Problems...problems...problems

Well one thing on the nozzles you have used before is they might be clogged.  Try taking them apart and soaking them in cleaner for awhile.  You can use plain Windex, 409 (the stuff with the orange oil works best at cutting the acryl) or Castrol Super Clean.  Use a tooth brush or other small brush to get out dried paint.  Assemble and try again!  Although they claim this is a simple to clean airbrush I eventually found myself having to soak the nozzles I used each day overnight in thinner.

As for nozzles that have never been used doing this, try finger tightening the nozzle a little tighter.  I found if the nozzle wasn't on tight enough I would get no paint out the front but bubbles in the paint cup.  You might try giving it a SLIGHT nudge with the little red wrench to make sure it is on good.

As for getting another brush I found that when I DID go on to metal brushes I never looked back.  I know of a lot of people who do outstanding work with the Azteks, unfortunately I wasn't one of them.  My first brush was a Crescendo 175 and it did pretty good, the next an Anthem 155 and it did better.  When I went on to my Iwata I found that the gravity feed was the way to go, I could get some really good results right away and they get better each time I airbrush.  In fact I am on my way to purchasing another gravity feed brush, probably the Badger 100LG or Iwata HP-CS for better detail on 1/72 planes and such.

The link you posted didn't work - which brush were you looking at?  Good luck to you and I hope one way or another it works out for ya!!!

the one i want is the Badger 150 Airbrush Professional Set with 3 Tips - 1507

for 207.99 from ehobbies.com , any other suggestion around 150-210ish?

oh, and what would explain the fact that its dripping out the front?

Do what you already know you gotta. Replace it. Your link did not load up so I can't tell you about your choice so I'll just give you what I know.

The Aztec unit is disposable. Use until screws up, throw away, buy another, repeat as necessary. I had one, worked like a charm for not quite a year and all hell broke loose. Threw it away and bought a Paache VL. Loved it for another year. Got back into the hobby six years later, still love the VL. BUT.

I  currently moved up to an Iwata. Still use the VL for larger coverage but use the Iwata for everything else.

Save yourself the cost of scared small children and pets, replacement parts and ulcers, lost modeling time and gray hair and just move up and away from the Aztec. You'll still have just about any other airbrush besides that one in twenty years. Or you could have forty Aztecs.

what about nozzels and such...i mean i've only had this craptastic aztek... so i know the nozzels are inter changeable.... and ect... I basically need a wide coverage and a fine detail nozzle  can the iwata's do that?

kal_jadaen wrote:

the one i want is the Badger 150 Airbrush Professional Set with 3 Tips - 1507 for 207.99 from ehobbies.com , any other suggestion around 150-210ish?

ROTF!!!

Yeah, with the CR you can do detail stuff (though not as tight as the CS) or larger coverage just by pulling back on the trigger a little farther. If you want to do LARGE coverage, say 1/48 B29 stuff then use someting like the VL or the 150. One thing about the Iwata is that you don't have to change nozzles. One size fits all. With the VL and the 150 you can change nozzles to use different medias like thicker paint or just more of it. The larger nozzles will work better for larger coverage.

The Iwata I use is a gravity feed. You use MUCH LESS paint with one of these because there is no tube to fill up before you get paint. And it's a snap to clean, much better than a siphon feed that has a separate color cup.

But regardless of what you choose, like bgrigg said, that price is way high for a 150. The Iwata CR is only something like $65 from Dixie Art. But you will still have to buy a hose, about another $12.

basically what I am making is the Tamiya 1:350 USS Enterprise, so I have deck work and such to do.  I'm right now debating between the badger 150, with the nozzles and such or the Iwata CR or CL...

Your guys' honest opinions which would suit me better? I havent been air brushign for very long, less than 4 months... I understand the points about the Iwata, with the fact that one nozzle does all.  I'm musing more torwards the 150, because i am used to nozzle changes, but I also have a bad tase about nozzle changes because of the fact the aztek did it as well.  The Iwata just looks scary to me, lol, looks liek you need years of experiance to perform well with one of those, let me know.

btw if any of you guys have MSN IM me at: teddy_man14@hotmail.com or AIM tickedofftomato

maybe through that someone could help me out loads more.

