Seeking air compressor suggestions

[StevenL]

I'm posting this thread for my girlfriend who made an account on here but can't post yet. She's anxious to post this topic so I'm doing it for her.

 

 

 

Hi guys!

 

My name is Jennifer or Jen and I've had a growing interest in model kits for awhile now. I have managed to nab some model kits from various areas such as militaria shows and swap meets - to the point that I'm fairly certain that I'll be set for awhile with what I have.

 

The few models that I have put together and painted have all been done by hand. I've always been a bit art minded tracing back to my school days so brushes are nothing new to me. Air compressors and airbrushing however, are.

 

Some of the models I've seen here and elsewhere have some amazing paint jobs - and I'd like to give it a shot at doing the air brush thing.

 

Currently I'm looking at getting the Tamiya spray-work HG super fine airbrush. I realize this model is a bit higher end for a beginner - but I've heard really good things about it. My big question now is - what should I get for an air compressor?

 

I'd like to get an air compressor that will have no problem supplying a steady air stream as I (hopefully!) become more proficient at the craft. I don't exactly have a huge budget - so I'm looking for something that will be somewhere in the middle. Not high end - not low end, but is great at getting the job done. Can anyone recommend a specific model for me?

 

A few other questions if I may ask. In choosing what paints I use to air brush with - are the cheaper hobby store kinds acceptable? Most of my paints as of current are Appel Barrel and Americana. I don't have a problem buying better paints such as (I'm guessing) Tamiya brand made specifically for models - but is it ok to at least make use of what I have from the aforementioned brands before I buy others? Both brands are acrylic, but I am not sure if they are more likely to clog the air brush nozzle. I'm guessing I'll be fine using them as long as I clean out the nozzle between uses by putting water in the reservoir?

 

I'd also love any tips or advice anyone can give me on little trade secrets on how to do things such as weathering, making the models look dirty, using baking soda or other weird household items to create certain effects such as rust, etc..

 

My email is Jennisavage@gmail.com and my account name once it is approved on here is Raini.

 

Thanks for your suggestions.

[Bluehawk]

I always liked Paasche equipment:

 

http://www.paascheairbrush.com/cgi-bin/sto...+%26+Regulators

[37thguy]

Save your money and buy a Paasche, they cannot be beat. Hook it to your air compressor and run it at 35-40lbs max. You'll do just fine. :thumbsup:

 

If you use Tamiya paints thin them with Denatured/Wood alcohol, NOT WATER. If the Testors FS series paints are still available (haven't built in years) they are great too!

[USMC_GAU-21]

Jen,

 

I have had a Paasche, an Iwata, and the Testors series airbrushes for years. I really like the Testors Aztek system. different nozzles, easy attachment of the paint to the airbrush. If you are using testors Model Master paints they screw right in. The MM paints come in acrylic as well as enamel. so you choose water wash up or thinner. they make very nice airbrushes starting around $55 - $100.00 dollars. You can run any kind of paint you like if you don't like MM, you can use Tamiya, or Humbrol. I am a Testors Model Master guy so I am biased.

 

I have this compressor:

 

 

It works okay and is fairly new. I also scoured eBay and found a used one with paints and a Aztek 6 nozzle system for $100 bucks! Just type in "airbrush" On-line Hobby stores are killing the local guys so that is where the deals are. Don't forget garage sales either. those little air compressors work great from $20 bucks.

 

Here is the airbrush I use daily:

 

 

but, it is up to you and what you like painting with. I like the Aztek for its 2 stage action and easy use with MM paints. but it does come with mixing bottles and you can use whatever brand you want.

 

Hope this helps, and have fun modeling!

 

r/Gunny Dan

[The Meatcan]

Hey Jen,

there are LOTS of answers to all your questions and the guys here have already provided some good guidance. I'd suggest you check out some modeling forums like Armorama:

http://armorama.com/

you can search that site and come up with thousands of answers to your questions about equipment, techniques, and methodologies.

 

Personally I've used an old single action Badger for years but have moved up to a double action Iwata. Good lord what an improvement! I also prefer a refillable air cylinder with regulator and moisture trap. I refill the cylinder as needed with my old noisy crappy compressor.

