My Airbrushing Set Up

[desmojen]

In Speedys airbrush thread someone mentioned that we ought to show pics of our setups. I thought this was a damn fine idea so I took some.

So here we are, some pics and info on what I use and why.

I had a bit of an unfair advantage when I started airbrushing I suppose, because I used to spray cars for a living. This meant that the theory and practice behind thinning and the technique of physically applying the paint were not mysteries!

I started out with an Aztec kit that my Mum bought me, and I bought a standard type small compressor off e bay. This set up served me fairly well but I never seemed to be able to get the results I thought I should be getting. I eventually realised that Aztec are lying when they say you don't need to strip the end pieces to clean them, so I replaced the ones I used most with new ones. The next thing that happened was that the mechanism inside broke so I called it a day and shelled out for a new brush.

After much deliberation I bought this,

The Iwata Revolution. This is sold as a budget Iwata and usually retails for around £90. I got it from an e bay seller complete with a hose and full warranty for £77 and I note that it is currently on offer at Hiroboy for £80.

It has a 0.5 needle and the blurb says that the brush will spray from fine to not fine due to the tapered needle. I'm pleased to report that it does!

It's beautifully balanced and very easy to use, and to clean.

I have now changed my compressor because my original one was very noisy which limited the hours I could use it since I use it inside the house. I bought this one second hand from E Bay for £60.

This is an Aztec compressor. It is virtually silent and has a small header tank. Perched on top of it in readily to hand style are my thinners and cleaners.

I now have a second airbrush to help me out when I want to do really fine stuff. The Revolution is very good (I did all the wiggles on my Trumpeter ME262 with it) but it does have limits, and when I started doing the odd 1/72 and smaller kit I found I just couldn't get what I wanted from it.

I went out and got another Iwata, the HP-C Plus.

This airbrush comes as standard with a 0.3 needle and has the option of having a 0.2 set up. I find I can get much finer lines with this airbrush very easily. It is a bit more expensive but you can pick one up for around £150.

I appreciate that both of these are maybe a bit expensive for a true first timer who maybe isn't even sure they want an airbrush. I would like to recommend these people check out Machine Mart.

http://www.machinemart.co.uk/shop/product/...ent-air-brushes

These budget airbrush kits are not as well made as a Badger or Iwata, but are plenty good enough to get you started and learn some of the skills and pitfalls without shelling out fortunes.

Ok, my complete set up looks something like this,

My brushes are held in upside down clampers attached to my drawers (oo-er)

As you can see, all my paints are in the drawers and the various thinning agents are scattered around the compressor.

Now I'll put down a few pointers as to what I use for what.

Pressure.

I run my compressor between 10 and 20PSI. This is the pressure you see on the gauge at the compressor, the air coming out of your airbrush will actually be at a lower pressure than this. Rule of thumb, lower pressure for detail work, higher for large coverage.

The lower the pressure you can get away with, the less paint is whizzing around bouncing off your model and going all over everything else - and up your nose!

Distance.

Anything from 1/2 an inch to 6 inches. Again, closer for detail, further away for coverage. You want to be applying the paint so that it is just wet.

Tilt your model so that the light is reflecting off it and then watch the paint falling onto the surface, rather than looking for colour or coverage. You should be able to see it just looking slightly shiny (wet) as it hits the surface. Acrylics are easily dried by blowing air only from your airbrush across your paint.

Too wet (really shiny) will cause problems such as runs and creep under masking.

Too dry (not shiny) will lead to a dry dusty finish and lack of adhesion.

Obviously if you are applying a gloss coat or gloss paint you have to put a reasonably wet coat on to get a finish.

Build up your colour with many thin coats rather than a few thick ones.

Thinning.

Again this can vary immensely. Fine detail work requires thinner paint than large area coverage does. Work on something between 75 and 90% thinners but thin the paint until it is thin like milk and leaves a slight trail inside the colour cup.

Put the thinners in the cup first as this will save you blocking the airbrush nozzle with unthinned paint.

Here's a list of what I thin my paints with.

Humbrol and other enamels - Halfords cellulose thinners

Alclad - no need for thinning

Mr Surfacer - cellulose thinners

Tamiya acrylic - Tamiya acrylic thinners

Vallejo Model Colour - tap water or IPA (or a mixture)

Vallejo Model Air - Vallejo thinners

Gunze Acrylic - tap water or IPA (or a mixture)

Gunze Mr Colour - Mr Colour thinner or cellulose thinner

Xtracrylix - tap water

Klear - no thinning required

Brush Cleaning.

I use Revell airbrush cleaner to clean my brushes.

http://www.modelsforsale.com/catalog/produ...ducts_id=117365

This cleaner will remove all the paints I use, even if they are dried on. Bearing in mind that your paint mix is mostly thinner anyway it won't take much cleaning! I sometimes follow through with a little blast of aerosol airbrush cleaner which contains Xylene and will remove any small traces of paint that are left.

