air brush

daniel_bourton

daniel_bourton

daniel_bourton

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3 Jan 2009
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555
Location
bristol england
im wanting to get a airbrush kit but i only have abuot 120pounds to spend on it what makes should i be aiming for and how do you know if a compressor /airbrush is better then another one?
 
Hi

I'll move this into GD as it's not really computer related ;)

However as someone who recently took the plunge with airbrushing, I suspect that that sort of budget may not get you much:(
A half decent dual action airbrush (that you can get spares for) is likely to cost £80+ on it's own, and a good quiet compressor about the same again at a minimum.

It cost us about £360 to get a Harder and Steinbeck Evolution FPS and a decent small (quiet) compressor with tank from a Paul at www.little-cars.com.
The Evolution is nice in that you can change the needles and paint cups depending on what you're doing - the FPS is the top of the 3 models in that range with 2 cups, 2 needle/nozzle sets, and preset handle for maximum paint flow, and an on handle pressure control (you can upgrade the Evolution Sole at around £80 later on by buying the extras).
Then there are the little extras, cleaning solutions, brushes, cleaning station, respirator.

Iwata brushes start at about the same price (£80) and are generally very well thought off (but not as flexible, it's pretty much a case of a new brush if you need a bigger/smaller cup, but they do do the things like different needles/nozzles/preset handles for their range), and their basic compressor starts at about £120 (with their betters ones costing a lot more).

I think Badger are possibly the only brushes/compressors that might fit in your price range, and be a good compromise of quality/price (and availability of spares) but i'm not sure.

You can use a normal garage compressor (can be picked up very cheap on ebay) with the airbrushes, but you will need to make sure it has a pressure regulator/moisture trap (about £18 if needed seperately), and it will be very noisy.
You can also pick up cheap Chinese airbrushes and compressors (some retailers do sets from about £80), but from my research it seems the quality of them varies a lot, as does the availability of spares (I've seen a few people who have bought a cheapy chinese airbrush just for use with varnishes/coatings that mess up their good brushes).

You can probably pick up bargains second hand (when I was looking I noticed a number of Iwata kits sold for tanning/make-up work going fairly cheaply), but bare in mind that any second hand unit may require replacement parts/attention to get it working well again.

RB Customs, and I think another couple of people on here are much more experienced with airbrushes (RB Customs work is stunning).
 
Hi

I'm not sure about the air brush, but the dewalt compressor would do (if anything over kill from the air supply point of view), the big problem with most garage/building compressors is that they are big and noisy (the smaller compressors that are quieter tend to cost more).

What paints are you intending to use with the brush?

Hopefully one of the more experienced air brush guys will see the thread if i bump it.
 
auto air colors its exspensive sutff but it amazing aparently
but i dont know much at all starting from knowing nothign really so that why i ask you guys lol problem is i got a max budget of about 200 not including paints is that gona get me enough for a beginners kit?
also im looking on this website is there any other or better ones
https://airbrushes.com/index.php
im guessing they aint a competitor as they dont sell anything that ocuk sells
 
daniel_bourton said:
i might have to buy it in pieces then how is this for s decent airbrush then ?
https://airbrushes.com/product_info.php?cPath=1_11_146&products_id=1110
i think i might buy a de walt compresor cost 120 on its own :( but it spose to be reliable and powerful; but i duno if it will do the job right?
Click to expand...

I have that same airbrush, It is a copy of a Iwata, very good brush and had great reviews. I got it from the same company as in your link too.

I use it for model car kits etc. Also add a water trap/filter onto your compressor as well as a regulator as said above. Keep the airbrush clean after work and it will serve you well.

PS Paul at little cars knows his stuff and also the chap at Hiroboy too. In fact whenever I ring Hiroboy he always ends the conversation with my name so I think he must store his customers numbers in his phone. I find that very professional.
 
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daniel_bourton said:
im wanting to get a airbrush kit but i only have abuot 120pounds to spend on it what makes should i be aiming for and how do you know if a compressor /airbrush is better then another one?
Click to expand...

