Iwata airbrush advice

[Thamor]

I'm looking into getting an Iwata airbrush but after looking at all the available models I'm unsure as to which one would be the best. I need one that's going to enable me to do some shading a blending as well as base coating models. The price of one isn't really a concern at the moment as I'll have a good browse once I get a good idea on what model of airbrush I'm getting.

A few questions I have;

What Iwata airbrushed are people using on this forum?

Do Iwatas have MAC valves?

What is the best website to pick one up?

What size nozzle would be the best?

What items can I buy to look after my airbrush?

What's the best product to thin paints? To what thickness?

And if there is any additional information you can add that would be great.

Thanks

 

[Einion]

Hiya, not an Iwata user but I can help with a couple of these.

What is the best website to pick one up?
Where are you based?

Regardless of where you live there may not be one best site so it's best to shop around, see what the prices are like at that time since few suppliers are always the cheapest. Be sure to factor in shipping too, since some places have lower up-front prices but are more expensive on S&H.

What size nozzle would be the best?
What kind of thing(s) do you want to spray?

What items can I buy to look after my airbrush?
If you do a search on airbrush cleaning you should find a couple of great posts from airhead with various tips on cleaning and general care and maintenance.

What's the best product to thin paints? To what thickness?
Can be just water; airbrush mediums can be advisable at times; other people swear by screen wash and similar things for diluting (generally with a different kind of paint to the first two though). So it partly depends on what paint type you're spraying.

Einion

 

[Thamor]

Hey,

Thanks for the reply. I'm living in the UK and at the moment I'm currently paint various 28mm models for Warhammer 40k(Blood Angels/Grey knights and Lizardmen for Fantasy.

I'll look up that user you suggested and get some ideas thanks.

May I ask what airbrush you use?

 

[RuneBrush]

I've got an HP-C (0.3mm) and happily use it for various bits and bobs. I actually ordered mine off ebay from a Chinese supplier, so although it took 3 weeks I saved about £40 on it, I've also ordered spare/replacement needles from another supplier on ebay (though can't find them on there anymore). However I have bought stuff from Ken Bromley & Everything Airbrush, but as Einion says, have a shop around as prices do change.

What are you wanting to airbrush? Vehicles, Monsters, etc?

There are various threads on here, but don't forget that the compressor is just as important as the airbrush!

 

[Thamor]

A frend of mine who used to own an airbrush told me to look for a PS900, heard of them? I've seen one on eBay for about £45. The same friend also sold me a Wiltec compressor for £20 that has a psi range of 10-50.

I paint marines mostly.

 

[airhead]

You said painting and shading minis? That can be an extreme task if you're talking of totally doing the marine with an airbrush.
If you are talking basecoating and some highlighting in the larger areas, I'd recommend an HP-B or HP-C.

If you are mostly looking for basecoating and some armor works, you might start with an Iwata Eclipse or Enion's favorite - an Aztec.

Do you have any ambitions of doing something else with it?

 

[Thamor]

Well to be honest Ive been reading the forums for a while and seeing all these lovely models done with an airbrush, for example certain marines that have been highlighted in the top areas or those NMM force swords. But yea that general stuff. I was inspired by the awesome paintjob videos on YouTube.

But I wouldn't want to be limited with just being able to base coat. I'd like to be able to do marine armour instead of having to layer.

Cheers for all the help and keep it coming .

 

[Elric2k]

I recently dove into the airbrush field myself, I picked up an HP-CS eclipse model I think, and I love it. I would absolutely reccomend a gravity fed airbrush, I own a paasche bottom feed and i just hate it. I'm no expert, I can only tell you using the HP-CS has been so easy to understand, and adapt to (dual action, its a little wonky at 1st, but the control it gives is phenomenal) I got mine via a US website as a combo deal with an iwata sprint jet compressor. I'd say as long as your compressor can go 10-40ish psi (and 40 i never use except to clean out the airbrush after a session) with a moisture trap you're good to go.

