New Iwata airbrush is on the way!

nicholjm · Post by **nicholjm** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 12:38 pm

For our 6-year anniversary, my awesome wife ordered me a new Iwata Eclipse HP-CS airbrush. I've been using the cheapo Harbor Freight knock-off type airbrush for years now, and while that has worked pretty good so far, I'm excited to see the difference. The Harbor Freight airbrush was a siphon-feed type, and a pain to clean. The Iwata is a gravity-feed, which I'm excited about learning to use. I've always heard that Iwatas are the "Cadillacs" of the airbrush world. Anyways, it shipped yesterday, so I'll let yall know when it gets here!

lakespeed · Post by **lakespeed** » Tue Jul 06, 2010 9:48 pm

nicholjm wrote:For our 6-year anniversary, my awesome wife ordered me a new Iwata Eclipse HP-CS airbrush. I've been using the cheapo Harbor Freight knock-off type airbrush for years now, and while that has worked pretty good so far, I'm excited to see the difference. The Harbor Freight airbrush was a siphon-feed type, and a pain to clean. The Iwata is a gravity-feed, which I'm excited about learning to use. I've always heard that Iwatas are the "Cadillacs" of the airbrush world. Anyways, it shipped yesterday, so I'll let yall know when it gets here!

You'll love it. I just bought the BS last month and I'm slowly getting the hang of it. A big improvement for me.

wraith1701 · Post by **wraith1701** » Wed Jul 07, 2010 5:07 pm

I got to try out one of their airbrushes at wonderfest. I now want one so bad it hurts. Definitely on the top of my modeling tool upgrade list.

nicholjm · Post by **nicholjm** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 12:17 pm

My Iwata arrived last Friday, and what a beautiful tool it is. Very solid and sturdy feeling. I can't wait to try it out. However, I'm having a bit of a problem connecting the hose to my air compressor. The hose that came with it, each end is a female 1/8" BSP thread. This fits the airbrush just fine, but since I am using a regular shop air compressor, I need to adapt to 1/4" NPT female, so that I can attach my quick connect fitting. I can't find an adapter in any store that adapts to 1/8" BSP threads. I'm having to resort to researching Swagelok and Parker fittings (I use these fittings in my line of work, designing subsea manifolds for the oilfield). But I'd rather just walk in a store and buy the fittings if possible. Anyone else ever had this problem, and how did you fix it?

starmanmm · Post by **starmanmm** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 12:36 pm

Worse comes to worse.... change the fitting on the hose to work for you better?

nicholjm · Post by **nicholjm** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 12:40 pm

Doing some research online now...I didn't realize I could cut the fitting off the end of the hose and change it out...I'll have to find the right fitting for that, but it sounds like the best solution so far...

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 12:47 pm

Any decent hardware store will have an adapter that'll fit it.

(and if you bought from Hummingline, i.e. Tom Grossman, he'll gladly help you find an adapter)

Beaveranger · Post by **Beaveranger** » Mon Jul 12, 2010 12:51 pm

I had the same issue with reducing my 1/4" compressor fittings down to the 1/8" of the regulator/air trap and airbrush line. Tons of adapters out there with any combination of 1/4" to 1/8" male or female that you may need. Nothing in any local stores here smaller than 1/4". We even have a Northern Tool store here locally and they didn't have it. Just do an ebay search for adapters and you will find anything you are looking for. I got mine for $2 with shipping and it arrived in just a couple days.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v640/ ... educer.jpg

No need to cut your lines nor remove any existing connectors.

Josh

EDIT: That's an adapter that's male 1/4" to female 1/8" pictured

nicholjm · Post by **nicholjm** » Tue Jul 13, 2010 4:48 pm

This is easier said that done. Hobby Lobby sells a Iwata hose that has a 1/8 fitting on one end (for the airbrush) and a 1/4 fitting on the other end, but I went into the store today and looked at it, and this won't work for me, because the 1/4 fitting is 1/4 BSP, not 1/4" NPT. I can tell because there is an O-ring in it, and BSPP fittings need an O-ring to seal.

