Please help - airbrush paint flow problems

Hi, what you have, is the airbrush not syphoning the paint as when  you depress the trigger. The best solution is to get a aprts break down for your particular airbrush and strip it down and throughly clean it. It would appear that you have a blockage. I usually strip and clean my paasche H a/brush every third to forth session to ensure optimum performance.

Hope this helps you a little. Cheers Jim

Since it's happening to more than one airbrush, it sounds like the problem is something other than the airbrushes.  Maybe the compressor has gone up.  I had a compressor that still "worked" but stopped putting out enough pressure to siphon the paint into the airbrush.  It just blew air.  I know that diaphragm compressors wear out over time.  I got a new compressor and my airbrush worked great.  You could try buying a small can of proprellant and seeing if the airbrush works with that.  There should be a propellant can adaptar in you airbrush kit.

Jesse

The devilshoar, if you don't mind, I just need to ask these other two a couple of questions. Cheers.

Konig tiger, I'm looking into beginning airbrushing. I haven't shopped around that much but the seemingly best airbrush I can find at the moment is thePaasche H and VL single action as well as the double action. Do you like your Paasche? Did it come in a box set/deluxe box set or just one of those pull apart blister packs? How much did it cost you, is it easy to maintain and did you get it online or in a shop? Thanks.

USMC1371, you say diaphragm compressors wear out. Where might I be able to find a cheepER (not neccessarily cheap/$h!+) compressor that is decent, has adequate pressure and will last me? Any specific brands or types? Is there an average price range? Cheers fellas.

I got a Paasche H and very nice compressor with regulator and moisture trap for around $200 from Dixie Art.  I've had two compressors before this one.  I tried to save a little bit of money when I bought them but after about a year they crapped out on me.  The one I have now is great.  How much are you looking to spend on a compressor?  Is noise an issue?

Jesse

Noise is not really an issue unless I'm airbrushing at night. And I wouldn't want to go to far over $150(AUD). But then again I don't know much about airbrushes and compressors, so I don't know what I'm getting for my money.

Unfortunately, I don't know anything about Australian currency or shipping rates.  I like to buy my stuff through dixieart.com.  For less expense, you can get a regular compressor from hardware store pretty cheaply, but they're loud.  Hobby compressors made my Badger, Paashe, and Iwata are good for airbrushing.  They're smaller then a regular compressor and not as loud.  They do cost more though.  I recommend doing a search here on Finescale's Forums for "new compressor" and read what others have to say.  Once you get an idea of what you may want, feel free to ask specific questions.  There's an article available for download from Finescale about powering your airbrush, but you must be a subscriber.

Jesse 

Hi Somenewguy, I received my airbrush as a gift. It came as a set with the 3 tips and 2 bottles as well as the side mounted cup. I have had no problems with this brush in the 3 years I have had it. It is a very good starter airbrush if you want to then go to a dual action but with patience and practice you can achieve excellent finishes with a single action airbrush.

Cheers Jim

usmc1371 wrote:

Since it's happening to more than one airbrush, it sounds like the problem is something other than the airbrushes.  Maybe the compressor has gone up.  I had a compressor that still "worked" but stopped putting out enough pressure to siphon the paint into the airbrush.  It just blew air.  I know that diaphragm compressors wear out over time.  I got a new compressor and my airbrush worked great.  You could try buying a small can of proprellant and seeing if the airbrush works with that.  There should be a propellant can adaptar in you airbrush kit. Jesse

Just to clarify my fellow modeller, if you have a diaphragm type compressor and it decides not to play ball anymore, yes they wear out as in as much to say the diaphragm stretches but if it has ruptured you won't make air at all and you are going to have one very noisey compressor. I have a 1.5 Hp piston compressor 240 volt that I bought at Big W for $88AUS and noisey it may be but with the moisture trap and sizeable air tank it has I don't care, except if I want to airbrush late at night which doesn't happen as I do like my neighbours!

Like what has been said elsewhere that in finescale there has been some very good and useful info given about the types and methods to power a/b's. Cheers Jim