Relative noob to airbrushing looks for pointers

[Evan August]

Hey guys,
Over the summer I purchased a Tamiya HG SF brush and an Iwata smart jet compressor. For a variety of reasons I have not yet used either. After a few years of reading mags and sites like this one, I feel relatively familiar with some techniques in theory, but am still anxious to practice them. One of my biggest concerns is cleaning.
With Model Master acrylics, is it possible to clean it efficiently by following the instructions and shooting water through the brush and then wiping down the nozzle. Similar concern with Vallejos. For Tamiya paints, is water acceptable, or should I use their thinner?
How often should the brush recieve a thorough cleaning? Meaning stripping and cleaning the components?

Vallejo paints. I have a huge stock from the days when I thought I could achieve results like Jaume Ortiz on my figures. Haven't painted one in 3 years now. Shows how well that worked out. THese are the standard paints, not the model air variety. Are they still acceptable for airbrushing?

It's probably funny to some of the more skilled painters here, but I have held off on doing any painting for fear of f*cking up my expensive tool on the first attempt.

[RickLawler]

Hey Evan...lets paint.
With Model Master acrylics, is it possible to clean it efficiently by following the instructions and shooting water through the brush and then wiping down the nozzle. Similar concern with Vallejos. For Tamiya paints, is water acceptable, or should I use their thinner?


Water works to clean the colors from the brush during a session, but at the end I run Windex through and it does a really nice job of cleaning...alchohol works also.

How often should the brush recieve a thorough cleaning? Meaning stripping and cleaning the components?

I do it whenever I'm forced to!!! If I'm good about the daily maintenece then it's not necessary to really take it apart that often.

THese are the standard paints, not the model air variety. Are they still acceptable for airbrushing?


Yep, that's what I use. I've thinned them with water, windex, and alchohol. I'm finding that the alchohol works best for me lately. I do it by feel...the ratio is probably something like 4:1 paint to thinner - start there and get a feel for them.

good luck,
rick

[lquah]

Evan

Following on what Rick said, here are my comments.

With Model Master acrylics, is it possible to clean it efficiently by following the instructions and shooting water through the brush and then wiping down the nozzle. Similar concern with Vallejos. For Tamiya paints, is water acceptable, or should I use their thinner?
I use Gunze's Mr Tool Cleaner to clean my airbrush. It's pretty good stuff and dried paint dissolves immediately. I have even restored an old brush caked with paint for the past ten years! The large tin lasts a long time. Here's a pic of the 450mL tin. There's a smaller bottle at 250mL.

http://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10016844

I usually use Tamiya thinners for Tamiya paints since they are readily available and inexpensive. I have heard modelers using isopropyl alcohol with good results as well.

How often should the brush recieve a thorough cleaning? Meaning stripping and cleaning the components?
I am pretty lazy in cleaning my airbrush and only strip clean occassionally. :o But that Mr Tool Cleaner just gets in there and makes the brush look brand new!

THese are the standard paints, not the model air variety. Are they still acceptable for airbrushing?
For sure you can. Most people will thin the paint with a few drops of water. I find that I can get away with spraying straight from the bottle. The only thing to be aware of is that Vallejo paints have a higher tendency to clog up the airbrush. I don't have this problem as my airbrush has a separate adjustment for air flow.

There's a airbrushing guide on Vallejo's website. I can't link to the exact page since the site doesn't allow for it. Just look under Model Air and click on "Model Air use guide"

It's probably funny to some of the more skilled painters here, but I have held off on doing any painting for fear of f*cking up my expensive tool on the first attempt.
Airbrushes are quite hardy except for the needle. You have to be really careful and not bend/damage the tip.

Best thing to do is to practice on an old kit and have fun! :)

LQ

[Evan August]

Thanks guys! I live down the street from the grocery store, might see if I can pick up some windex or rubbing alcohol tomorrow.

[greybeard]

I use enamels and not acrylics, so I can't help with thinners and such, except to add that distilled water is prefereable. For enamels, I've used automotive lacquer thinner for years.

What I can say, is practice, practice, practice! It may seem obvious, but the more you spray, the more comfortable you are using the airbrush. Grab a couple of junk models and have a blast (bad pun).

The secret to success is knowing how to find the magic balance between air pressure and paint consistency. For very fine lines (maximum control), lower pressure and really runny paint is teh key. For large areas, you can use lots of paint and air, because you don't care if the paint goes everywhere. And it will! so plan for it by covering your tabletop well and removing anything you don't want overspray to get on.