 

Whatever you try I wish you the best of luck and hope you have fun! :thumbsup:

Terry

[mpguy80/08]

I would suggest picking up a copy of Finescale Modeler... they have ads in there for a place called Micro Mark sometimes, or just go to the site, here:

 

http://www.micromark.com/

 

I picked up a compressor with a small tank on it. The tank stores air, and negates the pulsing pressure spikes you get with a direct feed compressor. The compressor I have came with the pressure gage and water trap already installed.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Wayne

[ADMIN]

Been out of town the past couple days, but I'm back now. And, her account is now approved.

[SGM (ret.)]

Raini:

 

Shop around a bit for your airbrush and compressor. Try these guys:

 

Dixie Art and Airbrushes

 

Bear Air Airbrushes and Supplies (Bear Air is very good to deal with.)

 

I presently use a Silent Air model Sil Air 20-A compressor and a Richpen Phoenix 213C airbrush. But, for over 30 years, I used a Badger Model 100 bottom feed internal mix airbrush and a diaphram compressor simiar to the Badger Model 180 compressor. I still use the same Badger airbrush from time to time, and only recently gave away the compressor to a younger model builder in my IPMS club. I'm happy to say that it's still going strong.

 

You might want to shop around a bit for your Tamiya Sprayworks HG set-up. They are actually manufactured by Richpen which is really Fuso Seiki Co. Ltd, Tokyo. Almost all of the airbushes sold under various brands (Tamiya, Testors, Micro-Mark, etc) are made by either Paasche, Iwata, Badger, or Richpen. Once you know this, then you might can score a better deal on an OEM set-up at a cheaper price than the name brand. (Or an OEM set-up for the same price as the name brand.)

 

You might also want to check out some of the more "industrial" air compressors from Home Depot and Lowes. The Harbor Freight-type compressors with tanks are noisy when running, but the tanks usually allow them to supply air for a long time between compressor cycles. They are usually much less expensive than the airbrush only compressors. Get one with an adjustible pressure supply. Don't worry about the exact numbers on the guage, just so you can dial the pressure up and down as the temp, humidity, and paint volume change you'll be good to go.

 

Temp, humidity, and paint consistancy are the holy triumverate of airbrushing. A change in any one factor will almost always require a change in air pressure. A change in any two will require a change in air pressure. Changing all three will give you experience for next time after your figure out what you need to do to get paint to squirt this time.

 

The advice to check out some of the model building forums for airbrush advice is a good. In addition to ArmouRama, check out these forums:

 

Missing Lynx

 

Track Link

 

Hyperscale

 

Cool Mini or Not

 

You'll find tons of help and advice on paints and techniques. (The Cool Mini site has some info on figure painting with airbrushes that you won't find on the other sites.)

 

Acrylic paints and airbrushing is almost alchemy and black magic. One thing you will need to do is clean your brush religeously. This will be more than just spraying clean water through it. Some folks have good results using Windex or other glass cleaners. The Apple Barrel craft-type paints can be sprayed, but you may need to filter them after thinning and before putting them in your brush's paint cup. They won't cover plastic very well (especially when thinned with water), but are good for diorama ground work.

 

Have fun,

Mike

[Guest Raini]

Thanks for the approval, admins - and thanks to everyone for being so helpful!

 

I'm really eager to start trying things via airbrush techniques. Could not have started at a better time, too! The thought of being in my room working on some models while there is a good rain storm going on outside is making me all tingly at the thought. Though I will say southern CA doesn't usually get a lot of rain. Boo.

 

Am I correct in understanding that you can use that auto-window cleaner (like windex, but without the blue color) in order to thin the acrylics as well as cleaning out the nozzle when I'm done? And if so, do I just fill the (gravity) chamber with the stuff and let it cycle through until there is no paint coming out? I'd like to take care of my equipment and I worry about the acrylics clogging hard to get to areas. Is it true that it is good stuff to use for thinning the acrylic when applying it too? Seems like a good deal if I can use the stuff for both!

 

Thanks for the resources and all the tips - I'll check out any/all links that anyone provides. I was already aware of missing-lynx. I just hope that the artists' knack I've had since my Jr. High days is still kicking strong. Too shy to post pictures of any of the stuff I've done as of yet - as stuff people post here blows me out of the water.

