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Heating paint; Do you do it?
Topic Started: Sep 4 2016, 02:24 AM (1,006 Views)
Scott Hemsley
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Beast
[ * ]
This whole topic is new to me, so please bear with my ignorance. Several posts have given suggestions as to 'how' it's done, but not really as to 'why' it's done.

Therefore, my question is simply 'why'? I mean, assuming the paint is properly thinned for your airbrushing needs when you need it and the modelling-area where paint's usually kept, is maintained at a comfortable 'room-temperature' with the rest of the house, is there any benefits (application or otherwise) to heating by any amount more than it already is just by being in the room?


Scott
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dknights
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The court of LAST RESORT!
[ * ]
tigermoth,Sep 5 2016
02:33 PM
"I use a coffee cup warmer. I thin the paint in an empty mixing jar, then put it on the coffee warmer until the mixing bottle is hot to the touch. Then I transfer the paint to the airbrush. It seems to retain the benefits of warming for my usual airbrushing time. (10-15 minutes)" - dknights

Good idea David. They also keep water for decals warm and in a pinch will keep a beverage like tea or coffee warm.

Keeping coffee or tea warm? I'd never thought of that! :P
David M. Knights
Fortes fortuna adiuvat

14 Finished: Special Armor V-2, Airfix P-51
15 Finished: SBS Gladiator engine
16 Finished: Brengun C2 Wasserfall, Merit SS-N-2 Styx, World's smallest diorama, Airfix Hurricane.
17 Finished: Japanese Carrier Deck, Belcher SS-4, Italeri AB41, PLAN Type 039A (not 72nd scale)
18 Finished: NONE
The bench:Platz T-33, Trump. T-34/85, Meng F-106, Airfix P-51 #2, Airfix P-40
Revell MiG-21F-13, Ace Citroen V-11
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dknights
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The court of LAST RESORT!
[ * ]
Scott Hemsley,Sep 5 2016
04:10 PM
This whole topic is new to me, so please bear with my ignorance. Several posts have given suggestions as to 'how' it's done, but not really as to 'why' it's done.

Therefore, my question is simply 'why'? I mean, assuming the paint is properly thinned for your airbrushing needs when you need it and the modelling-area where paint's usually kept, is maintained at a comfortable 'room-temperature' with the rest of the house, is there any benefits (application or otherwise) to heating by any amount more than it already is just by being in the room?


Scott

Scott, I am no chemical engineer, so I don't know what the process is, but the effect is that the paint flows more smoothly and goes down more smoothly as well. It is freaking amazing as far as I am concerned.
David M. Knights
Fortes fortuna adiuvat

14 Finished: Special Armor V-2, Airfix P-51
15 Finished: SBS Gladiator engine
16 Finished: Brengun C2 Wasserfall, Merit SS-N-2 Styx, World's smallest diorama, Airfix Hurricane.
17 Finished: Japanese Carrier Deck, Belcher SS-4, Italeri AB41, PLAN Type 039A (not 72nd scale)
18 Finished: NONE
The bench:Platz T-33, Trump. T-34/85, Meng F-106, Airfix P-51 #2, Airfix P-40
Revell MiG-21F-13, Ace Citroen V-11
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Mark Schynert
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Yeast
[ * ]
Scott Hemsley,Sep 5 2016
08:10 PM
This whole topic is new to me, so please bear with my ignorance. Several posts have given suggestions as to 'how' it's done, but not really as to 'why' it's done.

Therefore, my question is simply 'why'? I mean, assuming the paint is properly thinned for your airbrushing needs when you need it and the modelling-area where paint's usually kept, is maintained at a comfortable 'room-temperature' with the rest of the house, is there any benefits (application or otherwise) to heating by any amount more than it already is just by being in the room?


Scott

Heating liquids tends to decrease viscosity, which means they flow better. Of course, heating also can trigger chemical reactions in some fluids which alters their nature, so it's not a sure thing. In the case of paints, the amount of heat is not enough to render chemical changes, and the viscosity is reduced by the heat, so the paints will work better through the rattle can nozzle or the airbrush (it would also hand-brush better, as it would tend to flow better off the brush and self-level to a greater extent, but the heat would dissipate rapidly on the brush, so the effect is unlikely to be very great).

