Hi All. I am transitioning from spray cans to air brushing.
I have been using Floquil Tuscan in a spray can (#270-130025) and I am now trying to get a decent match, or at least close to it, with Polly Scale. The Polly Scale Tuscan (Old No. 410025) is too light.
Does anyone know of a Polly Scale red or maroon that is close to the Spray Can Tuscan?
Does Polly Scale have a color chart on their web site? Some do some don’t. Micro Mark used to put one in their catalog, but I don’t see one in the latest one I have. Maybe a Walthers catalog?
Why not use Floquil Tuscan? It should match the stuff in the spray can. Thin with lacquer thinner for Floquil paints and remember to wear your two-stage respirator for all spraying or airbrushing.
http://www.modelflexpaint.com/Paint.html Modelflex (also acrylic) has both light and dark tuscan. These paints are airbrush ready (no thinning). I suggest buying in lots of six bottles (same color or various colors) to make the shipping worthwhile, although their price per bottle seems to still be $2.49, a bit cheaper than Polyscale.
Okay, you don’t want the smell of Floquil. One of the advantages of airbrushing is the option to mix your own colours (or, in your case, mix to match an existing one). Tuscan is one colour that I don’t think I’ve ever used, so I’m not familiar with it and can’t give you any concrete suggestions, but you could try darkening the PollyScale version. I’m guessing black (use sparingly), then red to bring it back into the proper range, but I think it would need something else, too. I do fairly well mixing “by eye”, but without the colour in front of me…[banghead]
If I may make a suggestion, why not put the filter (or another one) before the fan. This will keep the majority of the particles out of the fan and motor. I’ve got the motor and fan out of an old air hockey game in my homemade spray booth, which takes one half of an 11"x20" furnace filter, mounted on the intake side. The booth and motor has been in use for more than 30 years, with regular filter changes, of course [swg].
I am using a cheap range hood for my vent hood/motor/lights. It does have a pre-filter for the larger particles.
I know that I think I can mix a color that will match, but I thought that if someone had found a color right out of the bottle, it would save me some time and effort.
Modelflex isToo Thin??? Could you explain? What size tip are you using in your airbrush, what psi? Are you using Polyscale straight out of the bottle without thinning? (it’s intended to be thinned for airbrushing). Acrylic paints should be thinned to the consistency of milk, anything thicker and you risk getting too much paint on a model and obscuring some of the details. Modelflex is already the right consistency for airbrushing. you shouldn’t expect the paint to cover in one coat, but rather in 2-4 light coats to prevent too much paint build up and runs. Acrylics don’t work the same as solvent paints like Floquil, they require different techniques.
Your airbrush should have a medium or # 3 tip (this should be stamped somewhere. You should be spraying at about 18-23 psi. Are you using a Propel can or a compressor?
I have decided that I am not going to rise to your challenge about which paint is best and how to use an air brush etc. I am happy with what I have and my techniques.
This doesn’t directly address your question but you all may find it useful…
Years ago I tried to match the shade of brown/tuscan on a Branchline model. Branchline wouldn’t even answer my inquiries about the paint they used (which still bugs me). So, I got a piece of styrene, about 4x4 inches, and every painted a one inch square on it with each type of “rr brown” paint that I had. I coded the bottles (A, B, C, etc.) and the squares accordingly. So when future match jobs were needed, I could hold up the plastic sheet and find the one that closest fit the match.
It’s been about 10 years now, and it has come in pretty handy a number of times.