Is this brush defective?????????

That will happen because of paint build-up on the tip.
The way to remedy that is to learn to always spray with air only away from the model before you begin a pass with paint. When you finish your pass with paint, repeat and push the trigger down only for air and it will blow the paint particles off of the tip. You can also soak a Q-tip in thinner and stick it into the tip of the airbrush to clean away the paint.
The Q-tips with the hollow stem are best if you can find them.
Also, remember to always push the trigger all the way down for air as that is the correct way to use an airbrush. Some people try and push the trigger down slightly for less air which is basically impossible to do.


Mike

Sounds like water is getting through your hose.

Do you have a water filter between the compressor and the brush?

yes, i have a watertrap/regulator unit...

Give us some more details. Does it spit when you start spraying and spit again when you stop? Or does it spit after stopping and then restarting?

Mike

ok, i found i had a slight air leak, so i fixed it!!!!

started to spray and i work wonderfully!!!!!

Then it started spitting again........

mostly starts off fine, then startsto spit......

is the Paasche VL noted for this????

i thined out my paint alot, to no avail!!!

can it be i'm just not mixing it properly???

I am new to airbrushing

QUOTE: Originally posted by littlemoe Then it started spitting again........ mostly starts off fine, then startsto spit...... is the Paasche VL noted for this????

The Paasche VL is known at times to leak air around the head of the airbrush. Spray a little windex or 409 on the head area and push the trigger down with air coming out and see how badly the Windex bubbles around the threads of the airbrush head. If it is bubbling badly then you may have the head too lose, but don't tighten it too tight as it is brass and will strip. If it is leaking after tightening you may need to unscrew the head and put a little teflon tape around the threads and then re-tighten the head. Make sure you keep the teflon tape around the threads alone and not into the hole where the tip goes as that will give you troubles.
Also, did you thin your paint enough and did you strain it? A clump of paint could be in there interrupting the paint flow.
Have you tried different pressures also?

Let us know what you find.

Mike

strain it????

never thought of that!!!!


thanks!!

QUOTE: Originally posted by littlemoe strain it???? never thought of that!!!!

Yep. Mix the paint and thinner in a container and then pour it through a piece of women's nylons into the airbrush cup.

Mike

Probably a daft question, but are you spraying silver paint?

I thought I had a problem with my Badger 155, but all it was was a the damn silver paint I was using, ALL other colours spray fine except silver - and that spits. No ammount of thinning would make any difference. Increasing pressure was no help, but reducing the pressure to about 12-15 psi and opening the paint release further helped a lot.

Silver is my arch enemy - I used to own a silver car and I could never spray that properly either!!

Thanks for the help guys.... could i be using to high of a pressure????

and no, no silver!!! LOL

QUOTE: Originally posted by littlemoe Thanks for the help guys.... could i be using to high of a pressure???? and no, no silver!!! LOL

Actually paint atomizes better at higher pressure than lower pressure so I doubt that is the problem.
Did you try straining it yet? Did it help?

Mike

i kinda got it to stop spittin, but now the paint is bubbling around the slits in the tip of the brush... the tip of the brush has a cover on it, that just pulls off, and on that cover is liitle slot, i'm getting bubbles from out of that!!!!!

this freakin thing is driving me nuts!!!!

rattle cans are strating to look good right about now!!!

Please help.i'm about ready to through the thing out the window!!!

QUOTE: Originally posted by littlemoe i kinda got it to stop spittin, but now the paint is bubbling around the slits in the tip of the brush... the tip of the brush has a cover on it, that just pulls off, and on that cover is liitle slot, i'm getting bubbles from out of that!!!!! this freakin thing is driving me nuts!!!! rattle cans are strating to look good right about now!!!

Huh? Are you using the airbrush with the cover on it?
That cover that has the slits in it is to protect the airbrush tip when in storage, you DO NOT paint with it on the front of the airbrush.
Have you been painting with it on there? [:0]

Mike

ummmmm oops??????

ok, just call me STUPID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!


This is my first brush!!!!!


the kit came with 2 other rods and tips, what do the numbers mean???? all i got with the brush is a lesson book, but it doesn't explain it well, plus i doesn't explain how to take it apart or adjust it!!!

HELP!!!

ok...only because you asked for it.

Doh!! At least Mike recognized what you were doing wrong.

QUOTE: Originally posted by littlemoe ok, just call me STUPID!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This is my first brush!!!!!

Uh oh! Haha. Just kidding bud. We all make mistakes like that with our first airbrush. No wonder it was spitting. It was getting a bunch of wet paint built up inside that aircap cover and then when air came through the airbrush that wet paint was being pushed out the aircap protector in drops.
Well at least we have that nailed down now and we can get you up and running.

QUOTE: the kit came with 2 other rods and tips, what do the numbers mean???? all i got with the brush is a lesson book, but it doesn't explain it well, plus i doesn't explain how to take it apart or adjust it!!!