Thinning also reduces viscosity by diluting one more viscous fluid (the paint) into a second less viscous fluid (the thinner). If the paint is at the optimum temperature, though, less thinner is needed for the paint to flow properly. If the paint is too cold, you may end up using too much thinner to get the viscosity right for air-brushing. The effect then is less coverage in a coat of paint.
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walrus
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Porco
[ * ]
In the case of rattle cans I assumed that the pressure of the aerosol caused cooling of the paint droplets so they don't lay down on the surface smoothly.
Warming the can helps prevent this from happening


Never thought of it in relation to airbrushing acrylics. My cellar is generally cool to cold in winter but have not had any such problems so far.
That said, if Mark is correct it might be worth trying with Vallejo Model Colour which is a lot more viscous than Vallejo Air.





Paul from Birmingham, UK
Now living in Barnsley.
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dknights
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Mark Schynert,Sep 6 2016
02:10 AM
Scott Hemsley,Sep 5 2016
08:10 PM
This whole topic is new to me, so please bear with my ignorance.  Several posts have given suggestions as to 'how' it's done, but not really as to 'why' it's done. 

Therefore, my question is simply 'why'?  I mean, assuming the paint is properly thinned for your airbrushing needs when you need it and the modelling-area where paint's usually kept, is maintained at a comfortable 'room-temperature' with the rest of the house, is there any benefits (application or otherwise) to heating by any amount more than it already is just by being in the room?


Scott

Heating liquids tends to decrease viscosity, which means they flow better. Of course, heating also can trigger chemical reactions in some fluids which alters their nature, so it's not a sure thing. In the case of paints, the amount of heat is not enough to render chemical changes, and the viscosity is reduced by the heat, so the paints will work better through the rattle can nozzle or the airbrush (it would also hand-brush better, as it would tend to flow better off the brush and self-level to a greater extent, but the heat would dissipate rapidly on the brush, so the effect is unlikely to be very great).

Thinning also reduces viscosity by diluting one more viscous fluid (the paint) into a second less viscous fluid (the thinner). If the paint is at the optimum temperature, though, less thinner is needed for the paint to flow properly. If the paint is too cold, you may end up using too much thinner to get the viscosity right for air-brushing. The effect then is less coverage in a coat of paint.

Thanks Mark. Now I know why it works as well as the fact that it does.
David M. Knights
Fortes fortuna adiuvat

14 Finished: Special Armor V-2, Airfix P-51
15 Finished: SBS Gladiator engine
16 Finished: Brengun C2 Wasserfall, Merit SS-N-2 Styx, World's smallest diorama, Airfix Hurricane.
17 Finished: Japanese Carrier Deck, Belcher SS-4, Italeri AB41, PLAN Type 039A (not 72nd scale)
18 Finished: NONE
The bench:Platz T-33, Trump. T-34/85, Meng F-106, Airfix P-51 #2, Airfix P-40
Revell MiG-21F-13, Ace Citroen V-11
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Starfighter Decals
Hero
[ * ]
I thought everybody heated their paint for Spray painting? :blink:

I use hot tap water (140F-160F) to warm up the cans. For Airbrushing I use a ceramic or glass bowl full of hot tap water kept warm by a coffee warmer/candle warmer by the airbrush/spray booth fan to keep the paint in.

A fellow modeler, who shall remain nameless to protect his pride, use to warm spray cans in boiling water. How he handled the cans, I'll never know. His car finishes were the envy of every other car modeler in the area, no doubt. That is, until one day one exploded in the kitchen. He spent the rest of the week painting the kitchen, several appliances, and refacing cabinets. She did allow him to use the airbrush to repaint the Appliance White to the stove. But to this day, spray cans are not allowed in the house.
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Scott Hemsley
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Beast
[ * ]
Thanks, guys (especially Mark for the explanation). I'll give it a try with my next few airbrushing sessions.

Last question: If the heating has a direct relation to the amount of thinner needed, I'd assume you'd heat the paint prior to thinning - correct?

