# Airbrush Thread



## Djinn24 (Jan 12, 2008)

Hey I just wanted to make a thread for people to post their questions about airbrushes, compressors and other things a person might need for the wonderful art of airbrushing. I am a technical person that has a wide knowledge on the workings and types of airbrushes, but we also have other folks floating around who do some seriouly nice things with an Airbrush (Damned Fist, bastard!). So if you have any question about airbrushes in general drop a line here and I will so my best to answer your questions.

And to start off, Magic Mix: 4 Parts water, 1 Part Rubbing Alchol, 1 Part Windex (or varied other amounts of flow aid).

PS. Please do not ask about the GW airbrush, my answer will be its an overpriced POS (propellent run, siphon feed, single action airbrush for the technical aspects).


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## jasonfly (Feb 1, 2009)

what airbrush would you recommend for someone who has no experience with airbrushes, and could you please share any basic tips you have for use/maintenance of an airbrush. Strange how i was just thinking about how badly i needed an airbrush to paint all my tanks


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## moo (Aug 12, 2008)

djinn24 said:


> PS. Please do not ask about the GW airbrush, my answer will be its an overpriced POS (propellent run, siphon feed, single action airbrush for the technical aspects).


it's not even an airbrush :angry: it's a spray gun, but back on topic , this'll be a good thread for me since i haven't started using mine yet but i have gotten some funds recently to get an aircompressor.

Im thinking about one with an airtank so that there is zero pulse in my spray. There is a condenser fitted on the one i want, but do you think i'll need another one on the airbrush as some people have said it does help. Your thoughts on this? :scare:


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## Djinn24 (Jan 12, 2008)

Jason: you have a choice to make, do you want really user friendly with a broad spray tip or do you want one that is a bit more technical that has a finer tip. if you want one that is a broad tip(as you said it is for tanks) then honestly you can not go wrong with a paache VL or VSL. You can use multiple needle, tip combos with it so you can vary the amount of paint you want with it. The major down side to this is that it is a siphon feed which means you will have to use a higher PSI with it, BUT it does hold more paint in the bottle. Another downside it there are only 2 main stream brush that use the connection size that the paache does, and that is paache brushes and badger brushes. If you are not planning on expanding your airbrush collection that you are good, if you are planning on expanding you will have to get an adpater and multiple hoses for your airbrushes.

Moo. For sure get an air brush with a tank, while it will not cut out all pulsing it will knock it down to a reasonable to unnoticable amount. I would recomment a double condenser, because if you are anything like me you will not notice the water building up in the one on the tank and will over saturate it.

The GW brush is designed more like a crappy single action siphon feed then a crappy spraybrush. A spray brush normally has a wider tip:










versus










The GW brush is called a spray brush but it is more kin to an airbrush.


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## Damned Fist (Nov 2, 2007)

> honestly you can not go wrong with a paache VL


I have to 2nd this recommendation. The Paache VL was my first airbrush and one I still use because of it's versatility and durability. It is very user friendly (a lot of the smaller tipped gravity feeds can be a little touchy) and relativity easy to clean.:victory:


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## Munky (Oct 2, 2008)

I have a generic airbrush which is of the dual action trigger type and gravity fed. Now I've been using it off the air supply at work (large industrial compressor) which I know produces a large amount of water when it's drained at night. My questions are how much difference should I see with a condenser fitted after the regulator to the spray quality?, and the magic mix you mentioned is that added to one part paint?

Cheers Munky


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## Dusty's Corner (Aug 25, 2008)

Olla,
I've had to straighten and sharpern my needle before, I'll try to get a tut together for it, Verdict still out on whether it's back in 'good' working order or not. Remember Djinn the time I got cracks all around the bleed nipple on the moisture tap (like a star effect), the putty-over you suggested has worked so far - No exploding canister near my balls thank you!
Dusty


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## Djinn24 (Jan 12, 2008)

Depends on how on g you spray, short bursts of painting you might not notice a difference, but if you spray for a long time you will see it. Hard to describe what happens when water starts coming out as well. Bascially you are putting paint down and then spraying over it with water, a very interesting effect.

I need to seal off one of my inline air dryers lol, forming a small crack in it. I have also had to straighten and resharpen a needle before, very.... fun stuff.


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## Damned Fist (Nov 2, 2007)

> I've had to straighten and sharpern my needle before, I'll try to get a tut together for it,


Here is a video on that topic from Tony D @ Airbrush Tricks.:victory:

how to fix a bent needle


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## Djinn24 (Jan 12, 2008)

Tony D is the shit too, check out his other videos. He is a Soldier at Ft Knox as well  One day I will have to go buy him a beer.