Hey mate,

Werewolf has already given you some good advice, so I’ll just add to that.

He is right about your budget. Airbrushes are very fine pieces of kit and you absolutely get what you pay for. I still use some of my oldest brushes today because they are such good quality, the first ones I bought for around £30 did not last more than a few weeks and really held me back in terms of what I could do with them.

He has also hit the nail on the head about spares too – If I had a pound for every time I have put a 90 degree bend in a needle and wrecked the needle + needle housing I probably would not have to paint in the first place, as I’d be living it up on my own private island. No matter how well you look after it, accidents will happen!

A good workman never blames his tools – but airbrushes are an exception to that rule, as there is no replacement for a well made brush.

What you buy will ultimately depend on what you want to paint, and what paints ou will be using. If you’re using water based paints you have a lot more choice. If you are using solvent based I’d stick to Iwata (I’ll not go into great detail, but basically the internal seals in most Iwata brushes are built to cope with solvents)

If you’re painting models (with the exception of automobiles with 2k / solvent paints) anything from badger, Iwata and so on will do. Go for a mid sized needle – not too fine, not too heavy. Something around the 0.3mm mark is a good all-rounder. A little goes a long way with needle sizes so don’t think that a .5mm will do the job of a .3, because the difference on paper is tiny, in reality it’s the difference between painting walls with a brush, or with a roller!

Your air source is a tricky one, and again – depends on what you will be painting, so give us some more information please  look for local aircompressor suppliers (you may be surprised!) I got mine from the most unlikely little place in an industrial estate, they sell world class compressors to big companies (Nissan) and they had plenty of stock much better, bigger and best of all – cheaper than the likes of machine mart, so have a look around. These types of compressors are not suited to indoor (as in, inside your house) dues to the noise so more info please 

If you don’t have any restrictions on noise and size, and again I’m jumping the gun as I don’t know what you want to do! Get the biggest capacity with the biggest CFM (cubic feet per minute) as you can. A bigger tank means the air lasts longer between re-fills, and higher CFM means it fills up quicker when it does need to fill up.

I’ll be able to give you more specific advice soon, so please hang fire as compressors are complete mine fields! I’ll advise you about proper setup of moisture traps too, I think as a result of seeing photos of compressors with moisture traps fitted directly to the outlet has led a lot of people to believe that is where they are meant to go :D

You’re definitely going to have to reconsider your budget though! But talk it through with us lot and we will get you the best out of your money. If you have any questions feel free to ask 
 
ok mate i try and get some more cash i want to just paont smaller things he biggest ebin computer cases really
i would like to no more fi it is possible would be kind enough to do a spec me please
 
daniel_bourton said:
ok mate i try and get some more cash i want to just paont smaller things he biggest ebin computer cases really
i would like to no more fi it is possible would be kind enough to do a spec me please
Click to expand...

Hey mate,

well you're about to venture down a complicated path sonny! Custom painting is a different kettle of fish to any other kind of painting, because you basically have to learn how to be an automotive re-sprayer.

anything like computer cases, computer mice, joysticks, controls, cooling equipment (anything that is made of metal or plastic that is to be displayed and handled -models don’t count but can be painted in the same way) will require solvent based paints at least twice during the painting process.

sure you can use Auto air colours, I personally don’t rate them at all over solvent based colours (that's just me though, loads of people use AAC and love it). Auto air is water based, and safe to use, but you will need to use solvent based primers (etch, high build and so on) as well as solvent based clear coats. both primers and clear coats are 2k, or 'two-pack' paints which are paints that harden by chemical reaction when you mix the two components of the paint together. unless you're painting only very small things like mice, you can get away with only having an airbrush to do everything (I use a .5 Iwata to primer and clear coat small objects as it gives an absolutely flawless 'off the gun' finish.

there is a major health and safety issue here by the way, please buy a respirator!!

