I've got an airbrush! Now what?

[Tentacles]

So, Mrs Tentacles got me an airbrush, a compressor and a stand for Xmas.

Mrs Tentacles is awesome!

So now what? I've been told I'm not allowed to use it at the kitchen table where I usually work, so I'll have to move my aircraft factory into the spare room. (Is this why she got it? )

I guess I need some sort of spray booth with an extractor?

I expect I need to wear a breathing mask? What sort? And safety specs??

I have loads of humbrol enamels - can I spray these if I thin them down?

Itching to get started with it, so any advice gratefully received. Thanks - and happy Christmas!

[pte1643]

I guess I need some sort of spray booth with an extractor? Desirable, but not essential. Not a bad idea if you're spraying Enamels though.

I expect I need to wear a breathing mask? What sort? And safety specs?? For Acyrlics i just use a "Paper" type (Dust mask really). I have a "Proper" half face type respirator for Alclads though. No real need for specs, but certainly not a bad idea.

I have loads of humbrol enamels - can I spray these if I thin them down? Yep... Thin with White Spirit.

[triumphfan]

You should be able to use your enamels fairly safely indoors as long as you keep the spraying duration to a minimum.

I would suggest getting some plastic card or old sprues for a practice session. I still do this when using 'new' paint types like Alclad.

Mix some Humbrol with a bit of white spirit to get it the consistency of milk. If you have an air valve on the compressor, turn it down until it will only just spray this liquid, this prevents loads of overspray and smell!

Use your imagination to pull together the tools you will need to mix the paint, clean the airbrush, etc. You will be amazed how quickly you get used to using it and the improved finish you can achieve.

Good luck and welcome to an improved modelling experience.

Steve.

[gcn]

Get yourself a proper 3m mask from Homebase the dual filter one, about £35 IIRC

I know I wouldn't be allowed to spray indoors very long as I'd stink the house out so ensure proper ventilation.

Thin humbrol with white spirit and away you go. There is a learning curve but its noy overly steep so enjoy.

[heloman1]

So aren't you a lucky boy then, hope you treated Mrs Tentacles to something equally nice? Get your self a bottle of artist ink (water based) and a pad of paper and start by writing your signature (it's soemthing your are very used to). Large at first and then dropping down to your normal sized signature, with low preassure on the compressor, also practice drawing straight lines. The airbrush will wash out with water just fine but make sure you dry it properly afterwards.

Keep the airbrush ar rightangles to the work do not swing it wildly as you pass the paper, there is a bit of wrist action involved. Barger publish a very good book on airbrushing, or you might also find something in your local librtary.

A cardborad box will suffice as a spray booth, nothing fancy needed at all. If you want to use some sort of exrtraction system a computer cooling fan will do fine with some ali fan ducting from the builder merchant piped out of the window.

Colin

[Tentacles]

Thanks for all the tips. Practicing with water based ink is a good idea. How hard is it to clean the airbrush afterwards?

[depressed lemur]

I started practicing with food colouring. As for cleaning it depends on your paint. Acrylics can generally be cleaned with water between colours but at the end of the day I give a strip down and clean with acrylic thinner from the manufacturer followed by a run of IPA to clear and dry

[heloman1]

That's rather a waste of India Pale Ale, is it not? The reason I mentioned artist ink is they have a bit more body to them where as food dye in water is just what it says. Low on the air long on the patients and just remember you are not in rush. Which is what sometimes hapens to me!

Colin

[fredsopwith]

ALWAYS use the best mask you can get!

Practice practice practice. Especially correct thining and through mixing of your chosen medium.

I have had a Devillbis for 20 years, and still get the occasional orange peel finnish or run.

[little-cars]

Make sure any extractor fan you use for enamels is rated for flamable materials.

Paul

[triumphfan]

Although I do support the use of ink to start the first experiments, I still recommend using the paint you will use to paint your models and using it on plastic.

Major plus point for this would be to only have one learning curve instead of having to learn about thinning ratios, etc after having used ink.

Also, if I was starting out now, I would begin with acrylics. I am starting to make the change now after nearly 15 years on enamels, not really having a lot of fun either.

I am sure persistence pays off.

I know several of our club members using only acrylic paint and seems so much easier.

[depressed lemur]

One useful tip is to amass a collection of dropper bottles similar to those by Vallejo. Use them for making batches of mixed paints. That way you can keep track of what ratio works for each paint, and more importantly, if you run out halfway through a spray, you can just top up from the dropper rather than re-mix. Stops the occasional case of colour not matching.

[Tentacles]

This afternoon I nipped into town and bought some ink, some masks, some little mixing trays and I filched a cardboard box from the supermarket. Just had a play - so far looks like it'll be a challenge, but not that hard. Cleaning it is a bore, but I expect I'll get faster at it as I get more practiced.

