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I want to be able to use an airbrush for weathering and the various layout building tasks that I see written up in the magazines. But I know nothing about air brushes. I want something foolproof if at all possible. What would be a good air brush to start with? --something that will limit the range of mistakes I can make! (Hah!)

Don Merz

 

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Iwata has a great little kit that won’t break the bank .....it’s a great kit for beginners it comes complete with a small compressor, airbrush, a starters guide, and even some sample paints to practice with...I believe it’s called Neo for Iwata .....look it up....I use the higher end Iwata products for airbrushes and their automotive refinishing guns....IMO they’re about the best....they’re are plenty of others, but I find Iwata, with their customer support to be the best ............Pat

Testors makes a good little single-action air brush at a reasonable price.  Aztek and Paasche are other good brands.  If you don't have a local hobby shop, you should be able to find one at a Hobby Lobby or possibly at a Michaels.  With a 40% off coupon, you could pick one up at a very good price.  A great little airbrush for beginners and pro's alike - you can do a lot with a single-action brush.  Single-action airbrushes are very easy to operate, and produce great results.

There's basically two types of air brushes: single-action and double-action.  Double-action brushes are more expensive than single-action brushes.  And while you can do more yet with a double-action brush, they take a lot of practice to get good at it.  They take a lot more finesse to learn to use the variable-position finger spray button.  A lot of pro's eventually graduate to the double-action brushes.  Using a single-action brush is like eating a bowl of green peas with a spoon.  Using a double-action brush is like eating a bowl of green peas with chopsticks (if you've never used chopsticks before).  Yeah, it's doable, but it's gonna' take some practice to get good at it.

Hope this helps. 

I would agree with the single action.  I am still very unskilled at airbrushing and have found using a single action badger airbrush has been relatively easy.  Single action means you press the button and paint comes out at one flow rate.  Double action means pressing the button controls the amount of paint flow based on how far you press it basically.   Starting out using the same flow rate, like pressing a spray paint can, then adjusting the amount of pressure on your air compressor and adjusting the flow control on the airbrush should give you all you need.

My basics -- yes the one on the left is from Harbor Freight $20 dual action. Their single action is $15 and you can get them even cheaper with a coupon. At that price you can't go wrong. If the seals dry out or you drop it, just buy another one with coupon, no big deal.

I've tried them all through the years, and had success with all of them, but for $20 I'll just stick with the HF dual action. 

The biggest thing is getting the paint mix thin enough to flow freely without clogging or drying to fast, yet if it's too thin the color just won't cover. There's no 1 way or 1 mix that works for everyone. Water based paints vs enamels make a huge difference when it comes to the size of tip on the airbrush. Water based works better with a medium or large tip.....but very rarely do I ever used water based paint. Clogs/dries to quick for my tastes, thats why the HF Dual Action brush works for me and it has a small/fine so to speak. I use paints thinned with laquer thinner or paint thinner.  

 

Compressor & Air Brishes 

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  • Compressor & Air Brishes

I have couple Paasche single action.    they are are very good and I have been u sing the oldest for more than 30  years.   You can buy new tips and seals and other parts as you need them.    I have not tried other brands so I can't compare.    However, based on my experience with Harbor Freight tools, you get what  you pay for.   their tools are OK for a quick job, but not for something special in my opinion.    A really cheap one might not work as well and give you splatter or too much paint.   

Don, in addition to what the others have said about single action brushes, I really like an external mix single action. They are much easier to clean and take care of, and have no moving parts to get dirty. They can be had on eBay for $10 or less. Whatever you do, get a good air source. I use a regular compressor that can do 100 PSI, then just turn it down to 30 PSI. It's nice having a reservoir, so it isn't running every time you press the trigger.

SPSF posted:

Get a Harbor Freight Cheapo in case airbrushing isn't for you.

+1. I think I paid 7 bucks for mine. Probably less than the sales tax on about any other model.  At least as good as a Paasche H which I also have if not as flexible. I use it for scenery with paints like exterior latex which I wouldn't use in my other air brushes but it will work with any hobby paint.

Pete

Big_Boy_4005 posted:

Don, in addition to what the others have said about single action brushes, I really like an external mix single action. They are much easier to clean and take care of, and have no moving parts to get dirty. They can be had on eBay for $10 or less. Whatever you do, get a good air source. I use a regular compressor that can do 100 PSI, then just turn it down to 30 PSI. It's nice having a reservoir, so it isn't running every time you press the trigger.

