Vallejo gloss varnish - V - my airbrush

[Guest]

Does anyone else have difficulty shooting Vallejo satin and gloss varnish through their a/b?

I spent a couple of hours cleaning and re-cleaning my 2 a/brushes and after checking I have a nice clean spray of water coming through, I load the varnish only to have it block again within a few secs.:thinking:

Any ideas?

[Guest]

Strange, i don't have any problems at all. I can spray it through both my 0.2 & 0.5 airbrushes (at about 15psi)

I did have a problem once when I didn't shake it enough before using it..It seemed to have separated slightly, and was quite gloopy, can't think of anything else though.

[Guest]

Hmm, that is strange because I shook the hell out of it. Maybe I didn't shake it enough........ Thanks, Gaz.

[Andy2035]

Take the top off the varnish bottle and give that a clean, I found that the gloop's tend to collect there and come out to play at the wrong time...

[Guest]

Alex as reported here a few weeks ago I had problems with my bottle of Satin Varnish. Take off the spout & poor a bit into a small container. I found that instead of a smooth liquid it was littered with little blobs.

I think I mentioned in the article the batch number. I got replacements from Vallejo (with additional freebies) who admitted that one batch had gone wrong.

Other than that like all those before I have not had any problems. I would say less trouble than the paints some of which I have had to thinner a lot. You could try thinners but your gloss & satin will lose some of its finish.

I found you have to clean the Air Brush like immediately. That is a full clean brush through the needle channel. Also the channel from the cup to the needle channel that angle corner can cause blockages.It also gets on the protective cage over the needle at the front end.

Another thought do you brush leave then re brush. I have found that causes problems as it goes off so quickly.

Last thought squirt through the brush a small amount of Vallejo cleaner before filling the cup. Squirt a bit on a plastic bottle to clear the cleaner before attacking the main piece. This has a lubricant in it & may help. Cannot think of anything else. If it was mine I would suspect dried varnish somewhere in the brush.

Matter of interest is it gravity brush or the other type ?

Laurie

[Vaughan]

Hi alex

For me I've always found that the varnishes are rather thick as they are not Modelair (they don't say Modelair on the bottles although they are listed on the Modelair colour chart), so I have always thinned them with a ratio of 50/50 with model air thinners. Laurie is right in that the varnishes go off very quickly, so you do need to be careful with your air brush and clean well afterwards. Hope this helps.

Vaughan

[Guest]

Vallejo changed it sometime back Vaughan.

They used to be listed in Model Air & Model even on the bottles. But it was the same product in each.

They now market it in accessories coming under varnish & other medium with just varnish on the bottle.

Matter of interest they also market a large variety of coloured varnishes. Also a medium which you mix with the paint which makes it transparent to a degree depending on the mix.

Laurie

[Guest]

Sorry for the late reply, guys, and thanks for all the replies.

I'm using a gravity fed a/b but have also tried the other type with the same results. This stuff clogged up both a/b so bad that nothing would come out of them, period. I've completely disassembled, cleaned with a/b cleaner and found the same problem. It's pretty thick so will try a 50/50 mix next time, although I use tap water not thinner........

Hope it works otherwise I'll change brands for varnishes.

[Guest]

Alex I would go for Vallejo thinner as it is the basis of the varnish.

If you compare water with the thinners amazingly water is quite thick.

What needle nozzle size are you using. I use .2 & .4 and have not had any problems using the stuff neat. Puzzling.

Laurie

[BarryW]

I always spray 'neat' and unthinned both the gloss and matt varnish using a .2 needle in my Evo at about 20 psi without problems. If a long session then I will do a clean in the middle but not a strip clean, just a colour change clean. You really do have to clean the a/b up thoroughly after though.

[Guest]

I always spray 'neat' and unthinned both the gloss and matt varnish using a .2 needle in my Evo at about 20 psi without problems. If a long session then I will do a clean in the middle but not a strip clean, just a colour change clean. You really do have to clean the a/b up thoroughly after though.

My Vallejo Varnishes are also quite thick and they clog up my Aztek Acrylic .50mm nozzle immediately. Can't believe you get it through a .20mm! Should I be looking for a different airbrush?

I need to thin it with a ratio of at least 30/70 Vallejo thinner to varnish before I can get anything out. Even then after a few minutes it clogs up and I have to do a strip clean...

Has anyone tried using the Vallejo Retarder to prevent the nib from clogging up?

[Guest]

My Vallejo Varnishes are also quite thick and they clog up my Aztek Acrylic .50mm nozzle immediately. Can't believe you get it through a .20mm! Should I be looking for a different airbrush? I need to thin it with a ratio of at least 30/70 Vallejo thinner to varnish before I can get anything out. Even then after a few minutes it clogs up and I have to do a strip clean...

Has anyone tried using the Vallejo Retarder to prevent the nib from clogging up?

Tony throw a challenge to the Vallejo Customer Dept. No fobbing off form them they will come back & try & help. Took a couple of days last time, think it must be holidays.

Make sure you give full details brush, nozzle size & temperature, approx , you are airbrushing at.

Also give them the details on the bottle the batch no. so they can check if it is the same stuff I had a problem with.

Be interesting to see what they say if you could publish it Tony.

Laurie

[Guest]

Just seen this thread and thought I'd add my 2 p worth.

I bought some Vallejo gloss varnish and their thinners a while back to test it, because I build slot cars for people and they wanted their decals protected.

Only today was the weather suitable. So out with my nice new Paasche Model H, which I recently bought specifically for clear. I have used a Model H for years and recently had occasion to buy spares for it so bought the new one at the same time, for very little money direct from their Seattle base via an American chum. Hooked it up to the rewired old Sprayit compressor and off we went at about 20psi and 6-8" distance. I thinned the varnish about 65% varnish/35% thinners, swirled with a brush to mix it, unscrewed the nozzle till a nice 8mm diameter fan pattern was there and did a Lotus 24 as if it was a real car. Like a robot, is my advice, with a little overlap to keep the wet edge going all over it.

When I left it an hour ago it was glinting in the sun like no old Lotus ever did!

Decals unharmed too. Not too thick though as the stuff goes a bit milky, though does end up clearing and is a very smooth coat indeed.

Valejo and Paasche Model H very highly recommended. I think one problem with most on these sites is that they will try to spray finish coats with what is really a very fussy graphics instrument for which I have never found a use....including graphics, in which field I once worked.

Cheers,

Martin

[Ian M]

I quite like the UV colour when it goes on. Helps to see that its even and not missed a bit. You just have to watch out you dont over do it in one go.

I also tend to use a larger nozzle than I otherwise would.

Ian M

[Guest]

Going to resurrect this thread.
Had such trouble today spaying some varnish, each time it clogged up . Having read all this thread from the being I'm sure I have the same problem.
Going to completely clean the top tomorrow, but even when I removed the nozzle top and poured it into a small container I could see lumps. Shook it for ages in the Race Towers mixer.
Very annoying to have the ab block up .