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Aztek airbrush revelation


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I'm on the verge of replacing my Aztek A470 with an Iwata.

I've used the Aztek for about 10yrs now (my only ever airbrush, so nothing to compare it to) and have had the usual problems you read about (jamming/broken trigger due to paint blowing back inside the body, got a new one - actually they sent 2 - under warranty, broke all the rules by dismantling the body to clean the insides with acetone, taking the nozzles apart to clean them).

Then the other week I found this video -

I started setting it up as he explains, and also (as per some Aztek instructions I found out of the blue on the web) stopped disassembling the tan tip to clean it, and instead just soak it in a jar of Windex for 10 mins then spray water/Windex through it to clear.

Guess what? The whole show is performing a lot better - particularly less spitting and clogging, and finer control :o

It's not all beer and skittles though. I find with prolonged spraying, paint starts running down the bottom seam of the airbrush and eventually onto my fingers....but that might be a result of my previous unadvised dis-assemblies ;)

I'm still going to buy an Iwata Eclipse HP-CS soon for a change of scenery, but this might help some frustrated Aztek users.

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I used to have an aztek, thing was really high maintenance, I usually spent more time cleaning and trying to get it to work than actually spraying. I eventually sent it in for a replacement under warranty, but then bought a Harder & Steenbeck and havent looked back or used the aztek since they sent it back

.

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Dude, just get that Iwata . Never had an Aztek but I can tell you I love mine .

Cheers, Christian

Yup, gonna do it - will get one all the way from Adelaide through these dudes - http://www.airbrushmegastore.com/

Hopefully it will finally allow me to spray freehand camo.

Just got to save up for a while because I just blew some big $'s on fly-fishing waders and boots :whistle:

So many hobbies, so little time and money :rolleyes:

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I've never disassembled nozzles of my Aztec(so far). I flush them with thinner, and then soak them in lacquer thinner. Never had problems. I've had this Aztec for 15 years.

Two years ago I bought an Eclipse. I haven't managed yet to try it... :lol:

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  • 5 months later...

I posted this over in my Gladiator progress thread, but thought it should go here too:

I got a new tan nozzle for my Aztek and bugger me if it doesn't spray so much better it is not funny....so I may not need an Iwata after all. I also got some Vallejo airbrush cleaner and instead of dis-assembling the nozzles (which Aztek say is not required, but numerous other users dis-agree), I just shoot 50% cleaner/50% distilled water through between colours, and when done airbrushing soak the nozzle and the end of the airbrush in the cleaner for a bit. We'll see if that keeps it all working better. It does seem to me however that many of my previous problems with paint blowing back into the airbrush body may have been due to a clogged and/or worn nozzle. They probably need replacing every couple of years, not in 8 years :P

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I used to have an Aztec but gave up because of cleaning problems. Replacing the nozzles did help, but they seemed to get worse sooner next time around. Finally gave up and now have a Badger 360. Big Improvement!!! Most important thing is I can disassemble it to pieces and guarantee it's squeaky clean.

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Ah forget it. It was spraying well for a day or so, but now has started leaking paint out behind the nozzle which runs down the underside of the AB and eventually all the way to your hand. And unless you regularly wipe this off, it will spit from time to time. After this build, it's Iwata or similar time :wacko:

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I bit the bullet & just ordered an Iwata HP-CP.

Nearly ruined the paintjob on my Gladiator last night with the bloody Aztek leaking paint everywhere, getting on my fingers and despite being very careful, eventually I put fingerprints on the existing paintwotk :bandhead2:/> I now understand those modellers who say they've hurled things at the wall!

I think I'll still be able to use the black nozzle on the Aztek for broad coverage work, but all fine detail will now (hopefully) be the domain of the Iwata.

I was going to get the CS, but the airbrush store in Adelaide recommended the CP, and the reviews I read indicated both were good ABs - the only risk with the CP being a finer nozzle (0.3mm vs 0.35) which some thought might mean more clogging with model paints (saying these ABs were designed for ink) but many saying they had no probs with Tamiya acrylic and Alclad through the CP.