Reason I need to know this so soon is because I got half the runway done on the deck of my enterprise... and i need to finish it... lol

Read my lips ...  I W A T A  H P -C plus...     D I X I E A I R. 

I have had a badger 200, (same 3 nozels) and loved it. Wore it out and had it rebuilt and wore it out again. Then I tried an  HP-C with a preset handle and a crown cap. I never looked back. I have been very happy.  If you are trying to save a little or intend to paint larger areas then maybe you should look at an Iwata eclipse.  Greg.

"Do not take council of your fears."   George Patton.

kal,

Just added you to MSN.

Don't let the Iwata scare you. It's a very simple tool, easy to use and technically should last longer than a regular airbrush. It has a needle bearing made of Teflon that should out live me and you. The others require replacement over time especially if you use it a lot..

My LHS guy has one that he didn't remove the needle from for a year. Sprays primarily acrylics, cleans with Windex. he finally had to take the needle out last week to remove a clog that was caused by one of those paint boogers that congregate around the rim of the paint bottle.

If you are more comfortable go with the 150 though. Keep in mind that the nozzle, or tip, changes are a little different than your Aztec. The 150 and many like it use a wrench for tip changes and there are a couple of small parts you don't want to lose. The Iwata OTOH, needs no tip changes.

See you on MSN.

You'll love it! That's a great detailing brush, very fine lines if you need them.

Just remember you don't need to mix as much paint and you can run your air pressure much lower. I've seen 6-8 psi. for small stuff and I run about 10 psi for normal work.

You might want to take a look at this link for cleaning and manintenance of your Aztec airbursh.

http://www.arcforums.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=23856

gjek just a quick question what needle are you using with the crown cap is it the 0.3 or 0.2.

Just wanted to know as i got my iwata HP-C plus & am thinking about getting the 0.2 with crown cap & wondered if that was what you are using also what does it spray like?.

Many thanks Alan.

I have both the .2mm and the .3mm. I so seldom use the .2mm that I wouldn't worry about it. The custom micron comes with a .24mm. It is made to use inks and other thin paints. The .2mm is even smaller and dosen't like acrylics as much as the .3mm. The .2mm requires more  paintthinning which brings additional problems. The .2mm would be good for spraying washes.

The crown cap can be helpful with close work and fine lines. That is why I use it, I do a lot of close work when I am weathering a tank.   Greg.

Greg, (good name!)

Hey, I highly recommend the Iwata HP-CR, as I use this airbrush myself.  I model 1/72nd scale modern jets, and this airbrush can handle a wide variety of airbrushing needs.  With enamels such as TMM, or acrylics, the HP-CR can handle finelines and base coats equally well.  Below is an example of a recent  F-111F I painted with Tamiya acrylics, thinned with DNA (Denatured Aclohol) at a mixing ratio of 1:1.  For T/MM enamels I thin 1:1 also, with several drops of Winsor & Newton OPM (Oil Paint Medium) to improve the flow.  The HP-CR works so well for modeling paints is due to it's larger .5mm nozzle/ needle design.  The larger nozzle allows excellent flow and atomization, unlike smaller .2 and .3mm nozzles that make it difficult to spray our thicker viscosity hobby paints consistantly without frequent clogs.  Some exceptions to the smaller nozzle variety airbrushes available are; Iwata's HP-CS, BS, and SBS, with their .35mm needles.  Having owned and still use several of the Iwatas, I can report that they work very well for scale modeling.  I've also heard good reports from the Tamiya Superfine series airbrushes.  They're outfitted with a tiny .2mm needle/ nozzles.  Hope this helps!

The HP-CR helped create the complex "SEA" camouflage for my 1/72nd scale F-111F.