I’m a long time modeler with a large layout yet I’ve never been able to get the hang of using an airbrush. I don’t know why but I’ve never gotten good results. Usually the paint comes out splotchy instead of a fine mist or it clogs the airbrush completely. The other extreme is the paint is too thin and I don’t get good coverage. I’ve never had anybody show me the right way to do it. I’ve used thinned acryllics but I suspect the quality of the paints I’ve used might have something to do with it but I wonder if my air source might be the problems as well. I’ve used an electric air pump rather than a big compressor.
The reason I’ve decided to give it one more try is I have recently begun my annual clean up of the railroad room and I came across a box of supplies with an unused airbrush kit that has an aerosol can. I don’t even remember buying it so I have no idea how old it is but I figured as long as I have it, I might as well give it one more try.
I’d appreciate any advice experienced air brushers might have as far as paint selection, thinning, air source, techniques, etc. Also, has anybody published a good how to book for airbrushing?
Since clearly you’re on-line, you can acess the many YouTube videos on airbrushing, many of them very clear and basic (right now I’m more interested in getting good results with airbrushing with Acyrlic Craft paints, but you don’t want to start with that, so stay away from Dr. Cranky or Chris Chapmann’s channels - keep in mind though that painting, finishing, decalling, and weathering a 1/32 scale Acadamy model Hummer is, in the basics, not that much different from a 1/87 Thrall 53ft gondola, so keep your mind open).
Also, there’s dozens of good threads on the topic on this forum alone, so use that “Search Community” box on the right column of the main forum page.
Probably airbrush ready paint like Tru-Color would be a good start to get comfortable with, if you follow manufacturer’s directions (and get a good bottle of paint, but that’s a different story) till you’re ready to experiment.
One ugly thing I see in your OP - “unused airbrush kit that has an aerosol can”. I’m sure people can get good results with canned air, but it’s usually quite iffy. Also, I don’t know how long those cans may retain “usable” pressure over the years, my experience with them has been less than impressive.
The best way to get the hang of it is to do it. Paint scraps or other stuff that is headed for the trash anyway until you are satisfied with the results.
Paint: I like TruColor paints. There is a great selection of colors and the pigments are ground very small relulting in less clogging. The paints are advertized as air brush ready out of the bottle but you may want to add a little thinner–I add about 10% using the eyeball method of measuring. You will get a failry clossy finish which is great for applying decals but, in most instances, you will eventually want to over spray it with a clear flat finish.
Air supply: Best is an oiless compresser with a tank. The compresser fills the tank, the tank provides a nice steady, pulse free supply of air to the air brush. Next might be an old tire on a wheel. Fill it at the gas station, then bleed it off for airbrushing. Regulators are a must with both compressers and tires. The spray can will work for small jobs but have a couple of bowls of hot water handy. After a short time, the cans will get very cold and lose pressure. Putting them in the hot water warms them up and gives you pressure again…for a short time. Harbor Freight has several aircompressors with tanks and regulators for around $60, all of which would be very suitable for airbrushing.
Technique: I hold the brush about 8 to 10 inches away from the object but this varies depending upon the paint flow setting, and how much paint I want on the model. As you move the airbrush back and forth make your strokes start before paint hits the model and end them after you have passed by the model. Press and release the “trigger” before and after paint hits the model.
Most things you read now days about air pressure for air brushing say to use 15 to 25 psi. That is really kind of low and you need thin paints for that. I use 30 to 35 psi because it attomizes the paint better. As for distance, use something that is comfortable for you and doesn’t go on so heavy that the paint runs.
If you are going to spray acrylics, you need a large tip and needle, point 3 (.3) or more.
Very very early in my experimentation with an air brush I found the little cans of compressed air led to absolute frustration. Rapid pressure drop as it froze and suddenly that brush was sputtering and ruining the paint job. Perhaps the three telephone calls while I was masking in preparation perhaps shortened my fuse, but that pressure can rapidly ended up in the garbage. I had much better success with just a spare tire hooked up to the airbrush. Pumped it up to about 35psi and it provided a useful period of pressure, before it dropped down into the mid 20s. I might have to pause briefly to get a little exercise with the hand pump but then it was good to go again. If I had had a pressure regulator at the time one pumping would no doubt have lasted longer.