Edited by Thommo
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I bought an Aztek because when it arrived on the modelling scene it was being touted as some kind of Uber brush. I used mine once.... ONCE! I couldn't run fast enough back to my venerable Paasche H. When I read model mags and find out the author used an Aztek, I am just that much more impressed with their builds!

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I bought an Aztek because when it arrived on the modelling scene it was being touted as some kind of Uber brush. I used mine once.... ONCE! I couldn't run fast enough back to my venerable Paasche H. When I read model mags and find out the author used an Aztek, I am just that much more impressed with their builds!

I agree. It's the only AB I've ever had and I've battled on with it for 10+ years, but I'm done. The final straw was spending $40 on two new nozzles, thinking I'd fixed the problem for a day or two, then it started leaking like a seive.

I am fairly proud of some of the paintjobs I've acheieved with it, having come to grips with its many quirks, but on my current build it was sucking the joy out of the hobby for me, and my wife was getting sick of the x-rated language coming from the modelling bench ;) , so time to move on.

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I agree. It's the only AB I've ever had and I've battled on with it for 10+ years, but I'm done. The final straw was spending $40 on two new nozzles, thinking I'd fixed the problem for a day or two, then it started leaking like a seive.

I am fairly proud of some of the paintjobs I've acheieved with it, having come to grips with its many quirks, but on my current build it was sucking the joy out of the hobby for me, and my wife was getting sick of the x-rated language coming from the modelling bench ;)/> , so time to move on.

Thommo,

My wife often asks me, why I keep on building models, as I do use some colorful language when things don't go my way. Which is more often then not these days.

Joel

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Joel and anyone else who use the normal type of AB - a question about how you put/mix paint in your Iwata cup.

With the old Aztek, because the paint cup was on the side of the AB, I'd just use a straw and put some thinner in the cup, then add drops of paint to the cup using half a wooden skewer, then stir the mix together in the paint cup.

I had a quick look at the Iwata last night and noticed the paint cup is on top, and through the bottom of the cup you can see some of the internals of the AB. Can I still do as I did above with the Aztek, or does mixing the paint & thinner in the cup with a wooden skewer risk damaging the AB internals? Hence a need to mix the paint outside the cup first & then add it to the cup?

cheers, Thommo

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Thommo,

It doesn't matter where the paint cup is. Just add thinner 1st then paint. Mix well. That will prevent any unthinned paint from flowing over the needle, which is what you see at the bottom of the bowl, and then clogging the cone.

Joel

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Thommo,

It doesn't matter where the paint cup is. Just add thinner 1st then paint. Mix well. That will prevent any unthinned paint from flowing over the needle, which is what you see at the bottom of the bowl, and then clogging the cone.

Joel

Cheers Joel - I'm glad it is still that simple!

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I've tried mixing in the AB cup, but have always been horribly disappointed in the results.

Is this something you do frequently?

Since I mix in a small stainless paint mixing cup, it's easy to see that getting a good mix takes a few stirs. The cup clearly wastes paint every time, but is most glaring when mixing small quantities.

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I've tried mixing in the AB cup, but have always been horribly disappointed in the results.

Is this something you do frequently?

Since I mix in a small stainless paint mixing cup, it's easy to see that getting a good mix takes a few stirs. The cup clearly wastes paint every time, but is most glaring when mixing small quantities.

I did it 100% of the time with the Aztek. Thinner in first, then gradually add paint on the end of a wooden skewer, continuously stir as I go then spray when it appears fully mixed.

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I'm glad that you may have found a solution for your Aztek, but I hated mine from day one. Then I got a Grex and airbrushing has become enjoyable, even the dreaded cleaning.

I didn't really find a solution - at least not a long term one which is why I bought an Iwata HP-CP.

Gave the Iwata it's first run tonight. Was amazed at how fine and neat the spray pattern was compared to the Aztek initially - seriously I could do dots that were about a mm in diameter (3mm minimum with the Aztek when it was behaving properly).

Also, it uses so much less paint than the Aztek it is incredible.

