Is there a difference in look and quality of paint between the two? I plan on using it for base coats of buildings etc. Your input as usual is much appreciated. Thanks.[:|]
I’ve found that spray cans seem to be very hit or miss. In particular the last two spray cans of Dulecoat I’ve bought have been very poor and seems to shoot the paint out in goops and glops and can almost destroy ones hard work and effort. Spray cans used to be much better. I guess, if I could afford an airbrush I would probably finally break down and buy one. However, I don’t want to spend the amount of money it takes to buy even a middle quality one, let alone a good one, so I will continue to paint using my paint brushes.
Depends - Regular spray paint from Wally-World and such will have coarser pigment and require heavier coats to cover properly. This can result in hidden detail. Your better bets, though pricier, are the paints from Floquil, Testors, Pactra, etc. These have pigment which is ground finer, and consequently will not hide the detail in your stonework, bricks, and siding.
In the long run, though, investment in an air brush would more than pay for itself in better paint jobs, and would allow weathering, etc. And on that subject, I would add a comment that will no doubt draw some objections from some of the more brand-fixated posters here: There is no need to spend tons of money for an airbrush and compressor. An inexpensive compressor from the likes of Campbell-Hausfeld with a 2-gallon tank can be had for less than $50, and a perfectly serviceable airbrush can be purchased for less than $20. To avoid offending anybody, contact me through the Messages area here, or directly from my website below, and I’ll be happy to make some more specific suggestions.
I use spray cans for most structure work. Don’t cheap out. Use high quality paint like the top end stuff from name brands like Krylon, Rustoleum or Design Master (the latter usually available through craft stores). Expect to pay $7 (US) or more for the good stuff. Liquitex sells spray cans matching some of their craft paint colors, and those go for $11 and more. Hobby paints like Testors Model Master are useful for small jobs, and situations where you absolutely need the color they have, but are more expensive for a given volume than the larger cans, so I only use them for a very few things. Also note that nozzles aren’t created equal, and if you have good ones save them after disposing of the cans. Sometimes all it takes to get a can to spray well is to replace the original nozzle with a better one.
A good paint job is easier to achieve from an airbrush on things like locomotives and rolling stock with all the details that need coverage from different angles. Even there, I’ll often use spray cans for certain things like boxcar roofs (without running boards) that can be effectively painted with a can.
Clear flat or gloss from a can can be tricky. Even if I used cans for most of a structure, I may still airbrush the Dullcote or other clear flat to ensure I get even coverage. Valspar clear flat yields a much more reliable result than canned Dullcote, but their nozzles aren’t always the greatest. I normally won’t even consider spraying Dullcote from a can.
I’ve been back in the hobby for about 8 years, and I am still on the fence about getting an airbrush. Thanks for starting this thread.
I really enjoy structure building, and right now I use rattle cans for most of that. I am an “urban modeler” so most of my structures are brick. To me, this works well. I have a collection of cans, mostly primers, so that I can vary the color of bricks. As an aside, I find that applying a primer to a brick structure makes the mortar (a wash of acrylic craft paint in water) flow into the grooves better.
And now for my somewhat tangential question. My “paint booth” is the cut-off corner of a large cardboard box, the base and two adjacent sides. I take that outside, put it down, put the model in the middle and go at it with the spray can. In the dead of winter or on rainy days, I use the garage. Given that this is so simple and involves virtually no cleanup and no power, the whole process is very simple. I would imagine that the ancillary parts of airbrushing, in particular venting, paint preparation and cleanup, would constitute a significant effort.
What do those of you who use airbrushes think? Does using an airbrush turn a 5-minute job into a 30-minute job?
Rattle cans are ok for some things, like primer (red auto primer is great for brick work), and yes, they are convenient. But even with my old reliable single action air brush, I have far better control over the finish I get vs a rattle can. Especially with top coats like Glosscoat or Dullcoat.
Also, look at the economic side. After the initial equipment is over, it’s far cheaper to shoot bottled paint than it is to use rattle cans. Especially when you consider it takes close to 4 of the Floquil rattle cans to equal 1 bottle.