Many modellers build a spray booth. This can be something elaborate, like a hermetically sealed climate-controlled room that has an air extraction system venting air outside to a simple cardboard box with a small fan. That's what I use — four sides of a cardboard box about 24" wide by 18" high / deep, with a couple of old computer fans (12V) venting into old nylon stockings.

Lawrence mentioned paint clogging the airbrush. This is a common problem with some paints, particularly cheaper brands that use large particles of pigment or paint that's been sitting for a while. This can also be caused by using "hot" thinners, i.e. thinners that dry very quickly, almost before the paint leaves the airbrush. With acrylics, I can see this happening with alcohol, so if it does, try substituting water. Also, keep an eyedropper handy (I use a large glass syringe) and a dish of clean thinner. If the paint starts to blotch, remove the paint cup and run a couple of drops of thinner through the brush to clear it out.

Strictly speaking, it's not necessary to clean the brush completely between colours. It's enough to run thinner through it until it runs clear, before switching colours. It is absolutely necessary to clean the brush thoroughly once you're done. Be careful how you handle the nozzle and the needle. Clean it well and store it dry and it will last many years.

You'll wonder how you ever got along without it.

Cheers
Scott Fraser

[Evan August]

Thanks Scott, might be awhile before I can try anything else because I got slammed with research projects on the first day of class. Damn seminar.

[Evan August]

OK, this might seem dumb but...
I was going to play around with it tonight, figured I would run some water through just to get a feel for it, then experiment a little with paint. However, after filling the cup 1/2 full with some water I found that nothing would come out. Air was coming out the nozzle, but no water. Any ideas?

[James Tainton]

Maybe there is a hole in the bottom of the paint cup?:D

[James Tainton]

Here is a result for a search on youtube for airbrush. It's good to ask questions about using an airbrush but really you just have to dive in and play with it till you get the hang of it.

http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=airbrush&search_type=

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AcPYlO3TYqo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TFsO06Z-Gkg

http://www.youtube.com/profile_videos?p=r&user=sleepylafiel&page=1

[Kreighshoer]

OK, this might seem dumb but...
I was going to play around with it tonight, figured I would run some water through just to get a feel for it, then experiment a little with paint. However, after filling the cup 1/2 full with some water I found that nothing would come out. Air was coming out the nozzle, but no water. Any ideas?

this sounds like the nozzle is clogged - the easiest method of cleaning would be if you get yourself a bottle of "createx restorer" and lay the complete head in a bath of it for a few hours. or you can dip a brush in turpentine and carefully try to clean the nozzle with it ...

in any way it's an annoying but not too hard problem ...

concerning thinning: get yourself a gallon of distilled water (this should last a modellers lifetime :D ) and at the drogist as pure as possible isopropanol ... thin your tamiya paints with the isoprop in a ratio of 3xpaint and 2xiso (i often mix in a 4:2 ratio) and for instant cleaning run a cup of iso through the ab and after that distilled water ... your vallejos can be thinned with distilled water ...

hope that helps ...

cheers

[Larry Bates]

HI Evan,

OK, this might seem dumb but...
I was going to play around with it tonight, figured I would run some water through just to get a feel for it, then experiment a little with paint. However, after filling the cup 1/2 full with some water I found that nothing would come out. Air was coming out the nozzle, but no water. Any ideas?

Not sure what you're doing wrong here, but it has to be somethiing simple like the paintflow is turned down ? Maybe check the literature to get going. I myself have never used a Tamiya airbrush, but many hobby airbrushes have unique features to make airbrushing for the hobbyist easier. Check all the kn obs and adjustments. It's really not that hard. Don't be afraid. Like the others have already said, it pretty hard to screw up an AB except the needle itself, also, never jamb the needle or force anything through the tip or you'll enlarge the nozzle and ruin it. I did this once and found out the nozzle, that tiny little thing, was the most expensive part! at the time $30.00.

So, dive in and have fun. Once you get the hang of it you'll love it.

Laz

[Evan August]

Maybe there is a hole in the bottom of the paint cup?:D

Actually there is, as the paint cup is on top ;)

Thanks for the youtube links, I'll check them out later.

Laura, I doubt it's a clogged nozzle as it is a brand new brush and never been used.

Larry, I played around with it some but couldn't get anything to happen, I have Sunday off so I probably mess around with it then.

