Airbrushing Mr. Surfacer?

I hope someone can help me.

I just tried airbrushing Mr Surfacer 500 - big mess and disaster. Can this be done? What about Mr S 1000?

I tried thinning it with Mr Leveling Thinner at about 2:1. Put it through a large tip.

It sort of went through the airbrush but dried very rough on the part. I tried various pressures and distances...

Any one here AB this stuff? Anything I should know? Am I flogging a dead primer here?

Thanks for any help/advice.

Use Lacquer thinner and it should work ok. I would experiment with a 50/50 ratio. adjust the levels 'till it works for you.

I use Mr Color Thinner. Works just fine, but it takes alot of thinning. Mr S 1000 is easier to spray than Mr S 500, but 500 can certainly be done if thinned properly.

Course, these days I just use Moon Mud....

Course, these days I just use Moon Mud....
You're just a Cobra Colors tease!! ;)

Since us poor Europeans can't get that, I guess I shall just have to persevere with good 'ol Mr. Moon Rock aka Mr. Clog Your Nozzle...

Thanks gents.

Mr Leveling thinner should work just fine with Mr Surfacer. I spray 1000 all the time as a primer, with no problems at all. Don't think I've ever used the leveling thinner with it, just the regular (or cheap auto store) thinner, since a flat finish is all you're after. I thin at least 1:1, usually more.

I usually use 500 as more of a brush on filler, although I've sprayed it on parts I wanted a rougher finish. No problems at all, it even layed down dissapointingly smooth! :)

I have found Mr Surfacer 1200 needs a different technique, if thinned too much and layed on quite wet, it tends to crack as it dries. Keep the coats thin and again, no problem.

Don't know what your problem might be. Perhaps try the regular GSI Creos thinner (without the retarder) or move up to the smoother Mr Surfacer 1000? With a bit of experimentation I imagine you should find a way to make it work as well as it does for me.

No problems at all, it even layed down dissapointingly smooth! :)
LOL! I guess you had the same problem with the black paint on your Carrera GT, huh? ;) Wish I had such problems :shakehead

Thanks for the feedback - I'll try again (and again and again)

I've noticed that the 500 grit paint clogs up airbrushes VERY easily, so I do a thorough clean/ wipe down before and after I use the 500. I normally thin around 5:4 (paint:thinner). This stuff is thick, so you'd rather go thinner than thicker.
HTH :screwy: I sound jibberish :rolleyes:

Wow, I must have gotten a couple really thick bottles. I reduce it with lacquer thinner about 80% to only about 20% paint at most and it still sprays on the dry side... - Mark

Further, it all boils down to want you use it for. 500 is more a filler to my way of thinking so laying down dry is not a problem, it's going to be sanded later anyway. If a primer is what you want, 1000 is better for that job. I always find thinner is better but others will disagree.

Put like that, it sounds sensible and logical, Phil.

I was trying to use the 500 to tidy up some seat backs I have clsoed off. There were still some imperfections after puttying and sanding. I was thinking that 500 through an airbrush might be an easier way to even things out before final primer. I wasn't terribly impressed with my attempts with brushing it on.

Next time, I will try heavier thinning.

Thanks again all.

Further, it all boils down to want you use it for. 500 is more a filler to my way of thinking so laying down dry is not a problem, it's going to be sanded later anyway. If a primer is what you want, 1000 is better for that job. I always find thinner is better but others will disagree.
:iagree:
And that's what I think it was mainly designed as. My m/o is I lay down mulitiple coats of 500 sanding in between 1 or 2 coats. When I'm satisfied then I jump straight to 1200. I agree with RallyRaider on the thinning part, I use Gunze's Leveling Thinner just in case.. er.. well :lol: I only use Gunze's Leveling Thinner... It does wonders for me :sunglasse

I wasn't terribly impressed with my attempts with brushing it on.
Same here, so I've never brushed it on after the first try. Always AB'd it.

First off, let me apologize for dragging up and old thread but I don't want to start a new one as my question is directly related to this one!

I am just starting a MFH Williams FW16 and the prototyping marks on some of the parts are very noticeable, I have sanded and sanded and polished the parts but you can still see the marks. I was thinking that Mr Surfacer 500 shot through the airbrush would help to fill some of these marks? However, my first tests were disastrous too and I'm worried to try this out on a $200 kit!!!

Would this work anyway or am I destined to be sanding these parts for all eternity!!

No need to apologise - you used the search function :

I am surprided though that the great answers I received don't help you. What exactly is the problem you have?

First off, let me apologize for dragging up and old thread but I don't want to start a new one as my question is directly related to this one!

I am just starting a MFH Williams FW16 and the prototyping marks on some of the parts are very noticeable, I have sanded and sanded and polished the parts but you can still see the marks. I was thinking that Mr Surfacer 500 shot through the airbrush would help to fill some of these marks? However, my first tests were disastrous too and I'm worried to try this out on a $200 kit!!!

Would this work anyway or am I destined to be sanding these parts for all eternity!!
Pics with more detailed explainations would help...the more info you give, the more you'll get in return :)

OK, I guess what I was wondering is not so much if I can actually airbrush it, I'm sure I could get to the bottom of this eventually, but if it will actually fill in the prototyping marks on the castings once airbrushed.

They are just so fiddly to sand that I wanted an easy way out and wondered if this was it!!

I guess it really depends on how deep they are. If they are very deep, putty might be an easier route to go. Otherwise filler/primer in several should do it.


However, I would be wary of spraying the whole model with this just to fill some localised scratches - you might run the risk of over filling and losing other details on the parts. Better to apply where needed - even with a paintbrush - sand, re-appley etc and then finish off with a primer?

OK, I guess what I was wondering is not so much if I can actually airbrush it, I'm sure I could get to the bottom of this eventually, but if it will actually fill in the prototyping marks on the castings once airbrushed.

They are just so fiddly to sand that I wanted an easy way out and wondered if this was it!!
OK, when I use the 500 grit to fill in mold lines (I'm guessing that what you mean by prototyping marks), I use a paint brush and brush it on the area that needs to be fixed without thinning it at all. Normally I brush the coat on in about 0.5-1mm thickness. Let dry for at least 8 hours and then sand away.
As it seems that you only have bits and peices here and there that need fixing.. so I wouldn't suggest AB'ing it. Be careful with the 500 grit, it wipes out details easily.

HTH