WhyItMatterz
Hunter
So I'm a bit lost right now when it comes to Air Brushes and all the diffrent kinds. Does anyone have any recommendations on what to get? Thank you
Air brush recommendations?
- Thread starter WhyItMatterz
- Start date
DeathJedi
Hunter
I bought a kit from amazon with compressor, 3 brushes and an 6 pack of some acrylic paints. I honestly use only one brush and I’ve bought Tomiya paints from my local hobby store because obviously I need custom colors and even mixed some for shades I wanted specifically. I think the thing was around $139.00. I’ve never had an issue with it, just make sure you never let it sit and dry! Clean it good after every use!
superjedi
Sr Hunter
How new are you to airbrushing? If you're wanting to use it for more than spraying relatively large areas, consider a double action brush.
I had been using a Badger Patriot 105 for a while, and just recently I switched to a Grex Genesis. They're both really great.
I haven't really gotten to use any other airbrushes except for an old Testors Aztek.
I had been using a Badger Patriot 105 for a while, and just recently I switched to a Grex Genesis. They're both really great.
I haven't really gotten to use any other airbrushes except for an old Testors Aztek.
Ghostphoenix01
Jr Hunter
I have a badger patriot as well and love it!
WhyItMatterz
Hunter
I'm as new as they come when it comes to airbrushing. After looking into it a bit it seems like the Badger Patriot 105 is just what im looking for! Thanks for your help!
superjedi
Sr Hunter
If you're a beginner, I'd recommend three things before you actually start on your project:
1) practice
2) practice
3) practice
LOL. Just spray onto a piece of cardboard, or even a sheet of notebook paper to get used to the trigger and what it will do. I'd also recommend practicing with acrylic paint. It's much easier to clean up. Tamiya has its own acrylic thinner which works great. Vallejo acrylics can be thinned with water.
Double action brushes are great and very versatile, but you have to get a feel for things like how much to thin your paint, how far to hold the brush from the work surface, how much air pressure to use, etc.
It might be tempting to rip it out of the box, hook it up, and start right in on your helmet (or whatever you're working on), but spending even 30 minutes practicing with the brush can give you a really good idea of its range.
When i started i got this kit...
https://www.amazon.com/Master-Airbr...8766&sr=8-2-fkmr1&keywords=airmaster+airbrush
It worked well..eventually the pump went cuz i was using it A LOT, but the brush itself wasnt bad. My stupidity/laziness ruined it as i forgot to clean it out one day and couldnt get the paint out of the interior parts. So yea like was mentioned before MAKE SURE YOU CLEAN IT OUT AFTER EVERY USE!
i upgraded to a Iwata eclipse and really love it. Havent needed to switch to anything else. Because i was doing painting commissions i also upgraded to a large compressor with a tank, like this: Shop PORTER-CABLE 6-Gallon Electric Pancake Air Compressor at Lowes.com
Mine has a control on it where you can lower the outgoing pressure.
https://www.amazon.com/Master-Airbr...8766&sr=8-2-fkmr1&keywords=airmaster+airbrush
It worked well..eventually the pump went cuz i was using it A LOT, but the brush itself wasnt bad. My stupidity/laziness ruined it as i forgot to clean it out one day and couldnt get the paint out of the interior parts. So yea like was mentioned before MAKE SURE YOU CLEAN IT OUT AFTER EVERY USE!
i upgraded to a Iwata eclipse and really love it. Havent needed to switch to anything else. Because i was doing painting commissions i also upgraded to a large compressor with a tank, like this: Shop PORTER-CABLE 6-Gallon Electric Pancake Air Compressor at Lowes.com
Mine has a control on it where you can lower the outgoing pressure.
Froflo
Hunter
If you want the best id say anest iwata or sata they are pretty much the top of the top for all of air painting, i find sata a litle bit easier to play around with on settings, p.s i spray custom caninetry and do alot with "spray guns" essentially large air brushes and sata makes a super nice tiny "touch up" spray gun which is pretty sweet for painting things like armor or helmets but im not sure if anyone else really uses a gun other than me lol so id just say go with anest iwata or sata for your "airbrush"
WhyItMatterz
Hunter
The helmet maker I'm going with is taking a break for a few months, so it will be awhile in till I get started on my helmet. But that will give me some time to practice using my airbrush without being tempted to start on my helmet. Lol. Thank you everyone for the help!
