Airbrush advice needed

PTSD

PTSD

New member
Ok so I am getting an airbrush soon and price is not an issue for me. I have a few questions though before I drop that much money on the whole set only to find out I probably should have asked CMON to avoid pitfalls. I have never used an airbrush and have started to lean more towards vehicles lately and as I am sure you already know painting them by brush can be frustrating! I don't have a painting shop or anything like that with staff to ask for help around me, so I bring it to you!

Questions:

#1. Will Games Workshop paint work in an airbrush? (Did I mention I am really new to them!!! lol)

#2. Is there a particular brand out there or will one from Michaels Craft store work all the same?

#3. What else would I need to buy for cleaning/prep?

#4. Do I need a compressor or is the can air better?

#5. Anything else for someone who has never used an airbrush.


I searched the forums but only found some things from 2003 so decided to start a new thread.

Any and all help, tips, links, or anything else helpful is beyond appreciated.

Keep your brush wet!

--PTSD
 
gohkm

gohkm

Active member
I'm no airbrush expert, but in response to your questions:

1. GW paints do work. I've got the old GW/Citadel paints and inks, and I've run them through my airbrush without a hitch. I haven't tried a Foundation paint in an airbrush, but due to its thick viscosity, I'd reckon you might need to thin them further than usual.

2. Any sort of paint can be blasted through an airbrush. Just thin (either with paint thinner or metho) and blast away. I've read somewhere that Vallejo paints don't play nice with non-Vallejo thinners, so there's a caveat right there. At some point, acrylics will gum up your needle, and you're going to have to disassemble the airbrush completely for cleaning.

3. You'll need a solvent of some sort to take out the thickly gummed on paint. Someone here (can't remember who now!) suggested breaking apart the airbrush, and soaking its components in metho? White spirits? Something like that. I've successfully soaked the components in acetone, excepting those components with rubber (acetone eats rubber) - those get a gentle scrub with a toothbrush and 5 minutes in my ultrasonic cleaner.

4. Compressor is the way to go. You'll need one with a moisture trap.

Hope this helps.
 
PTSD

PTSD

New member
That is exactly the information I have scoured the internet for! Thanks for the response.
 
gohkm

gohkm

Active member
Oh, yeah, a note of warning when you're breaking down the airbrush for cleaning - the needle is INCREDIBLY delicate. Be really careful with that.
 
Einion

Einion

New member
PTSD said:
I searched the forums but only found some things from 2003 so decided to start a new thread.
Click to expand...
Can't think what you typed in then because any search of the forums - even just for airbrush by itself - should give loads of returns since it's one of the most asked-about topics. There are maybe 11 threads just from this year with the word airbrush in the title!

Einion
 
airhead

airhead

Coffin Dodger / Keymaster
PTSD said:
Ok so I am getting an airbrush soon and price is not an issue for me. I have a few questions though before I drop that much money on the whole set only to find out I probably should have asked CMON to avoid pitfalls. I have never used an airbrush and have started to lean more towards vehicles lately and as I am sure you already know painting them by brush can be frustrating! I don't have a painting shop or anything like that with staff to ask for help around me, so I bring it to you!

Questions:

#1. Will Games Workshop paint work in an airbrush? (Did I mention I am really new to them!!! lol)
Yes, you can airbrush (shoot) almost any paint out there, some just take more work than others.

#2. Is there a particular brand out there or will one from Michaels Craft store work all the same?
I love Iwata, but they can be a bit intense for a new user. Enion likes Aztec. There are others out there as well as links to places better than Michaels to buy from. (bearair, dixie art, etc.)

#3. What else would I need to buy for cleaning/prep?
Tons of stuff, but I'd get a set of airbrush brushes for cleaning the fiddly bits. Some denatured alcohol (home depot, wal mart) for cleaning anything you missed. A larger bottle with a nozzle for flushing (old style ketchup bottles, etc.) a trash can you don't like, lots of paper towels, some dish soap.
#4. Do I need a compressor or is the can air better?
Can air gets expensive in a hurry. Get a compressor while you are at it. I like one with a tank that will shut off when the tank is full. (I've done threads on that alone...)

#5. Anything else for someone who has never used an airbrush.
Find someone that is decent with the gun and get them to show you. You'll need to learn to control the double action without slamming it closed, you'll need to learn to take it apart and put it back together for cleaning, dagger strokes are good to learn as well - but not something you'll use a lot base-coating minis.

I searched the forums but only found some things from 2003 so decided to start a new thread.

Any and all help, tips, links, or anything else helpful is beyond appreciated.

Keep your brush wet!

--PTSD
Click to expand...

Search airbrush on CMON and read lots.
Look on the web for tutorials by Terry Hill, or others.
 
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