If you are painting and are just changing colors, just rinse the bowl out and blast some thinner through the cup and out of the nozzle and change colors. If you are changing the type of paint (acrylic to lacquer or enamel) just make sure there are no fluids in the airbrush before adding paint.
If I have any airbrush problems I might associate with dried paint or I am done for the day, I do a through cleaning before putting the airbrush away. I clean as noted above, then disassemble the airbrush and put the parts into a small glass jar filled with lacquer thinner. I place the jar with parts into an ultrasonic cleaner and fill the cleaner to the correct level with water. I turn on the cleaner and run it a couple cycles and I am done. The ultrasonic waves pass through the glass and vibrate the lacquer thinner and parts. Reassemble the airbrush, blow some distilled water through it and put it away.
I have a similair set, bought it because I thought it would be handy for doing some spraying whilst on the campsite. But I find it is ‘ok’ for priming but nothing much more than that.
Fully charged I can use it for about 10-15 minutes, than have to recharge for an hour…
The coiled hose is not handy for working, pulls the compressor along..
But I still use it for priming small interiors of my 1/72 airplanes, not much else.
Oh, yea… Frosty Propel cans plopped into pots of hot tap water to extend their pressure and the spare tire Shrader valve hose connector… Fond memories!
I had a space organized between my work desk and the chest of drawers in my bedroom just the size to roll that spare tire into. We lived (still do) in the “sticks,” so begging someone to drive me into town to the nearest gas station to pump up my spare tire when I was in the middle of an airbrushing project was always “fun.” (I think it was a negotiating skills building exercise…)
All part of the learning process. Managing a limited supply of compressed air and learning, by observation and experience, the effects of (infinitely!) variable air pressures on airbrushing were valuable lessons. BTW, don’t let anyone tell you that you can’t modulate the air pressure of a single-action airbrush by varying how hard you press the air trigger. (This is one reason why I went decades before I finally bought a double-action airbrush.)
Any hoo… Remember, there are no “advanced techniques,” only evermore refined and mastered applications of the basics.
My rechargeable set up has a replaceable battery pack which lasts about 30 minutes and takes 30 minutes to charge. the compressor to airbrush fitting is universal so most airbrushes can be attached the only thing missing is a means to adjust the pressure but a valve can be added in line however you’ll need to guess-t-mate the pressure without a gauge. I rarely use it as I also have a proper set up but it does work, I now generally use it with a cheap chinese airbrush for priming. I generally use it handheld without the hose.
That’s what I ended up doing too. And about the pressure: there is a small button on mine, press it once it will switch on and start blowing out air, press it again it gives more air, press it a third time and it’s switched off…
Mine doesn’t have that function but I do have a spare battery so if I ever needed to airbrush for more than an hour, I can be charging one battery while using the other. Very rare as I have a normal compressor set up as well.
I think an airbrush all depends on how careful you are with it.
Iwata makes hardy airbrushes that can take a beating although their needles are extremely fragile and can get bent very easily at the tips. They can be finicky airbrushes that require precision assembly and pristine gaskets, but as others have posted, a lot depends on the paint mixture.
Harder and Steenbeck airbrushes are very delicate. I laid one on my concrete laundry tub after spraying it with Windex and the pebbles in the tub literally dented the chrome casing, meaning that the airbrush is thinly plated chrome. Boy was I surprised!
I find that the fewer parts for an airbrush, the better. My first airbrush was a Paasche VLS as a teenager back in the 1990s (not a cheap purchase for my dad) and I didn’t know how to take care of it so I soaked the whole airbrush in a can of thinner to clean it and it ended up pitted and corroded. It was a pain with bottles, tips, caps, and things that aren’t even necessary for airbrushing.
One can talk to the airbrush experts such as Dixie Art Supply and Spraygunner…these businesses have been around for decades and their salespeople should provide wise sales advice.
Get it put together and find an old build you can test it on. Try various techniques and see how its handles and performs. I was so surprised when I used mine for the first time.
I knew a guy who restored old bicycles. And I mean old. He used lead paint from a plastic spray bottle and made his own decals. Most beautiful finishes you’ve ever seen.
Lead paint is amazing to work with. I painted a commercial sign for a business and used lead based sign painters paint. Was a dream to brush with and was 100% opaque. White letters on Navy Blue. One coat no thin spots.
I got back into modelling after 20 some years, going back to the hobby I did with my dad as a way to deal with stress. I bought a used Humbrol airbrush off ebay. I just wanted to see what all the fuss was about. It was extremely basic but did the job. The compressor I had was a work compressor and so very noisy. Jump forward a few years and for various birthdays and fathers days I got a budget compressor which is quiet and more controllable, I also ended up with a Harder and Steenbeck Ultra, streets ahead of the Humbrol but so temperamental.
Apart from the cordless battery powered compressor I mentioned earlier I have slowly built up a collection of parts, two cheap Chinese airbrushes, a relatively cheap Gaahleri airbrush plus one of their ‘ACE’ series Swallowtails, a Gaahleri portable compressor with two outlets plus recently in a Amazon prime day deal a Gaahleri dual drive compressor with tank.
Now after a home move I just need a bench to be able to actually build and paint plus a spray booth.
You buy one if you aspire for excellence. You do not need to be there yet.
I do not mean that as a dig or anything like that. Sometimes, a more expensive tool really does produce a better result. With airbrushes, the good ones can spray super fine lines with no over spray when using the right paints under the right conditions. Who does not want to paint more perfect camouflage? I suspect everyone here does. An extra hundred bucks may get the modeler closer to that goal. It is not the only factor, but it is a factor.
I suspect most of us are looking for good but inexpensive until we build up the skill to push further. When push further arrives, there are the more expensive airbrushes. If push further never arrives, that is also fine.
I think that’s the right philosophy here, Doug: looking at it as something progressive.
Sure, I’d love an Iwata, but will it feel like a waste of money if I never get to use it to full capacity? Probably. Whereas starting with something cheap will get me a foot in the door and, who knows, make me realize that having a $150 reliable airbursh kit is all I need.
Fron what I’ve gleaned from this thread and various readings, mastering paint thinning and knowing your machine are arguably more important for the beginner than the airbrush and compressor that were bought.
Some people are incremental buyers. They keep or replace their tools as they grow. In the end you have multiple sets of varying quality tools. Some purchase a good set of tools that last a lifetime. It is just your philosophy. What is “good enough” for you may not be for others. My great uncle drove an early 50’s chevy flatbed truck for the entire time I knew him. It had a “patina” for a finish. The bed was rotting on places. You could hear it for a half mile away. I don’t know what the 0 to 60 times were because it never got to 60mph. It was good enough for him. Me, I like to hear the radio. I like a smooth ride. I want to keep up with traffic. I want to leave early without waking the neighbors. I like my vehicle to track straight as I drive. His truck did none of these.
I’m not suggesting everyone needs a Porsche. In your selection think about Badgers. Long running reputation, good service, parts availability. It will be a long lasting tool that will not break the bank.