Elliot's correct.  And the perfect type of airbrushing compressor IMHO:

If you shop around, you can find a little 3 gallon oilless air compressor like this or similar to it for under $70.  Try Menard's, Harbor Freight, Home Depot, etc.  Quite frequently they will come with a an airline and a small handful of accessories.  If so, about the only other things you might want to pick up are a water trap and extra quick-disconnect fittings.

I have a 3-gallon Husky that I bought at Home Depot about 10 years ago or so.  In addition to air brushing, I also have a little air gun I use for blow-drying solvent out of train parts, dusting off the the layout, chasing off the cats, etc. etc. 

Mixed Freight posted:
Big_Boy_4005 posted:

Don, in addition to what the others have said about single action brushes, I really like an external mix single action. They are much easier to clean and take care of, and have no moving parts to get dirty. They can be had on eBay for $10 or less. Whatever you do, get a good air source. I use a regular compressor that can do 100 PSI, then just turn it down to 30 PSI. It's nice having a reservoir, so it isn't running every time you press the trigger.

Elliot's correct.  And the perfect type of airbrushing compressor IMHO:

If you shop around, you can find a little 3 gallon oilless air compressor like this or similar to it for under $70.  Try Menard's, Harbor Freight, Home Depot, etc.  Quite frequently they will come with a an airline and a small handful of accessories.  If so, about the only other things you might want to pick up are a water trap and extra quick-disconnect fittings.

I have a 3-gallon Husky that I bought at Home Depot about 10 years ago or so.  In addition to air brushing, I also have a little air gun I use for blow-drying solvent out of train parts, dusting off the the layout, chasing off the cats, etc. etc. 

Paul, are these really noisy? .....I’m looking for a small compressor for the railroad shop...I’ve been looking for dentist office compressors, but good golly are they expensive!....I’m looking for a quiet(er) one!........thanks ! .......Pat

I think the oilless ones are about the noisiest. I have similarly shaped one but with a piston compressor from Sears I use with an oil and water trap. Not the quietest but tolerable. Also an old Acme diaphragm compressor, quieter still and no need for a trap but only generates about 25 PSI and not many CFM. Found at a garage sale for peanuts.

Pete

harmonyards posted:
Mixed Freight posted:

If you shop around, you can find a little 3 gallon oilless air compressor like this or similar to it for under $70.  Try Menard's, Harbor Freight, Home Depot, etc.  Quite frequently they will come with a an airline and a small handful of accessories.  If so, about the only other things you might want to pick up are a water trap and extra quick-disconnect fittings.

I have a 3-gallon Husky that I bought at Home Depot about 10 years ago or so.  In addition to air brushing, I also have a little air gun I use for blow-drying solvent out of train parts, dusting off the the layout, chasing off the cats, etc. etc. 

Paul, are these really noisy? .....I’m looking for a small compressor for the railroad shop...I’ve been looking for dentist office compressors, but good golly are they expensive!....I’m looking for a quiet(er) one!........thanks ! .......Pat

Noisy?  Well, that's debatable.  They might be considered a little noisy if they're sitting right next to you and running.  Or maybe not too bad if they are a ways away from you (doable with a long air hose).  They're definitely quieter than a regular 2 or 3 h.p. oil-type compressor that you might use in your garage for airing up vehicle tires or running small air tools.

One might be able to cut down on their noise even more by setting it inside of a small cabinet or other enclosure.  Not too small though, so it has enough air to breath and cool properly.

Lot's of good stuff here. Cooling, mixing, venting & maybe a GOOD mask, not just the paper ones, the ones with the replacement filters.

 A trap/drier/filter... two won't hurt, and I run at least one paper filter too and change them often.

  You get lube suspended in the compressed air as well as moisture/condensation from pressure changes and airflow past restrictions in the lines etc.  The longer a spray lasts, the cooler the areas around air expansion areas get and the more condensate collects there... I always use a paper filter as close to gun/brush as possible to trap any condensate happening between trap filters and brush.

My experience with airbrushes is limited , though I have heard good things about the Iwata line. It could be the HF airbrush is fine to play around with and learn how to paint and once it self destructs, you likely will be ready for a better one.

I have done a lot more auto painting, and I practiced with auto paint on various kind of metal, to get a feel for how to do it right, the right motion, the distance from the object being painted, and the most important thing of all, how much to thin the paint, which not only will vary with the material being painted, but also will vary with the temperature and humidity (obviously, painting in a climate controlled space as compared to where I painted cars makes a big difference, I might have been in a garage, but might as well have been outside), the color of the paint, the type (metallics were especially a pain for me), and it varies between brands, and even between batches of the same brand. 

