Christmas ideas - Airbrush?
a...@wsi.co.uk
I've been trying to think of ideas for christmas presents and reckon an
airbrush might be useful for painting locos, etc.
Any recommendations? Any comments?
My local model shop keeps the Aztec range - anyone have one?
How useful is "double-action"?
Any thoughts welcome . . .
Anthony
Jarmo Schrader
> Hi all.
> I've been trying to think of ideas for christmas presents and reckon an
> airbrush might be useful for painting locos, etc.
> My local model shop keeps the Aztec range - anyone have one?
Not used, just heard some praise, but the concept of using throw-away
tips doesn't really convince me. Other brands (Paasche, Badger etc)
allow you to actually get at, and clean all the parts instead of
throwing them into the bin if some paint happens to get stuck.
I have a Badger 150 double action, not top of the line but I am happy
with it for the painting and weathering I do. Also nice for scenery,
painting rails, etc.
You also have to think about the air supply, and I warmly reccomend a
compressor because it gives constant pressure and you don't have to
worry about running out of air in the middle of a job. It will probably
cost more than the actual airbrush though.
> How useful is "double-action"?
Very, if you intend to do anything where you need good control over the
amount of paint coming out of the brush, like weathering.
Jarmo
--
Jarmo Schrader - Umea, Sweden
For personal mail, please remove 'Something' from my e-mail address
Nigel Cliffe
>
> Hi all.
> I've been trying to think of ideas for christmas presents and reckon an
> airbrush might be useful for painting locos, etc.
> Any recommendations? Any comments?
Compressors are VERY expensive, much much more than the brush.
Budget OVER 200 pounds for a compressor from model making suppliers. A
good compressor will run to >50psi, have some form of reservoir to keep
the pressure constant, have a regulator to allow you to reduce the
pressure to the brush as required, and ideally is quiet. You may find
something suitable in a 'serious car repair' tool shop for less money.
> My local model shop keeps the Aztec range - anyone have one?
No idea. I have a Badger which is good. I like the ability to strip it
down to clean after a painting session, plus the option to choose
needles and nossles to suit the job.
> How useful is "double-action"?
Very. But it takes a lot of learning how to control.
You need to decide between the delivery mechanisms for paint - bottom
action tends to be good for high volumes of paint (scenics?), tiny top
action cups for detail work.
My Badger is bottom action, but has a small capacity 'side cup' for
small volumes, seems to be a sensible compromise.
- Nigel
newbryford
> How useful is "double-action"?
>
> Any thoughts welcome . . .
> Anthony
>
If "double action" is what I think it is, then it's very useful. It's
where the air is allowed to pass the paint pick up, before the paint is
allowed to flow and also when stopping spraying, the paint supply stops
before the air supply. All activated via the same plunger on the top -
push down for air, pull back for paint IIRC, it's that long since I
used my Badger airbrush, I can't remember the model number, possibly a
250.
It's a very good system for controling small amounts of paint, such as
during weathering, and minimises the odd blotches off paint that you
can get if the airbrush is single action, like a Badger 350, or Humbrol
hobby spray.
Don't forget that you'll also want a compressor, a water trap, a
pressure regulator........................
Merry Xmas,
Mick
Sent via Deja.com http://www.deja.com/
Before you buy.
Tony Polson
The best airbrush for model rail use, by far, is the double action
Paasche VL. It's widely available in the USA, but rarely seen in UK
model shops. Better graphics shops will probably stock it, or it can be
purchased mail order from the USA for slightly less $.
It makes the Badger and Aztec brushes look crude.
--
Tony Polson, North Yorkshire, UK
a...@wsi.co.uk
>
> a...@wsi.co.uk wrote:
> > How useful is "double-action"?
>
> Very. But it takes a lot of learning how to control.
>
> You need to decide between the delivery mechanisms for paint - bottom
> action tends to be good for high volumes of paint (scenics?), tiny top
> action cups for detail work.
>
> My Badger is bottom action, but has a small capacity 'side cup' for
> small volumes, seems to be a sensible compromise.
I intend to use it for weathering and occasional whole-body resprays in
4mm scale (ok, 00, if you want to be finnicky!)
ISTR hearing someone suggest a car inner tube as an air reservoir, but
presumably one would need a pressure regulator too.
It sounds, though, as if it is getting beyond a Christmas present
"goodie" into a properly researched and pretty expensive bit of kit. How
about a cheap one to get used to the concept? Is it worthwhile?
Anthony.
Nigel Cliffe
>
> Nigel Cliffe wrote:
> >
> > a...@wsi.co.uk wrote:
> > > How useful is "double-action"?
> >
> > Very. But it takes a lot of learning how to control.
> >
> > You need to decide between the delivery mechanisms for paint - bottom
> > action tends to be good for high volumes of paint (scenics?), tiny top
> > action cups for detail work.
