Spray Paint
December 18, 2020 11:04 AM Subscribe
How do I make my spray paint more like mist?
I’ve been trying to make my own spray paint using reusable oil spray bottles and air spray medium ( the kind of reusable bottle that you pump, like for food oil). But even when I spray through a cheese cloth or orange or avocado sacks, the spray comes out more like rain drops than mist. The raindrops are cool too but is there a way I can make my spray paint more mist like?
I’ve been trying to make my own spray paint using reusable oil spray bottles and air spray medium ( the kind of reusable bottle that you pump, like for food oil). But even when I spray through a cheese cloth or orange or avocado sacks, the spray comes out more like rain drops than mist. The raindrops are cool too but is there a way I can make my spray paint more mist like?
With out getting into HVLP or something you need more pressure/smaller orifice. If you can get away with just a few cans at a time you can buy diy reusable spray cans. They work off of compressed air but vulmes are small so even a bike pump can work to pressurize the containers.
If this is for shop/studio use there are all sorts of spray guns available for large jobs or air brushes for smaller volumes. What is it you are trying to paint?
posted by Mitheral at 11:48 AM on December 18, 2020
If this is for shop/studio use there are all sorts of spray guns available for large jobs or air brushes for smaller volumes. What is it you are trying to paint?
posted by Mitheral at 11:48 AM on December 18, 2020
Response by poster: Mitheral - just trying to paint very small areas of regular canvas paintings. I might look into the air brush kits.
posted by gt2 at 11:51 AM on December 18, 2020
posted by gt2 at 11:51 AM on December 18, 2020
Might this work: Preval Sprayer
I have one but have not yet used it. Home Depot stocks it but Lowes no longer does but the reviews are still posted.
posted by tinker at 1:37 PM on December 18, 2020
I have one but have not yet used it. Home Depot stocks it but Lowes no longer does but the reviews are still posted.
posted by tinker at 1:37 PM on December 18, 2020
There are paint spraying attachments to utilise the blow cycle of a vacuum cleaner - IDK if these are avail where you are. I have used them 30+ years ago and they were a bit splatty i.e. there was little control over droplet size so you needed to stir the paint really well.
posted by unearthed at 2:22 PM on December 18, 2020
posted by unearthed at 2:22 PM on December 18, 2020
I would use disposable paper (like toilet paper) to gently redistribute the paint so it looks more misty, whether rubbing to get rid of droplet texture, or "lifting out" to show more of the background.
posted by b33j at 4:59 PM on December 18, 2020
posted by b33j at 4:59 PM on December 18, 2020
Putting anything in the path of the sprayer (fabric, mesh, wire, pencil, etc) is how you make big drops and spatters...so stop doing that.
Preval sprayers suck the devil's donkey dong. They are literally my least favorite product I have encountered in this world. They are filled with such promise but deliver only despair. Sure, they might work for a bit...then clog and fail permanently, usually spattering out and ruining whatever you're working on. It's like they know there's a deadline. I would spend $100 on a new airbrush before I spend even $1 on another preval. (Srsly they are like made passive-aggressive. They will work flawlessly for like 5 minutes while you figure it out and think it's cool, then immediately destroy your art the second you point it at it. Avoid.)
Here is Dick Blick's list of spray products you might try...I have one of those mouth atomizers but don't know if I've ever used it...might be worth a try. You might also try calling the nearest store and asking them about some of these.
Spray is a complex process that is highly dependent on the size/shape/quality of the escape hole. (In slow-mo you can see the paint build up on the edge of the hole before breaking free...the size/shape of the opening, the air force, and the consistency of the paint work together to control the drop size.) The fact it's an oil sprayer might be part of the problem. (and food stuff isn't going to be that precise anyway.)
You might try thinning your paint down to translucency and building up in thin layers (drying between each). There will still be speckles, but they will fade together in a few coats. That's good technique for any kind of spraying as well, even if you have regular spray paint. Thin layers, feathered together, several coats.
posted by sexyrobot at 7:19 PM on December 18, 2020 [3 favorites]
Preval sprayers suck the devil's donkey dong. They are literally my least favorite product I have encountered in this world. They are filled with such promise but deliver only despair. Sure, they might work for a bit...then clog and fail permanently, usually spattering out and ruining whatever you're working on. It's like they know there's a deadline. I would spend $100 on a new airbrush before I spend even $1 on another preval. (Srsly they are like made passive-aggressive. They will work flawlessly for like 5 minutes while you figure it out and think it's cool, then immediately destroy your art the second you point it at it. Avoid.)
Here is Dick Blick's list of spray products you might try...I have one of those mouth atomizers but don't know if I've ever used it...might be worth a try. You might also try calling the nearest store and asking them about some of these.
Spray is a complex process that is highly dependent on the size/shape/quality of the escape hole. (In slow-mo you can see the paint build up on the edge of the hole before breaking free...the size/shape of the opening, the air force, and the consistency of the paint work together to control the drop size.) The fact it's an oil sprayer might be part of the problem. (and food stuff isn't going to be that precise anyway.)
You might try thinning your paint down to translucency and building up in thin layers (drying between each). There will still be speckles, but they will fade together in a few coats. That's good technique for any kind of spraying as well, even if you have regular spray paint. Thin layers, feathered together, several coats.
posted by sexyrobot at 7:19 PM on December 18, 2020 [3 favorites]
YouCAN from Jacquard Is another refillable spray can you pressurize with a bike pump.
posted by jimw at 9:41 PM on December 18, 2020
posted by jimw at 9:41 PM on December 18, 2020
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