Scott
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dknights
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The court of LAST RESORT!
[ * ]
Scott Hemsley,Sep 6 2016
01:08 PM
Thanks, guys (especially Mark for the explanation). I'll give it a try with my next few airbrushing sessions.

Last question: If the heating has a direct relation to the amount of thinner needed, I'd assume you'd heat the paint prior to thinning - correct?

Scott

I actually thin my paint before I heat it.
David M. Knights
Fortes fortuna adiuvat

14 Finished: Special Armor V-2, Airfix P-51
15 Finished: SBS Gladiator engine
16 Finished: Brengun C2 Wasserfall, Merit SS-N-2 Styx, World's smallest diorama, Airfix Hurricane.
17 Finished: Japanese Carrier Deck, Belcher SS-4, Italeri AB41, PLAN Type 039A (not 72nd scale)
18 Finished: NONE
The bench:Platz T-33, Trump. T-34/85, Meng F-106, Airfix P-51 #2, Airfix P-40
Revell MiG-21F-13, Ace Citroen V-11
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dknights
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The court of LAST RESORT!
[ * ]
Starfighter Decals,Sep 6 2016
10:32 AM
I thought everybody heated their paint for Spray painting? :blink:

I use hot tap water (140F-160F) to warm up the cans. For Airbrushing I use a ceramic or glass bowl full of hot tap water kept warm by a coffee warmer/candle warmer by the airbrush/spray booth fan to keep the paint in.

A fellow modeler, who shall remain nameless to protect his pride, use to warm spray cans in boiling water. How he handled the cans, I'll never know. His car finishes were the envy of every other car modeler in the area, no doubt. That is, until one day one exploded in the kitchen. He spent the rest of the week painting the kitchen, several appliances, and refacing cabinets. She did allow him to use the airbrush to repaint the Appliance White to the stove. But to this day, spray cans are not allowed in the house.

I will have to add that to my list of great modeling stories. I've done a couple of things like that and I retell those stories to the delight of other modelers.
David M. Knights
Fortes fortuna adiuvat

14 Finished: Special Armor V-2, Airfix P-51
15 Finished: SBS Gladiator engine
16 Finished: Brengun C2 Wasserfall, Merit SS-N-2 Styx, World's smallest diorama, Airfix Hurricane.
17 Finished: Japanese Carrier Deck, Belcher SS-4, Italeri AB41, PLAN Type 039A (not 72nd scale)
18 Finished: NONE
The bench:Platz T-33, Trump. T-34/85, Meng F-106, Airfix P-51 #2, Airfix P-40
Revell MiG-21F-13, Ace Citroen V-11
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Scott Hemsley
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Beast
[ * ]
Quote:
 
I actually thin my paint before I heat it.


Thanks David.

Scott
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Greenshirt
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Tim Holland, Southern MD - USA
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I've heard similar discussions regarding whiskeys. ^_^
Tim Holland

I'm a "green shirt" because I work on the carrier's flight deck and maintain US Navy aircraft. Safe sorties are my life so we can be anywhere, anytime -- from the Sea.

http://greenshirt-modeler.blogspot.com/
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Mark Schynert
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Yeast
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walrus,Sep 6 2016
12:20 PM
In the case of rattle cans I assumed that the pressure of the aerosol caused cooling of the paint droplets so they don't lay down on the surface smoothly.
Warming the can helps prevent this from happening

Right, because temp falls as pressure falls, all else being equal (PV=nrT). Raising the temp of the contents also raises the pressure inside the can, which mean the residual pressure on exiting the nozzle will be greater and the paint warmer, and thus better able to to diffuse & level.
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Big Kohona
Hero
[ * ]
dknights,Sep 5 2016
07:05 PM
Quote:
 
Good idea David.  They also keep water for decals warm and in a pinch will keep a beverage like tea or coffee warm.

Keeping coffee or tea warm? I'd never thought of that! :P

Yeah, no kidding, seems every time you look, whether it's rotten ronnies or timmies, they are pushing ice cold coffee. Ice tea though, that's a different story... ;)
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dixieflyer
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Hero
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Big Kohona,Sep 6 2016
07:13 PM
Ice tea though, that's a different story... ;)

Sweet, of course.

Warren
Son of the Deep South
"History is the lie we all agree upon."
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