> >
> > My Badger is bottom action, but has a small capacity 'side cup' for
> > small volumes, seems to be a sensible compromise.
>
> I intend to use it for weathering and occasional whole-body resprays in
> 4mm scale (ok, 00, if you want to be finnicky!)
Small side-cup should be fine. Mine is used on 2mm/4mm stuff, plus
weathering a couple of 16mmNG bogie wagons. I've not made much used the
glass bottles, they only come into their own for big areas.
> ISTR hearing someone suggest a car inner tube as an air reservoir, but
> presumably one would need a pressure regulator too.
It would work a bit, but quite frankly I wouldn't bother.
> It sounds, though, as if it is getting beyond a Christmas present
> "goodie" into a properly researched and pretty expensive bit of kit. How
> about a cheap one to get used to the concept? Is it worthwhile?
Personally, I would say no, save the pennies and get something
half-decent. Its the compressor which costs a fortune, not the brush.
You also need to consider some form of face mask, depends on what you
are spraying. For somethings, droplet filtering is all you need, for
others an extraction system is a good idea. I use a rubber nose/mouth
mask which takes replaceable filter pads, has some filtering of organic
solvents, plus droplet protection (Halfords, less than 20 pounds). But I
also have the luxury of an workshop outside the house, so can spray
things, clean down, then leave it all to dry. Don't spray with no
protection - atomised paint can coat the inside of your lungs very
easily !
The cheap grit-blasters seem rather good, a friend has one - but do wear
a face mask unless you want to get a lung full of fine abrasive dust !
- Nigel
Alan P Dawes
<a...@wsi.co.uk> wrote:
> It sounds, though, as if it is getting beyond a Christmas present
> "goodie" into a properly researched and pretty expensive bit of kit. How
> about a cheap one to get used to the concept? Is it worthwhile?
If you're looking for something cheap but with more potential than the
usual single action or 'scent spray' type cheap starter kits, it might be
worth your while looking at the double action airbrush that Machine Mart
(phone 0115 956 5555 or email sa...@machinemart.co.uk for a catalogue)
have as an offer at the moment at £29.32. It's labelled 'Clarke' but from
the pictures looks like a rebadged Badger one. They also sell Badger
airbrushes but the equivalent double action one is £124.49. If you are
only doing a small amount then you could try a tin of 'airbrush
propellant' at £7.63 instead of buying a compressor - the cheapest of
which is £70.44 in their catalogue. They also do adaptors, hoses etc for
it.
I haven't tried these so don't know their quality but have bought other
tools etc from them and they seem an efficient organisation and have over
40 showrooms in the UK.
Alan
--
--. --. --. --. : : --- --- ----------------------------
|_| |_| | _ | | | | |_ | alan....@argonet.co.uk
| | |\ | | | | |\| | |
| | | \ |_| |_| | | |__ | Using an Acorn RiscPC
a...@wsi.co.uk
> If you're looking for something cheap but with more potential than the
> usual single action or 'scent spray' type cheap starter kits, it might be
> worth your while looking at the double action airbrush that Machine Mart
> (phone 0115 956 5555 or email sa...@machinemart.co.uk for a catalogue)
> have as an offer at the moment at £29.32. It's labelled 'Clarke' but from
> the pictures looks like a rebadged Badger one. They also sell Badger
> airbrushes but the equivalent double action one is £124.49. If you are
> only doing a small amount then you could try a tin of 'airbrush
> propellant' at £7.63 instead of buying a compressor - the cheapest of
> which is £70.44 in their catalogue. They also do adaptors, hoses etc for
> it.
>
> I haven't tried these so don't know their quality but have bought other
> tools etc from them and they seem an efficient organisation and have over
> 40 showrooms in the UK.
... and one not far from me. Thanks, all for your comments. I've had a
look at several websites for info, I'll have a look at the ones in
machine mart next.
Anthony.
a...@wsi.co.uk
Just had a look at my local branch of MM.
Their "Cab-1" kit appears to be the Badger-350 model, and a complete kit
with jars, pipe, and adapter for air cans is only £9-39 - incredible
value!
The "Cab-2" looks like the Badger model 150 dual-action and also looks
good value. I may ask Santa for one . . .
Incidentally the Cab-1 kit looks like a fairly cheap way of getting the
can and BSP adapters and spare jars even if you throw away the brush
<g>.
Looks like I might be having some messy fun with old bodyshells after
Christmas!
Anthony.
Jonathan Hall
If you are new to airbrushes, then try sparying with the Tamiya
acrylics, these can be washed out with water, and allow you to play
about with the spray patterns with a 'cleaner' paint. As with most
things, cleanliness is the key, you can never clean an airbrush out too
well. I cant comment for the coverage of the acrylics, but particularly
when thinned with propanol, the blacks/browns are ideal for weathering,
they dry very quickly.
Jon
--
Jonathan Hall
Thames Ditton
My railway website is at http://www.jonhall.mcmail.com/Railways.htm