Undercoating

[snowblizz]

I'm pretty sure if nature produced a money tree we would chop them all down ASAP and when the spending hangover hits us we'd start asking, "did anyone by chance save a seed or some saplings?".

Human nature you know.

Veering slightly back on topic part of that Disney programming also shows Santa's Workshop where the elfs have "chequered paint" to paint chessboards. Every year since I started wargaming I think, "man that would be an awesome invention". I just love the idea.
I'm trying to track down GW's April Fool's post but I'm not sure I can find so old content. They announced a new innovative "Citadel spray thingy", just hook up your paints and spray and it does all the work for you. It even detects if you spray a vehicle or infantry model. Classic. They had a picture of a modified Citadel spraygun with four paint jars, if you didn't know such a thing would be impossible it really sounded like it could work.

[Briggsy]

LOL - That would be so cool!

[Briggsy]

Is it possible to put too much undercoat on, either Chaos Black (undercoat black) or Skull White?

If so how would you know?

I ask because I'm having to brush up my undercoat as the spray has missed places and I'm worried that I might over coat it.

Thanks

[IBBoard]

Only in the same way as normal paint. If you start to obscure the detail then you've put too much paint on. If the metal/plastic is still showing then you've not put enough on

For some of the nooks and crannies on models then you'll always need to touch up afterwards (or waste lots of spray paint and risk flooding areas that already got enough paint), or if it is a multi-part model then assemble it into more sub-components (which helps with painting anyway).

[Briggsy]

Thanks mate,

I've just sprayed my last few miniatures and I seem to have encountered another problem, I've sprayed them twice now and its leaving a strange gray like finish, one side of the model as a nice black mat finish and the other has a speckley gray/black finish.

Should I spray them again? That would be the third time.

Thanks

[IBBoard]

It depends on quite what is happening. If you're spraying in this weather (even though the UK is warmer today) then the spray can change consistency. I sprayed some High Elves in white one Christmas and it came out like spray snow :\

If it is going a bit odd then you're probably safest just painting them. It isn't as quick, but you've got more control over it. The problem with repeatedly re-spraying is that you're adding layer upon layer, which will slowly either a) obscure the detail or b) build up on the rough patches of the previous layer and leave its own "detail".

[Briggsy]

I sprayed them outside and its a little moist and foggy , would that effect them then?

So you recommend just painting them with "undercoat black" with a brush to give them a good undercoating layer?

If I'm not happy with the undercoating is it worth stripping them down with dettol and doing them again, there's only a few which I'm not happy with, maybe its worth considering?

Thanks

[IBBoard]

The cold is worst, I think, but moisture will probably affect the surface tensions of the blobs of paint in the spray as well. I always just tried to get a day that wasn't too cold or wet or windy and then undercoat all of my miniatures that needed it at that point.

As for the undercoat, brushing it on is the best (only?) alternative. Just make sure you don't flood any detail or ruin your brush by rushing and overloading the bristles. If you do want to strip the models then it may be possible, but undercoat is that hardest bit to get off and sometimes needs a lot of work with a toothbrush (but that's the reason why you put it there in the first place!)

[Briggsy]

If I can get some good pictures posted can you judge my undercoating and let me know if I'm doing the thing?

Thanks

[IBBoard]

It'll depend on the quality of the picture, but I'm sure either me or Snowblizz can give you an opinion.

[Briggsy]

Is it possible to link straight to this post?

[Briggsy]

I'll think I'll leave it, the quality is poor...

Thanks anyway.

[IBBoard]

You can't attach images to posts, but you can post them elsewhere (e.g. ImageShack or PhotoBucket or similar) and either link to the image with [url] tags or embed the image with [img] tags.

[snowblizz]

Temperature and air moisture will most definitely affect the spraying. I try to avoid (spray) undercoating in the winter as it is generally too cold to do so.

If it is too cold you risk having the paint "freeze" on it's way to the miniature. I'm not sure f this is what you get. There was also something about making sure the can is room temperature as it actually cools down when you spray.

If it is too hot again then the paint dries before hitting the miniature and won't stick as well. I think this is how you get a "dusty" result. You'll have a somewhat workable surface but there'll be a fine "dust" coming off when you handle it and to some degree when you paint.

If it is too moist (and if it is foggy it definitely is!) that also affects how the paint acts. I can't recall now what the specific effect was though.

It also sounds like the spray is being clogged. If you spray the miniature and notice the result is "patchy" then the nozzle is starting to clog and forming a drop that is then shot outwards instead of a fine mist. This can be a result from spraying in too wet or too cold. Nowadays I always have tissue paper with me to dab the nozzle off with, however care is needed as you really don't want the tissue to stick to or leave fibres in the nozzle.

I don't think it will be necessary to strip them, only if you put waaaaay too much undercoat on will that really be an issue. I would however gently brush off any model which seems to be "dusty" before painting.
It is possible to get a rather nasty undercoat which actually leaves "detail" on the model, then it might be prudent to give it another shot and strip and re-spray.

[Briggsy]

Thanks Snowblizz