 

Thanks again. I really appreciate all the help.

[SGM (ret.)]

Don't use the glass cleaner for thinning the acrylics. It will break down the binders in the paint (paint = binders + carriers + pigment), the thinner you use should only add to the volume of the carrier. The binders are the "glue" that attach the pigment particles to the surface and each other. You use a thinner (also called a "reducer" since it reduces the viscosity of the paint and allows it to be sprayed) that is compatible with your paint.

 

(This is why glass cleaner cleans the paint out of your airbrush - it breaks it down. You want the opposite effect when you're painting - you want the paint to work.)

 

Scale model paints are designed with finer pigments than most other paints so that the thickness of the dried paint coat doesn't hide the detail. This is why you can't get good results with most household type paints, especially acrylics. Your craft paints also have coarser pigments, and so don't give particularly good results. There are exceptions to every rule, but in general, for spraying models, use "model" paints.

 

For a beginner (or even an "expert" who's using a new brand of paint), the best bet is to use the compatible manufacturer's thinner with that brand of paint. So, use Tamiya acrylic thinner for Tamiya paint, Testor's with Testor's, etc. After you can get acceptable results from this approach, you're better equipped with the knowledge to experiment with other thinners, such as alcohols, acitone and lacquer thinners. These are generally only good for spraying acrylics. Brush painting requires a different approach.

 

In the absence of the manufacturer's recommended thinner, use pure water as a thinner (distilled is best) unless the manufacturer says something different on the bottle.

 

This like-brand to like-brand approach is also recommended when mixing colors. Mix Tamiya paints with Tamiya paints, Testor's with Testor's, etc, until you get some experience. You can certainly experiment, but don't count on the results until you try them, and then try them on something other than your latest project.

 

One tip that might be useful even for beginners is to add a small percentage of clear gloss to your reduced (thinned) paint for spraying. As you reduce your paint to a consistancy (lower viscosity) for spraying, the binders in the paint become less effective. Imagine, if you will, gluing marbles down to a glass table top. The marbles represent the particles of pigment and the glue is the binder. As the glue dries, the carrier evaporates leaving only the hardened glue and marbles. If the glue is applied too thin, it cannot hold the marbles securely.

 

Adding a small amount (~5% total volume) of clear gloss compensates for the reduced effect of the binder. This is especially useful when spraying glazes of very transparent paint. Such paint, in order to dry transparent, must be thinned in the extreme, and the binders are reduced to near ineffectiveness. When spraying glazes, you might need to add as much as ~10-15% clear gloss.

 

You will probably spray a final clear flat coat over your work, so the slight gloss sheen is no worry during intermediate painting steps.

 

Buy some inexpensive eye-droppers from Wally World or a local drug store. Get the ones with glass tubes and removable rubber bulbs. This is so that you can take the bulb off and clean the tube. Get in the habit of measuring your paints by the drop and dropper-full and keep a pencil and note pad handy to write down your ratios and mixes during a project. Use 100 drops = 100% and the ratio math is easy.

 

You can mix directly in the paint cup if you know your brush is clean and the thinner and paint are compatible. Start with a drop or two of thinner, give the brush a squirt to get the thinner in the tip, then add the calculated amount of thinner followed by the number of drops of paint. This keeps you from getting "flash" drying of the paint in your brush tip before you thin.

 

Get a box of toothpicks (cocktail sticks) to stir with. Convienent and economically disposable.

 

One thing to consider as you work to develope your individual style is how (or even if) you intend to weather. A widely used approach is to paint the model using acrylics, then weather using oils and enamels, or vice versa. This approach usually prevents the thinners used in washes and "filters" from lifting the base color coats.

 

May the carpet monster never eat your parts and may the sticky side always land up.

 

Mike

[Guest Raini]

Thanks for all the advice SGM!

 

I'm a little bummed that chances are my current paints will not be something I can or should use in my air brush set up. I don't have a ton of money right now - so starting over with getting the various paints will be a bit of a hit for me. Are there any places online that will give good discounts if you buy a bunch at once? Or places that just have good pricing in general?

