# Can Ceramcoat be airbrushed?



## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

I'm sure this question has been asked before, but how many pages of posts does a guy need to scroll through for an answer?

So, can Delta Ceramcoat paints be applied with an airbrush? I like them because there's a wide variety of colors, they are readily avilable and much cheaper than model railroad paints, which though of high quality, are more expensive. And when you're working in large scale, painting a structure, ya go through a fair amount of paint compared say, to what you'd use in HO scale.

I've used Ceramcoat on all of my building roofs, applying them with a large brush, after thinning the paints with distilled water. I recall trying to thin Ceramcoat with windshield washer fluid, but as I recall, it got gooey--like it didn't like an alcohol-based thinner.

Because I'd like the paint to look evenly applied on my hotel's exterior walls, I'm thinking of applying it with my airbrush--either the serious, double-action Badger or a single-action Badger that is essentially just a nozzle with a screw adjustment for spray pattern. Even though I already owned two double-action brushes, I bought the simple one because in an article on scracth-building a general store or something, I saw Model Railroader Magazine's Cody Grivno using that device in one of the photos. So I reasoned, "Hey, if Cody can get great results using one of those cheap things, maybe I should use one too." As you can see, I am susceptible to suggstion when it comes to buying stuff.

Anyway, back to the question: Ceramcoat--airbrush or not?

Thanks.


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## tj-lee (Jan 2, 2008)

As long as you are thinning to the right consistency I don't see why you couldn't airbrush Ceramcoat. 

But I'm not knowledgeable airbrush guy by a long shot. 

best, 
TJ


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

I've not used the Delta Ceramcoat brand specifically, but I've airbrushed Folk-Art paints, which are very similar. The problem with airbrushing them is that the pigments are larger, and will clog up your airbrush much more quickly than the "typical" airbrush paints. You'll also want to push the pressure up to around 40 psi. Keep a pan of water handy to clear out the airbrush when it gets clogged. How much to thin it depends on the paint. I've found anywhere from 50/50 to 70/30 water/paint depending on the color I'm using. Note also that the more you thin it, the less chance there is of getting an even finish, especially when you're custom-mixing colors. 

It's certainly worked well enough for me, but I've stopped airbrushing the Folk-Art acrylics in favor of using Badger's "ModelFlex" line of paints instead when I need to airbrush something. For all the trouble I go through trying to get things mixed, thinned, and keeping the airbrush clear while painting, the added expense of the pre-thinned, ready-to-airbrush paint is well worth it. The ModelFlex paint is also water-clean-up, and has the distinct advantage of also being an absolute dream to apply by brush as well. Rarely--if ever--do I get brush strokes, even on very smooth surfaces. I still use the Folk Art paint for many models, too, but no longer for airbrushing. 

Later, 

K


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Thanks, guys. 

K, I think I'll follow your advice andy buy Badger. I hate messing with an airbrush (clogs, cleaning, thinning, etc). So I'll spray Badger and use the Ceramcoat for brushing, which is what I do for roofs and other places you don't mind seeing brush strokes. 

Pity is that I picked out the perfect Ceramcoat color for my hotel and now I'll have the plow through the jars at the local train store looking for a suitable Badger or maybe Poly Scale, match.


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## Totalwrecker (Feb 26, 2009)

Have you considered a standard paint sprayer? 
There was a thread recently about using a Harbor freight trim sprayer. Not as accurate as an airbrush, but effective applying a coat of paint. Seems to me you'd want full thickness of the paint on your roof anyways. 
I think it was only $14.00 You'd need a compressor for the airbrush, so that expense is a constant. 

John


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## wchasr (Jan 2, 2008)

I think I'd try the cheap option you already have first. The single action cheap Badger unit should do the trick. I successfulyl painted many an RC car polycarbonate/lexan bodies with one of those. I still have it someplace too....buried in the workshop with the few reminaing bits of RC stuff. 

Chas


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

John, I believe the simple Badger that Chas mentions is like the Harbor Freight thingy, but since I've been hankering to go there anyway (I love to look at "stuff") I may buy one of those too. After all, ya can never have enough junk. As for compressors, I have a very good Badger diaphragm compressor, which my co-workers bought me when I retired. Unfortunately, it has no air tank and runs constantly, although not too noisily, which is what prompted me to buy a 3-gallon tank compressor from Micro-Mark a few years ago. It can run a while between charges, but is VERY NOISY when the compressor kicks in. And herein lies the tale, as we say in Wrtining 101: the pressure shutfoff switch is broken, so what I do is work away until the safety valve pops and bleeds off excess pressure. Very crude and potentially dangerous, because if it doesn't pop, I could be the victim of, well, you get the picture. I posted a question on MLS about finding a replacement switch (one of you guys even gave me a link) but the problem is, none of the switches shown online look like mine does and I hate to have air lines and wires running all over the place with nowhere to go. Of course, I could buy a new compressor--they're about $100, although you can get a so-called "pancake" compressor for $39 at Harbor Freight. Or I could use that little Badger, which puts out maybe 40 pounds, enough for an airbrush. 