There are three tips and needles with the Paasche kit if that is what you have.
There is a #1, #3, and #5 tip and needle. The #1 would be used the most with modelling and the #3 will work fairly well too. The #5 is only used for thicker mediums like varnish for wood projects, etc.
The #1 needle usually has one groove cut around the needle end, the #3 has three grooves cut around it and the #5 has a '5' on it I believe.

To take it apart you unscrew the handle and remove it, and take the head off the front with the wrench included with the kit. Be careful not to drop the cone (tip) that is inside the head as it will dent and then won't work properly. Loosen the needle chuck which is under where the handle was and has lines cut into it for gripping. Unscrew it slightly and the needle will move when you push it. Push the needle from the back of the airbrush forward and pull it out the front, but be careful of the triggger on top of the airbrush because with the needle out the trigger will fall out. If it does fall out you can put it back in again but it is a pain sometimes to get back in because it swivels where the trigger meets the air valve in the body of the airbrush.
After you clean the parts and want to put it back together then do it this way:
Put the tip back into the aircap body and screw the aircap body back onto the front of the airbrush. DO NOT tighten it too tightly on the airbrush as it is brass and will strip if too tight. Just hand tighten it and then use the wrench to make it good and snug. Put the needle back into the airbrush from the back end and push it forward slowly until it comes into contact with the tip. Do not push it hard once it touches the tip or the needle will deform the tip and you will have to buy another tip. I usually just push it forward gently until it comes in contact with the tip and then lightly tap the back of the needle with my index finger so that it is seated well. Tighten the needle chuck again and make sure it's snug or the needle will slip and not move well when you move the trigger back.
Put the handle back on the back, or you can leave it off as some airbrush artists prefer for easier access to the needle chuck.

Let me know if I have left anything out that you may need.

Mike

PS Here is a schematic of the VL for reference:
at Coast Airbrush's web site:

http://www.coastairbrush.com/pages/21.html

Mike

Check carefully with a magnifier to see if the needle and nozzle are seating correctly. A mushroomed nozzle from careless handling would allow paint to build up on the nozzle tip and when the build up is big enough the air pressure would throw the paint and spit.

Roosterfish,

We found out the spitting problem above.

Mike

wow mike thanks a million!!!!!!!

I actuallt painted something, and it looks good!!!!!!!

2 questions,

1. you can adjust the depth of the needle right??? how far in should it be??

2. in front of the trigger, there is a small knurled wheel just sticking out of the body, what is this for???


Again thanks alot!!!!


now all i have to do is figure out which gravity fed brush i want!!! LOL


how about the badger 360???


Thanks Mike!!!!!

QUOTE: Originally posted by littlemoe wow mike thanks a million!!!!!!! I actuallt painted something, and it looks good!!!!!!!

Glad I could be of help my friend.

QUOTE: 2 questions, 1. you can adjust the depth of the needle right??? how far in should it be??

Push it all the way into the airbrush as I stated before. That is where it has to be.

QUOTE: 2. in front of the trigger, there is a small knurled wheel just sticking out of the body, what is this for???

That is to set the airbrush to spray at a certain point of trigger travel and makes the airbrush basically act like a single-action.
I never used it when I had my Paasche VL. I left it all the way forward and moved the trigger by hand to where I wanted it.
If you rotate this wheel you will see the trigger start to move backwards and stay there.

QUOTE: now all i have to do is figure out which gravity fed brush i want!!! LOL how about the badger 360???

You have to walk before you can run young Jedi.

The Badger 360 is a good airbrush but since you already have a siphon-feed airbrush with your VL then I would just buy a straight gravity feed only.
I personally like the Omni 4000 and 5000 myself if I were to buy a new one.
I have the Vega 1000 right now but it is not made anymore.
If I were you I would look at the Omni's I mentioned and the Iwata Eclipse gravity-feed models and chose what you like.
Another nice thing about these airbrushes as well as many new siphon feed airbrushes is that they have a single needle and tip combination. You don't have to switch needles for different mediums as the one needle and tip covers all applications.

Mike

Ron Im glad you got this problem sorted out....I too asked about the 360 but the Omni Mike also recommended to me is looking better and better!

Is the omni a Badger brush, or is it the name of the manufacturer???

The Omni was made by the Thayer & Chandler Airbrush Company, which was the oldest airbrush manufacturer in the world until a few years back when they went out of business. They were bought up by the Badger Airbrush Company which now produces them.
Go to Badger's web site here and click on the Thayer & Chandler link to see the models they produce.
http://www.badger-airbrush.com/

Mike

Thanks Mike!!!

Chris and Ron,

I forgot to mention that the Omni airbrushes from Dixie Art do NOT come with an air hose. You will have to buy that separate for another $10.95.

The Badger air hoses fit the Omni.

Mike

Thanks for the update!!!!

Ron,

I just emailed my buddy Scooter who has been in the airbrush business for over 25 years and helped design the Vega 2000 airbrush, and asked him how the Omni 4000 compares to my Vega 1000.
He said:
"The 4000 is head and shoulders above the 1000, and has 1/4 ounce cup. Definitely better."

I want one even more now.
I am going to order one this week when my PayPal money is transferred into the bank account.

Mike