I have found the fitting I need, but darn it if it isn't over $13 with shipping.

http://www.airbrushcity.com/accessories ... struct.jpg

That kinda sucks, I may be able to just buy a whole new hose with the right fittings. I had no idea this would be so hard. I've searched endless fittings on the web and cannot find a cheap solution.

Beaveranger · Post by **Beaveranger** » Tue Jul 13, 2010 7:17 pm

nicholjm wrote:
I have found the fitting I need, but darn it if it isn't over $13 with shipping.

Clearly you haven't checked ebay. I can't link any of the 15+ auctions i am looking at right now due to forum rules. Just search "1/4" to 1/8" airbrush adapter." I am looking at the exact one you need for 3.75 with free shipping.

nicholjm · Post by **nicholjm** » Wed Jul 14, 2010 8:11 am

I have checked Ebay. When I search for "1/8 to 1/4 adapter" all I see are 1/8 NPT x 1/4 NPT adapters. I need 1/8 BSPP male x 1/4 NPT female. While 1/8 NPT male will screw into a 1/8 BSPP female port, it will not screw in far enough to seal due to the taper on the NPT. If you do see the adapter I need, could you please PM me the link?

Thanks

Beaveranger · Post by **Beaveranger** » Wed Jul 14, 2010 11:08 am

Two words.... Teflon Tape

nicholjm · Post by **nicholjm** » Fri Jul 16, 2010 2:24 pm

Problem solved my friends! Like I said, I design hydraulic systems for subsea oil equipment, so after scouring the 'net for a cheap fitting and finding zilch, I emailed my contact at Swagelok. We use Swagelok fittings all over our subsea manifolds. Sure enough, he has the proper adapter, and better yet, he's going to bring me a free "sample". Score!

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Fri Jul 16, 2010 5:13 pm

Back before I had my fancy regulator I ended up machining a part to fit. Needed something to fit in something else IIRC.

Always handy to have a friend in the fittings business.

modeler1964 · Post by **modeler1964** » Sun Jul 18, 2010 8:46 am

Here's how I rigged mine. I kind of prefer a pistol grip arrangement and it seems I can work with it better. I put some quick connect fittings on it so it can be easily removed.

http://i213.photobucket.com/albums/cc12 ... CS/001.jpg

nicholjm · Post by **nicholjm** » Tue Jul 27, 2010 7:12 pm

Whoo-hoo! My friend at Swagelok delivered my custom made fitting yesterday - on the house, no less, and it works perfectly. I tried out the Iwata last night. I went very basic at first, just sprayed some water-based craft paint thru it to get a feel for it. It seems to work very well, I was able to make very fine lines, and also do some nice misting from a distance. I'll have to be more exacting with my thinner/paint ratios I think. I look forward to trying it with some real hobby paint. The best part was the clean-up! I just dumped the paint out of the cup, wiped it out, then filled it with Windex and just blasted it out the front of the airbrush until it ran clear. No disassembly of the brush. Way easier than my siphon-feed airbrush.

Squall67584 · Post by **Squall67584** » Wed Aug 11, 2010 10:19 pm

It's a great brush. I usually break mine down after each painting; I've done it so often that I could probably do it blind folded. I wouldn't recommend that, though, since many of the parts are rather small.

Dark Star · Post by **Dark Star** » Thu Aug 12, 2010 10:53 am

Found this:

http://www.hyatts.com/art/iwata-eclipse ... eed-K83456

Good deal or no. Do these things really go for over 200 bucks?

Actually I just found one (new) on Amazon for $119.95 with free shipping.

Maschinen Krueger · Post by **Maschinen Krueger** » Wed Aug 18, 2010 10:05 pm

Beaveranger wrote:Two words.... Teflon Tape

Heck yeah! Worked for me.

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New Iwata airbrush is on the way!

New Iwata airbrush is on the way!

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