New to Airbrushing question?

[David Lovell]

My first “proper” airbrush set up was an Aztec airbrush driven by an AS186. The compressor simply couldn’t keep up with the Aztec. It was so air hungry that the pressure tank used to empty over about fifteen seconds so I had to stop and let the air tank refill before continuing. I was therefore never airbrushing at a constant pressure. That affected the paint job alright :tongue-out3: . Think of it as really slow cycle pulsing and you’ll be pretty close to the effect I got. Still did some decent paint jobs with it though……..I got used to the sound it made and just stopped spraying while it refilled the tank.

Once I changed to a better airbrush it improved because the compressor could keep up. I then changed to an Iwatta compressor (gave the AS186 to models for heroes, along with two airbrushes like those in the eBay add) and improved it yet again. As an aside, I tried the Aztec with the Iwatta compressor, and that couldn’t keep up either……I know many people have got great results with an Aztec, Jakko uses one, for example, but there must be something wrong with mine :tongue-out3:

Completely agree ref proper paint thinning with the correct thinners. That is by far the most important skill you need to learn. As I’ve said several times, as a starter set, these are fine. If/when you get your skills to the point where these airbrushes or compressor don’t do what you want, then that’s the time to upgrade.

In fact, if you are just starting out in the hobby an airbrush is not a necessity. Magazine modellers will tell you they are, but they really aren’t. I’ve been doing this for around forty years now, but only really started using an airbrush regularly about twenty years ago. Most of my railway modelling was done with flat brushes, not an airbrush. Ron spanner doesn’t use one at all and his results are excellent, for an example on this forum.

Tim when I started to take it seriously again a aztec was top of my hit list just imagine by quickly changing the diffrent coloured tips /needles id be able to spray from pencil lines to barn doors unfortunately or as the case may be fortunately I learnt the trade with a little compressor and a generic Chinese airbrush having to learn with this kit has im sure has given me much better self assurance when setting about the kit ive just spent hours on I have no fears of the airbrush or the results I expect from my use of it.
Thank you for the third paragraph perhaps people will take it in no matter how I put it it falls on deaf ears or annoys . Dave

[Tim Marlow]

As I’ve said somewhere on here Dave, most modellers use an airbrush as a spray gun, so most of the finesse possible from the truly high end jobs is simply not worth paying for. A good quality mid price airbrush will do everything we want of it and then some. On the other hand, it’s nice to own good tools and nice things, so if someone wants to spend money I’m not going to stop them…..
As a final comment, I can play guitar quite well, but a great guitar won’t make me sound like Clapton. However, if Clapton plays one of my cheaper guitars…..he’ll sound like Clapton.

[David Lovell]

I had one of those badger jobs…..worked surprisingly well. Only ever used it for primer though…..it was a bit like having a refillable spray can.

Tim back then in my teens (I'm 67 this year and the government has told me I'm allowed to retire) I was bit of a wingy person looking back I probably built a 32nd revell aircraft once a week probably hashed and slashed it with glue and paint but thought I was the mutts ,but and here's the rub I throughly enjoyed my self didn't care what other people did or built never compared mine to other peoples ,sadly I think that's where the hobby has gone bad there is to much peer pressure almost all these wonder products that lets be honest dont really do what they say on the tin ,people comming into the hobby ģet badly burned and feel its them and not the product. I'm never going to be a Mike Rinaldi or a whats his name Britto (was bought up on Shep Payne and Verdalindon?)there's some excellent people on YouTube as well I never copy but if you can glean a little something and do it to the best of your abilities your own way then way to go , the quickest way out of this hobby is trying to be like the top guys their premiership players me I'm loving it in div three happy with my lot as long as my last build was as good or better than the previous one I'm doing fine thanks

[David Lovell]

As I’ve said somewhere on here Dave, most modellers use an airbrush as a spray gun, so most of the finesse possible from the truly high end jobs is simply not worth paying for. A good quality mid price airbrush will do everything we want of it and then some. On the other hand, it’s nice to own good tools and nice things, so if someone wants to spend money I’m not going to stop them…..
As a final comment, I can play guitar quite well, but a great guitar won’t make me sound like Clapton. However, if Clapton plays one of my cheaper guitars…..he’ll sound like Clapton.

What have I always said about golf clubs ,fishing tackle the same it doesn't mean I'll catch more fish

[stillp]

Ooh twenty odd years longer if you go back to the little badger siphon airbrush I had the one that used aerosol cans stood in bowls of warm water even bought a adapter to use with a inflated lorry tyre inner tube before leaving the hobby for girls and beer. Still ive sussed mixing paint and setting the air pressure so my cheap brushes work just dandy. If you had read what I had said earlier you would have noticed that I said my expensive airbrushes are nicer to handle i don't know why a expensive brush should be easier to clean a airbrush is a airbrush they all basically have the same parts ,mind I only clean mine by flushing through with mr hobby tool cleaner and maybe a squirt of thinners just to finish off ,oh and if I can be bothered I occasionally pull the needle out the back way and wipe of any residues works for me.