Last edited:
WhyItMatterz
Hunter
If you're a beginner, I'd recommend three things before you actually start on your project:
1) practice
2) practice
3) practice
LOL. Just spray onto a piece of cardboard, or even a sheet of notebook paper to get used to the trigger and what it will do. I'd also recommend practicing with acrylic paint. It's much easier to clean up. Tamiya has its own acrylic thinner which works great. Vallejo acrylics can be thinned with water.
Double action brushes are great and very versatile, but you have to get a feel for things like how much to thin your paint, how far to hold the brush from the work surface, how much air pressure to use, etc.
It might be tempting to rip it out of the box, hook it up, and start right in on your helmet (or whatever you're working on), but spending even 30 minutes practicing with the brush can give you a really good idea of its range.
Luckily it will be awhile until I get my helmet so It will give me sometime to mess around and practice with the airbrush without being tempted to start the helmet. I know for sure if I had the helmet in hand I would want to start working on it admittedly and mess something up. LOL. Thanks for your help!
Evan1701
Active Hunter
Is it normal to have a really light spray for the first few minutes after filling the cup with your paint for a gravity fed airbrush? I always feel like the paint has to be "worked through" for a bit before I get a really good spray. A lot of times I just point it at a piece of cardboard and spray until I start getting good coverage, at which point I can move on to painting the helmet. I've tried adding more and more thinner after this happens but it never seems to affect it.
Evan1701
Active Hunter
I think part of it is just how clogged my airbrush gets, I try and break the whole thing down every few colors and clean the needle and every orifice, but there are some that are physically too small to clean. Before and after every color I also fill the cup about 1/3 full and spray mineral spirits through to work loose any clogs.
I'm curious if any master painters on here have additional advice on how to keep the airbrush clean and how to get a good solid spray without having to tinker with paint/thinner ratios for half an hour each painting session... also curious if any of the many adjustment knobs on the airbrush should be this way or that to facilitate a good end product. I have a knob right underneath the nozzle and one on the very back of the brush, and I don't know what either of them do.
superjedi
Sr Hunter
Can't speak to your specific brush, but this Grex I just got has a knob at the back end that acts as a sort of "governor" for the trigger.
When the knob is rotated fully counter-clockwise, it allows the trigger to travel fully back. When it's twisted fully clockwise, the trigger only moves a fraction of an inch.
By using this knob, you can gain better control over the spray pattern in general:
Counter-clockwise = full width spray pattern
Clockwise = very fine line pattern.
Adjusting the compressor pressure can add other effects, too. Higher pressure will give a more solid line, lower pressure will give a more faded, almost spattered looking line.
When the knob is rotated fully counter-clockwise, it allows the trigger to travel fully back. When it's twisted fully clockwise, the trigger only moves a fraction of an inch.
By using this knob, you can gain better control over the spray pattern in general:
Counter-clockwise = full width spray pattern
Clockwise = very fine line pattern.
Adjusting the compressor pressure can add other effects, too. Higher pressure will give a more solid line, lower pressure will give a more faded, almost spattered looking line.
Evan1701
Active Hunter
Yeah, that is pretty much what that knob does from what I can tell. I might try and unscrew it some to get a better width spray. These days I usually just mess with it when I'm breaking down the whole brush into its components to clean.
I haven't seen any suggestions for proper PSI other than on my compressor itself. I believe it says 15-45 PSI for airbrushing. I tend to stay right at the top of that limit, do you tend to stay in this range as well?
Evan1701
Active Hunter
Heh... like I said, total newbie. Maybe that's why my coverage sucks... too much air, not enough paint!
Hea guys, I'm new as well and thought this would be a good place to ask. What ratio do you mix the paint. I have been doing 1:1 (paint + thinner) but I tend to get brush strokes on my armor.
The first image it was really bad second was still bad i deiced to redo my front armor third is the final.
The first image it was really bad second was still bad i deiced to redo my front armor third is the final.