Yes, that’s about right. I have a spray booth that I built from an MR article, so venting is not an issue. However mixing paint, thinning, and cleaning the paint applicator bottle and airbrush when complete does take time.
On the other hand, with the airbrush I can test the spray on a scrap piece to check the spray pattern and thinning mixture. And I think that I can control the amount of paint used. In my opinion there is just too much overspray with the rattle cans. I don’t see how a nozzle designed to apply paint to a Bilco door or truck fender can possibly be suited for smaller tasks.
Hi,
Used properly, they both have their place in our hobby world. In my experience, spray cans work best for large areas, particularly structures were minute details are not so prevalent. Air brushes are best for more precise work, and for areas with lots of small details.
I have a double action air brush and love it. I also have a very good air compressor, filter, dryer and regulator. The regulator came with the compressor which I also use for nail guns and other pneumatic tools as well as airing up the car tires. There are at least 3 categories of control with this brush which have a significant impact on the final finish 1. Paint and Paint/thinner mixture, 2. Air Pressure/quality 3. Air/paint mixture(within the airbrush-double action). Experience is helpful and color as well as paint type make a big difference in how you set it up. They come with good instructions.
For that reason, I still use high end shaker cans for primer, streets, etc type applications which are not that important for finish.
A smooth even gloss coat is one that is normally hardest to obtain without issue, like painting a new vehicle or loco. I don’t want my newly shopped SD70ACe to look like it’s 10 years old.
When I paint, I plan ahead trying to do various jobs taking into account colors, masking, paint type, thinners, etc to avoid unnecessary disassembly /cleaning of the air brush.
BTW, whether using an airbrush or shaker can always spray on something disposable to see how the paint is flowing. Take a couple of practice passes to see how it lays. Make adjustments then before you paint the real deal. Temperature and humidity can have a significant impact.
Richard
I don’t have an airbrush so I can’t really speak with authority about them. I have seen some really fine paint jobs done with airbrush but other than that I don’t know much.
I do use rattle cans. With care you can do very nice work with them. Some tips I can pass on.
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Shake well, like really well. The pigments have been settling to the bottom of the can and sticking there ever since the can was filled at the factory.
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Spray from just the right distance. Too close and the paint goes on too wet. Too far and the paint dries before it hits the model, giving a sandy and dusty texture. Just right has the paint go on a little bit wet, you can see the wet sheen.
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Press the button with the can pointed off one end of the work, sweep the spray along the work at a steady pace and off the other end. Don’t let up on the button until the spray is all the way off the far end of the work.
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Two thin coats are better than a thick coat that sags and runs.
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You can’t do a good job on a windy day. That is, if your spray booth is the great outdoors like mine.
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Clean the nozzle after painting. Turn the can upside down and press the button. Keep spraying until the spray comes out clear.
I have had my airbrush for over 20 years now, and would never go back. It’s like when you had been painting by brush, and first tried spray cans. Once you got used to it, the spray gave a better finish coat while still showing more detail. Going from spray cans to air brush was a similar experience for me. An air brush sprays a finer stream of paint than a can, so you get a better finish coat while not hiding detail. With an air brush, you can custom mix colors, and spray a fine mist for weathering. Not possible with a can.
That being said, there is still a big place in my painting for brushes and spray cans. As mentioned before, painting a large surface like a building is best done with a can if a suitable color is available. There are always some small details that are best painted by brush - it is just too much of a pain to mask them off to spray. I just finished a couple of John Deere items; using Floquil BN green which is a transparent color. After spraying, and not making much progress, I ended up brush painting them
For years, I was intimidated by airbrushes, until, 2 years ago, I took the plunge and finally bought one. About the ONLY thing I use a rattle can for is for priming models. There is just no way to duplicate the evenness and fine control that an airbrush offers.
LION does not own an air brush… Him never used one. Him has not the patience to clean one. Him use rattle can to spray paint. Him uses brush for other stuff. Him uses the tip of his tail for detail work.
(Get it— detail work!)
ROAR
I don’t own an airbrush and I use rattle cans, but I suspect that an airbrush would give better results, all thngs being equal.
Keep in mind, both require the acquisition of a certain amount of skill, so a skilled rattle can guy can probably get better results than an unskilled guy using an airbrush.