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## Munky (Oct 2, 2008)

If I just mix my acrylic paint with just water I'm qussing this won't spray as smooth as the mixture you mentioned? Also I seem to a lot of buildup of paint around the needle( I flush the airbrush through with a small amount of thinners to clean it is that advisable or not?)
Cheers guys


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## Djinn24 (Jan 12, 2008)

Dry tip is what that is called and I have yet to find a magical mix that completely provents that. Just clear the tip as needed, it is a downfall of using acrylic paints in an airbrush. Drying retarder will help that situation out as well.


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## maxvon_d (Jun 10, 2009)

Nice idea for a thread (I'll +rep if I can). I have just started using my Iwata Revolution BR with a Silver Jet compressor and am fairly pleased with the results so far - in fact I will update my WIP project log imminently as I have very nearly finished my first ever CSM Rhino.

I'm using straight Vallejo acrylics thinned with water and they seem to be ok although I may be getting the sticking/drying issue mentioned above. I can usually get really good control for fine detail work but occasionally the flow will slow up and I need to "blow out" to get things moving again.

As a general principle do you press down the trigger to get air flowing and then pull back to alter the flow or is it more of an art than that - carefully balancing the flows? I liken it to clutch control in a stick shift car (or manual as we call it in the UK!).

Also what psi should I run at? I'm sure I read somewhere that around 40 is preferable but I definitely found it easier if I drop down to closer to 20psi in terms of fine control.

Questions, questions...


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## moo (Aug 12, 2008)

i thought that sometimes build up of material on the tip of the needle can be caused by incorrect pressure used and also the mix of thinner and paint? what would you recommend for the pressure for model spraying?


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## Dusty's Corner (Aug 25, 2008)

Cheers for the link Damned. Could add the tissuepaper drag test to see if it's hooked.
Pressure wise, mine is usually less than 30 psi. Depends on the viscosity of paint being atomized, type of brush etc. And yeah, you'd want to get air-flow going first, so press down on the trigger then slowly pull back. 
Dusty


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## Epic Fail (Jun 23, 2008)

Hey guys, I'm trying to find a Paache VL or similar airbrush in Australia but can't seem to find the brand - do you know if it trades under any other name internationally?

Cheers,

EF

EDIT: Found the problem - missing "s", it's Paasche apparently


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## paladinofangels (Jun 25, 2008)

Hey...I need to ask a quick question about air brushing...

I've never done it before so i really need to know the benefits and drawbacks of airbrushing my models...

I've always had the impression that airbrushing uses up a lot of paint...Is this true?

Thanks in advance...This will help me decide if i should get one myself...


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## Djinn24 (Jan 12, 2008)

The iwata Rev BR is a gravity feed so you can use it with as low as 10-15 PSI if you wish, if your paint is thinned correctly. High pressure has an issue of what I call star fishing, where it flows low and then shoots out causing the paint to make a streaked star. Overall pressure is up to the individual, higher pressure is great for large base coats and lower pressure is great for detail work and thinner paints and inks.

Moo, you are partly correct, if you run really thick paint it will build up faster but normally you can not stop build up, just how long it takes to build up with thinners and pressure.

The bonus of airbrushing, you can base coat and paint vehicles quickly, once you get the skill you can paint large armies pretty easy and quickly, makes fading and color transitions easy and a snap. "wet-blend" like effects are easy, layers go on smoother

Bad: Takes practice, costs money, have to get used to airbrush maintaince, you can not just let them set, uses a bit more paint, 

I HIGHLY recommend an airbrush for persons ready for the next step to advanced techniques or folks with a large amount of models to paint.


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## Crimzzen (Jul 9, 2008)

What kind of paint can I use with an airbrush? Can you use the GW line or do you need to buy special paint?

Also, what kind of airbrush would you recommend for fine details and freehand stuff? IE painting banners, freehand work on vehicles, etc


Would something like this get me started?
http://cgi.ebay.ca/Pro-MASTER-DUAL-ACTION-AIRBRUSH-KIT-w-Compressor-Paint_W0QQitemZ190323587905QQcmdZViewItemQQptZLH_DefaultDomain_0?hash=item2c502b7b41&_trksid=p3286.c0.m14&_trkparms=65%3A12|66%3A2|39%3A1|72%3A1215|293%3A1|294%3A50#ebayphotohosting


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## Damned Fist (Nov 2, 2007)

Crimzzen said:


> What kind of paint can I use with an airbrush? Can you use the GW line or do you need to buy special paint?
> 
> Yes GW paints can be used but you have to thin them down quite a bit. (I recommend making a reducer of 4:1:1-> water:Rubbing Alcohol:Glass cleaner) Use this reducer to mix into the paint that you are using until you get the consistency of skimmed milk.
> 
> ...


