots and end up spraying the larger, flatter body panels ...this also helps with putting on a smooth coat.

To fix your problems I would simply mask the body panels off at a body panel line and respray the entire exposed body panel, hitting the unpainted areas first.

hth,

Bill