Thinking Going To Airbrush

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philgashead

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i am thinking of going to airbrush but don't want to spend to much just because I might not get on with it,is there any kits out there that are half decent but not cost the earth cheers Phil.
 

john

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I can do you an airbrush and compressor for £65, if you find you like it and want to upgrade you can then get a better airbrush and still use the compressor.
 
F

Fenlander

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There are so many! I know that quite a few on here started off with a budget airbrush and compressor and have since moved up to better gear. Having said that some have had bad experiences with too cheep gear.


To some degree, as in most things, you get what you pay for. Do not expect too much from a budget setup and you will not be dissapointed. Be prepared to move up, especially the airbrush, to s better make st some point.


This is what I did and I never regretted it, in fact I sometimes use my original eBay airbrush to spray primer as it had a bigger needle and blocked up less lol


If you can afford it, go straight for a low to mid range airbrush from Iwata or H&S, you won't regret it
 
F

Fenlander

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John beat me to it and that is a cracking deal from s very reliable source!
 

BarryW

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Phil - go for it but whatever you do practise, practice and practice. Do not expect it to some easily.


I would suggest a few things to make the transition easier.


1/ Go with the £65 deal to start with but check to see that the a/b is gravity fed and has a needle of 0.3 or more.


2/ Use paints that are designed for airbrushing. By eliminating the need for thinning and bringing that down to merely a preference you will get rid of one of the variables, easing you into airbrushing. The paints I would suggest using are Vallejo Model Air as they are easily obtained from John and are ideal for a beginner.


3/ Look at some training videos. I would recommend Flory Models. You can sign up for £3 per month but there is no tie in so if you want you can access all their tutorials over a month for only £3. These are well worth it and you may even decide to become a regular subscriber as I am. http://www.florymodels.co.uk/today/?SSLoginOk=true To find the training videos once you have subscribed (its not as clear to navigate to as it should) go to the Home page and scroll down the page, look for a link to workshop tutorials in the 'blurb'. You will not regret viewing these as they are the best on the web covering the basics of an airbrush graduating up to more advanced methods. An invaluable resource. There are lots of video builds as well.


Good luck with the airbrush - I know you wont regret getting one.
 
C

CharleyGnarlyP290

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Wow. If you ask ten people what to get, you will get ten different answers. That said, there is sound advice above, especially what Barry said. There are many brands out there and a variety of price points. Having used siphon feed and gravity feed, I concur on gravity feed, meaning the paint cup is on top and part of the airbrush. Less clean up hassles and less chance of accidents.


The one bit of advice I would give that might or might not differ from some, is get a double action brush from the get-go and learn to use it. Some think it is harder to master, but with a bit of practice, you will get it. To me, it is more convenient and versatile.


I don't use a compressor so can't really comment on those.
 

john

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S

Stevekir

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I think John's offer is an excellent way to start. My compressor, bought in early 2013, looks like the AS186 or the AS189. It is excellent and should not need to be upgraded for years (if ever). The dilemma involves the airbrush: whether to go for a low-priced one to reduce the cost if you give up airbrushing because you don't like it but if you do like it, you will likely want to get a better AB and dump the low-priced on; or whether to go for a more expensive AB now in the hope that you will like airbrushing and will stick with that AB but risking loosing its highter cost if you give up.


Go for John's offer I think, but probable add a few quid to get the AS186 or AS189. The 0.3 mm nozzle size is a good starter size (the smaller the size the greater the chance of blocking).


Once you start, as someone else says, practice practice practice. Try varying pressure (start with 20 pounds per square inch pressure and hold the AB about 7 inches away. Vary the amount of pull-back on the trigger. Vary the speed of movement of the AB from left to right. Perhaps start with acrylic paint (easy to clean up) but Stona likes enamels (Whitespirit based). If using Vallejo, their Model Air range (more finely ground) is for airbrushing, not the Model Colour. After every session, clean the AB thoroughly (removing the nozzle and needle and cleaning inside the AB tunnel until you gret experience - some AB users just flush through without disassembling). To clean the tunnel get a set of thoes tiny bottle brushes sold for ABs. Blockages can be disheartening.


I found a funny thing: when I started I had difficulty in getting good results but, by some magic, over the following months it came right, automatically. I have found this in other craft areas.


There are tons of good videos on Youtube. As mentioned by Barry, Flory Models got me going. Watch his builds viseos which have invaluable practical info on airbrushing, seeing a pro at work. Watch several. Keep at it. If it seems difficult, set it aside for a month. Keep in touch. Describe any problems. We are here to help.