As far as rattle cans, warming the can under a hot faucet tends to thin the paint and makes it flow thinner than using it at room temperature.
Some folks will airbrush primer, gloss coat, then dull coat. That’s three coats of paint with which to hide details. Sometimes, you can just cut to the chase and use flat paint and limit the application to one coat. Again, one coat of paint from an experienced rattle can painter might look better than three coats of paint from an airbrush.
Bottom line is you need to practice with either to get good results.
The air brush is much better, no question. Think Kato vs Tyco.
If you want to paint a small area with a can, an old auto touch up trick might help:
Get a piece of cardboard and cut a hole in it. Place in front of structure and spray through the hole.Experiment with the size of the hole. This will catch a lot of over spray and help keep the coating lighter.
I have an airbrush and compressor that I bought 5-6 years ago on Ebay for $77 and it came with 2 airbrushes. It works fine for model stuff but I still use spray cans for some paint work like buildings. You have to be careful with spray cans as you can get too much paint and cover details that wouldn’t happen with the airbrush. Here is one on Ebay now that is comparable with mine; not a bad investment.
-Bob
I was a long-time holdout against an airbrush, too. Now I’m a convert, all because my wife got me one for Christmas about 5 years ago. As someone else said, it’s a learned skill (and I confess I attended a workshop in airbrushing texhniques run by Iwata media). But now I consistently do much better with an airbrushnthan I ever could with a rattle can. Personally, I don’t think it takes much if any longer to paint a large area,. Yes, clean-up is a little more time consuming, but I’ve got that down to a science, too.
I’ve got three air brushes, two compressors, and everything but what I really need – a good spot that’s well lit and has an exhaust hood. Maybe I need to put that on the project list someday?
I do most of my painting with rattle cans, mostly with Rustoleum and Krylon. There’s been a lot of improvement in spray paint . You still have to be careful to not cause a disaster, However, I’m happy with my results and, although I still pull put the airbrushes every once in awhile for some fancy work, most things get sprayed from a can, with some detail work with Micro-Brushes.
I never cared much at all for rattle cans, and could generally get as good or better a job using a brush. Once I got an airbrush, I can’t imagine using a rattle can for anything. I addition to a better finish, you’ll use less paint for the same job and you can have any colour you wish simply by mixing it yourself. Clean-up for my double action Paasche VL takes just over a minute.
Usually, and especially when I’m painting freight cars, I do multiples, as in two or three or even four dozen at a time (I have to heat the paint shop in the winter, so I need to make it worthwhile) [swg] At any point I can change colours or alter the colour which I’m using, all without having to clean the airbrush. In fact, if you plan your painting sequence carefully, you can do clear coats, whites and yellows, darker colours and weathering, all with no need to clean the airbrush until you’re finished.
For weathering, simply thin the paint as much as you wish, then build-up the weathering effects to suit your tastes.
For painting steam locomotives, I use four or five shades of black, and with proper planning, have no need to mask anything, other than occasionally holding a piece of card to shield an adjacent area.
While the initial outlay for the brush and compressor can be substantial, you’ll quickly recoup that in savings on paint. I payed for my airbrush doing custom painting, while my compressor is a modified one from an airbrake system. My spray booth was built using scrap plywood and Masonite, pop-rivetted together with angle material left over from a suspended ceiling. The fan is from an old air hockey game.
Oh, and as far as using spray cans for larger items: I restored an old library table for re-use as a kitchen table, and applied the urethane clear coat using my airbrush.
Wayne
I’m with Wayne here 100%!
It also only takes me about a minute to clean my Paasche VL which I’ve now had for close to 30 years. I use a 2 gallon Cambell/Hausfeld compressor which is situated up in the garage connected to the spraybooth by a long hose, so I can paint 24/7 without bothering anyone else in the house. Although mine does, there’s no need to vent outdoors if you only spray acrylics, you do still need a filter…
I shoot acrylics exclusively and I do rinse out the airbrush between color changes but that takes all of 30 seconds. I have a 2.5 gallon container of water and a rubbermaid tub next to my homebuilt spraybooth.