Answers in yellow.:victory:


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## Djinn24 (Jan 12, 2008)

If you want a fine detail brush I also recommend the G44 by Masters, both Damned and I own one and while they are not super high quality like an Iwata it is a damn good brush. Its has a MAC valve, .2mm tip, gravity feed, cut away handle all for about 70 bucks compared to the 350 to the comparable Iwata. It is also a pretty well balanced and light brush.









Masters G44

I Honestly recommend the G23 vs the G22 for the cut away handle of if you wanna save some cash as well order the G22 with a cutaway for another model of masters. the G22 is 40 while the G23 is 50.










If you have the cash to spend I recommnd Iwata or Devilbiss depending on your needs. I have the Devilbiss DAGR .35mm brush and that thing is smoooooooth, only issue is teh tip is a bit large, but it honestly sprays very fine.


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## rob12763 (May 2, 2008)

I have a old Badger 150 and have been very happy with it for 22 years.A vl is also a nice setup.Larry windshield washer fluid(the blue kind not the yellow)works well also as a flow enhancer and cleaner.Rob


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## humakt (Jan 2, 2008)

What compressor would anybody recommend? Mine is on its way out, and cant maintain a decent constant pressure (Probably a broken seal somehwere).

Not too expensive is what I'm looking for and quit.

As regards 'dry tip' I recently discovered that my previous thinner was actually one of the causes. So with this in mind do not use Methalyted spirits to thin your paints.

Some great tips so far eveybody.


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## Djinn24 (Jan 12, 2008)

I use the one that they sell on the Airbrush Depot and have had no issues with it. $150 and it is small enough to carry with you and quiet enough to have it setting next to you while you are painting., If you are wanting cheaper you can always go and get one from Sears, the only issue is they are loud and normally very large.

http://www.tcpglobal.com/airbrushdepot/compress.aspx#abdtc20t


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## Djinn24 (Jan 12, 2008)

Bumped for any o fthe new folks


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## Treewizard648 (Feb 4, 2009)

what about the sotar 20/20?


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## Iron Angel (Aug 2, 2009)

How is this:

http://www.tcpglobal.com/airbrushdepot/A4809.aspx

I've never airbrushed and I want to get into it, the reason is this:

http://www.tcpglobal.com/autoaircolor/autoair4300.aspx

Could the Iridescent paint be used in the above airbrush? I want to use Iridescents (Green and purple) for some of my Necron force but I know Iridescent/Pearlescent paint has to be applied by an airbrush. Do you think the above airbrush is good, and how well do you think the iridescent paint would spray with it? I know I need a .5 nozzle at least for iridescent which wouldn't be a problem with the above airbrush.

Also, does the iridescent paint come as a liquid or a powder or what? How would I use it?

One last thing: I'm looking for a compressor. What I want is constant, even pressure. Thats my only criteria. Sound and mobility don't bother me at all, though I don't necessarily want it to sound like a pile of lawn mowers. I was looking at this:

http://www.tcpglobal.com/airbrushdepot/50205.aspx

What do you think?


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## aardvark (Feb 19, 2008)

*Airbrushes*

Just a quick note on brands. I've got a couple of Badgers I've relied-on for years: decades, even. There are many other Big Names too: Paasche, DeVilbiss, Iwata, etc. Recently, though, I've experimented with some budget brands now my son is getting interested - with surprising results.

Clarke (a US company, available through Machine Mart in the UK) do a double-action siphon-feed (i.e. it has a jar underneath) brush for about £25 which will be perfectly adequate for most journeyman modellers. It's basically a clone of the Badger 150, and at that price is pretty much disposable. A new spray tip and needle alone for my Badger 150 costs that much .....

I also got a pair of very good gravity-feed (i.e. has a cup on top) double-action airbrushes off eBay from a Hong Kong seller for £38 inc P&P and braided hoses!. One is trigger-action and looks like a clone of the Tamiya Spray Work airbrush. The other looks like a clone of a much more expensive brand like Sparmax. They're very high quality and work every bit as well for modelling as kit costing 10 times as much. 

I saw both on sale in the UK a few weeks later at a model engineering exhibition, but at about 3 times the price I paid direct.


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