Just started weathering rolling stock with my new airbrush and Poly S paint! It seems thick at times! Should I dilute it? Alcohol? Water? How thin?
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Distilled water for dilution...Poly S is water based. Alcohol will make the paint dry too fast...won't give it time to disperse on the "targeted" surface.
Thin it to the consistency of "fat-free-milk".
The rule of thumb with airbrushing is to thin your paint to the consistency of milk. This will allow the paint to spray properly and prevent clogging.
You may try automotive windshield wiper fluid for thinner. The blue type, not the orange Rain-x type. Test it first before painting a car or engine. Also, most airbrushes have several sizes of tips- #1-#3 with #1 being the smallest orfice ,usually for thin paints or inks. #3 is for heavy enamals. For weathering I usually use a #1 tip in my Passche VL series gun. Also, spray at a low pressure if possible, 10-20 lbs. You can use a product called Deft as a final finish to preserve the weathering.This is a wood preservitive clear paint. Remember that you want to over weather your part as the flat finish you apply later will hide some of your work. Don't forget about chalk for weathering. I scrape the stick with a xacto knife to make a powder that you can use. Try dipping your brush in alcohol then the powder before applying it. You make it a wash so to speak and streak it towards the bottom of the item you are weathering.
Good Luck
Frank
