tibs
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Post by tibs on Oct 6, 2008 22:27:19 GMT
Hi All, Newbie here, well returning modeller after many years away !
I recently bought a Revell Vario Airbrush second hand off Ebay with a Clarke (Cheapo) Compressor. All seems to work fine first attempt at spraying a model didnt seem to be the disaster I was expecting !
But I have been adviced by a Model shop (obviously after my money ;D ) That the compressor isnt up to the job and doesnt have a water trap !
My question is will it suffice for me to learn the basics before buying a better compressor and maybe even a new airbrush ?
And lastly what do people think of Aztec airbrushes as that is what my local shop recommended ?
Many thanks for any advice given.
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 6, 2008 22:41:13 GMT
Ayup Tibs,
I learned to use a Badger 200 coupled to a can of air, so tell your model shop they're talking a load of rubbish. If you have a Clarke compressor, it's good enough for the time being. Lean how to draw with the airbrush, start with straight lines of varying thickness, this can be achieved by varying the distance between the airbrush and the area you're spraying, walk before you can run. Read the airbrush instructions about varying the air pressure, it can make a difference. A moisture trap will stop any small amounts of water getting into the spay line, but when you can afford it, change up to a better compressor, the one you have will suffice for the moment, don't be bullied, just enjoy the learning experience.
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Lonewolf
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Gods Country
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Post by Lonewolf on Oct 7, 2008 6:58:17 GMT
I'm using a compressor without a water trap or regulator and have been doing so for many years.
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Post by neilscrim on Oct 7, 2008 7:22:05 GMT
First off, I'm in a minority as I wanted a water trap. I had water problems before (with an old compressor) and my current one (which has a holding tank) came with a trap as standard and i've not had water problems since. But it could have been my old compressor that was the problem, who knows.
My best advice is buy one without a trap and if you have problems then you can add one later on.
Azteks....or to be more precise the double action ones
I had a 470 and they're brilliant but there's a serious design flaw in the main body. The trigger mechanism breaks, I've had 2 of them go on me and I've known of 3 others go the same way.
I moved over to a Badger 150 just for reliability reasons. Not as easy to clean as the Aztek but it's not too difficult.
neil
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Post by littlecars on Oct 7, 2008 18:04:57 GMT
My advice, like Nick's is keep what you have and get used to using the tools you have. Please remember to ware a suitable mask.
Get some art paper to practive different width lines and prime some (used but clean) tin cans to practice on curved surfaces (inside and out!).
Moisture in the system comes from the environment around you. If you are airbrushing in a warm room you should get a lot less moisture than in a damp garage. The ones that go in the hoze are about £17 from memory.
Aztek used to be really nice brushes, but there are problems with robustness of the design, build quality (the three year warranty used to be a lifetime one), and more recently a lot of people are having problems with them clogging as paint formulas change due to regulations.
Now I personally wouldn't touch the new ones, there are better made, better supported, simpler to use and clean brushes that aout there for the same money as the old A470 sets.
Paul
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tibs
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Post by tibs on Oct 7, 2008 19:23:21 GMT
Guys thanks for all the advice, I shall stick with it for the time being then. The Airbrush I have is a Dual action so it is taking a bit of getting used to.
I have masked of an area in my garage with linning paper and practicing on that, need to practice mixing the right qualities of paint and thinners too I suppose ?
What shoud I use to thin Humbrol Enamel ? And should it be 2 parts paint to 1 part thinners ?
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Deleted
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Post by Deleted on Oct 7, 2008 19:33:47 GMT
What should I use to thin Humbrol Enamel ? And should it be 2 parts paint to 1 part thinners ? Tibs, I use enamel thinner in a proportion of 50 / 50. The paint should be mixed steadily so that it ends up the consistency of milk, if you dip a cocktail stick into the paint and hold it against the mixing jar, the paint should gently run down the side. Trial and error I'm afraid, it's all part of the learning process. A couple of tips for you ... When spraying enamel, whatever container the paint is stored in, warm the container and contents in a bowl of warm water before you spray, it makes a difference. Spray at around 1 bar or 1.5 bar, experiment to get the best air / paint mix at varying distances. Be very clinical when you clean your airbrush, and it will last years.
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tibs
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Post by tibs on Oct 7, 2008 20:51:46 GMT
Thanks southsix1
I will have to check but I couldnt seem to regulate the air pressure, maybe the valvle was stuck.
When I first stripped down tha Airbrush I noticed that the needle was slighlty bent as it didnt roll ! So gently straightened it and it seems ok ! Maybe I should invest in a new needle and seals and give it an overhoual as I dont know how old it is, looks ok though.
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Post by neilscrim on Oct 8, 2008 7:38:52 GMT
Most brands of thinners work well, Humbrol thinners does seem to be milder than other brands but this can be a plus point when using it for oil paint washes (that's another topic entirely!)
Once again I'll be different to the rest, I use cellulose thinners to thin my enamels, Wilkinsons do a nice little jar for a couple of quid.
Now, with cellulose you have to be careful as it will melt plastic and attack any sort of paint (including gunge in your airbrush, which is useful) if you're not careful. Maybe start off with standard thinners and then graduate to cellulose and experiment when you've got the hang of it.
The advantage of cellulose is it will thin virtually anything (bar acrylics) and you need very little of it.
Ratio of thinner is impossible to recommend, you need to end up with a milky consistency that gives a good colour coverage. Experimentation is the only answer, I tend to put about 70% paint to 30% cellulose.
I use cellulose with Humbrol Tinned matt varnish and I get a fantastic finish when I spray it.
As nick says, run a bit down the edge of the jar, make it as thin as possible but you don't want the colour to be translucent. If in doubt go for more thinner than needed, paint that's too thick can cause more problems than paint that's too thin.
Nobody masters airbrushing 100%, we all screw up at some point and we never stop learning how to use it so don't expect to be a genius after a few months.
Here speaks a man who definitely has not mastered it ;D
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tibs
New Member
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Post by tibs on Oct 9, 2008 6:09:37 GMT
Thanks Neil Looks like I need to get practising at the weekend
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tibs
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Post by tibs on Oct 12, 2008 12:13:12 GMT
Neil, or anyone ?
Can I use White Sprit to thin Humbrol as I have loads of that ?
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Post by fatfingers on Oct 12, 2008 13:33:10 GMT
I had a 470 and they're brilliant but there's a serious design flaw in the main body. The trigger mechanism breaks, I've had 2 of them go on me and I've known of 3 others go the same way. neil Same thing happened to my A470 a while back. After being given the run around by the suppliers about as to whether the warranty covered this, i thought 'sod it' and cracked the body open. It was a simple fix! The spring had come away from the trigger end! 30 seconds later & hey presto it worked again! By which time i'd gone back to using my old Badger 150, a much superior brush. Tis now sat in its nice wooden box abandoned & unused Tibs, as regards using white spirit to thin Humbrol, give it a go. I use it to clean it off my brushes & to thin it for washes etc, so it should be ok for airbrushing, i'm no expert though as i only spray acrylics Cheers, Steve
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Post by Ted Taylor on Oct 12, 2008 18:14:05 GMT
Neil, or anyone ? Can I use White Sprit to thin Humbrol as I have loads of that ? Of course you can, it is the correct fluid for enamels Ted
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Lonewolf
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Gods Country
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Post by Lonewolf on Oct 12, 2008 21:08:02 GMT
Yes absolutely I use nothing else.
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Post by neilscrim on Oct 13, 2008 7:20:38 GMT
I had a 470 and they're brilliant but there's a serious design flaw in the main body. The trigger mechanism breaks, I've had 2 of them go on me and I've known of 3 others go the same way. neil Same thing happened to my A470 a while back. After being given the run around by the suppliers about as to whether the warranty covered this, i thought 'sod it' and cracked the body open. It was a simple fix! The spring had come away from the trigger end! 30 seconds later & hey presto it worked again! Steve Oh b*gger, wish I hadn't donated mine to someone else who was trying to mend his. Though I must admit i couldn't get into the body easily so I didn't 'persuade' it just in case it became useless to that 'somone else' who wanted it for possible spares And yes, humbrol thinners is fine, especially if you've got loads of it
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