We have a number of customers asking whether they can spray our bottle waterborne paints through an airbrush. The answer is yes, but some thinning is required of the paint. However, the normal waterborne primer and clear coat that we ship with bottle kits needs to be substituted with solventborne primer and clear coat. Here is the recipe for a successful airbrush application for primer, base color and clear coat.

Note that your mileage may vary. Meaning: temperature, humidity, your gun's nozzle, and viscosity are all at work when airbrush spraying, and some adjustments from our settings may be required. We've successfully replicated our results many times, but that doesn't mean you won't have to do things a little differently. The test results below should be a good starting point, however. 

 

Airbrush Spraying Primer (solventborne)

Note that the normal Primer bottle that ships with ScratchesHappen kits is waterborne, and does not spray well from an airbrush. After you order your kit, please submit a request, stating your order number, through customer support at support@scratcheshappen.com and we will substitute the primer with a solventborne alternative. If you've already received your kit with waterborne primer, we can exchange it for you.

  1. Altitude: Salt Lake City: 4550'
  2. Temperature: 79 degrees Fahrenheit
  3. Humidity: 42%
  4. Airbrush Model: Iwata Eclipse HP-CS
  5. Pressure: 10psi
  6. Reduction: Thin the solventborne primer with Xylene at a ratio of 1:1 Primer:Xylene. Note that you can thin the primer as much as 2:1 Primer:Xylene, but doing so may require higher PSI.

For primer, we sprayed at a distance of 4-5 inches for a wider spray fan. We sprayed in a circular motion, and applied 2 coats, allowing each coat to flash off. The flash time will vary based on your temperature and humidity. A fan blowing a gentle volume of air across the painted surface will speed the flash time. Use a test card for this, and give it at least 5-10 minutes to flash, then check it with your finger to see if it is still tacky.

 

Airbrush Spraying Base Color Paint (waterborne)

All ScratchesHappen paint is waterborne, and can be sprayed through an airbrush.

  1. Altitude: Salt Lake City: 4550'
  2. Temperature: 78 degrees Fahrenheit
  3. Humidity: 44%
  4. Airbrush Model: Iwata Eclipse HP-CS
  5. Pressure: 10psi, but may vary depending on the reduction required for your paint (see #6 below)
  6. Reduction: Start by thinning the waterborne paint with distilled water at a ratio of 1:0.25 paint:water. Note that different color paint has different viscosity, because the constituent toners that were used for your color's formula all have different viscosities. Some paints are thicker than others, so you may need to experiment with the reduction ratio. Yellows and reds need less dilution because they are generally thinner to begin with. We have reduced the paint with as little as 5% (20:1) and up to 50% water (1:1). Lower reduction ratios (thicker paint) requires higher PSI to atomize through the airbrush.

For paint, we sprayed in a circular motion, and applied 3-4 coats, depending on the coverage of the color. Allow each coat to flash off. The flash time will vary based on your temperature and humidity. A fan blowing a gentle volume of air across the painted surface will speed the flash time. Use a test card for this, and give it at least 5-10 minutes to flash, then check it with your finger to see if it is still tacky.

 

Airbrush Spraying Clear Coat (solventborne)

Note that the normal Clear Coat bottle that ships with ScratchesHappen kits is waterborne, and does not spray well from an airbrush. After you order your kit, please submit a request, stating your order number, through customer support at support@scratcheshappen.com and we will substitute the waterborne clear coat with a solventborne alternative. If you've already received your kit with waterborne clear coat, we can exchange it for you.

Here are the settings for our solventborne clear coat spray test:

  1. Altitude: Salt Lake City: 4550'
  2. Temperature: 78 degrees Fahrenheit
  3. Humidity: 42%
  4. Airbrush Model: Iwata Eclipse HP-CS
  5. Pressure: 20psi, but may vary depending on the reduction required for your paint (see #6 below)
  6. Reduction: Start by thinning the solventborne clear coat with Xylene at a ratio of 2:1 Clear Coat:Xylene (a 50% reduction)
  7. Spray distance: 6"

Spray each coat as a normal full clear coat, at a thickness so that it flows and is glossy. Wait 10 minutes between coats for the clear to flash. Typically, 3 coats is enough, but you can experiment with 2-4 coats. 

We have found the clear sprays at a 25% reduction with Xylene (3:1 clear coat to Xylene). However, the 2:1 reduction sprayed better. Depending on your temperature and humidity, you may need to experiment with different reduction ratios.