I always leave a small amount of clean cleaner in the colour cup. I do use my airbrush almost every day though.

Xtracrylix and Vallejo Model Air do not respond well to the Revell airbrush cleaner. If you use these I would recommend flushing everything through with water first.

Where to buy IPA?

Here!

http://www.cfsnet.co.uk/acatalog/CFS_Catal...lcohol_104.html

The same place also sells cellulose thinners and acetone.

I think that fairly well covers things for a quick intro. I will now add a caveat!

I am not, and do not claim to be an expert airbrusher. The methods and materials outlined above are exactly what I use and I have success with them. If anyone wishes to add to this thread their own hints tips and tools please do, it will make it easier for the beginners!

Lastly, if anyone wants any help from me at any time I am always available on the other end of a PM

Jen.

Edited January 4, 2008 by desmojen

[Richard M]

Very interesting to see your set up. Just a clarification,

Work on something between 75 and 90% thinners but thin the paint until it is thin like milk and leaves a slight trail inside the colour cup.

you are saying you use 75% thinners with 25% paint, up to 90% thinners with 10% paint? That seems very thin, I'm used to a ratio of 2/3 paint to 1/3 thinner (Humbrol thinners and paints). How many coats would you apply to get a good even density?

Best

Rich

[Takamota]

great idea for a thread Jen.....I'll try and get some pics of mine and post. If others do the same it'll give the new guys a leg up. There does seem to be a lot of airbrush questions popping up these days.

[desmojen]

Very interesting to see your set up. Just a clarification,

you are saying you use 75% thinners with 25% paint, up to 90% thinners with 10% paint? That seems very thin, I'm used to a ratio of 2/3 paint to 1/3 thinner (Humbrol thinners and paints). How many coats would you apply to get a good even density?

Best

Rich

Yep, that's right.

Coverage will depend on the colour, anything from a couple to several coats. I would mix the paint closer to 50/50 to paint a big single colour job though.

Jen.

[Richard M]

Interesting, when judging by the wetness of the sprayed area, by your ratios there is actually very little paint layed down. Using my mix the paint is actually quite thick, this would account for the ridge lines I sometimes get against the tape for camo demarcation. I'll give your mixtures a try, thanks for posting this topic, very helpful and thought provoking.

Best

Rich

[AnonymousER99]

Nice set up Jen!!

If I may add a little nugget on thinners......

Regarding Tamiya, vallejo, Gunze and XTRACRYLIX I have had superb luck with each using 90% Isoprophyl alcohol as a thinner. Roughly 2:1 for each paint. Of course every modelers mileage will vary and I ALWAYS test on something other than my project that will receive the paint permanantly.

I also use windex or any other amonia based cleaner to clean the brush as it really does the part on acrylics.

Just a couple hints.

Mike

[dahut]

I like the drawer unit as a work station, Jen. Thanks for posting this.

[GrahamEM]

Great information Jen on spraying as i needed to read that like....NOW.

my finish atm is like sandpaper so after reading i now know to lower the air pressure from 32psi

Here's my setup

Badger 200NG (Bottom jar feed)

1/4 Braided pressure hose

AS18-2 single piston Compressor

[Richard M]

Having got my bench set up again after Christmas, here's some shots before it descends into the usual anarchy.

There's a patio style window to the immediate right which gets opened full wack when spraying, given the climate it's very rare that it can't be opened due to rain etc. I have a Revell compressor which has a air cylinder, moisture trap and over-relief valve and regulator. It's very good and nice and quiet.

Badger 150 with Fine, medium and large needles is the weapon of choice. I'm very happy with it, but find it needs to be stored with the needle dissasembled and cleaned. I have an Aztec A7778, which is an idiosyncratic piece of over engineered crap, I hate the plastic tips - useless!

Airbrushing accessories. I use Tamiya tape in thicknesses from 6mm to 40mm, it's expensive but well worth the extra cost. For mixing and measuring the paint and thinners I have 3ml plastic pasteur pipettes and 6ml plastic rohr tubes, the tube stoppers are handy for squeezing potions of filler into.

I mainly use Humbrol enamels and use their own brand thinners. For Xtracolor enamels I use Daler- Rowney Artists Turpentine as I can't get white spirit of good enough quality to use.

Best

Rich

[dr_gn]

Thanks for the information - good article!

Regarding IPA: I bought some from a Chemist a couple of months ago, 100% IPA, 500ml, no problems.

I went into another Chemist's nearer home last Monday and was told I needed a license to buy anything greater than 70% strength IPA (which they ended up getting me). I queried this, but the Pharmacist double checked in his big book of regulations, and confirmed it was illegal for him to sell me anything greater than 70% IPA unless I had a license.

The link you posted states their product is "99.9%" IPA, and no license seems to be required.

I'm confused...

[buccymad]

jen ,no see piccies!!!!

can you re pop the piccies plz ?