Then I started to get a bit of coarse overspray. Probably just need to get the paint consistency right/adjust the air pressure/add some flow retarder as it seemed to be hitting the model very 'dry' after a while, which coincided with the coarser overspray starting. Perhaps the Iwata needs much thinner paint than I'm accustomed to?

But the feel and control is fantastic, and the ability to adjust the amount of trigger movement with the little dial at the back is brilliant.

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I've tried mixing in the AB cup, but have always been horribly disappointed in the results.

Is this something you do frequently?

Since I mix in a small stainless paint mixing cup, it's easy to see that getting a good mix takes a few stirs. The cup clearly wastes paint every time, but is most glaring when mixing small quantities.

dnl42,

I've been mixing paint in the AB cup since the 1970s without any issues. I always add the proper thinner 1st, and I always use an eyedropper. For acrylics I add 1 drop of Windsor & Newton's Flow Enhancer to every 11 drops of thinner. I've found that this does in fact make a difference. I mix the paint with a dental flosser so there is almost no chance of damaging the needle at the bottom of the bowl. As I said before, adding paint 1st is a fast track to clogging your AB cone.

Thommo,

There is just no comparing the Aztex and Iwata ABs. It's like comparing a Hugo to a Ferrari. Both are cars, and will eventually get you from point A to point B. But that's about the only comparison one can make. As for the over spray issue, it can be caused by a number of reasons or even combination of reasons. Wrong paint to thinner ratio, to high of Flow rate psi, and too far from the surface of the model.

Joel

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Thommo,

There is just no comparing the Aztex and Iwata ABs. It's like comparing a Hugo to a Ferrari. Both are cars, and will eventually get you from point A to point B. But that's about the only comparison one can make. As for the over spray issue, it can be caused by a number of reasons or even combination of reasons. Wrong paint to thinner ratio, to high of Flow rate psi, and too far from the surface of the model.

Joel

One other possible factor Joel - I did not have the top on the paint cup. I have read elsewhere people saying their ABs work best with that lid on?

As you say though, it will take some experimenting to nail it. I don't use a dropper so my paint:thinner ratios are prone to some variation! I did add a few drops of acrylic flow retarder later in my session and that seemed to help. Your ratio of 1:11 there is interesting. I think I may need more retarder as mine would be more like 1:20.

One other thing is, the paint output is so refined compared to the Aztek, I was having trouble seeing if any paint was actually hitting the model, esp when I got in really close (as I was overspraying the fuselage area with more or less the existing colour, just a little lighter).

PS - I think I'll find an eyedropper to make measuring a bit more robust!

Edited by Thommo
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PS - I think I'll find an eyedropper to make measuring a bit more robust!

Thommo, I've been using one for the past little while its great! :)

Your ratio of 1:11 there is interesting. I think I may need more retarder as mine would be more like 1:20.

1:20? O.o I think I've been doing it all wrong! I thin at a ratio of 1:4 paint to thinner. I use Tamiya Acrylic Paint. Is that bad? XD

Cheers,

Colin

:)

Edited by Banana11000
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Thommo, I've been using one for the past little while its great! :)/>

1:20? O.o I think I've been doing it all wrong! I thin at a ratio of 1:4 paint to thinner. I use Tamiya Acrylic Paint. Is that bad? XD

Cheers,

Colin

:)/>

No I mean 1:20 acrylic drying retarder:thinner. My paint:thinner would be about 1:4 also.

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Iwata - I'm in love :wub:/>

Got it sorted. Not sure how but it is spraying perfectly now after pulling the trigger right back and putting a big blast of paint thru. No dry/spackly over-spray now. Maybe there was a little something stuck in there.

I think I'm making the paint a bit thinner than I did in the Aztek too, and always adding a drop or two of Jo Sonja's retarder.

God it is so easy to clean/change colours compared to the Aztek.

And I'm using about a 10th of the paint that I did with the Aztek.

It's like going from a Morris Minor with a crank handle to a Lamborghini with push-button start!

Edited by Thommo
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