If you are thinking of using a little compressor, a reservoir (air tank or tire) in the system will smooth any pulsing out.
I’ve been doing airbrush work for about 35 years, both as a modeler and as a fine artist. You’ll first need a decent airbrush and compressor. No need to go out and buy the high end expensive stuff. Harbor Freight has a nice internal mix airbrush (which I’ve been using for years)for about $30 and those little muffin compressors with a 1 gallon tank for around $60. You need one that can easily maintain 110-120 psi in the tank and regulate consistently to the airbrush about 30-40 psi…a little more or less as needed. I’ve sprayed artist oils (paste in tubes)…properly reduced and well mixed with low odor mineral spirits. I’ve always had a preference for solvent based paints although I have worked with acrylics in the arts and models as well. A well know contemporary ‘adult theme’ artist who makes extensive use of airbrush recommends getting your paint to about the consistency of buttermilk.
For model work, I use primarily Scalecoat II which tends to be a little more syrupy and paints well from the jar with a brush. I’ll fill the airbrush jar about 2/3s and add a full eyedropper of thinner and mix it. In most cases that gets the paint thin enough to flow under pressure.
Airbrushing takes lots of trial and error. In light of what I mentioned above…my best recommendation. Get some drawing paper and some cheap bottle acrylics from WalMart and experiment. Try different paint consistencies…70% isopropyl alcohol works well as a thinner, at various air pressures and see what works best.
Trucolor paints work well but should but thinned very sparingly since it is acetone based. Acetone is not especially styrene friendly.
Many here on these forums sort of frown on mineral spirits as a thinner for enamels because of it’s mildly oily properties and odor…use the odorless type.
Finally. By all means…clean the airbrush thoroughly after use.
Based on my admittedly limited experience, I am going to suggest that you are setting yourself up to fail again if you go ahead with the canned air and doubtful paints.
I started with the canned air, and it took me about 1/2 hour before I went out and bought a small compressor with tank. Others have already explained why canned air doesn’t work so I won’t repeat it. I also built a cheap but effective spray booth with a second regulator mounted on top of the booth so I didn’t have to go back to the compressor to adjust the pressure. Once I had the proper equipment I found air brushing to be quite easy. Although I’m still learning, I haven’t had any real problems except trying to put down too much paint at a time, which was not the fault of the equipment.
I use one of those $80 Harbor Freight sprayers. When I first tried it it didn’t work well. I set it aside and then tried again later, I discovered that the airbrush had been assembled incorrectly at the factory, After I reassembled it, the brush worked much better. Tom
Thanks for all the good tips. With everything that has to be considered, it’s no wonder why my past blind ventures into the world of airbrushing were such dismal failures. I will take all of this into account when I get back to model railroading.
Normally the model railroad season for me begins when golf season ends, usually mid to later October here in Ohio. This year has been different. I am in the process of appying for a reverse mortgage and because I wanted to maximize the appraised value of my home, I have been busy with long overdue maintenance tasks to my property. I can’t believe it is February and hardly a piece of equipment has moved on the layout this season. I finally had the appraisal done last week and will be closing this week. I have been doing my annual railroad room cleanup/organization the past week (which I usually do at the end of October) and soon will be back into what will be a very abbreviated model railroading season. Every year I promise myself I will find some time for railroading during the golf season and it never happens. However since I am largely caught up on maintenance around the house, I’m hoping this year will be different. Thanks again to all for the advice.
I use a good medium pressure as others have said .I also mix acrylics, unless they are tamiya ,with liquitex airbrush medium .This smooths out the flow well .Its available in art stores not hobby shops .it may help .It does me ,I have sprayed thousands of models (promo trucks ) with laquer and scalecoat (locos ) but water based arylics took another learning curve when a friend asked me to build him an Airfix 1/48 Spitfire .
You didn’t mention the kind of airbrush you have. That can make all the difference in the world. I’ve used Badger 200s, great for puking and spattering all over a hard earned paint job. I, uh, put both of them out of my misery with vengeful force.
