Reading the thread by Paul on weathering.. I have a few locos to paint, and wouldnt mind 'having a go'... I have 0 artistic ability, but what airbrushes do people recommend? What should I look for, or steer clear of? thanks Bruce
Bruce: I use an Aztec A4709 interior double action airbrush. I find it extremely useful for all aspects of airbrushing. It is the best airbrush I've had in 40+ years of modeling. It has six nozzles that you can interchange depending on the job. It lists for $180 USD. It can find it on-line for about $109 USD. woo woo woo Kleins in Baltimore MD. USA has them on sale. Here is the site: Airbrushes:
I have another question for the experts, Why are their single action and double action. what are the advantages and disadvantages?
Bruce, Visit www.airheadairbrush.com He sells airbrushes and comprssors and he has a neat "how-to" section and a forum with product reviews. Glenn
Colonel: Single action gives you your paint spray with one downward motion of the trigger. Dual action has two positions on the trigger. The first is for air. The second, further downward motion gives you the paint spray. The better brushes are double action. Since I paint N scale, I use a single action airbrush and I mask the areas I want to paint. Still, I have enough control to make the paint spray fine enough to paint a 1 cm (.375") wide spray. There are airbrushes that cost much more (400 US$ and up) that will paint a line so fine that it is like writing with a fine tip pencil. I do think the larger guages with more detail might use such a brush, but for me, the single action (Paasche H) is fine for my purposes. Hope this helps. Please do post differing opinions, as I am sure there are some. Nice to hear from someone who makes a living with an airbrush? BTW, the external mix is easier to clean IMHO.
Hey Bruce, Just search,'badger' on you know where or any of the Aztec,Badger,Pache,depends on your wallet,(or Missus) in your LHS,& check out Super Cheap Auto for one of those 20ltr air tank compressors,they down to about $130! Hows the Puffing Billy loco's coming along?
I have a dual action/internal mix Badger 150, and a single action/internal mix Badger 250. I have always had good results with both and they are relatively inexpensive. The one really important rule of using any airbrush is to clean it after every use! It is not fun to try cleaning out an internal mix airbrush after someone forgot to clean it after using it.
I am by no means an expert, but I did do quite a bit of research before I purchased my airbrush a few months ago. From what I read, a dual action airbrush provides finer control for detail work, mostly for artistic work. Being that most of us use airbrushes like fine-mist spray paint cans, a dual-action airbrush may be nice to have, but is by no means necessary to do good work. I decided that it was not worth the extra $$$ and learning curve to get a dual action. As for internal vs. external mix, while external is easier to clean, you will get a finer mist with an internal mix. Based on these two decisions, I purchased the Badger 200, a single-action, internal mix airbrush. I think I spent $50 or $60 USD for mine. It works like a champ. Do you already have a compressor? If noise is not much of an issue, don't bother with the hobby compressors. They're WAAAAAY overpriced. Go to your local home center/hardware store, and get a 2 gallon compressor with a regulator. It will be considerably cheaper than a "hobby" compressor, albeit noisier.
Can somebody please explain the difference between an internal mix and external mix airbrush????? Also any recommended online sites that sell airbrushes? Internettrains offers the following for $59 Set contains 200 air brush with Medium nozzle / needle and attachable jar, protective cap, additional jar with cover, wrench for head, and instruction manual in a corrugated box. Model 200 Features: The Model 200 gravity feed single action, internal mix air brush offers single action simplicity in a gravity feed air brush. Allows for "close in" spraying. While providing the fine spray pattern of internal mix paint atomization for professional results. The Model 200 will sprays inks, dyes, watercolors, gouaches, properly reduced acrylics, fabric paints, model paints, all of Badger air brush ready paints. Excellent for detailing and fingernail artists utilizing mini-stencils. N scale supply also has similar models with different options, any recommendations would be greatly appreciated Air brushes [ 08. August 2004, 03:36: Message edited by: Colonel ]
The 200 is an internal mix airbrush. The paint is drawn into the body where it mixes with the airflow. An external mix has the paint nozzle in front of the air nozzle on the outside of the body. The Badger BD350 is an example. Recommendations? Paasche and Badger for reasonably priced units where you need to clean the bodies of the internal mix (like my VL you have) or the paint nozzle on the external mix units. Aztek for not cleaning the body at all as the nozzles are modular and cleaned of the brush, but these are a bit more expensive. Then there's the professional brushes from Iwata and others but you are talking $$$ here. Also, check if it's a single or double action airbrush you are looking at. Single action adjusts the airflow only, double the air- and paint-flow. Maximum paint-flow is dictated by the needle used in both cases. For a quick description and pointers: http://www.tpub.com/content/draftsman/14263/css/14263_289.htm
Well found a dude in Sydney doing HoN30 gear cheap, infact hes giving me it for $0.00 but Im reworking his website Sounds fair to me Now back to airbrushes.. :-s Paul.. Many model plane/remote control car places sell airbrushes.. theres about 10 of them down here, but only 2 decent N scale train stores! Have a word at a few local hobby stores, see what they can do, also handy for warranty, ISNT IT JASON (his was DOA from Ebay!)
Colonel: woo woo woo Kleins (some train store) in Baltimore has a good selection of air brushes online. See the link to the site in my post above.
OK...you all say to go get a compressor. I already have an airbrush connected to a tiny little diaphragm compressor, and I simply dont use it because of the 'pulsing' inherent in those type. I also have an 8 gallon 'big ass' compressor in the shed with fully adjustable pressure. What sort of PSI should I be running through my little badger (my airbraush looks perzaccery like the pic Colonel inserted above)??? My full size spray gun (for doing cars n stuff) is low pressure, 40psi max, but I found it actually works better at about 120 psi )) It was an accident...honest!. So, with a full size compressor, what pressure should I run?
Well found a dude in Sydney doing HoN30 gear cheap, infact hes giving me it for $0.00 but Im reworking his website </font>[/QUOTE]Glad to hear you hooked up with someone on the HOn30! I've been very happy with my Badger. (200-1L.) Have used it for years. And no plans to retire it! My little electric compressor has never given any problem with pulsing. It runs up against the relief valve all the time. So maintains an even pressure. I have two tank compressors I could use if need be... Boxcab E50
The relief valve on a little electric compressor could be vastly different from the one on an 8 gallon tank compressor though (160psi +). My car spray gun works fine up there (for how long is another question), but I think the risk of blowing hoses off a badger are pretty high. I believe my little diaphragm compressor runs about 40psi max, so that could be a good place to start I guess.
Well, I wasn't comparing home/commercial automotive to hobby compressors. Just describing how my hobby compressor functioned, so that there were no pulses. If I recall what the hobby did when I checked it, was actually 32-33psi. It's been happily chunking along for way over 25 years now. My commercial compressor can be regulated all the way down to 10 psi. But all the guns I use with it also have an individual regulator at their inlet. So I generally leave that compressor set at 110-120psi. Boxcab E50
disisme,peoples. Ive run my Badger 200 off the same size comp(big a$$ one) as long as you've a decent reg it will be fine.Acrylics usually about 40psi +/- 5 & Enam. at about 25psi +/- 5psi! Again its not an exact science & Im no expert but the main things I think are very important is be prepared,have cleaning bowl ready paints ready,rubber gloves, dust mask & most of all have fun with it!
5th time tryin to Quick reply.. thank phuck they are quick. So, is there an airbrush that doesnt require a noisey compressor that I have nowhere to put, that is reasonable in its finish for a nervous. I dont want to dish out heaps on this, incase Im ****house at painting these things. it would be a waste of money. thanks bruce.