Funny you should say that, depressed lemur, I was thinking just now that some droppers/pipettes would be very useful.

As to paints, I'll stick with enamel, at least for now. It's what I know best. Will learn about acrylics later.

Thanks again for all the comments.

[Jon Kunac-Tabinor]

Just get your tentacles on the little fellah and start getting used to it ( ooh err). In my experience - its not the type of paint you use, it's proficiency with the device that will make it work; the subtleties of enamel vs acrylic etc, etc come later.

Like any machine or device you need to become one ( one with it to become you need LOL) with it.

But also - if you are going to spray enamel - then thin some enamel and practice with that. You might as well get used to the blade, its balance, and its "cut" at the same time.

Just ask questions here though - there's a pool of knowledge thats un surpassed, and always freely 'gived'

Cheers

Jonners

[colin]

I'm with Jonners on this, use the paints you are going to use on the models, and get a really cheap model to practice on.There's no substitute for the real thing.

[mad4bmws]

Hi all,

Sounds like some good advice there. I have also just got an airbrush kit but have not yet used it. I haven't figured this site out yet to bookmark topics etc. so thought I would make a comment so I can find this topic again when I do finally get it out of the box.

mad4bmws

[stringbag]

Make sure any extractor fan you use for enamels is rated for flamable materials.

Paul

Like chip-fat !!

[mad4bmws]

I'll bear that in mind thanks.  I've decided to start off with acrylics - they sound less dangerous to me.  I will also be spraying (when I finally get round to it!) in my garage.

 

Another question I have is whether I need to apply lacquer after acrylics and if lacquer can be applied with an airbrush... can anyone answer that one please?

 

Thanks

 

mad4bmws

[little-cars]

Like chip-fat !!

 

???????????????????

 

Paul

[thx6667]

What next? Practice! And then practice some more!

[pte1643]

Like chip-fat !!

 

 

???????????????????

 

I'm glad I'm not the only one that didn't get it. 

[Radleigh]

I think he's saying chip shop extractors are rated for flamable material? I think anyway...

[Riggers]

Only issue having with using pippettes is that the first 'suck' coats the inner of the pippette & when released, nothing comes out as it's coated the inner! Better off with the smaller type syringes I feel. Used sooooo much paint with using pippettes......

 

I've had my DevilBiss for nearly a year now & love it!

 

ATB & have fun......

[Tentacles]

In case any other airbrush noobs happen across this thread, I thought I'd note what I've learned in the last few weeks:

• patience is a virtue
• water based ink is great for practicing with
• big cardboard boxes, kitchen roll & cotton buds are your friends. Stock up.
• suffering from black snot? You forgot to put your mask on, didn't you?
• don't try to drink a beer, watch a movie & airbrush at the same time. You need to concentrate.
• this counts double if you fancy taking apart to see how it works. Unless you actually like spending the rest of the night crawling around on the floor looking for tiny, tiny pieces. And swearing. While your family point & giggle...
• and those needles are SHARP! OW!
• if using enamels, thin the paint a little bit more than you think you should
• syringes can be bought very cheaply over the counter in a chemists (at least where I live) - but you will get some funny looks
• it's not hard to get started, but will take a while to learn to do well. Like most modelling. Enjoy learning something new each time.
• Light grey paint onto light grey plastic is probably not the best place to start airbrushing in anger. ("It's not working...? 'doh!" ) Choose something with a contrast
• If in doubt - mask it
• low pressure is good
• hold it close to the target
• oh, and AIR-ON, PAINT-ON > PAINT-OFF, AIR-OFF

Cheers

Edited February 16, 2013 by Tentacles

[Flying Badger]

sounds like your well along the learning curve!

I'd add that:

Lacquer thinners is called Cellulose thinners in the UK (Halfords) and can be used to clean flush out your airbrush (assuming you DO NOT have teflon seals as it will eat them)

Use a tissue to regularly wipe the tip of your needle (ooo eerr!) as paint droplet buildup on the needle tip leads to splatters

If you are getting bleed under masking you need to: 1. burnish down the masking with a cocktail stick, 2. seal the mask with a quick spray of the colour the mask is going on top of.

keep a container of Fairy power spray (decanted) on the shelf to soak parts in to strip off paint - fresh paint comes off really quick. remember if at first you don't succeed.... oh and don't throw the left over gunk as you can keep reusing it to strip even after its full of floating bits of paint. An old toothbrush is also really helpful here - just remember to not mix it up with your normal toothbrush!

Cheap white masking tape can be used to cover large areas (just remember to stick it to your hand a few times to take the strength out of the adhesive).

Clean and de-grease the model before building - this saves a lot of heartache later! Models have oil on them to stop them sticking to the mold in the factory, resin parts are even worse, and this will interfere with the paint bonding. The fairy powerspray is good for this too (esp resin)!

Edited February 17, 2013 by Flying Badger