New to airbrushes: Suggestions appreciated . . .

This site has all sorts of information on air brushes:

Don's Airbrush Tips

YouTube 

Here's my 2 cents worth on air brushes.  Don't buy a cheap one because it will turn you off from using an air brush.  However I wouldn't buy an expensive one because the cost of the air brush does not come with the expertise to run it.  So what to do.  Ask your buddy or fellow club member to show you his and ask if you can try it out on a project or two.  Watching youtube is good for all kinds of things, but using an airbrush is an acquired skill.  Don't have a buddy or a club, then just bite the bullet and get a good one with a compressor made for air brushing.  Look at the web sites that artists go to and see what they use.  They are at the very high end but they will show what accessories and filters and . . . that you might need to get the good results.  Again my 2 cents, spend wisely!    Russ

Contact Donna at Maple Airbrush Supplies https://www.mapleairbrushsupplies.com/

Contact Donna text/phone: 780-909-2143

e-mail: mapleairbrush@icloud.com

regards

Paashe H model single stage is a great all around tool. Don't start with the double stage models.

Rob

oldrob posted:

Paashe H model single stage is a great all around tool. Don't start with the double stage models.

Rob

That's what I use also, and have done so for many years...have the two stage model as well but always fall back on the model H single stage.

Bob

I started out on an old Badger 100 model.  Still have use it and works great. 

I have a dual stage but don't use it much.

This is one of those tools that once you get comfortable with it, you wonder why/how you got by without one.

My head is spinning!

The Badger site recommends a dual action, gravity feed brush for modeling? So, Im leaning toward their Patriot model as listed here:

https://www.amazon.ca/gp/produ...YEZ3XVK128&psc=1

Compressors are more costly than I expected.  In fact, they can go to ridiculous levels! I'm considering this one?

https://www.amazon.ca/Compress...1Z195WGQ10KVMH5W27C7

I'm in Canada BTW and a Prime amazon member. Shipping from the US is to be avoided when possible.

Many thanks for the replies so far!

One more thought to consider...Paashe has an excellent support system with parts and accessories readily available...worth thinking about especially when something doesn't go right.

Bob

I've been using a Badger dual-action brush for over 40 years. I'm only on my second one. Badger is made in USA (Chicago) and the brushes are guaranteed for life. Seriously! I sent them a 25 year old airbrush and they restored to new condition for the price of shipping. I've also been using a small Badger diaphragm (no oil) compressor since 1977. It's still working, but... to do fancy work with an airbrush, it really helps to be able to adjust the pressure. The single cylinder/no reservoir compressors lack this feature. They also cannot store air so when you spraying they're running. This does create some pulsing in the line and is noisy. I'm in the market for a new compressor now, but am not happy that they're all Chinese.

Double action lets you vary the amount of air AND the amount of paint at the same time. This is a very useful feature. When spraying smaller areas and you don't want a lot of paint, you just don't pull the trigger back as far. Yes...it does take some time to learn, but it's not that difficult and all it takes is experimentation and practice.

The worst part of airbrushing is cleaning. Most acrylic paints build up around the tip quickly, and when dry need acetone to break them down. It often takes me longer to clean the air brush than to do the paint job. That being said, it's really the only way to make a consistent professional looking finish.

Don't use "canned air". As the pressure is released the can gets colder. As it gets colder the pressure drops (Charles and Boyle's Gas Laws at work). You then have to stop and warm the can. Pain in the butt, and it's expensive.

Maple Airbrush Supplies is based in Canada and carries Badger and Iwata airbrushes. Donna is very helpful.

I own and use several of the Badger dual action airbrushes. The Patriot is my 'go-to' airbrush for most work. I can paint most anything with it...broad areas down to details.  I use the Krome and Renegade for fine detail work such as painting figures.

If you opt for a dual action brush, buy an extra needle and nozzle. It will save you time when (not if) you bend needle. These are relatively inexpensive for the Badger models...about $20 CA for the Patriot. 

It takes a lot of practice to master a dual action brush.  Here are a two sites I found useful:

          http://howtoairbrush.com/airbrush-lessons/

          http://www.airbrushtutor.com/

I hope this was helpful!

Airbrush thread from 2015.    Click on the link, underlined phrase.  A lot of good pictures and information.   Best wishes with your projects. 

Again thanks to all for the replies. I'm getting a "total immersion" course in airbrushing!

CBG, thanks especially for the second post informing that Maple is in Canada. That's a real plus.

I have a question concerning this single vs dual stage  issue. The dual stage brushes I am looking at have adjustable stops to limit the distance one can pull back on the trigger. Does this not mean you get exactly the same performance as a single stage brush, but with the additional capability of dual stage when desired? Seems to me that it does.

Also I have seen a video warning against using crafter's acrylics. I don't see why not? They can be thinned to the 2% milk viscosity as well as premium priced paints and are much more readily available to me. (Michael's, even the local Dollar Store!)

Truth is I will be using so little paint, the additional cost is really not an issue so much. But availability, especially in Canada, certainly is!

In Badger (at least on my) the screw holds the trigger from closing completely. In other words, you can set the screw to a value and the gun will hold that position (as a single-action gun).

I'm not so sure about craft paints. If you thin them properly using a compatible acrylic thinner they should work, but be careful since some thinners cause them to clump and air brushes hate that. Of all the paints I use, I like how Tamiya paints work. They thin with isopropyl alcohol which is cheap in bulk, dry very quickly and have good color ranges. I've used Model Master Acrylic, Life Color, Vallejo, Model Flex and Tamiya. Life Color is very good and also dries quickly. Vallejo skins over quickly, but remains tacky for about 24 hours. Model Flex does the same but force dries more completely. I use a hot air gun to force dry acrylics like they do at Home Depot when they dry the sample on top of your can. I use craft paints regularly, but only for brush painting on porous surfaces (wood, paper).