Another step in airbrushing

[mehexer]

Hello modellers I have been using an airbrush for about 3 months now and I am loving the experience.

BUT, recently I have had some trouble with it (splattering and such) it has worked (for me) very well in the past but I am looking at purchasing a better quality airbrush that ins't overly expensive but still decent quality. (so maybe not H&S, Iwata, etc)

Any recommendations?

P . S I use windex and various other products that contain ammonia.

[denstore]

My recommendation would be to Soldier on with what you have until you can afford a Iwata HP-CR Revolution.

Spattering and tipdry problems are usually related to paint clogging or drying on the needle or nozzle. A cheap solution would be to get some flow aid and retarder, to make the paint less troublesome.

What brand of acrylics are you using?

[rmcclure]

Like Denstore I have an Iwata HP-CR Revolution and I've been using it for a few years now. I started with a cheapo AB that I got on eBay and hated it from the off. Some people get on just fine with the Chinese copies out there but the model that I got splattered as soon as I tried anything heavier than ink, even after sending it back for repairs under warranty. I should have bought a quality item from the outset because as soon as I got my Iwata I was amazed at the difference. It all depends on budget, of course, but £95-100 will get you one of these. I shoot all types of paint - acrylic, enamel, Alclad - and never have any problems as long as I thin to the right consistency, use flow enhancer with acrylics and - if I'm shooting for lengthy periods of time - keep a cotton bud soaked in cellulose thinners handy to wipe the tip when paint starts to dry on it.

Buy cheap, buy twice as I found out. Let us know how you get on.

Cheers,

Roger

[Mike]

My first thoughts would be to strip the airbrush down and clean it thoroughly, then check the nozzles under magnification for signs of damage or splitting. Check the size of your needle. If it's smaller than 0.3mm, you can sometimes have problems due to the relatively coarse grinding of pigments in some Acrylic paints, although I think most Iwata clones will probably have a 0.3mm needle or larger, as it's less hassle. Also check your needle for a bent tip. If the tip is bent, paint could be building up on it and then letting go, leading to the splatters you mentioned. Finally, check your paint for lumps. I've got an old faulty bottle of Alclad that I (for some reason) didn't chuck out, and it has small clumps of pigment in it. I accidentally used it the other day, and it splattered like you describe. Oops!

I had a mate that got superb results with a cheapo Iwata clone he got from eBay, although later on he did buy a good quality bush and noticed the difference. I think what I'm trying to say is this - don't write off your equipment immediately just because it was cheap. Check for easily fixable issues before you wave a big wad of cash at it. Every time I had problems with my airbrushes when I was starting out, it usually turned out it was my fault. Insufficient cleaning, bent needles, crappy paint etc. It's part of the growing pains of learning to airbrush

[Spookytooth]

I would echo Mike`s comments, I myself have got a cheap combo from MZ last Xmas and I am still learning.

But paint thinning is the answer and also keeping an eye on the pressure your are spraying at.

Another thing is your airbrush a double action , if so you may find it easier to press down first to get the air flowing then back to release the paint.

[Mike]

That's another good one from Mr Tooth. If you pull back the needle before you start airflow, you'll get a drop of paint accumulating on the nozzle. Initiating air will blow that drop apart, resulting in splatter. I still do that occasionally

[denstore]

A good advice is to keep the air going as much as possible. With a continous airflow, there will be less risk of either splattering or tip dry. When having a painting session, I almost have the air "on" from the moment I put paint in the cup, until I'm finished with the job.

[mehexer]

cheers for the help guys.

last night I spent hours inspecting and testing the brush with water and I found the solution the nozzle wasn't centred in the nozzle cap so the splattering was from un balanced air coming from one side of the nozzle cap hole, turns out to fix the problem I had to slightly loosen the nozzle so it would centre and spray clean balanced content.

I mainly use Tamiya acrylic

Then Vallejo air

and sometimes Humbrol enamel

[Rick Brown]

cheers for the help guys.

last night I spent hours inspecting and testing the brush with water and I found the solution the nozzle wasn't centred in the nozzle cap so the splattering was from un balanced air coming from one side of the nozzle cap hole, turns out to fix the problem I had to slightly loosen the nozzle so it would centre and spray clean balanced content.

I mainly use Tamiya acrylic

Then Vallejo air

and sometimes Humbrol enamel

Thats exactly what my cheap copy did.

The seals failed after a few weeks so I took the plunge (and money out the wife's business ) and bought the Iwata CR with 0.3mm conversion.

I was amazed at the difference, spraying is now a joy!

Never looked back.

Don't rule out the cheaper Neo range, they look good.

Rick.