Citadel Spray Guns

[Grim of Chaos]

Hi Guys and Girls.

 

I've been down to my local GW store with the intentions of buying a CSM dreadnaught but I ended up walking out with a Space Marines Venerable Dreadnaught and a Grey Knights Dreaknight (looks like I'm starting a new army). Any how I've got a bit of an issue on how to paint them both.

I've got a Citadel spray gun but im not to keen on using it.

It seems to use to much paint and iver don't want to spray or sprays to thick. I've tried to obvious like twisting the nozzle to get different thickness but it never seems to change. I did wonder if it's the colours I'm using.

The last colour I used last was Blood Red and it was a night mare never laid at all right. I'm after a real clean look on my new GKs not like my manky CSMs.

So I guess I'm asking is anyone got any tips on using the Citadel guns and is spraying matallics any easier than sparying flat colours?

 

Thanks for reading me ramble on.

Si

[Chaplain Gunzhard]

This might not be the answer you are looking for but seriously dude - save yourself the torment and throw that spraygun in the trash. Get a cheap airbrush instead. Spraying metallics can be done, but it is an enormous pain to clean up your airbrush after and it is certainly not 'easier' than spraying flat colors. Metallics will also clog your brush very easily, even if you use thinned down airbrush specific paints (like Vallejo AIR).

[Grim of Chaos]

Haha.

No your right there matey that's not what I wanted to hear. But thanks for your advice I'll take it under the belt. It's a shame as my Dreadknight and Dreadnaught will be put on hold now until I can come up with something to get my smooth and clean look.

Thanks again matey Si

[RebG]

It's not you, the spray gun is junk. I have one and, by the time I get the mix and pressure right, the can's too cold to hold pressure. Rubbish.

 

I started experimenting with the Army Painter sprays for the base layer colour. It took a little practice as they work a bit differently to what I was used to (the GW spray) but, after a couple of mistakes - due to not reading the instructions properly - it's been great. They do a metallic/silver spray I'm pretty sure so, if you want a good even quick colour, it'd be worth a try. Don't try it straight onto the dread or the knight, use an older model or two first to get the distances right and do the traditional several thin coats - it gets thick quick!

 

Alternatively, for a base coat, thin down boltgun metal and brush it on, it'll take longer but a couple of thin coats of it will set you us with a good base colour.

 

Good luck!

[Grim of Chaos]

Cool thanks for that I'll have a look next time I get a free minute. The whole cold can thing I got round that last time. If you ever go back to the Citadel gun (which isn't likly) try sticking the can in HOT water in a jug or something. I used to do it with whizz cans for painting cars in the winter so you don't get what's called Orange peal it works well.

 

Again thanks for the advice.

Si

[Iron Father Rik]

I found the spray gun, whilst a great idea that GW made an airbrush easily accessible to their hobbyists, is, as others have mentioned, generally rubbish. It wastes a lot of paint, and has flaws in the design. The thread on the propellent cans is metal, but the part that attaches to the can is plastic, and therefore the thread wears down (or did on mine) and when I used it I had to sit pushing the attachment onto the can in order to get a seal and get gas flowing. It was a total pain in the arse and I soon gave up.

 

You can get a smooth finish with a paintbrush just fine. Use a large, soft bristled brush and water down your paints. Apply a few thin coats rather than one thick one and you will easily get a smooth finish. Cheap and effective, just takes a little (not a whole lot really, once you faff about setting up and cleaning the airbrush) extra time.

[Tanhausen]

I 've used the GW spraygun for a while and the main issue is the air source: cans get depleted real fast.

 

The actual spray is not very good, but its good enough for basing IMO, just be sure to get a compressor.

 

And if possible, go for a dual action gravity feed airbrush. You get packs with the compressor for around 80 Euros that are good beginners tools and while last you ;)

[Grim of Chaos]

I'll give it a go thanks for the advice