About paints: I had a whole checklist of Ceramcoat colors (there must be 200 shown on their website), which I took to the local Michael's. Unfortunately, the stock had been pretty well picked over (househould project people are slobs!) and I found a couple of basic colors such as brown and green and not the really trick ones I saw on the Delta Ceramcoat website. From there I went to my local trainstore (thank God we still have those in LA and went through the whole process of finding the color I wanted to use for my small hotel project. Man, those model train colors are pricey! Also, how can there be three different versions of "Sand" from three different manufacturers? 

Finally, Chas, yeah, I think I'll try that single action Badger, which I have yet to use. It should be easy to clear/clean, unlike the double-action brush, which can make you crazy because it clogs, then falls apart into a million pieces if you're not careful disassembling it for cleaning. BTW, Mr Ronholder, don't talk about "buried." My garage is a HAZMAT site.


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## Bruce Chandler (Jan 2, 2008)

Joe, 
Head down to Home Depot or Lowes. You can get exterior paint in custom colors in a sample size; they'll mix it for you on the spot. The size is 7.5 ounces - which will easily take care of a building or four. Cost is about $3 or $4.


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

Bruce, do these colors spray easily? I have just spent 2 hours brush painting (well, more like dabbing) Ceramcoat on half of my small hotel roof. Tedious! Looks like a leopard. Bottom line, I hate brush painting. 

On the other hand, a primered all of the hotel's windows with gray auto primer from a rattle can and despite numbing my brain by spraying inside my closed up garage (I aired it out when I finished), the job came out pretty good and will serve as a good base with some "teeth" for the actual color (an off-white, which will go on the windows and trim). 

But the Home Depot and Loews paints do seem like a great deal and I can get the color I want, so thanks for the tip. 

Done any interesting building lately? I am always up for looking at a nice project. 

BTW and not that I need it, but I have been eyeing my Korber station and thinking I need to bash it. Change out the windows and doors and maybe add wainscoating along the bottom three feet of the walls. Seems like a walk in the park, which is what I thought the small hotel would be. And did I mention that I miscalcualted and put in too many windows, so I had to tear out the extras? Man, that MEK sure welds styrene real good! Had to use my Dremel tool on 'em. My wife thinks I'm nuts, but I told her us MEK heads are like that.


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## Mike Reilley (Jan 2, 2008)

Posted By Bruce Chandler on 20 Jul 2011 01:38 PM 
Joe, 
Head down to Home Depot or Lowes. You can get exterior paint in custom colors in a sample size; they'll mix it for you on the spot. The size is 7.5 ounces - which will easily take care of a building or four. Cost is about $3 or $4. 
ON THE MONEY!!! I just bought paint this way. Wow was I impressed! Finally, a way to get GOOD outdoor paint in small quantities.


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## Bruce Chandler (Jan 2, 2008)

Joe, I don't know how well they spray - I used a 1 1/2" brush to do my buildings; I suspect you'd want pretty high pressure. Nothing new since Oates Furniture and Buchanan Tool & Die, both this year. 

Mike, it is a great deal, isn't it? I love being able to get the exact color I want.


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## East Broad Top (Dec 29, 2007)

I've blasted exteroir latex through my airbrush. Like the acrylics, high pressure, thin paint, and lots of coats. 

Later, 

K


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## Dave Ottney (Jan 2, 2008)

What K said. I've pushed Ceramcoat, latex, FolkArt and modeling specific paints through my 30 year Paasche airbrush. I thin it with Windex or isopropyl alcohol. 
I've actually found that Ceramcoat works better than some of the other craft type paints found at Michaels or other craft stores. I've done model RR stuff and RC airplanes with it quite successfully. 
Having a jar or dish of water close at hand is good advice. Just stick the airbrush into it when you have to stop painting for short periods. I didn't have much luck with the cheapo airbrushes like those at Harbor Freight. 

Dave


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## joe rusz (Jan 3, 2008)

First, to K. I airbrushed Badger reefer white onto my small hotel's window frames and the paint works just like you said--no thinning. I was surprised at how frugal my Badger Ensign brush was with paint. Looks real nice too. 

Dave, you're not the first to offer this advice, but I hafta ask--what do you mean stick the airbrush into a dish of water.? The whole brush, right up to the hose? Just the tip? I read somewhere that ya shouldn't dunk the valve body into anything (water, cleaning solution, etc) 'cause you will damage the seal. But dang, my brush sure gets messy when I paint and I wind up disassembling it to get all the paint out. BTW, I know soapy water is supposed to clean a brush, but I prefer acetone, 'cause it'll cut anything. Of course, I may lose a few more of them, whatcha macallit, those things in your head that you think with. Oh, yeah, now I remember, brain cells!


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