EDIT: You can check in the WIP section I have one going, everything done there has begun with an airbrush, the skaven I went from the darkest shade to the highest highlight of all the armor with airbrush only. I believe the nozzle is a .005, but i could be mistaken.

 

[Einion]

Welcome dude.

If you're basically intending to use an airbrush mostly for zenithal spraying then just about any one that gives good atomisation will do you, there's no need for a higher-end brush. As far as the PS900 goes, it's apparently a knock-off type (Chinese remake?) and while apparently they do work well you could get lucky with it or it might not last well.

Can't really help on the compressor front WRT specific models, but I can't imagine any £20 compressor actually providing what you need in terms of quiet operation and pulseless, moisture-free air. The compressor should be expected to cost more than the airbrush itself and I've seen a rule of thumb posted many times that it should cost 2x or 3x as much. My compressor was 297 quid if I remember correctly, for a sub-£100 airbrush.

May I ask what airbrush you use?

An Aztek, the older model that's equivalent to the A430.

Einion

 

[Thamor]

My friend originally bought the compressor for £60 but doesn't use it anymore, so he sold it me for £20

So I've decided to go for the cheap one to start off with so I can get some practice in and see if I can actually use one . Then in the future I was looking towards an Iwata Micron CM-C Plus, But I'll have to save up!

Can anyone direct me to some good airbrushing tutorials?

Cheers

 

[Legacy Account]

You don't need a micron - an HP-C will do pretty much everything you'd ever need at a fraction of the price. A classic brush that can be had for peanuts. I just grabbed another one (brand new) and it cost me $80 US - that's almost cheaper than buying a new needle and nozzle. The newer + models cost twice as much and don't offer a great deal more if you don't use the gizmos on cutaway handles. If you want MAC, then you'll need a Hi-Line (and much deeper pockets).

I also use:

Paasche Talon - very versatile all round brush that will take 3 sizes of needles/nozzles. I use this one a lot.
Iwata Eclipse (CS) - works very nicely too, although I paid more for it than the HP-C which I'd rather have.

I'd recommend them all - they all have .3 to .4 needles which seem to blat out acrylics best for me. Anything smaller clogs too much I find. I have an old .2 HP-A which just hates acrylics. I seem to spend forever cleaning the thing so it's been relegated to inks and watercolour duty.

 

[me_in_japan]

I got an Iwata HP-BH fairly recently and have been very happy with it. I find the MAC to be far more useful than I had anticipated, as it means I don't have to fiddle about with the pressure on the compressor - I can control it nicely with the brush. I use the brush similarly to how you want to use it, I think - mostly for smooth blends on specific parts of minis, and for zenithal highlighting. So, aye - the HP-BH is a good un, in my fairly limited experience. The .2 needle does clog from time to time with metallics, but for general acrylics I've not had many probs with it. (I use VMA paint)

 

[Thamor]

Thanks for all the great advice, I have a lot to think about I guess. Suppose I'll try the cheap one I've just bought and if I'm not happy I'll add an Iwata to my Christmas List .

Can anyone direct me to some good airbrushing tutorials?

 

[Hasdrubal]

I'm no Iwata user, I'm using Harder & Steinbeck material, which is also quite solid.
I started with the Evolution 2in1, ans recently upgraded to the Infinity after the Evolution suffered an untimely demise spraying varnish...
Their airbrushes come with 0.2 and 0.4 nozzles/needles, are easy to clean and maintain, and spray quite well, though it seems the atomiaztion isn't as fine as the Iwatas.
I'm using the 0.4 for basecoats, and the 0.2 for shading/highlight jobs with a variety of paint ranges (GW, Vallejo, P3). I've yet to try Lifecolor paints, that should come soon. I've never had issues spraying paints provided
- they are thinned enough
- they are strained to avoid clogging the AB with accumulated bits of pigments (shouldn't happen with P3 as it's supposed to be liquid pigment formulas).