Airbrush recommendation for newbie sprayer.

[CharlieZardoz]

Back in the day I used Tamiya with thinners since it would leave very little streaking (flatten out as it dried). I'm curious when I start working on Sultana how the model expo paints work, also plan on doing a few Trumpeter kits so I think I'm going to start asking around to see what the masters use.  Regarding airpbrushes I just spent the last 6 hours sucking down resources and my airbrush of choice is the Iwata Eclipse HP-SBS with a 1/2 oz cup and .5 mm conversion....

 

 

 

Edited December 16, 2014 by CharlieZardoz

[Richard Griffith]

HI Frankie, lots of good suggestions above.

 

For newbies, a decent inexpensive airbrush, a tankless compressor with a water trap and quality paints is a good start.  An exhaust hood is also very important unless you plan to damage your lungs.  

 

I have had excellent results with an Aztec AB, a compressor with trap from Harbor Freight $65 and Tamiya acrylics and Humbrol oils.  Tamiya can be thinned with water, alcohol and laquer.  Tamiya , Humbrol and Model Master paints must be thinned for AB use, usually 50/50 or 60/40 paint thinner.

 

BTW, I made sails for a 1/100 model of Soleil Royale and needed to paint them.  Since I used 2 layers of paper with thinned white glue, I had to use alcohol thinner and thinned the mixture 90%.  So thinning is taylored to the job.

 

I usually shoot with 15 to 25 pounds air, and I built a hood with an old squirral cage motor thru a 4" dryer hose out the window.  I may modify it to use a 6" hose as spraying too fast overloads the smaller hose, especially when using rattle cans.  BTW, I like rattle cans because there is no AB clean up.

 

The Aztec is single action so is easy to use.  I also use double action ABs when the job requires but these require more practice to get the right results.

 

Practice, practice and more,  Cleaning the AB is essential.   Suggest you buy a 'how-to' booklet.

 

Good luck.                         Duff

[SgtSki in MI]

I recently bought an Iwata neo and love it! It ran me $69 at Hobby Lobby. It's a nice, heavy brush for the price. It's a gravity-feed double-action brush and come with two sizes of paint cups as well as a nozzle wrench. I also picked up a nice compressor for $89 at Harbor Freight that has a regulator and moisture trap. This combo replaced my 20-yr-old Tamiya Spray Work setup and I'm more than pleased with my results so far. Now I just need to build a booth that can accomodate a hull!!!