thewildscrotum Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 Hey guys, My mind started wandering down the road of buying an airbrush and compressor, but they stretch beyond my budget. Does anyone know the barebones of how much one may cost for an absolute noob at them like myself? Or what parts I could go looking for to buy? I've been loving reading through your tips and tricks, particularly on washes and on laying down a gloss clear surface layer before decals and then a matte-finish layer afterwards. Weathering and a flat finish look incredible on the builds I have seen on here so far, particularly the 'Nam era phantoms and F-105's. My questions are as follows; What ratio should I be looking at thinning Tamiya and Gunze paints to elmininate brush strokes? And what kind of thinning agent should I use? We are based in Australia, so are limited in what we can get cheaply - what kind of clear and matte coats should I be laying down pre-and post decals? Cheers for the help, Billy Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rick in Maine Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 Future can carefully be laid down, with a brush, over almost anything. Practice on something first. It's been years since I have brushed Future on anything but small areas. One important thing I was taught to do was not overlap brushstrokes and to get missed spots while doing the second coat. Use a good quality brush no more than a ½" wide. When you are finished with the model post it here. Cheers from ½ way round the world (Maine USA). Rick Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 (edited) Rattle cans are more expensive in the long run, but better on the short term cash flow. Key is choosing subjects where the right color rattle can is available. I used a rattle can on an 1/48 X-47B because my 0.35mm Iwata wasn't going to cut it. My 0.5mm Iwata would probably be OK. While I only brush details using Vallejo acrylics, I do recall reading here on ARC that you can brush feathered edges, like on that SEA camo, by brushing the light color first and then feathering the darker color over it. When you do take the plunge on an airbrush, spray colors from light to dark. Oh, BTW, one of those small tool compressors, like a brad nail gun, would be OK for an airbrush if a little loud... I have no direct experience, but a cheaper--and dead quiet--alternative to a compressor is an air tank and regulator. You can apparently have it filled at a welding shop. Edited July 27, 2017 by dnl42 Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Rick in Maine Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 I also meant to add: Your mileage may vary. That is...the results you get may be different. Two important things: Keep building and keep experimenting with finishes based on what you read here on ARC. The right one for you is in here somewhere. Rick Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bob Beary Posted July 27, 2017 Share Posted July 27, 2017 (edited) To answer the question you asked..brushing acrylics is difficult because of their fast drying time. To try and brush an entire plane with Tamiya paint is going to be a very frustrating experience. I have never had much success brushing Tamiya. Recently I did a small touch-up job and had to use Tamiya. Much to my surprise it came out reasonably well. I thinned it quite a bit with Tamiya or Mr Color Leveling thinner. And it was a small area. If you go the Tamiya route, use several THIN coats (don't try to cover with one coat) and LET EACH COAT DRY COMPLETELY before putting another coat on. Otherwise it will probably cause the first coat to come up. Use as wide a brush as practical and don't keep going back over it. Brush it on and move to the next area. Thin with the paint brand's own thinner. Thin, multiple coats is the way to go. I think Vallejo or MM acryl are easier to use, but don't know if they are readily available to you. I've also used craft paint (like Apple Barrel) to great success on some car parts. As to the airbrush...there are many, many threads devoted to the subject on ARC. With practice you can shoot just about any kind of paint through any A/B. Many years ago there was a1/72 model with a very tight squiggle camo pattern on the main page. It was done with a cheap A/B that the modeler had literally picked out of the trash can. I wouldn't necessarily go that route, but it gives you something to think about. Practice and patience are the key factors. HTH Bob Edited July 27, 2017 by Bob Beary more info Quote Link to post Share on other sites
thewildscrotum Posted July 28, 2017 Author Share Posted July 28, 2017 Bob, Rick and DNL - Cheers for getting back to me. I've also noticed I mis-spelled "Acrylic" in the title, so thank you for ignoring this Rick - I'll have to find a local equivalent of Future, but that's proving troublesome (and by the sounds of things, has been that way for a couple of years). Would Tamiya's clear coat suffice? I'm not a huge fan of the glossy finish, I would much rather the paint be easily weathered and matte. I've been motivated lately by the high quality of detail in larger scale cockpits, brought out by washes and tactical weathering. DNL - would weathering panel lines and then laying down a primer be possible with the Tamiya cans? They're about $10 a pop here so it adds up,and the range of colour isn't very extensive. An olive drab-coloured UH-1 will look the same as an olive drab-coloured P-47, and that can get a little discouraging. I tried using them as a kid to paint a 1/72 Revell B-52 and had a nightmare. I like the finish on the F-16 you've got in your signature, how did you achieve that? Unfortunately there aren't many other pics for me to have a look at because photo bucket has been playing up and every second topic I click on the photos are all missing. Bob - Thanks for the advice! You're right, it's very hard to restrain yourself from adding another coat of tamiya acrylics too early, and risking the paint tearing itself apart. When you used the Tamiya thinner, what sort of ratio did you use? I've never thinned it before but am keen to try. As far as airbrushing goes, and I know this is a question you've probably all seen a million times before, but what's the bare minimum for a setup? Are we talking compressor + brush? Or are there extras you need, different nozzles, etc. I'd appreciate hearing about the rig you guys are running. Cheers! Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Bob Beary Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 (edited) I don't really have a ratio for the paint. I just thinned it until it seemed to work the way I wanted it to. Add some thinner, paint on some scrap material, see how it behaves and thin until you get what you need. Tamiya fine white primer in the spray can works great right out of the can. I use it all the time. For airbrushing you need 1. an A/B 2. a compressor and 3. the applicable hose and connections to the compressor. Any other modelers near you to show you the basics? LOTS of videos on Youtube. Two key parts of successful airbrushing....practice and cleaning the A/B. I use a Porter Cable compressor and an Iwata HP-CS 0.35 tip size. I've shot just about everything through it and can do tight work and broad coverage work. I also have some Badger brushes and have and can do the same through them. HTH Bob Edited July 28, 2017 by Bob Beary added info Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dnl42 Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 Tamiya and Mr Color primers work great!! I use the rattle cans for all but fine detail, where I thin Mr Surfacer and spray it with my airbrush. Testors GlossCote and DullCote are well-known rattle can clear coats; I used to use them all the time.I now spray Testors clear lacquer, Mr Color clear, or Tamiya clear depending on the circumstances. I've used an airbrush for colors since my 3rd model. My first two, a 1/144 Revell Ekranoplan and 1/48 Revell Spirit of St Louis fit the "color available in a can" rule. Since then, only the 1/48 X-47B, which is quite a big girl... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
southwestforests Posted July 28, 2017 Share Posted July 28, 2017 3 hours ago, Bob Beary said: With practice you can shoot just about any kind of paint through any A/B Just don't run metal primers through your airbrush. There was once a guy (not me!) in a model train club ... Quote Link to post Share on other sites
dogsbody Posted July 29, 2017 Share Posted July 29, 2017 Go to your local art supply place and get a bottle of flow enhancer. Mix a wee bit into your paint. It will inhibit the drying time, allowing you to paint a larger area. Still clean your brush fairly often, as paint will still build up on it. There are various brands of enhancer to choose from. I have the following three. Liquitex makes one, too. Chris Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.