One thing I highly recommend is some kind of painting booth that has its own ventilation outside the space you are painting in. You can buy one, you don't need to spend several hundred dollars on one, they have them on Amazon for like 65 bucks that look identical to one on Micromark that sells for 130 that is 16x16x14 or so, and if you need more width they can be combined..but there also are a ton of ideas out there of people who have hacked their own booth that would cost even less. If you plan on using it regularly, the people sharing your domicile will thank you, lacquer fumes have a tendency to spread. 

 

 

prrjim posted:

 However, based on my experience with Harbor Freight tools, you get what  you pay for.   their tools are OK for a quick job, but not for something special in my opinion.    

Exactly...perfect for a newbie wanting to learn. He if don't like airbrushing or don't have the patience for it, he's only out $15-$20. I'll put my $20 cheap-O up against anyone and their $50-$200 brush any day. 

Before the OP goes out and drops $$$$ for compressors, masks, gloves, filters and everything else to save the planet, he needs to simply try an airbrush. Maybe he won't like it at all, many people don't. Get a cheap and a couple cans of air. Give it a try, if it works out, you can always upgrade. If not, you're out about $30 total.

Last edited by Laidoffsick

 Aside from the traditional single and dual, there are automatics and trigger styles too (I like the gun type trigger) 

Then external mix or internal. The internal mix has a more predictable spray pattern. External mixers clean up easy.

  Then there is feed method, gravity cup, siphon cup, or a side loader that does either.  Gravity feed is better at fine lines with good definition, and moving thicker paints.... I find them a pita though. Harder to set down fast, easier to have a leak or spill overall. 

  I've never gotten a HF brush or gun who's seals didn't melt with lacquer thinner. They don't (didn't) use nitril rubber o-rings & seals. Cheap rubber seals will dissolve, harden or shrink. Replace those and they are usually decent tools.

Really, if you get a chepie the chance it works sub par could be discouraging as well. It took a few times before I finally got to use a brush I liked, an automatic (trigger opens air first, then paint flow is opened by more pull on the same trigger, then further pulling increases paint flow)

  Half of not hating this is mixing the paint, and cleaning up efficiently. Develop a work pattern and use it, never delay cleaning as it only gets harder.

 Run thinner through it asap, and don't be quick to throw away dirty thinner. It can still be used again for a first round of cleaning, followed with a "rinse" out of the new can. (I keep three or four stages of thinners for this and for color-washes in weathering). I have at least 8 jars of dirty wash water/paint thinner-mineral sprits/lacquer thinners just waiting around and I don't even paint too often anymore.

 

Thanks again guys. As I was doing this I realized that my daughter had accumulated some stuff when she went to college to get a degree in art (it morphed into a degree in psych, but that's a whole 'nother story!). Anyway, as the official storage depot for my kids accumulated junk, I rooted through her art stuff and came up with some goodies. One thing she has here is an unused Paasche VL airbrush kit. It's double action. So I thought well, I can get a Paasche H single action and then maybe try the VL. Also found a couple air compressors--one small chinese thing and one genuine Sears Craftsman 1/2HP. No fittings or other needed stuff but both seem to work. So cool! Now I can at least experiment at less expense.

I really appreciate hearing from all of you taking time to respond. I hope I can return the favor at some point. Much appreciated!

Don

Adriatic posted:

 Aside from the traditional single and dual, there are automatics and trigger styles too (I like the gun type trigger) 

Then external mix or internal. The internal mix has a more predictable spray pattern. External mixers clean up easy.

  Then there is feed method, gravity cup, siphon cup, or a side loader that does either.  Gravity feed is better at fine lines with good definition, and moving thicker paints.... I find them a pita though. Harder to set down fast, easier to have a leak or spill overall. 

  I've never gotten a HF brush or gun who's seals didn't melt with lacquer thinner. They don't (didn't) use nitril rubber o-rings & seals. Cheap rubber seals will dissolve, harden or shrink. Replace those and they are usually decent tools.

Really, if you get a chepie the chance it works sub par could be discouraging as well. It took a few times before I finally got to use a brush I liked, an automatic (trigger opens air first, then paint flow is opened by more pull on the same trigger, then further pulling increases paint flow)

  Half of not hating this is mixing the paint, and cleaning up efficiently. Develop a work pattern and use it, never delay cleaning as it only gets harder.