 

I've also had the carpet snag a few of my parts - sometimes with glue on them. Haha.

[SGM (ret.)]

I take it you're heavily invested in Apple Barrel and Americana paints.

 

They will spray, and I have a bunch that I keep on hand for ground work on dios and figgies. They won't hurt your airbrush set-up or be any harder to clean-up than any other acrylics, so don't worry over that. The problem will come with adheasion of the paint to plastic and heavy build-up around fine detail. You might be able to find a work around. Don't give up too easy.

 

Here's what I would try: Get a small bottle of Tamiya airbrush thinner and a bottle of Tamiya gloss clear. This shouldn't set you back too much money-wise to experiment with. Try thinning the craft paint with at about 1:1:1 distilled water, Tamiya airbrush thinner, and paint. This should give you about a 65:35 thinner:paint mix. For every 10 drops of water / thinner (5 drops each) add 1 drop of clear. (Yes, I know this is now more than 100%, but go with it.) The craft paints are usually very heavy and thick compared to the average model paints, so will take more thinner to reduce down to a sprayable viscosity.

 

You'll have to play around with the ratios to get the viscosity and density of color right to spray. Try it out on an old model or something else that's not porous. White paper or cardboard will give you good color check, but is a lousy check on how the paint will cover plastic. You don't want the paint to bead up or fish-eye. You're looking for smooth even coverage.

 

You might also have to play around with the air pressure you're using. Generally speaking, spray at the lowest pressure that you can to get the coverage results you want. Having said that, higher viscosity paint requires higher air pressure and a greater flow of paint. This generally means that you'll be spraying from farther away from the model's surface. To get tighter in and a smaller paint pattern, you'll need to thin the paint more and cut down the air pressure. To get those fine airbrushed camouflaged lines, you'll need thin paint, low airpressure, and be close in to the surface, which means moving the brush quickly to keep from puddling the paint.

 

But I digress....

 

If you get pretty good color coverage on something plastic, and the Tamiya thinner is compatable with the brand of craft paint, then you can adjust the ratio of water to Tamiya thinner to more Tamiya thinner and less water. The clear gloss should help with adheasion of the craft paint to the plastic. Increasing the amount of Tamiya thinner will speed up the drying time and improve coverage by acting as a wetting agent.

 

If you find the Tamiya thinner is not compatable with your brand of craft paints, then save the rest for when you start buying Tamiya acrylics later. It won't go bad, and you only bought a small bottle anyways. Try just distilled water, but still add the clear gloss.

 

At this point, if you have any Grumbacher acrylic Flow-Aide, you could play around with adding a drop or two to see how it effects coverage. This is mostly good for brush painting, though. Don't buy any to experiment with for airbrushing - it's pretty spendy. You might also try some household rubbing alcohol, but be careful since breathing it atomized by the airbrush is not healthy. (You have a mask and are in a ventilated area, of course, so you're OK.)

 

If all of this is going well, then try it out to see how the coverage is on details. You might find better results with two or more thin coats vice one heavier coat.

 

I think you can probably get the craft paints to work with some experimentation. Later, as you add paints, just buy acrylic model paints. Your craft paints will still be good for ground work and weathering, etc, and much cheaper than the model paints for such uses. (Which is why I still use them for that.)

 

One last thing that will help the acrylics to adhear to the plastic is to wash your models before you paint. I almost always do this to remove sanding dust, finger prints, mold release agents, and general dust and dirt from the building. I usually work in sub-assemblies (to make painting details easier) and wash these in the kitchen sink using luke warm water, dish detergent (whatever brand is sitting on the counter), and a larger water color brush. Gentle scrubbing and a good rinse under lightly running water. Keep the sink plugged up to catch broken parts. (Happens to the best!) Dry over night, at least, and hit the parts with some straight air from the air brush before you paint to check for hidden droplets. One of the nice things about using acrylics for your base color coats is if a drop of water is blown out onto the model's surface while you're painting, the water is compatable with the paint and no lasting harm is done. Don't try to wipe it off, just allow it all to dry naturally and paint another color coat over it.

 

Good luck.

 

Mike