What type of airbrush and compressor would you recommend I get? I know I want a dual action, but that's about all I know. Help. D6
Hello D6: went through this process this summer and decided on the Iwata Eclipse Bcs. Painted some of Alan's spine car units with it and was very happy. Also invested in an air pressure regulator with water trap. The guys will be responding soon and you'll see that there are a number of different brushes that we all like. ------------------ Residing in BNSF's St. Croix Subdivision near Trempealeau, WI [This message has been edited by Patrick (edited 07 December 2000).]
Wow...this is like asking us to recommend a religion...if you know the air brush crowd. My particular brand of religion is the Aztec line. First, what is the biggest pain in the butt with air brushes? Well, hands down people will tell you the clean up. With Aztec, clean up takes about one minute. With the other high fluting, status bound, snazzy, stirling silver air brushes, clean up can take longer than the paint job, especially in N scale. Secondly, Aztec has some excellent tip choices. In this day and age, many of us are sticking mostly to acrylics for safety reasons - I spray outside. Why risk your health if you don't have to. Aztec has two acrylic tips. I go to a friends house on Friday night for our HO (I know - sometimes I sin) running sessions (I am an N scaler...no...really!!). We were spraying ballast and track with a Paasche and it kept plugging up with the acrylic paint. Many will tell you special magic to make the Paasche's work well with acrylics. Well, with Aztec's the only magic is whether to buy the high flow acrylic tip or the medium flow. I use the high flow tip. The Paasche's were a pain. The next week I brought my air brush (azteck) and we used it for hours without one plug up. Also, I have bought a "special" high volume tip for spraying larger areas than you will get with Paasche's etc. I have used this high volume tip on fascia, trim in the house, painting house doors, and a host of non-modeling projects; the high volume moves the job along nicely. I use the Brown pump with no problems. I originally wanted a "better" one, but it hasn't given me any problems. I haven't been able to detect the "pulsing" problems people talk about.
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by Patrick: Hello D6: went through this process this summer and decided on the Iwata Eclipse Bcs. <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> I have the EXACT same thing here Patrick! And my compressor has the same atachements. I really love the brush I have. Like stated above though, there are many brands to choose from. It's really just personal preferance. Take your time and look at all of the choices before you buy one. Here is a loco I painted with the Iwata air brush. You can see how smooth the paint is by looking at the glare on the slanted part of the cab roof. ------------------ Craig Martyn Best Looking Models Around Custom detailing AND N scale detail parts. BLMA N Scale Detail Parts BLMAinfo@aol.com [This message has been edited by Craig Martyn (edited 07 December 2000).]
I am looking to buy a new airbrush. My present one is an old and beaten up Badger, which clogs up fairly easily when using acrylics. My local model shop (hobby shop) sells an Aztec set in a wood case. It includes lots of tips, which I am sure I will never use. As the tips are fairly expensive, I would prefer to buy the airbrush with two or three of the most useful tips. Any hints on which ones? I will mainly be using it on N scale, and around the layout, mostly using Pollyscale or Badger Modelflex paints. ------------------ Alan Curtis. Moderator. Member #12 The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale! www.alancurtismodels.com Andersley Western Railroad Alan's American Gallery
The best tips are the acrylic tips...there are two choices...I used the high flow one for model painting. I use the internal single action Aztec...it does everything I need. I don't know why you would need double action. I also use the non-acrylic very high flow for other projects, see above. I have found, so far, two tips is all I need. I haven't yet used the medium flow (non-acrylic) tip which came with the kit.
Get an Airmaster air compressor. They only run when the trigger is depressed on the airbrush and are very quiet. Don't waste your money on cans of propelant to power your airbrush. They dont give enough pressure and only last about 20 minutes. Plus they are overpriced at $7.99.
don't you need to set your regulator at one psi for acrylics, and lower for lacquers? I think you have to thin the paint down like gasoline to keep from clogging, is that correct?
No problem with a compressor, I have one with a large air tank, moisture trap, air regulator, etc. I can run two airbrushes at once, if I had enough hands Don't the Aztec tips have numbers? ------------------ Alan Curtis. Moderator. Member #12 The perfect combination - BNSF and N Scale! www.alancurtismodels.com Andersley Western Railroad Alan's American Gallery
Well since nobody has mentioned Paasche, I will through my two-cents worth in . I use all Paasche, including my compressor. I have been using it for about four years now and am very happy with the results I get with it. Clean up takes a bit longer, true, but what else do you have to do when the paint is drying !! Seriously, clean up takes about 5 minutes. Happy Modeling!! John ------------------ The Santa Fe and Southwestern, Chief of the Southwest!!
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by JCater: Well since nobody has mentioned Paasche, I will through my two-cents worth in . I use all Paasche, including my compressor. I have been using it for about four years now and am very happy with the results I get with it. Clean up takes a bit longer, true, but what else do you have to do when the paint is drying !! Seriously, clean up takes about 5 minutes. Happy Modeling!! John <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> What process do you use for cleaning out your Paasche? I have a Paasche VL but have only used it a couple of times. The last time I used it, I remember having to try to get dried paint off of the needle (I was using Floquil) after I was through painting. Did I wait too long after painting to clean it out? ------------------ Mike Drzycimski Arlington, TX The Southview Lines
Has anbody tried the new Testors line of air brushes? ------------------ John Nutt Des Moines, IA contractrental@uswest.net
Aztec is the testors line.....unless something new out under the testor name...if that is case then probably just recycled Aztec.