 Run thinner through it asap, and don't be quick to throw away dirty thinner. It can still be used again for a first round of cleaning, followed with a "rinse" out of the new can. (I keep three or four stages of thinners for this and for color-washes in weathering). I have at least 8 jars of dirty wash water/paint thinner-mineral sprits/lacquer thinners just waiting around and I don't even paint too often anymore.

 

I thought I was the only crazy one! .....I keep different jars of degraded thinner from horrible to clean! ...I don’t throw it out till turns so yucky you wouldn’t use it to wipe out a valve cover! .....thank god there’s at least two of us! .............Pat

i went with a neo for iwata airbrush kit.  Under $150.  comes with a small compressor, a nice brush, a few paints, and cleaning solution.  I felt it was a reasonable spend to try something new.  Some people might feel it is too expensive, but I also knew I planned to learn it and use it.  I've been very happy with it.

   The fist step in cleaning is basically thinning any trapped paint more and the dirty stuff can still do that fine & dandy to the point of thickening enough to spray as paint (if the color was useful)  I'm a bit of tree hugger too. Nothing extreme, but definitely not wasteful for the convinience of avoiding "ewe gross" and gaining a foot of shelf space

Don, try the double action; you might be happy with the better control. Somebody is always a 'natural'; why not you? 😉

Don Merz 070317 posted:

Thanks again guys. As I was doing this I realized that my daughter had accumulated some stuff when she went to college to get a degree in art (it morphed into a degree in psych, but that's a whole 'nother story!). Anyway, as the official storage depot for my kids accumulated junk, I rooted through her art stuff and came up with some goodies. One thing she has here is an unused Paasche VL airbrush kit. It's double action. So I thought well, I can get a Paasche H single action and then maybe try the VL. Also found a couple air compressors--one small chinese thing and one genuine Sears Craftsman 1/2HP. No fittings or other needed stuff but both seem to work. So cool! Now I can at least experiment at less expense.

I really appreciate hearing from all of you taking time to respond. I hope I can return the favor at some point. Much appreciated!

Don

One thing I would recommend, is if the airbrush has been lying around unused for a relatively long time, you may want to take it apart and check the seals. Often over time seals can dry out or otherwise lose flexibility and the ability to seal if they haven't been used, worth checking that before trying it. 

Adriatic posted:

  I've never gotten a HF brush or gun who's seals didn't melt with lacquer thinner. They don't (didn't) use nitril rubber o-rings & seals. Cheap rubber seals will dissolve, harden or shrink. Replace those and they are usually decent tools.

Really, if you get a chepie the chance it works sub par could be discouraging as well. It took a few times before I finally got to use a brush I liked, an automatic (trigger opens air first, then paint flow is opened by more pull on the same trigger, then further pulling increases paint flow)

 

Nitrile aka Buna N has a low resistance to solvents like lacquer thinner or MEK. The preferred material here is Viton. The Harbor Freight single action airbrush is pretty much an exact copy of the Paasche model H. Plastic handle and metal spray parts. The parts may actually be interchangeable though I have not tried. Don said his original application was for scenery. Seems to me the paint of choice here is cheap craft store acrylics which the HF model is more than capable of handling without self destruction.

Pete

Excellent advice on the seals and re-using thinner. I can be very cheap so both recommendations fit me well. I have been all over the web looking at comments and air brushing forums outside of a train context. The Paasche H gets continuous good reviews even down in the fine scale modeling crowd (except from Don Wheeler. But his experience really seemed to be outside the norm so I treated it like an outlier and ignored it).  That made it an easy call to go with the H. The Iwata line looks like a can't miss level of quality. If I stay with this and like it, I expect to end up with one of the Iwata's. I ordered a 3M organic mask. QUESTION: What about the advertised air brush cleaners like the Badger cleaner? Is that worth spending money on?

Don

RoyBoy posted:

Paasche model H is the one I use. Medium/low cost and easy learning curve.

I second that one. It wasn't overly expensive, easy to use and easy to clean. I paid a bit much for my compressor ($150) but I bought it specifically for its small size, a decent tank, good range and it had the water trap and other items included.

We made a spray booth at the club using a surplus exhaust fan and some plywood on a metal shelf (we line it with newspapers when in use), but I bought a large Paasche spray booth for home use (it's nice and supports O scale diesels just fine).

  I cannot edit, I can barely type here sometimes lately;  but Chemraz & Teflon are the only truly lacquer compatible options.  Vitrol isn't immune to lacquer either.  Teflon rings are good for resevoir cup seals; too hard for the o-rings in airbrushes though. I couldn't find chemraz, but that was a long time ago too.

