Model Painting 101

[JudgeDredd]

I'm not sure tbh. What is the psi of the Neo compressor?

I don't honestly know...but I wouldn't think Iwata would sell a sub-standard compressor with their airbrush because if you don't get the results, it kind of looks bad on their airbrush and may push you to a competitor next time. If that wasn't an Iwata compressor, then maybe I'd be a bit concerned...again, I don't know what the PSI rating is.

I have a compressor with an air tank on it. I heard it helps with steady airflow - but I'm not sure on the legitimacy of that.

For info, I generally paint between 10-20psi

[Jarhead0331]

I'm not sure tbh. What is the psi of the Neo compressor?

I don't honestly know...but I wouldn't think Iwata would sell a sub-standard compressor with their airbrush because if you don't get the results, it kind of looks bad on their airbrush and may push you to a competitor next time. If that wasn't an Iwata compressor, then maybe I'd be a bit concerned...again, I don't know what the PSI rating is.

I have a compressor with an air tank on it. I heard it helps with steady airflow - but I'm not sure on the legitimacy of that.

For info, I generally paint between 10-20psi

I've heard it is advertised as 30psi, but is really 15psi.

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

I'd get a compressor with an adjustable psi gauge.

I ordered my setup from these guys.  I went with the Harder & Steenbeck Infinity setup.  It was probably overkill for what I do.  I honestly could get by with a no-name brush with a 0.4mm needle as I mainly just basecoat with mine.

https://spraygunner.com/

[Con]

I did a lot of research from mini pages and went with the Iawata eclipse as my first airbrush
It's been a pretty good workhorse
I bought the tooty airbrush compressor from noname - unfortunately it doesn't seem available any more
The criteria I was looking for was small/fairly quiet/easy psi regulator/tank to hold air and this was recommended
Bought all the parts off Amazon

[undercovergeek]

I did a lot of research from mini pages and went with the Iawata eclipse as my first airbrush
It's been a pretty good workhorse
I bought the tooty airbrush compressor from noname - unfortunately it doesn't seem available any more
The criteria I was looking for was small/fairly quiet/easy psi regulator/tank to hold air and this was recommended
Bought all the parts off Amazon

I've only ever heard of iawata and recommended above all others

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

I also went with the tooty/nonsense compressor.  Good enough for the price.  I had to replace hoses once due to  cracking and even though I t-taped everything, mine  doesn't hold pressure completely (or the pressure sending element is twitchy) so it sometimes fires up briefly but first tune st full power.  It reminds me of an old, cranky dog barely lifting its head off tge carpet to half-heartedly bark before going back to sleep.

Anyway, learning the ropes of the airbrush is a hurdle, but it can be fun.  Figuring out what psi works with what paints, how to thin to the right consistency, how to clear blockages, how to quickly clean up/cover-up spider-webbing, how to mask, how to clean up/hide overspray and under-running from flaws in your masking, etc.  All stuff to look forward to.

I started out with Tamiya paints.  If you're painting scale models, dioramas, and display pieces, they're great.  The pots are designed so that there's an air gap in each one.  That gap is just enough to fill one pot lid's worth of thinner.  Adding that thinner to a full paint pot will give you the right consistency for airbrushing in temperate environments.

I stopped using Tamiya because it has a slightly sticky texture when fully dried which isn't conducive to minis gaming.  It feels a little gross to handle and bits of terrain can stick to the models as you move them around the board.  Also, Tamiya's colour range is a bit limited.  Thry for publish great guides with mixing ratios to get the colour you want, but I never manage to get it quite the same each time and when you're batch painting an army, it can look a little off if half the unit's uniforms or tanks are a different hue than the other half's.  That's when weathering comes in it play.

 

[JudgeDredd]

I've heard it is advertised as 30psi, but is really 15psi.

I don't know what anyone else thinks - but 30 seems quite high. There's no way (that I know of) to limit the air coming through the airbrush. You can limit the paint flow, depending on how far you pull the trigger back, but afaik (and certainly on my Iwata Eclipse) air is on or off (press down action).

I'd go with what SDR suggested - a compressor with variable PSI.

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

I think one of these setups is a great place to start.  Adjustable PSI on the compressor and your choice of airbrush.

https://spraygunner.com/collections/no-name-airbrush-sets/products/no-name-tooty-air-compressor-with-starter-airbrush-set

[Jarhead0331]

I think one of these setups is a great place to start.  Adjustable PSI on the compressor and your choice of airbrush.

https://spraygunner.com/collections/no-name-airbrush-sets/products/no-name-tooty-air-compressor-with-starter-airbrush-set

Thanks! Any recommendations on the airbrush?

[Silent Disapproval Robot]

Anything with a dual-action trigger.  Iwata, Harder & Steenbeck, or Badger are all mainstays so it's easier to get parts and accessories for them.  0.4mm needle is good for priming, basecoating, zenithal highlighting, and varnishing.  0.2mm if you want to do panel-lining, figure painting, or detail work.

From the ones listed, I'd probably go with the Eclipse myself.

I have a 0.2mm brush but I just don't possess steady enough hands to reliably do detail work.  I've tried but I usually end up spending more time with a brush touching up overspray than I would've spent just doing it via brush in the first place.  Works great for adding shadows and panel lines though.

[JudgeDredd]

I mentioned before I just recently bought an Iwata Eclipse and it is excellent. Everything I read/watched online had people saying it was their work horse.

I also mentioned I got a Neo TRN1. I bought that because my first brush (a Harder Steenbeck) I couldn't get used to the dual action (push down for air and pull back for paint). The TRN1 has a trigger like a gun and it is very easy to control air and paint.

It was a bit harder to strip down and clean fully - but you should rarely have to do that. Often a small clean is all you need to do. Strip downs aren't required very often.

You can also buy a 0.5mm needle kit to change your needle. So it's a 0.35mm needle that comes with it which is an all rounder. Too big for super fine work but fine for pre-shading and the like. Then if you buy the needle kit, that changes it to 0.5mm - allowing for bigger spray and coverage (like doing a HUGE ship perhaps). I did buy the 0.5mm needle kit hoping it would help me with primer (which always seemed to clog my brush - again, a me problem, not a brush problem...0.35mm is fine for priming) - which it did not. But importantly - it's an option if you wanted it. I would rather just buy another brush nowadays than a needle changing kit tbh.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Iwata-Gravity-Pistol-Trigger-Airbrush/dp/B00HJ777W6/ref=asc_df_B00HJ777W6?mcid=5bf1ce9ef6223af0a8cc123e42c41cb0&th=1&psc=1&hvocijid=8636867589473695484-B00HJ777W6-&hvexpln=74&tag=googshopuk-21&linkCode=df0&hvadid=696285193871&hvpos=&hvnetw=g&hvrand=8636867589473695484&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=9212143&hvtargid=pla-2281435176658&psc=1&gad_source=1

[JudgeDredd]

Got some new washes today

[Jarhead0331]

It's amazing what difference a day can make. I know it wasn't what you guys recommended, but at this price, I couldn't walk away. For a first airbrush, I'm hoping it's not bad. Either way, Hobby Lobby rules! All model kits and airbrush supplies were 40% off too...

[Jarhead0331]

I'm probably going to outgrow this thing pretty fast. The compressor is tiny. It has two modes...low and high. Low power is about 4psi while high is about 15psi. The airbrush itself appears to have a nozzle for medium detail. I think it will be a great unit to learn on, but I sense a bigger compressor and more advanced brush in my not so distant future.

[Con]

Wait till you have to break it down to deal with a massive clog!  Then you will really be contemplating lifes choices