Airbrush Advice

One AM · Post by **One AM** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 6:33 pm

I was looking for a relatively cheap airbrush to be used on propellant cans as sound is very much an issue for me. Fifty dollars is about my upper limit. I'm not looking for something to sing and dance in my hand, just a brush that will lay down an even layer of paint on Federation starship models, such as the Reliant. Basically I'd be laying down base coats, clear paints like Tamiya Clear Blue, and masked aztek patterns with it.

Would this airbrush, a Badger 350, do the trick? If not, is there an airbrush that will at this price?

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 6:58 pm

Yeah but running on aircans will sap your pocketbook real quick. Try finding a refillable airtank, they'll run about $30 max.

Just fill it from a gas station pump.

One AM · Post by **One AM** » Thu Jan 03, 2008 8:06 pm

Oh, I hadn't thought of that. Thanks! Is the airbrush itself adequate?

Lord Darth Beavis · Post by **Lord Darth Beavis** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 12:42 am

I've never had a lot of luck with the 350. for some reason it always fought me. Watch FSM for the advert for the cheap Paasche VL. I don't remember who it was that ran the ad, but I got one a few years ago for less than $50 including shipping.

Dixie Art Supply has a great deal on the carded Paasche VL for $52. Scroll down a little, and you'll see it. That is just slightly outside your price limit, and a far superior brush to the Badger 350.

If you want a Badger single action, I've had good luck with the Badger 200 line. All the 200 models are right under that magic $50 limit!

Oh, and you can get the air tanks at Wal-Mart for about $20, IIRC. Add a regulator, and airbrush, and you are cooking with gas!

Lt. Z0mBe · Post by **Lt. Z0mBe** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 5:13 am

Good, cheap regulators can be had from Harbor Freight Tools. It's the one I use.

Once you get the tank, make sure to get the appropriate brass fittings (1/4-inch NPT, etc...) and good, old teflon tape to connect the regulator to the tank and your hose:

This is the only thing they sell that seems to have 1/4-inch nipples. You can't buy them there alone, butemale connectors are for sale all over the place.

All the teflon tape you will ever need

Again, when you get the tank, make certain you know all the fittings you need to buy to connect it to the regulator. The regulator and airbrush hoses are just the good, old 1/4-inch variety. Coming out of my regulator is a 1/4-inch "T" connector. One side goes to my Badger 155 and the other end goes to the old Passche VL.

I hope this helps.

Kenny

One AM · Post by **One AM** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 11:16 am

So if I were to get the tank Kylwell linked to I'd need a 1/2" Female NPT x 1/4" Male NPT adapter, like Part# 21247 on this page, which the regulator could connect to. From there the air brush hole could connect directly to the regulator's 1/4" male connector? I'm not experienced with these things, but that sounds right. If I've got this right I need the above adapter, regulator/moisture trap (how handy that they come together!), and airbrush hose, and I'm set up, assuming I get a brush and air tank to go with them.

If a Paasche VL is that much superior to the Badger 350 I'll get it instead. Hobby Lobby has sets that includes a hose, color cup, a bottle, and a couple different tips and needles for $99.99--if I wait for a 40% off coupon I could get it for Dixie Art's carded brush price and shipping.

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 11:20 am

Yup, that should do it. Damned near anyplace sells adapters, auto parts, hardware stores, etc. Adapter the reg to the tank and the a/b hose should plug right into the regulator.

Post by **TER-OR** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 11:29 am

I've found the local Ace Hardware to be very helpful. Take the thing there, tell them what you want to do and they'll find all the adapters you need. The air tank is a good idea, for the budget-minded modeler. Make sure you fill before your project, though...

One AM · Post by **One AM** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 11:42 am

Thanks very much, everyone!

macfrank · Post by **macfrank** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 12:40 pm

One of those low pressure air tanks are going to be an exercise in frustration, unless you live next door to a gas station and they have free air, or unless you have a compressor to fill it up for say, every 15 minutes (or less) of use.

Either get a compressor/water trap and ideally a holding tank or get a 5lb or 10lb CO2 tank and regulator. A 5lb CO2 tank lasts me for a good 5 or 6 models worth of painting and cleaning. Refills are around $15 - $20, depending on where you get them refilled.

Frank

One AM · Post by **One AM** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 1:40 pm

Actually, I do have a gas station just next door. I also will be without a car, and I'd rather not carry that CO2 tank several miles to get it refilled, then back again. They also seem to be about twice as expensive as an air tank. I model at a very slow pace and won't have too much time each day for it, so frequent refills won't be quite so frequent. Thank you for your advice and suggestions, though. I appreciate it.

macfrank · Post by **macfrank** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 2:03 pm

One AM wrote:Actually, I do have a gas station just next door. I also will be without a car, and I'd rather not carry that CO2 tank several miles to get it refilled, then back again. They also seem to be about twice as expensive as an air tank. I model at a very slow pace and won't have too much time each day for it, so frequent refills won't be quite so frequent. Thank you for your advice and suggestions, though. I appreciate it.

If that's the case, does the gas station have a compressor that'll fill larger tires? If you get a tank that's good for 200 psi, trying to fill it up at a compressor that only goes up to 50 or 60 psi is going to be annoying.

One AM · Post by **One AM** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 3:01 pm

That I don't know. I'm about a thousand miles away from it right now but I wasn't planning on ordering anything until I get back. I'll check that before purchasing anything.

Assuming I'm brushing at 15-20 PSI how long would a tank filled to 60-ish PSI last if I were to brush continuously until it dipped under proper pressure?

macfrank · Post by **macfrank** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 3:55 pm

One AM wrote:
Assuming I'm brushing at 15-20 PSI how long would a tank filled to 60-ish PSI last if I were to brush continuously until it dipped under proper pressure?

You would need the flow rate coming out of the airbrush to calculate that. But when I used an air tank, a gas station fill (and later, from a compressor that could go up to around 50PSI) I could paint (including overcoating decals and cleaning the brush) an average 1/72 scale fighter or a 1/35 scale tank on one fill.

My DML 1/35 scale Maus tank (which is big) took two fillings to finish.

One AM · Post by **One AM** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 10:14 pm

Oh, well, that's fine, then. Was it a 5 or a 10 gallon tank?

macfrank · Post by **macfrank** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 10:31 pm

One AM wrote:Oh, well, that's fine, then. Was it a 5 or a 10 gallon tank?

It was a 5 gallon tank, just like the Harbor Freight one, only red. I had to jury rig an adapter to my airbrush fitting, but that's what teflon tape is for.

One AM · Post by **One AM** » Fri Jan 04, 2008 10:53 pm

That's great. Thanks a lot for your input!