The others are way more expensive.  I brained pharted until I saw Vitrol in print, "panicked"(I feel sooo bad if I'm wrong; I might as well have socked you for no reason), then recalled the Vitrol lasted aalittle longer  aste su too. I could buy enough nitrile with the same dollar to ignore Vitrol, and never went back.

Markraz? Marcrez ? Something like that is supposed to be good too. (Chemraz uses Marco rubber.)

Cleaners... check the saftey papers, usually they are just a mix of acetone, mek, toulene, xylene, etc..  but they may have conditioners in them.

After cleaning, wash with soap & water to remove chemical traces & they will last longer.

No issues typing? I'm beginning to see a pattern. If others are composing in a thread simultaneously;  it wrecks my post, or I get dropped and loose all text.

The Badger 150 that I have is a kit.  It has three different needles and spray tips.  Heavy, Medium, and Fine.  Can be easily dis-assembled to Clean.  There are teflon rings/seals, which I have replaced.  There are parts available for this air brush.  Search the net.   I found this kit for a reasonable price.   A lot of brushes are purchased with good intention, but never get much use. 

I like the single trigger/button. Push down for air, and as you pull back, more paint flows with the air stream.  Works well for heavy painting, like painting track/and ties, and light touch-up or weathering.  The different tips also adjust the amount of air and paint that you are working with. 

As mentioned the proper paints, thinners, and cleaners are important.  Standard hardware store lacquer thinner will do the bulk of the cleaning.  Q-tips and pipe cleaners also help.  

Best wishes with your projects, Mike CT. 

Last edited by Mike CT

the badger 200 is less money and comes with a med tip.  I love it and find with air pressure adjustments you do not need to adjust tips, for super fine work 8 pounds of pressure and adjust the needle to the amt of paint you use.  also always mix your paint 1/2 and 1/2 with thinner.  I only use scalecoat so do not know about the other new paints.  really miss floquil

FYI, 3-gallon pancake and hot dog compressors are on sale with a super coupon Father's Day special at Harbor Freight Tools ($39.99 each)!!!!.  You might be able to get a coupon on-line with a quick search.  Or, if you have a local store, they probably have an ad in the local paper.

3 gal. 1/3 HP 100 PSI Oil-Free Hotdog Air Compressor3 gal. 1/3 HP 100 PSI Oil-Free Pancake Air Compressor

                         Hot dog.                                                       Pancake.

Mixed Freight posted:

FYI, 3-gallon pancake and hot dog compressors are on sale with a super coupon Father's Day special at Harbor Freight Tools ($39.99 each)!!!!.  You might be able to get a coupon on-line with a quick search.  Or, if you have a local store, they probably have an ad in the local paper.

3 gal. 1/3 HP 100 PSI Oil-Free Hotdog Air Compressor3 gal. 1/3 HP 100 PSI Oil-Free Pancake Air Compressor

                         Hot dog.                                                       Pancake.

Do you guys who use this type of compressor (whether from HF or elsewhere) have problems with condensation?  If so, how do you deal with it?

Condesation/oil traps (the glass filters)

I use two at the compressor, and at leastlone paper oneo after athat ft e some a paper filter there (for the moisture not fully condensed before it), and a paper filter nearest my brush as possible for anything that condenses in the lines. 

(I use a very large compressor and tank mostly, though I have smaller) It's just easier to unroll/reroll 30 ft of hose from the garage than carry a compressor downstairs/upstairs and put it away.

Sorry for any gibberish... spellwreck insists on it. 

Mallard4468 posted:
Do you guys who use this type of compressor (whether from HF or elsewhere) have problems with condensation?  If so, how do you deal with it?

I have an extra moisture/oil trap mounted on my compressor.  In addition, I keep the compressor in my basement, which is air-conditioned & heated in the summer & winter just like the rest of my house.  If you can feed an air compressor low humidity air to begin with, there's very little moisture to condense when the air is compressed.

Plus, I tend to spray a lot more water-based acrylic paints with my air brushes , which don't seem to be affected near as much with moisture in the compressor/air lines.  And most of my solvent-based spray painting is achieved with rattle-can spray paints.  I'm not about to mess with airbrushing if a spray can of Krylon or Rustoleum or whatever will do the same job. 

I have a small badger compressor with a moisture trap on the compressor outlet and after 20 ft o hose another small badger trap at the airbrush input.  No problems with spitting water.  I also for super fine work like stripes I set the air pressure with the air coming out of the brush blowing on my face, the most sensitive place for me and when it feels right that is where I use it.  That takes allot of experience to know but just blasting away is for air bombs only.  

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