First real airbrush

Sorry, being new to this site, I found the airbrush thread, I'll copy and paste.  Please disregard this questionnaire.

The Home depot or Lowes is worth a try  in the plumbing section.  They have different brass adapters to size up or down on the.

The Model Master paints give you a wider choice of colors and are in a 1/2 oz jar as apposed to the 1/4 oz basic colors.  I find as a general rule that 1 part thinner to 3 flat paint and 2 parts thinner to 3 parts gloss paint with Testors enamels.  For Model Master and Tamiya Acrylics I use the Tamiya Lacquer Thinner at a ratio of about 3 parts thinner to 1 part paint.

The most important thing is to practice.  Even water with some coloring is good on some paper towels for a start.

Also take both items you need to hook up to an auto parts place like NAPA.  They usually have brass fittings as well.  I would guess that you need to go from 1/4 NPT to 1/8 NPT (national pipe thread).  Should be able to get away for a couple of bucks and no more than $5 even if you need to mix and match a couple of fittings.

To 68GT,

Thank you for the tips, it's greatly appreciated!

Toshi

To Goldhammer,

I went onl line and found the fitting I needed from TCP.  Thank you for the information.

Toshi

I like chicagoairbrushsupply.com for my airbrush stuff. The fittings are often manufacturer-specific. I recently got a Paasche Talon airbrush and Paasche DR300 compressor (with air tank), after only airbrushing one other time with an Aztek airbrush kit and small blue compressor. It worked well, but I could tell a compressor with a tank was vital, and I needed to know what kind of 0ressure I was using. I took the leap and sprayed flat clear on two other models I just finished. After getting the ratio backwards (75% thinner to 25% clear, instead of the opposite which is correct 75% clear to 25% thinner) and having the clear come out glossy, I got the proper ratio and it came out great. It was good practice. I think if you can run a spray can, you will be ok with an airbrush. Just research the ratios for the paint you are using, and try to use the same thinner as the brand of paint,...

Good luck!

Rudy

To RudyOnWheels,

Thank you for the detailed information, I really appreciate the read and reply.

Toshi

I am a little late to this thread but had something to add for future readers.

When it comes to an air source it is very hard to beat California Air's ultra quiet compressors.

Good performance, very fast recovery, and best of all very quiet.

To UlteriorModem,

Thanks for the interesting tip in regards to a compressor.  I'll keep an eye out and see what it is about.  Thanks for the read and reply.

Toshi

I shopped around quite a bit, and the PAASCHE D3000R was the best quality and bang for the buck at around $150 from Chicgoairbrushsupply.com. No other compressors could compete, as far as having a storage tank, regulator, gauge, and water trap, and for being quiet. It is also specifically for airbrushes.. It has either on-demand mode, (runs when needed and no more) or always-on mode.... I am SUPER happy with the quality, noise level, (only 45-47 db)  and performance.

Rudy

I don't want to get wrapped up in my compressor is better thing.

The Paasche is a excellent compressor.

But I urge you to investigate the California Air products specifically note the recovery time and sound levels.

The Cal Air compressors use pistons to pump the air and recovery time from zero to 100psi is about 45 seconds :)

Once up to 'charge' it comes on occassionaly and runs for about 15 seconds. Well ahead of demand for air brushes.

I will take a look on what is recommended, and I'll work from there.

Thanks guys for the valuable information.

Toshi

Ulterior, I have no experience with the California compressors, I am sure they are excellent. I was simply stating that when I looked around, anything halfway "quiet" or that claimed to be was very expensive, like $400 and up...  I thought the Paasche was a good bang for the buck. Good Luck!

I paid less than 200 bucks for mine, pickup at the local home depot. No shipping charges!

But yea your right that is a good compressor.

I just add this in case someone (at least in the us) blunders into the thread.

Thanks!

UlteriorModem

I don't want to get wrapped up in my compressor is better thing.

The Paasche is a excellent compressor.

But I urge you to investigate the California Air products specifically note the recovery time and sound levels.

The Cal Air compressors use pistons to pump the air and recovery time from zero to 100psi is about 45 seconds :)

Once up to 'charge' it comes on occassionaly and runs for about 15 seconds. Well ahead of demand for air brushes.

 

 

WHich Cal AIr compressor do you recommend? Or which one do you use, personally?

been following this interest. I now use a big garage compressor hard piped into the work room through a moisture trap and to a paasche brush. the damn garage compressor is so noisy and over kill and the crummy regulator was hard to work and not accurate at all so i didn't even know where to start with my pressures making it hard to start with as i had no point of reference. looked at the iwata 875, paasche dc600r and badger tc910. got a lot of good stuff from the site here and can tell people are very partial!! :) anyhow, got to the point of over analyzing and too much info with not very much experience so i just pulled the trigger in the badger tc910.... keep ya posted...

I will update this old thread as to say I did NOT have good luck with the paache Talon Airbrush. It had issues with it clogging, and paint getting into the airbrush body and clogging the air valve under the trigger. I even bought a second one, at $100 a pop, and still had issues. So I tossed that pair aside and picked up a Badger Patriot 105, and am COMPLETELY satisfied. I also have seen and heard that Badger absolutely stands by their products. Not here to bash Paasche, just to inform I had great luck with and really love my new Badger Patriot 105. Good Luck! Rudy