Sturmgeschutz III - don't do this at home, kids!

[SoCalBobS]

It's about 15 years old, last time I used it was about 5 years ago. Got four nozzles, all seem to jam. Probably need to thin the paint to a different viscosity. I've become so used to the Iwata I'm staying with it.

[borntoolate]

I ordered this one:

https://www.amazon.com/Paasche-Airbrush-TG-3SA-Talon/dp/B07FDGSZ6Z/ref=sr_1_5?dchild=1&keywords=Paasche+Airbrush&qid=1596997496&sr=8-5

It has three smaller tips (.25, .38 and .66) than I currently have. What I have is much larger. My AB is about 4 or 5 years old (or more) and it is probably time to replace it.

Bob

[UltraVargen]

Pretty much done, time to run it in the dirt! By the way, I echo another thread, GLUE THE SMALL PARTS! I’ve already lost a couple after driving a little frisky.

Bob, I don't know if I'm the ony one but these pictures don't seem to load?

[UltraVargen]

As for airbrushing: My experience is that the brand of paint really matters. When I first got my airbrush years and years ago I went with Vallejo Model Air because I was already using their regular brushpaints. Big mistake, couldn't spray without the airbrush clogging up every 5 minutes. Tried different types of thinners but never got it right. And a hell to clean the stuff from the airbrush. After that I switched to Mr Hobby Aqueous, thinning it with Mr Hobby thinner. It's a dream spraying with this.

[SoCalBobS]

Bob, I don't know if I'm the ony one but these pictures don't seem to load?

Funny, both photos were displaying on the quote you sent me! Some glitch on the website coding, I guess.

[borntoolate]

I cannot see the two pics. I understand about the paint. I have been airbrushing almost all of my planes and I use water based latex house paint. I usually thin it with distilled water. I tried out the painting on a box ans the spray nozzles are just too big for what I want. I will try new tips first then the new airbrush if the tips do not work.

Bob

[SoCalBobS]

I’ve found Tamiya paints work well. How about these pics?

[borntoolate]

Very cool, Bob!

[Sappo]

Yeah I use Tamiya paint as well, I especially like the way dirt and grime accumulate on the paint, no need for weathering. Big time saver

[karltrek]

I’ve found Tamiya paints work well. How about these pics?

Wow SoCal Bob! Looks amazing! I think NorCal Bob (borntoolate) is going for the same look! 😃

I love the rust weathering. How did you do that? I was never very good at weathering. But willing to give it another try.

[SoCalBobS]

Hey Karl, thanks. My process is actually very easy. It won’t win any Scalemasters contest, but it’s great for these tanks. I use AK’s Streaking Grime and their Enamel Thinner, as a wash. Thin it and it runs along creases, corners and panel lines. Thicker around bolts. Real thin wash can run down surfaces. I used some after I took these pics to dim down the white numbering. If you use too much pigment, just brush it away with thinner.

Just make sure you seal your paint first, with clear flat, so the thinner doesn’t affect the paint. It’s the most fun step for me.

As far as the tracks, I just spray them with Testors Flat Earth or Dark Tan, then drive the tank on some hard surface to wear off the high surfaces. You could also use the streaking grime to deepen the creases.

I buy the AK paints at Hobbylinc.

Bob

[UltraVargen]

I'm really liking that paintscheme, well done!

[karltrek]

Hey Karl, thanks. My process is actually very easy. It won’t win any Scalemasters contest, but it’s great for these tanks. I use AK’s Streaking Grime and their Enamel Thinner, as a wash. Thin it and it runs along creases, corners and panel lines. Thicker around bolts. Real thin wash can run down surfaces. I used some after I took these pics to dim down the white numbering. If you use too much pigment, just brush it away with thinner.

Just make sure you seal your paint first, with clear flat, so the thinner doesn’t affect the paint. It’s the most fun step for me.

As far as the tracks, I just spray them with Testors Flat Earth or Dark Tan, then drive the tank on some hard surface to wear off the high surfaces. You could also use the streaking grime to deepen the creases.

I buy the AK paints at Hobbylinc.

Bob

Awesome! Thanks for the info. I will give it a try. 😃

[karltrek]

I picked up a can of Rust-Oleum Camouflage "Earth Brown" and painted the tracks on my StuG III. I like how they came out. Should weather nicely over time in the dirt.

[Vaseline]

As for airbrushing: My experience is that the brand of paint really matters. When I first got my airbrush years and years ago I went with Vallejo Model Air because I was already using their regular brushpaints. Big mistake, couldn't spray without the airbrush clogging up every 5 minutes. Tried different types of thinners but never got it right. And a hell to clean the stuff from the airbrush. After that I switched to Mr Hobby Aqueous, thinning it with Mr Hobby thinner. It's a dream spraying with this.

the thing about Vallejo is its great paint on 1 very big condition, its formulated in such a way that if you use anything but their proprietary reducer/thinner the paint breaks and turns into cottage cheese in your airbrush gumming up the whole works.

[UltraVargen]

the thing about Vallejo is its great paint on 1 very big condition, its formulated in such a way that if you use anything but their proprietary reducer/thinner the paint breaks and turns into cottage cheese in your airbrush gumming up the whole works.

That's exactly what happened. I think I never actually tried their own thinner so that might explain it. Did try alcohol, water, Tamiya and Mr. Color thinner. Maybe some other stuff, it was a long time ago.

I still have a box full of VMA bottles (if they're not dried out after 10+ years). Maybe I'll try them again sometime.

[HDMM]

Another STUG III owner here.....I've converted mine to a Clark TK40 with a Flash unit. Have not added IR yet. I've done detailing / painting but have not done any weathering on it yet.

[SoCalBobS]

the thing about Vallejo is its great paint on 1 very big condition, its formulated in such a way that if you use anything but their proprietary reducer/thinner the paint breaks and turns into cottage cheese in your airbrush gumming up the whole works.

I've found that too, using Testor's acrylic thinner with AK paints. it took me an hour to get all the gundge out of the airbrush.

[SoCalBobS]

Another STUG III owner here.....I've converted mine to a Clark TK40 with a Flash unit. Have not added IR yet. I've done detailing / painting but have not done any weathering on it yet.

Great job on the tank commander! Are those plastic tracks? If so, I've done just one more step than with metal ones. Spray them first with any silver you like, then lightly overspray with the brown we've been talking about. The brown wears off first, yielding 'metal" highlights.

Or, you could order three or four types of pigments, mix your own, then paint each link. Shouldn't take more than a few days! (Facetious I know, but I worked in a hobby shop for a while and overheard just this type of conversation.)

I do have some AK metal pigment paste that I use on edges, handles, etc., which could touch up tracks. Rub some on your fingers, rub your finger on the surfaces you want. Just beware, a little goes a long way!

[Vaseline]

I typically use a combination of a a regular ol' #2 pencil and a prisma-color silver pencil as you describe using that metal paste. the burnished graphite over black looks really good as a worn gun-metal look as well. I ordered a 1lb tub of graphite powder for weathering, that was a mistake, it just wont polish to that metallic sheen like a pencil does.