My Paasche is 5 years old and not any problem s except when I dropped it and bent the tip of the needle. Cleanup does take a little longer, but if you get the chance to try some of the above mentioned airbrushes, do so. It is nice to try to get he feel of one before you buy. I tried a couple and went with what I bought on the recommendations of friends like we have here and the availablity of peices and parts. It was somewhat pricey $105 but came with several tips and paint jars. I have not tried it with the acrylics yet. I paint in the garage and I am still using Scalecoat because I have several bottles left. If I can find the Lehigh Valley red (Maroon) in acrylics I will change over so I can paint in my new Train room. With the acrylics will I will have to be retrained to paint. I have painted Automobiles for years using Laquer and Enamel so the acrylics will be learning experience for me. ------------------ Larry E. Gilbert ASST. Superintendent Central Indiana Division MWR/NMRA [This message has been edited by leghome (edited 08 December 2000).]
Larry, Testors' website lists LV Cornell Red under the PollyScale RR paints (acrylic). It's no. 414360. I don't know how the color compares to the Scalecoat paint, though. Dwight
I'm with John and Mark, I have a Paasche VL dual action. Though parts aren't the easiest to get by walking into a store here Downunder, I did do this in Minneapolis (The Hub) and bought a replacement medium tip set off the shelf. I've had no problems with it, unlike the Badger (forget the model number) before it. I like it. I have also used a friends' HL single action and it worked very well, too. It's simpler to use than the dual action VL. Mark, I think you will find the problem is paint creeping up the needle as you move it back and forth whilst painting. When I am done, I strip it down to components and wipe with general purpose laquer thinners after blowing the thinner through it. I also use a pipe cleaner to clean out the body and tip, then leave it apart or loosely assembled. The paint takes a while to dry out whilst in the airbrush so you have plenty of time to clean afterwards. Gary. ------------------ Gary A. Rose The Unofficial TC&W page TrainBoard Moderator and Member No.377 N to the Nth degree!
I have paasche that I got last month, It is a good airbrush. Cleanup does take a litlle longer but when I am done painting I imidiatle run tinner throught the color cup then I remove the color cup and clean it, then I take off the neddal and put it into a botlle of thinner and let it soak for a few minites, while it is soaking i wipe down the airbruch and paint cup agine and clean up my area. The I remove the neddel and clean it off with a rag and im done. Takes about 5 minites. kevin
I have an old Paasche dual action brush. Yes it does take longer to set up and clean up, but what a job it will do when it is time to paint. I have a good friend who is a commercial artist and he showed me what to buy, how to use it, and a few tricks of the trade. If you want learn a few shortcuts, watch a pro use an airbrush. One I found out is to check your local art supply stores for airbrushes. A good store will have all the parts and supplies that you will need. I run my airbrush off my 5-horse power air compressor, same one I use for my air tools and nail gun, just get a GOOD quality pressure regulator, line filter and water trap for your airbrush. I would like to get a new airbrush, but for right now, IF IT AIN'T BROKE DON'T FIX IT!, applies. ------------------ Let's Go Run Trains MARK
<BLOCKQUOTE>quote:</font><HR>Originally posted by mdrzycimski: What process do you use for cleaning out your Paasche? I have a Paasche VL but have only used it a couple of times. The last time I used it, I remember having to try to get dried paint off of the needle (I was using Floquil) after I was through painting. Did I wait too long after painting to clean it out? <HR></BLOCKQUOTE> You May have waited too long to clean it. As to my methods: The guy at my hobby store is an ex-marine and taught me to "field strip" my entire apparatus in about 5 minutes . When finished painting, I run excees paint out, add a little paint thinner, run that out, then dismantle the airbrush. I use pipe cleanerd dipped in mineral spirits to clean the inside out, including the needle, and put all back together again. Happy Modeling!! John ------------------ The Santa Fe and Southwestern, Chief of the Southwest!!
I copied the following from n scale message on e-groups.com. It sounds like a very good airbrush for just a little more than I paid 5 yearxs ago for my passache. I had to come on here and give a little ditty on my experiences with airbrushes. In the beginning of my painting I used the trusty badger double action brush. I thought it was great even though I could not figure out how to get it to spray without the tip clogging. It was a pain always clearing it, but I stuck with it for years. Finally I thought I would try another brush. I bought a cheap Testors airbrush and was happy with it for about a week or two. It still would clog. I played around with thinner mixtures and pressures to no avail. I have also used a WREN and a Pasche in the past. At the beginning of this year I decided to get a high quality airbrush. A very good friend of mine is an airbrush artist and suggested an Iwata. They were pretty expensive so I shopped the internet for one. I found a place called REX Art (www.rexart.com). I bought an Iwata C size. it is normally $210.00, but REX art sells them for $115.00. It is a gravity feed. I bought the crown tip and adjustable barrel accessories for it. I must say here that the Iwata is by far the BEST brush. Its weight is perfect, cleaning is a snap and the paint flows through it beautifully. I am very very happy with it. I clean it after every use with lacquer thinner. Thought I would pass along my airbrush experiences. I find the Iwata well worth the money. I really like the built in gravity feed. Later ------------------------------------------------------------------------- Brian Banna Chandler, AZ ------------------ Larry E. Gilbert ASST. Superintendent Central Indiana Division MWR/NMRA