EDIT: You might like to try adding about 10% thinner to paint in the AB cup. Put it in first and after adding the paint use a small brush to mix it. Vallejo acrylic paint comes in dropper bottles which make adding the correct amount easier: 2 drops of thinner and 18 of paint = 10% thinning. Thinner can help beginners. Always use the proper thinner for the paint - this removes one possibly troublesome factor. Buy lost of fizzy lemonade (or find an adict) and practice using their big smooth clear plastic bottles sold at Asda and Sainsbury's etc. You can clean them off afterwards.
 
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P

philgashead

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P

philgashead

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\ said:
I think John's offer is an excellent way to start. My compressor, bought in early 2013, looks like the AS186 or the AS189. It is excellent and should not need to be upgraded for years (if ever). The dilemma involves the airbrush: whether to go for a low-priced one to reduce the cost if you give up airbrushing because you don't like it but if you do like it, you will likely want to get a better AB and dump the low-priced on; or whether to go for a more expensive AB now in the hope that you will like airbrushing and will stick with that AB but risking loosing its highter cost if you give up.
Go for John's offer I think, but probable add a few quid to get the AS186 or AS189. The 0.3 mm nozzle size is a good starter size (the smaller the size the greater the chance of blocking).


Once you start, as someone else says, practice practice practice. Try varying pressure (start with 20 pounds per square inch pressure and hold the AB about 7 inches away. Vary the amount of pull-back on the trigger. Vary the speed of movement of the AB from left to right. Perhaps start with acrylic paint (easy to clean up) but Stona likes enamels (Whitespirit based). If using Vallejo, their Model Air range (more finely ground) is for airbrushing, not the Model Colour. After every session, clean the AB thoroughly (removing the nozzle and needle and cleaning inside the AB tunnel until you gret experience - some AB users just flush through without disassembling). To clean the tunnel get a set of thoes tiny bottle brushes sold for ABs. Blockages can be disheartening.


I found a funny thing: when I started I had difficulty in getting good results but, by some magic, over the following months it came right, automatically. I have found this in other craft areas.


There are tons of good videos on Youtube. As mentioned by Barry, Flory Models got me going. Watch his builds viseos which have invaluable practical info on airbrushing, seeing a pro at work. Watch several. Keep at it. If it seems difficult, set it aside for a month. Keep in touch. Describe any problems. We are here to help.


EDIT: You might like to try adding about 10% thinner to paint in the AB cup. Put it in first and after adding the paint use a small brush to mix it. Vallejo acrylic paint comes in dropper bottles which make adding the correct amount easier: 2 drops of thinner and 18 of paint = 10% thinning. Thinner can help beginners. Always use the proper thinner for the paint - this removes one possibly troublesome factor. Buy lost of fizzy lemonade (or find an adict) and practice using their big smooth clear plastic bottles sold at Asda and Sainsbury's etc. You can clean them off afterwards.
thanks for advice
 
P

philgashead

Guest
\ said:
Phil - go for it but whatever you do practise, practice and practice. Do not expect it to some easily.
I would suggest a few things to make the transition easier.


1/ Go with the £65 deal to start with but check to see that the a/b is gravity fed and has a needle of 0.3 or more.


2/ Use paints that are designed for airbrushing. By eliminating the need for thinning and bringing that down to merely a preference you will get rid of one of the variables, easing you into airbrushing. The paints I would suggest using are Vallejo Model Air as they are easily obtained from John and are ideal for a beginner.


3/ Look at some training videos. I would recommend Flory Models. You can sign up for £3 per month but there is no tie in so if you want you can access all their tutorials over a month for only £3. These are well worth it and you may even decide to become a regular subscriber as I am. http://www.florymodels.co.uk/today/?SSLoginOk=true To find the training videos once you have subscribed (its not as clear to navigate to as it should) go to the Home page and scroll down the page, look for a link to workshop tutorials in the 'blurb'. You will not regret viewing these as they are the best on the web covering the basics of an airbrush graduating up to more advanced methods. An invaluable resource. There are lots of video builds as well.


Good luck with the airbrush - I know you wont regret getting one.
thanks for advice
 
Z

zak illingworth

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John will this offer still be around mid to late January ? Im well interested in that offer.
 

john

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\ said:
John will this offer still be around mid to late January ? Im well interested in that offer.
It's open to all as long as I have stock, just let me know when you are ready.
 
J

Jase

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A good cheap airbrush is Vada actually old model expensive brand stuff even made in the same factory but at around £25 its really good value I have one as well as two top of the range airbrushes and it holds up well. But more importantly don't get a cheap compressor it will give you paint problems such as splattering and uneven finish. Ideally you need a compressor with a separate tank otherwise the air being pushed through the brush comes in pulsed waves atomising the paint unevenly, a separate tank maintains an even stream of air as wall as being quieter and cheaper to run. you will also need a regulator. I use a Sparmax TC-610H but there are cheaper options.


hope that helps


Jase
 
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