While reading about using the Noch Grassmaster on the Scenic Express website, I noticed they recommend ‘misting’ the static grass, after it’s applied to the layout, with a solution of matte medium (mixed with water 1:4 and a small drop of dish washing detergent) and they say ‘you may find an airbrush works best for this’. I can understand why they recommend it because I’ve never been able to find a spray bottle that will put out a perfect mist, some come close but don’t get a cigar.
Since I’ve never used an air brush the first thing that popped in my mind was ‘wouldn’t this really gum up the air brush and make it very difficult to clean?’ Or would that be no more difficult than cleaning paint from the brush?
I trust that they are talking about 4 parts water to 1 part matte medium, that would spray quite well. But, the other way around, 4 parts matte medium to 1 part water, would be difficult to spray, if you ask me.
I have never applied matte medium with an airbrush but, in my experience, you need to clean up everything with warm water and you need to do it without any delay before the matte medium starts to dry. Otherwise, clean up becomes more than a chore.
Jarrell, I’d be rather hesitant to use my airbursh for applying matte medium, especially if it’s of the internal mix type. Post use clean-up would need to be very thorough indeed. I’d suggest a visit to your local garden center and the purchase of a plant “misting” sprayer bottle. These put out a much finer spray that the general run of spray bottles. CNJ831
I found acrylics - paint or finish - tend to gum up internal-mix airbrushes pretty quickly no matter what. I have a couple $100 airbrushes sitting around useless because of this. Since I pretty much only use acrylics, I either spray with a spray can (Tamiya works great) or use a cheap external-mix airbrush. For scenery work I bet a $20-30 Testors or Badger airbrush will work fine for you.
I use a Testor’s A270 external-mix brush for spraying matte medium (and other scenery work) and have been very satisfied with the results. It’s very simple to clean and the spray pattern is even enough for tasks like this.
As mentioned, I think the cheap air brushes that blow air across a nozzle creating a vacuum would work. And even the typical spray bottles can clog with scenery glue solutions without a frequent purging of clean water during the process. I like the suggestion of a plant store sprayer versus the common HD or Ace version.
When our humidity drops into the single digits, I have to frequently shoot clean water to keep the air brush going. If I don’t, it will clog even when applying a wash.
Just take the airbrushes apart and soak them in laquer thinner, scrub them with some pipe cleaners and blow some air through them and they should be all clean and ready for use again.
It’s important to run some water through an airbrush right after spraying with color so the paint doesn’t have a chance to dry in the brush.
This sounds like a perfect job to try a Harbor Freight Tools single action airbrush for only $9.99 (or less on sale)! No, I don’t work for them. I’ve just produced several very nice paint jobs with both their single action and dual action airbrushes and can’t see ANY reason to spend more money on a brand name unit, especially when the single action unit is a virtual clone of the Badger 350.