Then I used Testors-ModelMaster ones. Better, but lacked versatility to me. Then I got a Crescendo, by Badger, at the advice of a many-contest-winning model car builder. I’ve only played with it enough to know it works great, with a great range of adjustment readily available. I haven’t tried it with acrylics.
I use a big ol’ compressor, and run a line from my wood shop to my paint booth. Then into a regulator/water seperator.
All good advise! When I switched to Tru Color Paint I couldn’t believe how much difference the brand of paint can be, I’ve never looked back! I’ve been using an airbrush almost since they appeared. Like all the early posts say, experiment until you get it right then do your thing. Crafters Acrylics will work and look very nice but start with a full head of hair, I’m nearly bald from the learning curve.
A really good find was 3M Scotch Blue Delicate Surface Painters Tape, it has worked better for me than any other masking tape. Works really good without any bleeding and very little application pressure. It’s great for 1/32” wide striping.
Very happy to see this thread as I, too, would like to venture into airbrush use. There have been several mentions of compressors from Harbor Freight. Would anyone care to mention a specific compressor and why they chose it? Also, I am concerned about the noise level of those compressors. Will I be able to use it in my basement without driving my better half up the walls when she is trying to read upstairs? I wonder if Harbor Freight would let me turn on the compressors in their store?
I’ve got one of the ubiquitous pancake compressors that are sold everywhere–it’s fine for filling car and trailer tires, etc., but as my current hobby space is in a rented office (with neighbors) I am mulling one of the compressors from California Air Tools that I saw mentioned here or on a similar forum. While not exactly cheap they seem to be considerably quieter. Anyone have any experience with one of their 1/2 hp or 1hp models?
To the OP, I echo the other posters; by all means give it many more tries. Books, on-line advise and videos are all helpful, BUT there is no substitute for trial-and-error.
I had to make mistakes mixing paints, using the right air pressure, spray distance from the model and most importantly properly cleaning the airbrush before I got very comfortable using this tool. There is no magic, just the willingness to practice on whatever to learn how the tool works. After you get the hang of it, you’ll wonder what the big deal was all about?
FWIW in the last few years, I’ve only used an airbrush as a ‘last resort’. If at all possible, I do all my painting with Tamiya spray cans. Their cans have nozzles that create a much finer spray than the typical cans of paint you’d find at a hobby shop or home supply store. To my eye, you can get results as good as an airbrush.
Hit a train show or yard sale. There are lots of old Bachmann and Tyco freight cars out there. Practice on those. That’s how I did it. I was really intimidated at the prospect of an airbrush, until I got one and started practicing… Now, I ask myself why I waited SO long.
Man, I forgot - while practicing painting with old toy stock is indeed decent advice, our hobby brethen in the vehicle and plane communities do things a bit different - they use cheap white plastic spoons to test out airbrushing techniques, different colors, finishes, textures, new paint brands, and so on.
If you can’t “5-finger discount” acquire the spoons from a cafeteria, a take-out, or other such places, they run less than 10 cents a piece (usually much less) in stores or on-line. Get the big, white, shiny plastics spoon (no forks or knives); you’ll mostly practice spraying the bowl part so you want that as large as feasible. You can test painting primers, paints, clear coats, layers, etc., and by doing so save the tyco stock for when you really want to test something involved and funky in 3 dimensions.
I’d suggest learning to use the airbrush before worrying about painting anything, even junker rolling stock. My Paasche VL came with a booklet of exercises which teach control of the tool. I used cardboard from the supply of free boxes available at most supermarkets - cut it into flat sheets and practise.
One of the exercises was to make dots, from the intial splatters that you’ll likely start with, down to sharp-edge dots as small as the one at the end of this sentence. When you’ve mastered that, connect the dots with lines, making a grid pattern. The aim is to make the lines as thin and as straight as possible.
It’s unlikely that you’ll ever need to give a boxcar a plaid paint job, but if you persevere with the exercises, you will gain control of the tool - then it’s time to practise painting something. [swg]