Lead Adventure Forum
Other Stuff => General Wargames and Hobby Discussion => Topic started by: dcajoe on February 23, 2020, 08:17:49 PM
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Hi all,
I live in a first floor flat with no access to outside space - not ideal for undercoating minis! I thought I could try undercoating minis indoors using an airbrush. Is this a thing? If so, is there anything I should be aware of before getting started? Also, can anyone recommend a good airbrush/primer?
Thanks!
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Yes, priming your miniatures with an airbrush is very much a thing. I've never used spray cans.
There are different spray primers available from Vallejo, Ammo, Green Stuff World and the like. All work more or less the same. When using your airbrush indoors you should at least wear a mask as not to inhale the small particles. Personally I've only recently invested in an airbrush booth with filter and extractor. Didn't feel the need for one as long as I was only using acrylic paints but as I'm now using solvent based paints as well I thought this might be safer.
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Yep I live in Scotland, and outdoors is not an option for much of the time. I airbrush indoors, using exclusively acrylics. Mainly the Tamiya ones, which I find airbrush beautifully using about 50/50 Tamiya acrylic X20a thinner. I also use Vallejo with the Vallejo thinners.
Wear a mask, and you will be fine.
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As far as primers go, I've had pretty good luck with the Vallejo Acrylic-Polyurethane Surface Primer line. I've got a few colors (black, dark grey, light grey, white) and they've all worked quite well. I've also seen a lot of recommendations for Badger's Stynylrez primers.
One thing to note, even if you don't care much about your lungs and/or have a good filtration mask, you'll still want an airbooth with a fan for spraying indoors. Aerosol application of acrylic paint makes a lot of dust without one, and it will get EVERYWHERE, even several rooms away. You can get a cheap booth for under a USD$100 these days. Mine is branded "Masters", but the same model is available from at least a half dozen companies on amazon or the like. You don't even need to run the hose out a window (though it helps), just put a few bends in the hose to make sure the vast majority of the dust doesn't have straight shot into the air of your flat.
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Airbrushing with the range of Vallejo air paint primers works well.
On metals, especially with a lot of lead (it is slippy), the acrylic poly primers can rub off even while painting, so don't handle the figure. Once varnished it all seems to hold up well.
Indoors, I would see a booth as essential. The spray creates a huge amount of very fine droplets, which even as they 'fly' to your model are already starting to dry out - EVERYTHING that doesn't hit the model can be suspended in air and acrylic dust is not good for the lungs, it is a tough compound to break down.
If you use a mask, just look at the filter / nose / mouth area, after a while and you will see the captured paint stain the fabric, so this dust is a real presence.
You can of course use the acrylic poly primers with a brush. It is very thin, apply generously and it will move into all of the undercuts - a second go when dry to cover any misses or bits that look too thinly applied does the job.
If using metals, there is a tinned product by Hammerite Special Metals Primer. It works well with slippy lead. It is quite thick, but dries OK with details still present, it is brown and has a low VOL so is friendlier for indoor use. I have used it and then put the Vallejo acrylic poly (black) over it for those paint jobs that I want a black primer.
For what it is worth, when I was in a flat, I only used brush on primers.
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I do it too. I did buy in a small, portable spray booth which was a good - this sort of thing: https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/10019348126?iid=263683912637&rt=nc (https://www.ebay.co.uk/p/10019348126?iid=263683912637&rt=nc)
I think I got mine cheaper, but it was several years ago.
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I just use paint on Guesso and have never got into the airbrush at all. Seems to work fine. It is not as strong a grip as an airbrush but it works, especially if you varnish well after painting.
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If you're undercoating in black, Pebeo black gesso (https://www.amazon.co.uk/PEBEO-Studio-Acrylics-Auxiliaries-Gesso/dp/B00480LWXM/ref=sr_1_3?adgrpid=53030248517&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8IXArIvr5wIVQrDtCh0dkAnKEAAYASAAEgLx-vD_BwE&hvadid=259080379809&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9046888&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=14075959256847995402&hvtargid=kwd-300315422531&hydadcr=18516_1816628&keywords=pebeo+gesso&qid=1582578239&sr=8-3) is perfect. It's got plenty of grip, doesn't need to be applied neatly (because it contracts as it dries) and gives a nice smooth finish. It has no fumes or unpleasant odour, and it dries very quickly - especially when the heating's on.
It's also ridiculously cheap: a big pot's under a tenner and will get you through hundreds if not thousands of miniatures. I recently bought a second pot after using the first for four years or so; it still has a fair bit left in it, though it's unpredictable in how it squirts out now.
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If you're undercoating in black, Pebeo black gesso (https://www.amazon.co.uk/PEBEO-Studio-Acrylics-Auxiliaries-Gesso/dp/B00480LWXM/ref=sr_1_3?adgrpid=53030248517&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI8IXArIvr5wIVQrDtCh0dkAnKEAAYASAAEgLx-vD_BwE&hvadid=259080379809&hvdev=c&hvlocphy=9046888&hvnetw=g&hvqmt=e&hvrand=14075959256847995402&hvtargid=kwd-300315422531&hydadcr=18516_1816628&keywords=pebeo+gesso&qid=1582578239&sr=8-3) is perfect. It's got plenty of grip, doesn't need to be applied neatly (because it contracts as it dries) and gives a nice smooth finish. It has no fumes or unpleasant odour, and it dries very quickly - especially when the heating's on.
It's also ridiculously cheap: a big pot's under a tenner and will get you through hundreds if not thousands of miniatures. I recently bought a second pot after using the first for four years or so; it still has a fair bit left in it, though it's unpredictable in how it squirts out now.
+1 yes. The grey is good as well. The white works - but you sometimes need a second coat be as smooth.
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Hi all,
Thanks for your replies! I've got a much better idea of my options now. Plenty to think about...