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c0bra’s first attempts with an airbrush and Tamiya paints!

c0bra

RCC Addict
Joined
Mar 17, 2011
Messages
1,401
Location
easton
Like the tittle says I finally pulled the trigger on an airbrush. After changing my mind for over a year I finally decided to order an amazon special airbrush!

Enter the master airbrush kit from amazon. This kit came with a compressor, g22, g25, and e91 airbrushes. I know this kit isn’t fancy but I got it just to learn on. If it brakes within the first few uses then oh well as long as i can learn on it.

Now with that being said I’m not trying to become the next master with an airbrush, just want to be able to 1 paint at a time and apply clear once done. Not trying to do any fine detail work without a bunch of masking

Anyways after watching multiple YouTube videos I decided to send it and paint the grill for a rc4wd mojave based project. I figured it’s something small and easily replaceable if I screw it up. Anyways I decided to paint it Tamiya xf-1 flat black.

1e901d5f783b8e73b994c5a1694a6c17.jpg


Now I think I may have thinned the paint a bit too much because I had to go over it a few times to make it black, but I’m not complaining, I’m a complete noob when it comes to airbrushing.


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The e91 airbrush is probably going to be of limited use in the RC hobby. I've never found an external mix airbrush that did anything I wanted control wise.

Pretty much any gravity feed double action airbrush is going to capable of more detail than you are when you're learning. Nicer airbrushes tend to be more consistent rather than strictly "better".

Double action siphon feed air brushes are good for larger coverage areas.

There's lots of choices these days compared to when I started airbrushing. I started with a Paasche VL, and added an Iwata Eclipse HP-CS for a gravity feed option. Both are still in use over 13 years later with just occasional seal replacements every half-decade or so.

With Tamiya paints, I very rarely thin them when using them in a gravity feed airbrush, and thin around 1:2 for siphon feed with denatured alcohol, but prefer not to use the VL for Tamiya paints. More important than thinning in my airbrushes is proper mixing.

I make a stirring tool with some safety lock wire (thinner utility wire would work too). Make a wrap around a 5/16 nut driver (or anything small enough to fit the jar mouth of your paint), and tight wrap the wire to make a stem. Chuck that up in a cordless drill, and you have a low-splash power mixer for your paint, that also won't hold or use a lot paint, and can be easily cleaned to avoid color cross contamination.

If your Tamiya paint just won't get a smooth consistency, add a little denature alcohol, or Isopropyl alcohol at a time, while power mixing.

Under thinned paint will spray inconsistently, or clog. Over thinned paint will run easily, or be more transparent than expected. Under thinned paint can be easily thinned additionally, over thinned paint is less easily corrected.

Have fun with it, there's all kinds of nuance to discover in all aspects of air brushing."thumbsup"
 
Thanks!

I placed an order for an iwata hp cs airbrush. Can’t wait to try it out


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk
 
Great choice!!!
I just get a Iwata HP-C plus and it’s awesome to work with!
The Iwata does not clog like the Harder&Steenbeck‘s for example.
And i don’t have to thin the Vallejo colors anymore... and it doesn‘t spit when the cup gets empty.

Just be careful with the nozzle!
I clean my Iwata without removing the nozzle.
And since the Iwata does not clog, it‘s not a lot to clean...
Have fun with the Iwata, you’re gonna love it!
 
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Great choice!!!
I just get a Iwata HP-C plus and it’s awesome to work with!
The Iwata does not clog like the Harder&Steenbeck‘s for example.
And i don’t have to thin the Vallejo colors anymore... and it doesn‘t spit when the cup gets empty.

Just be careful with the nozzle!
I clean my Iwata without removing the nozzle.
And since the Iwata does not clog, it‘s not a lot to clean...
Have fun with the Iwata, you’re gonna love it!


That’s good it doesn’t spit, I keep having an issue with the master airbrush that I’m using after I refil the cup. It likes to start spitting for some reason which was the big reason why I ordered the iwata


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I am looking into getting a different air compressor, currently I have the cheap one from master airbrush on Amazon.

I am looking at getting a small kobalt air compressor
141cff90aa7f5ab9f4fdcf160a0efd67.jpg


I would prefer a smaller one but I definitely want one that’s as quite as possible. The biggest question I have, is what pneumatic fittings would I have to buy to make it work for an airbrush?


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All the airbrush hoses I have use a sealing washer on the "big" fitting end of the hose, and that nut will thread onto a regular male npt automotive quick connect fitting. Use some Teflon tape, and no air leaks on my lines.

Edit: or the big end has a bevel that will seal into the automotive fitting well enough to do the job for me.
 
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