[James Tainton]

maybe something here?
http://books.google.com/books?id=7wTBjTW_6dwC&pg=PA24&lpg=PA24&dq=air+coming+out+the+nozzle+but+no+paint+airbrush&source=web&ots=qjUe3v379b&sig=a7Uk_DhvhCceNlgOw0hidmnbbDo#PPP1,M1

[James Tainton]

or maybe
http://www.google.ca/search?hl=en&q=Air++coming+out+the+nozzle%2C+but+no+paint%2Bair brush&btnG=Google+Search&meta=

[Larry Bates]

Evan,

I just looked up your air brush. It sure looks like a knock off of the Iwata airbrushes. I didn't find many details, but does it have a dual action trigger? When you press down and hear the air, also pull back on the trigger at the same time and see if that does it. Some airbrushes are single action, the more expensive, or proffesional ones are dual action. Other than that I can't think of anything else.

Laz

[mic bradshaw]

Ok Evan,
This is a long answer but I have read this thread a couple of times and tried to come up with some sound advice for you, and this is about my 10th attempt at writting it and trying not to sound like a school principal... :)
I think Larry may have hit the nail on the head. If you are shooting straight thinners be it water, alcohol or what ever and nothing is coming out it maybe something as simple as the difference between a dual action and single action.
The tamiya airbrush looks like the Iwatas because they are made in the same factory. It is a very fine airbrush and is dual action. This means you push down to get propellant and pull back to fire the paint. Sounds simple but for someone unaccustomed to using a dual action airbrush it can be something that simple.
Working in the LHS we have people coming in all the time unable to work their brushes. 9 times out of 10 it is just simply learning to use the brush, (frustrating when they don't buy them from us and get the advice to start with). By all means take into account the advice on paints and thinners given by the people here, but also do not be afraid to try things yourself. As to cleaning and maintanence for acrylics windex is a great cleaner although it can struggle with Gunze paints (at least the windex made in Oz does). I use Alcohol as it will wipe away any acrylic no worries.
With this type of airbrush the most common failings relate to 2 things.
Water in the propellant lines and paint being to thick.
A good water trap is a must to solve the first item, an extra length of hose (approx 1m) between the compressor and the water trap can help a lot to. This allows the heated air from the compressor (when you compress gas you release energy in the form of heat in the case of air) to cool and any moisture to recondense back to liquid from gas before it leaves the water trap. Water in the air lines will cause puffs or splats to occur if you are spraying for any length of time.
The thinner to paint ratio is dependant on a lot of things. Thick paint will cause splattering and runs to occur. I always err on the side of to much thinner, you can always add more small portions of paint. I thin my paints at roughy a 9:1 ratio. 9 parts thinner to 1 part paint. It is easier to put a second coat on after the first is dry than to strip the model if the paint blots out the detail. Just to let you know I use alcohol to thin my Tamiya and Gunze paints. The Superfine has a small nozzle 0.23 I think from memory so will work much better with very thin paints than thick.
The last piece of advice I will offer is to mix your paints outside the airbrush cup. I have some plastic party cups that cost like $1 for 10 cups that I use. By mixing outside you are assured that the paint and chosen thinners are mixed properly before you spray it onto your piece of work. You can also mix as much as you need (important if like me you tend to mix paint colours to get a final colour) and you will also have a consistent paint mix for the session. Use an old thick brush (clean of course) to do the mixing rather than a stick or some such. The brush will ensure the paint is mixed better. I have a brush i use especially for my airbrushing as it can also help to clean out the paint cup etc after you finish. I find cotton buds etc tend to sometimes leave fibres behind which can clog the nozzle. Especially in the high end airbrushes like the Tamy SF and Iwata HP or micron series.
Sorry for sounding so long winded but I am hoping I can offer some good advice here. I think it was Scott who said earlier "Practice, Practice, Practice" and no truer words were spoken. Most of all do not be afraid, and try things until you get what you want from the brush. The Tamiya Airbrush is a great brush and it should give you many hours of painting pleasure. :)

[Evan August]

Thanks guys, some great advice here. Mic and Larry, that was exactly what the problem was. I thought of that the other night, then read your posts, and just tried it a minute ago. Works great. The Tamiya instructions don't make the actual operation that clear to someone with no previous experience.

[Larry Bates]

Evan,

YEAAAA!!!!!!!

Glad to have figured it out. Mic has also offered very excellent advice. ABove all, and as with any thing, it takes time and practice, and actually building the muscles up in your trigger finger. Don't laugh its true. To be able to get the control of paint to air takes muscle memory in your finger, so don't be too depressed (no pun intended, but wish I thought of it....:p) if you don't get excellent results right off the bat. As soon as you get the hang of it, you ll love it.

Laz

:Hang in there.:thumb: