Airbrushing Q & A

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Brickie
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Re: Airbrushing Q & A

Post by Brickie »

So, there's a lot of good stuff here about brushes and compressors, but there's a bewildering array of accessories out there as well - any opinions on what's necessary, what's useful and what's just snake-oil?
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AndrewR
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Re: Airbrushing Q & A

Post by AndrewR »

Little nylon brushes for cleaning the AB. Essential!
I also have a "de luxe" cleaning pot - a pot with a hole in the lid and a filter built into the lid. You can empty out the airbrush in there and clean it up without a mess. It also doubles as an airbrush stand, which is utterly essential.
Those are the only exta bits I have.

Cheers

Andrew
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JohnRatzenberger
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Re: Airbrushing Q & A

Post by JohnRatzenberger »

Echo Andrew -- little nylon brushes, usually come in a pack of 4-5 sizes, get several.
Also:
Q-tips, the cotton bud on a stick
Pipe Cleaners, but test 'em - you want soft, not scraping, but not too soft. (& small cutter pliers to chop them in half or thirds, but then be sure you strip fuzz off)

Everything else is just accumulated stuff:
Lazy susan.
Styrofoam blocks of various sizes, wide masking tape, blu-tac, pins -- to make things to hold parts on for spraying.
Pipettes to grab cleaner or water.
Small funnel to pour cleaner neatly.
Paper towels -- to clean up when you don't pour well & because you'll always need them.
Very small jars to mix paints in & hold until done a project.
Bigger jars to clean stuff in & to spray off excess & cleaner.
Sealed (fire-resistant) trash can to put old paints, rags, paper towels, etc.
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TobyC
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Re: Airbrushing Q & A

Post by TobyC »

AndrewR wrote:Little nylon brushes for cleaning the AB. Essential!
I also have a "de luxe" cleaning pot - a pot with a hole in the lid and a filter built into the lid. You can empty out the airbrush in there and clean it up without a mess. It also doubles as an airbrush stand, which is utterly essential.
Those are the only exta bits I have.

Cheers

Andrew
I've got one of thesehttp://www.amazon.co.uk/Professional-Ai ... eaning+pot
Excellent value.
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AndrewR
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Re: Airbrushing Q & A

Post by AndrewR »

TobyC wrote: I've got one of thesehttp://www.amazon.co.uk/Professional-Ai ... eaning+pot
Excellent value.
That's the one I have too :)
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Re: Airbrushing Q & A

Post by fearless frankie »

Interdental brushes in various sizes that you pick up in supermarkets for a couple of quid,not bad on your teeth as well (they are enamel as well arn't they?)
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nashorn
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Re: Airbrushing Q & A

Post by nashorn »

Hi all, i have never used an airbrush, but i am considering getting one on ebay, the one i have been looking at is AS 186 Complete Airbrush Kit + Compressor With Tank.
i would like to know what any one thinks about this set up, the price is around £70.00.
as i say i have no idea about airbrushing.

regards rich.
Rich.
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Eric Mc
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Re: Airbrushing Q & A

Post by Eric Mc »

Probably one of the Chinese copies. They work OK and will provide a basic service. However, they are not as well engineered as a more expensive brush and they may need frequent stripping down and deep cleaning to keep working.

In the end, you get what you pay for.
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DavidWomby
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Re: Airbrushing Q & A

Post by DavidWomby »

Daft question, I suppose, but I have lost the use of the sink near my modelling area for cleaning brushes and such. I have bought an airbrush cleaning pot like this to try to reduce trips to the more remote sink! I assume I do have to clean it out after each airbrushing session? Take it apart and wash each bit? The pot is glass but the top is plastic. Is it OK to wash out enamels with paint or lacquer thinners ( I assume not) or should I best stick with water washable acrylics?

Image

David
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Ratch
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Re: Airbrushing Q & A

Post by Ratch »

I only use acrylics through my airbrush and have an identical pot. I don't clean it out every time (hardly anything goes into it), so it get flushed out periodically ;-)
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VickersVandal
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Re: Airbrushing Q & A

Post by VickersVandal »

My 2c FWIW...


Spraying Vallejo Model Color

Vallejo paints have a terrible rep for airbrushing, and deservedly so. I'm not here to leap to their defense. However, they can go through happily with the right thinner. I spray model color (occasionally model air) constantly and provided I use this mixture (in around 1:1 per drop of paint) I get perfectly workable results.

The mixture - all Vallejo brand ingredients:
- 11 mL Flow Improver
- 5 mL Airbrush Thinner
- 10 drops Retarder

I mix it up thoroughly in a 20mL Vallejo dropper bottle and that lasts me several months, building 2-3 models per month.

I can't recall where I found this recipe but it immediately solved my Vallejo woes. Except for their black. I hate that colour. Gunks up my Iwata every time....

Cleaning Vallejo

Small squirt of ammonia-free glass cleaner into the cup, then water. Scrub with cotton tip. Pour out. Do the same but back flush. Repeat as needed. Finish with Vallejo airbrush cleaner sprayed through.
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Ratch
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Re: Airbrushing Q & A

Post by Ratch »

I always spray Vallejo straight from the bottle and have never has an issue. I use an Iwata HPC+
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VickersVandal
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Re: Airbrushing Q & A

Post by VickersVandal »

Ratch wrote: March 25th, 2024, 9:34 pm I always spray Vallejo straight from the bottle and have never has an issue. I use an Iwata HPC+
Model Air though, yes? If so, my experience is the same and they just go straight through my Iwata Neo without a fuss.

However, 90% of my Vallejo are Model Color or Game Color so I can brush on where needed without having to double up on colours. Trying to thin Model Color to get it to spray was a nightmare at first until I discovered the potion. Water just didn't work and their brand thinners on its own wasn't much better.
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Ratch
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Re: Airbrushing Q & A

Post by Ratch »

VickersVandal wrote: March 25th, 2024, 11:50 pm
Ratch wrote: March 25th, 2024, 9:34 pm I always spray Vallejo straight from the bottle and have never has an issue. I use an Iwata HPC+
Model Air though, yes? If so, my experience is the same and they just go straight through my Iwata Neo without a fuss.

However, 90% of my Vallejo are Model Color or Game Color so I can brush on where needed without having to double up on colours. Trying to thin Model Color to get it to spray was a nightmare at first until I discovered the potion. Water just didn't work and their brand thinners on its own wasn't much better.
Why are you trying to spray Model Color? Its designed for brushing and Air for spraying! Air is too thin to brush properly and color is too thick to spray. A case of proper tool for the job.
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DavidWomby
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Re: Airbrushing Q & A

Post by DavidWomby »

Ratch wrote: March 25th, 2024, 8:28 pm I only use acrylics through my airbrush and have an identical pot. I don't clean it out every time (hardly anything goes into it), so it get flushed out periodically ;-)
Thanks. Very helpful.

David
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