There you are then, you've had 20+ years of practice, I was trying to give advice to someone who hasn't. Yes, I did read what you wrote earlier, and my comment about the cheapo being harder to clean is just my experience as mine had lots of little nooks and crannies for paint to hide in, and the seals weren't up to much. Others' experience may differ.

it was a bit like having a refillable spray can.

Anyone else remember the Celspray? Ran from a car footpump! I sprayed a sunburst guitar with one. Couldn't get hold of a lorry inner tube in my early teens.

Thank you for the third paragraph perhaps people will take it in no matter how I put it it falls on deaf ears or annoys . Dave

Dave, I don't think anyone - certainly not me - disagrees that the thinning and pressure is most important, that's another part of the learning curve.
Pete

[stillp]

As a final comment, I can play guitar quite well, but a great guitar won’t make me sound like Clapton. However, if Clapton plays one of my cheaper guitars…..he’ll sound like Clapton.

I once asked the fashion photographer David Bailey which camera he preferred to use - his answer was "whichever one I'm paid to use"! At the time, he was advertising a fixed-lens Olympus compact, with which he got better result than most people with and SLR and multiple lenses.
Pete

[Jim R]

A bit similar to when calculators were first allowed to be used in schools. We would always say to the children "Remember a fool with a tool is still a fool"

[Tim Marlow]

A bit similar to when calculators were first allowed to be used in schools. We would always say to the children "Remember a fool with a tool is still a fool"

Interesting choice of words Jim. Nobody ever said that to me when I was taught to use a slide rule……

[Modler bob]

Love the discussions guys, thanks.
I think I'll stick to paint brushes for now (Unless I win the eBay one).

[Modler bob]

I once asked the fashion photographer David Bailey which camera he preferred to use - his answer was "whichever one I'm paid to use"! At the time, he was advertising a fixed-lens Olympus compact, with which he got better result than most people with and SLR and multiple lenses.
Pete

I had an Olympus SLR + a couple of lens back in the day of 35mm film, and I had to be so careful to get the adjustments correct having only a max 0f 32 pics.
Now with my digital cam, I can click away to my heart's content and just choose from the multitudes

[rtfoe]

If you've noticed I haven't commented at all. The questions are the same and so are the answers. Is there a dedicated section in the forum for such a discourse?
I'm with Dave as the airbrush is no black art or a miracle tool unless handled by an experience painter...I repeat experienced painter and experience comes with practice, practice, practice, spits, spats, hissing, nada and finally revelation. Rome wasn't built in a day.
When you press the trigger on any airbrush single or dual action, the air comes out contant at whatever pressure the compressor can put out. If you want a precise amount of air then a regulator needs to be installed preferably one with a water trap. I have learnt to gently press the trigger to regulate the air further.
Every airbrush has its idiosyncrasies and I've tried them all including the Paasche brushes and the first starter Badger sucker feed(Had a tyre in my room for free air). They all deliver the same air and paint, all need their regular service but not everytime after one spraying sitting. The frequent undoing and rescrewing parts will wear out even the best tools. The cheap ones are rougher to the touch and the Rolls Royces of course feel like RR's but they both deliver the payload out the same nozzle. What comes out and hits the surface boils down to the operators air preference, dexterity of his fingers on his hand and his mixed concoction...that's all, and of course artistry or if you don't have that then it is handy as a spray gun to cover large surfaces, do graduation and soft edges.
Never hide away from experimenting, find anything that blocks your spray and surface to see the effects of masking. My first masking was my thumb. Spray over something you have painted before and see how it doesn't disturb the underlying paint unless there is a chemical reaction then it's a new lesson on compatibility of paint and solvents to remember.
You'll find airbrushing is fun and masking is the opposite. Airbrushing is great for weathering dust, streaking, mud splattering, camo, spotting, applying varnishes, blowing away dust, cooling oneself on a hot day and paint realistic exhaust stains.
The LHS has an airbrush boot set up for anyone willing to try and get a feel for any of the brands on sale. I notice many who've never held an airbrush before are like those who've never tried chopsticks...you hold it like a pen.

After all this I still use the paint brush to hand paint small stuff, do pin washes and mix paints for airbrushing.

Cheers,
Richard

[stillp]

I had an Olympus SLR + a couple of lens back in the day of 35mm film, and I had to be so careful to get the adjustments correct having only a max 0f 32 pics.
Now with my digital cam, I can click away to my heart's content and just choose from the multitudes :smiling3:

36 exposures surely Bob? Another thing that Bailey said was that he took more pics than most, and scrapped 99% of them. I took this to heart, and when a relative got married soon after I used about 7 rolls of film outside the church.
Pete

[Modler bob]

36 exposures surely Bob? Another thing that Bailey said was that he took more pics than most, and scrapped 99% of them. I took this to heart, and when a relative got married soon after I used about 7 rolls of film outside the church.
Pete

Yes Pete 36.
Got in a muckin fudle :smiling3:
I wasted lplenty of Ilford B&W film in my day.
I loved B&W and was cheaper then.

[stillp]

I loved B&W and was cheaper then.

Easier to process at home too.
Pete

[Modler bob]

Easier to process at home too.
Pete

I can still smell the fixer now.