Too cold to spray?

[baudot]

I have taken my painting on vacation, to Iceland.

This may come as a shock, but Iceland is a land that is full of ice. It is, and I know you find this as shocking as I do, cold here. As someone who spends most of their time between California and Alabama I have little experience with things like "snow" or "ice on the ground that you can totally slip on". It's new experiences all around.

How cold is too cold to use spray sealant on a fig? How cold is too cold to prime? The bottle of Army Painter sealant I picked up at the local game store just says not to spray it in extreme heat or cold. No numbers. It's below freezing here most days.

Is there a hard cut-off temperature for spray sealant & primer, or even a rough rule of thumb?

 

[MAXXxxx]

no real hard numbers, but below 15C or above 30-35C they behave badly.
Now that "below 15C" is pretty common in Iceland, so good luck. Or you could try spraying where it's a bit warmer despite being indoors (garage / basement / cellar).
Or even rooms that can be cleaned up easily(paint particles will be in the air, and it's easier to clean them from ceramic than from carpet after they settle) and are not used all the time (1-2 hours after spraying, usually bathrooms could be like that). In the winter I usually do this. It's not good, but not *that* bad either.

edit:
or if you are fast enough the following could work too.
- heat the spray up a bit
- go to the door with figure(holder) in one hand, spray in another)
- run out, spray, run back inside.
- let the paint dry in the warm house.

No idea if it works in the cold north, but between -2 or -3 and the recommended 15C it's ok.

 

[Zab]

North of the wall we do not spray in cold temps. It wont end well. Period. Invest in some brush on primer like badger and feel free to seal later when you are in a warmer temp zone

 

[Ghool]

North of the wall we do not spray in cold temps. It wont end well. Period. Invest in some brush on primer like badger and feel free to seal later when you are in a warmer temp zone

This. North of the 49th, it's brush on until it gets warm....which isn't until March or April.
Sometimes we get psyched out by the weather, but usually by the next month we're back in the deep freeze.

 

[clarke]

And here I am having to stick my sprays/ paints in the fridge so the humidity/ heat doesn't cause havoc

 

[Lio_qc]

North of the Wall too at -30 last couple of week. I've spray primer without problem but I keep the can at 10-15 degree (cold room), open the garage door, spray fast and go back immediately in the cold room. You just need to be sure the solvent doesn't freeze but i'm pretty sure is pretty low (check MDS for the composition and solvent and check the freezing point). The solvent evaporate in the cold room so you need aeration.

 

[lesBarniques]

hey Lio_qc I'm also from montreal and yeah i tend to spray in my garage and it seems to work fine at around 10 degrees C.

 

[MPJ]

An expensive alternative if you don't already have the equipment but airbrush primer works even better than spray cans in my opinion and it's odorless so the wife won't complain if you spray it indoors. If you do have an airbrush already then it is actually cheaper than can spray as well. Normally I spray aerosol in the basement but the wife has started complaining (and threatening to throw all my stuff out when I'm at work), as mentioned it is winter here in Canada so airbrush it is.

 

[Chaotic Creations]

I am quite intrigued by this post as where I am It never really gets to a temp so low where you can’t use a spray can... what exactly happens to the paint ? For where I am we have the opposite effect where it’s too hot to spray... and with this the paint spray (droplets) atomise and pretty much dry before it his the surface, leaving like a powdered effect. Just curious as to how the paint reacts when it’s too cold?

 

[Zab]

I’ve had cracking peeling and uneven finish where sit glossy or matte on the same mini and of course tacky surface that won’t cure after. It was such a headache to warm the garage cool the cans to get them close in temp and duck in and out of the garage. It was less trouble to just switch to airbrush primer since I used an airbrush for other things anyway. Also many ab primers can be brushed on too. Badger is the best by far. No smell no fuss sandable if you weren’t thourough with your prep...

 

[mjs101]

Every forum there has to be a contradictory voice.

I take my models outside, spray them in the dead of winter, and take them back indoors to dry/cure in an unused guestroom. I did this last week at 0F (-18C) last week, using Testor's dullcote and it worked perfectly. Nothing goes wrong. I've been doing this for 30 years in the winter.

During the summer, I take then outside, spray them, and leave them to dry/cure outdoors. I bring them inside to cure in the winter, although I do not know if this is necessary. I do keep my paints indoors so I am spraying room-temp material onto room temp miniatures. (But the very small droplets will drop in temperature instantly.)

 

[Zab]

Yeah but that’s testors dulcote! Come on dude that is the only clear coat that has never betrayed me. Pretty sure it’s made from magical unicorn tears. We’re talking primers and shitty generic clear coats! Lol!

 

[beradical]

This is something I’ve been struggling with this year, so far. I’m in southern Michigan and have just decided the items I don’t have primed are simply going to have to wait. I’m using the opportunity to work on the countless other models that are primed!

 

[Dragonsreach]

At the most “Bottom end of the market” a large card board box, an Airbrush and Vallejo Airbrush surface primer in a selected room. (Or garage.)
Followed by copious use of Air freshener so that the S.O. Doesn’t complain too much.

 

[baudot]

Good to know that airbrushes get so much love. Not an option for my situation (on vacation, limited room in luggage) but good to know all the same.

 

[Zab]

badger primers can be brushed on and are self leveling, They are perfect for travel as they come in many sizes and colors. They dry just as tough when brushed on as when sprayed and are acrylic. As for brush on sealers model masters has some nice clear coats that can be airbrushed or brushed on