Airbrush & car paint

[edk]

Would a small airbursh (the type for model painting etc) be able to spray metallic car paint? Using thinners of course and for a small area such as cam cover/mud guards/door handles etc. The only reason I can think not is that the metal flakes might be too large?

 

[quickdraw]

OK

you need to give more description fella

metallic is fine to spray through any compressed nozzle..

if your spraying flakes this is different!

and also depends on what "airbrush" you are talking about, as a styling airbrush is basiclly that it very fine lines! so you would be there for ages trying to do a cam cover etc,

you can however get a patch gun, which will do a wing, handles cam covers etc relatively well

only difference with a metallic is that you would need to use a laquer.

personally from what i think your trying to do

i would give my best advise and say DONT

prep work is the most important especialyl for smaller items as u saying

a good base primer and a good smoothing off - wet flat the primer to ge a good surfice

then use a simple £8 - £10 mixed spray can from halfords (boil some water and put the can in before you spray it as it mixes the paint better in the can)

then clear laquer

obviously wet flatting the colours, and not sanding the laquer untill the final coat is dried right through

give it a good 24 - 48 hour cure time

 

[inahole]

Should be ok Ed but you will probably have to open the sh'nozzle right up.

 

[Garnz]

It would be ok however air brush you wont get the flow rate correct it just wont be enough and probablly end up patchy. As said before you can get a small spray gun which will work more effectivly.

 

[wraith]

I used a 'hobby' airbrush on my last car (metallic tornado grey, see sig) and the paint goes on fine if you practice a little.

However..

I was trying to spray rust patches and filler on large panels and it was simply impossible to get anything like a reasonable colour match. Took it to a body shop in desperation and they told me it would be impossible and the only way to get even a half-decent finish would be to spray entire panels. This was due to the way that the tiny flakes lie in the paint differently depending on how it's applied.

It should be fine for small items where you are spraying the whole thing, wiper arms, for example or maybe for colour-coding mirrors or handles so long as you use lots of thin, even coats but for panel work you'd be better doing it with pro kit and proper, thorough prep.

Wee bits fine but for panel work I'd go to a bodyshop. This is exactly why I want a non-metallic colour next time round, so I can hire the kit and DIY if I have to.

edit: I'm pretty sure I used about 50/50 thinners/paint.

 

[edk]

Cheers for all the comments :thumbs:

Wee bits fine but for panel work I'd go to a bodyshop.

Yeah I wouldnt attempt panels with one. Specifically I'm thinking door handles and maybe my front splitter... but only thinking about it as I know a pro would be able to do a much better job even if I had the right tools :O

 

[quickdraw]

Wee bits fine but for panel work I'd go to a bodyshop. This is exactly why I want a non-metallic colour next time round, so I can hire the kit and DIY if I have to.

edit: I'm pretty sure I used about 50/50 thinners/paint.

practice only make perfect mate! use old panels etc to practice on

depending on what paint it is you will get a better layer doing 60/40 paint for the first to layers then a thin coat dusting of 50/50 for the 3rd layer as the top coat is simply to hide the tiny scratches left from wet flatting each individual coat - dont wet flat the last coat though, it should simply be a dusting of paint rather than spraying it

easily done though