Awesome! Question about the Stynlrez...I've tried priming with it and learned that the stuff dries QUICK. Online homework reveals that other users have discovered the same. Do you have some airbrush cleaner ready to go as soon as your session is over? I also read that it sprays best with larger needle/nozzle combos and higher pressure than what you'd normally use for the color coats. What have you found?
YES! And YES! And yes again. Dries fast. Very fast. But, has great leveling properties despite how fast it dries. I have a big bottle of Airbrush reducer and extender base that I used before to thin the White Stynlrez for the Bandai Kit. I chose to use the primer right out of the bottle this time without the reducer to cut down on possible hair and lint getting stuck in the paint over such a large surface area ( I have 2 German Shepherds and their hair floats everywhere). That plan paid off as the top of the hull has just been sprayed with 2 coats and no hair or lint that I can see on quick inspection.
I am using a larger needle and nozzle (0.5") and have upped the pressure to 25psi. It does still tend to spit once in awhile, but the higher pressure is necessary or the thicker viscosity of this primer will not atomize properly. Stynlrez dries to the touch in about 2-5 minutes depending on the amount and seems ready to be worked with and sanded after an hour. I will likely wait 24 before doing any major sanding or repair work. The finish is hard and flat, VERY flat. PERFECT to receive the Tamiya XF-2 with some sky gray for the base coat that I am going to put some reducer into with some Pledge Floor care for leveling. Should result in a semi-gloss to matte finish.
I also have Spectra airbrush cleaner that I used during the session. After each cupful of Stynlrez I go through, I have to stop, fill the paint cup with water and spray through, then take off the nozzle and using a Q-tip with water, scrape out the drying viscous of the primer in the nozzle. Then wipe out the inside of the cup with wet paper towel, dump a few drops of Spectra in there and spray through onto paper towel until clear. Then I can refill the cup again and resume priming. Somewhat tedious - but - the trade off of using a water-soluble primer and less harsher thinners and cleaning agents is worth it. The high humidity this time of year here makes the use of rattle cans a non-starter in this case - and - I did not want to risk using a rattle can, even though Robert Cass suggested I do. I do prefer the control of airbrushing this primer directly into areas difficult for a wider spray to reach and coat thin enough not to obscure tiny detail such as brass PE in many spots.
At the end of the session, I have a bottle of Tamiya X-20A Acrylic thinner I put in the paint cup after clearing the brush with water and I spray that through, letting some sit in the cup and covering the nozzle with finger to get some back flow into the mechanism, then spray out the rest.
I then disassemble the brush and pull out the needle to clean with cloth and thinner and the nozzle assembly.
I finish with another few drops of Spectra sprayed through to dry. So far, not bad.
I will say that due to odor and having water as the primary cleaning agent - using Stynlrez and acrylics has been much easier and also better in the noise department. The wife does not complain when I use those.