I'm trying to think of a basic kit that will get you off the ground, but I know just how much equipment I use on a daily basis and it's LOTS.

on a regular basis (today for example, painting a full computer case) I have used 3 different airbrushes and 3 different spray guns. That's about normal for me. the 3 guns I could not do without are my Iwata kustom, my big iwata eclipse and my mini-jet rip off.

I've posted this pic before but it shows some of the things I use daily:
airbrushestextrl4.jpg



that mini spray gun is well worth getting - you can get them off ebay for about £25. they're not good quality or anything but they are okay for laying down base coats, priming and clear coating. as your collection grows though you will get dedicated guns ( hence I've used so many different ones today!)



for a basic kit look for the following:

Airbrush:
I'd be the first to recommend an Iwata brush, but in this case I think you're going to get a shock when you realise how much paraphernalia you are going to need... so I'd consider one of those premi-air brushes. I've never used one (will see if I can swindle one from airbrushes .com though) but I'd say it is worth a punt as you probably will damage it, ad at least it’s reasonably cheap enough not to worry about too much. I know I said in my last post that a good quality brush is essential, but honestly in this case I think you will get away with this one, and then look forward to buying an Iwata in a different size (that's the start of your collection!)

so grab one of those.

compressor: still need more information mate, you're keeping your cards close to your chest! if you're talking about painting cases... even my 100litre belt driven monster struggles at times! you’re going to be looking at something at least 50 litres.

Paints:
well again, still need a tad more info on what you want to do. but either way you're going to need some practice. I'd decide now if you are going to start using waterbased paints or solvent based. Either way you only need 2 colours - black and white :D

Primers: in all honestly you will be able to get away with using spray can primers for now. Bare metal and anodised aluminium will be quick to cause you problems though, so use spray cans for now but you will need to get 'proper' paints at some stage.

Powerball:
slightly off topic, but if you don’t have a powerball I'd recommend getting one. That goes for anyone in here who is getting into airbrushing for that matter! (werewolf, I'm looking at you!) it will stop RSI in it's tracks. I use mine all the time when I'm airbrushing, after a while your wrist will start to cramp up and your fingers will ache. sanding things down is really bad for it too. using a powerball will help a great deal in protecting your wrist. I'm using it now, infact :D


sundries:
depends on the paint system you're using really. but the basics are the same. you will still need the thinners and activators for the water based system when you come to clear coating though!

solvent system:
2k thinner
standard thinner
panel wipe
2k activator

scotchbrite pads and selection of wet / dry papers
tack rags

water based system:
water
panel wipe

scotchbrite pads and selection of wet / dry papers
tack rags






I dont want to put you off getting into custom painting, but it does involve a lot of equipment and expense, so I think you should get your brush and air source. some blanks canvases, rolls of fax paper or flipcharts and get painting, get practicing. get a feel for it and at the same time research what you need to know, find local paint suppliers who are willing to give you the time of day and so on.
 
far enough thanks for all your help
all i want to do mainly is cases and computer gear nothing major or massive like a car i dont think i could dare try it lol
on the front of compressors i was looking at the dewalt one but it is very very loud and quite popwerful so i think it not right was looking at a airbrush compressor from axminstor tools likes nice http://www.axminster.co.uk/product.asp?pf_id=21805&name=compressor&user_search=1&sfile=1&jump=44 theres the link for it was also gone get a spray gun like your mini jet rip off from there too they are apparently a decent company and everything so i can trust them over ebay stuff not being mean.

i will get that air brush then if you do get one like to nkow from a experienced air brush how good they are against more expensive units ovious they aint gona be as good btu by how much?

ive already got a powerball thingy xmas present cus a lot of keyboard work can do the same thingy to you im gona get a resperator as im gona be doing a lot of it to begin with in dorrs as it too cod outside and it stupid not to when indoors but the room got decent airflow so no major worries really

i have a hobby shop near me i will go there for paints etc and ask them for there help on choosing did a bit of rocket stuff when i was jounger from them and they were amazing then so should still be good from them thanks for all your help
more help then the bloke in the last shop i went in
 
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