Airbrush?

[Bdnoble84]

Has anyone had any luck with the Master Airbrush kit like shown in the attached image?

[12poundbass]

I’m not an airbrush guy, though I’ve pondered it over the years. The reviews seem to be extremely favorable for this unit. I’d say go for it. 

[looking45]

i would get the Iwata Neo airbrush kit. It also comes with a mini compressor. Get a 40% off coupon online. Hobby Lobby also carries extra parts for the Neo

 

https://www.hobbylobby.com/Crafts-Hobbies/Model-Kits/Airbrushes/Iwata-NEO-CN-Gravity-Feed-Airbrushing-Kit/p/80794884

[Bdnoble84]

Got it for christmas. Looking at compressor, it says it only goes up to 15 psi. Is this enough pressure for acrylics?

[Michigander]

This kit is fine. The G series airbrushes aren't the best ones for a novice. They work but tend to be more on the fiddly side.

[Michigander]

1 hour ago, Bdnoble84 said:

Got it for christmas. Looking at compressor, it says it only goes up to 15 psi. Is this enough pressure for acrylics?

Yes, but they need to be thin. There's a variety of ways. I prefer to add both Vallejo Airbrush Thinner and Vallejo Flow Improver. It's about $30 to get the two of them. If you want a budget option, distilled water and some dish soap do the deed as well.

[Bdnoble84]

My daughter and I played with it last night with the supplied paint as all are cheap acrylics that are definitely too thick. The supplied paint was very thin for sure. I like the duel action though. No needle to fiddle with.

[Michigander]

27 minutes ago, Bdnoble84 said:

My daughter and I played with it last night with the supplied paint as all are cheap acrylics that are definitely too thick. The supplied paint was very thin for sure. I like the duel action though. No needle to fiddle with.

Just make sure to clean it thoroughly when you're done. Built up dried paint in its internals will cause all kinds of headaches!

[Bdnoble84]

3 hours ago, Michigander said:

Just make sure to clean it thoroughly when you're done. Built up dried paint in its internals will cause all kinds of headaches!

Yup, experienced that quite a bit with my old syphon feed and cheap walmart acrylic. 

[Bdnoble84]

Will this brush work with powder or does that require a different one?

[Michigander]

7 minutes ago, Bdnoble84 said:

Will this brush work with powder or does that require a different one?

Incompatible with powder.

[Mbirdsley]

It won’t work with powder.  I bought the harbor freight deluxe kit which, it looks like that is what that is just sold at a different retailer.  I upgraded my brush but, still use the compressor. However, if I was in a pinch I wouldn’t hesitate to purchase another harbor freight deluxe air brush  I paint model planes with mine so it would work for lures. 

[jgordon]

15 psi might be ok I have found you might have to reduce it down a bit to get to spray some paints I have had crank it up to 25 before on some.

[Munkin]

Sometimes I have to spray the base coat at 30 psi. 

 

Allen 

[Baitmaker]

21 hours ago, Munkin said:

Sometimes I have to spray the base coat at 30 psi. 

 

Allen 

X 2. White opaque Createx and even Wicked paint is especially thick and needs reduced to flow properly at low PSI. I typically do much of my detail and closeup work at 15 or lower psi but go with 30 or more to lay down my base coats. I mostly use 4012 Auto Air reducer. Some paints such as transparent colors can be sprayed straight out of the bottle without reducer, while others like opaque white may need as much as a 50/50 mix to spray well at 15 psi. The consistency that I shoot for is basically like skim milk. After a while you can just look at it and know without measuring or following a specific ratio. 

[Munkin]

6 minutes ago, Baitmaker said:

X 2. White opaque Createx and even Wicked paint is especially thick and needs reduced to flow properly at low PSI. I typically do much of my detail and closeup work at 15 or lower psi but go with 30 or more to lay down my base coats. I mostly use 4012 Auto Air reducer. Some paints such as transparent colors can be sprayed straight out of the bottle without reducer, while others like opaque white may need as much as a 50/50 mix to spray well at 15 psi. The consistency that I shoot for is basically like skim milk. After a while you can just look at it and know without measuring or following a specific ratio. 

 

Opaque white and pearls seem to be the thickest.

 

Allen

[Baitmaker]

On 2/2/2021 at 9:14 PM, Munkin said:

 

Opaque white and pearls seem to be the thickest.

 

Allen

Yes. Those and metallic paints can also be challenging with low PSI 

[Michigander]

The size of the pigment in white paint is the issue with that. No amount of thinning will solve that problem. Its not that it won't go through the airbrush, it will, but you're likely to get the slight spattering look if you're doing anything other than base coating. To get a smoother coat, you need a bigger needle like a 0.5mm.

 

I use white ink which has ultra fine pigment to do highlights or build a light transition layer to do candy colors or transparent effects. Ink allows me to use down to a 0.2mm for maximum control and smooth transition layers.

 

Metals can also fall into this category because there is a HUGE variance in the size of the metal flakes from paint to paint. My preference is the Vallejo Metal Color series as it's simply the best acrylic metal paint I have ever used through the airbrush and I have used quite a variety at this point.