G'day mate.

[RG_]

Hi all,

I'm RG from Australia, new here and new to airbrushing.
I'm currently in uni studying engineering, never done airbrushing before so I'm a complete noob, please be patient with me.

I do need some tips and basic knowledge on getting started, I have a 2HP compressor with 24L tank which I use in the garage to work on my motorcyle but I don't have a airbrush yet.
What should I be equipped with to get started?

Thanks for your time.

Cheers
RG

[EhBCz]

Hi RG,

Here are a few thing you will need besides the compressor that you already have.

Airbrush (i know it's a given lol)
an in line water trap
and air line hose that connects to you airbrush
an adapter to connect the compressor hose to the airbrush hose
some paint, get stuff that is ready to spray that you don't need to thin out.
a lot of newsprint paper, or paper towels, or a roll of paper (for practicing the basics)
a respirator of some sort, for your health.

There is a section here that has some reviews of some products http://www.airbrushtechnique.com/Reviewpost/ , check it out before you make some major purchases, and read some of the forum threads for other info like beginner lessons.

Good luck and welcome to the board.

[barshark]

Welcome aboard!!!!!
Be prepared to meet some talented and friendly and helpful folks here. Don't forget to post your work.

Andreas
www.kolordawgs.net

[RG_]

Thanks for the warm welcome guys.

Ok...I'm going to ask the bloody question... which airbrush should I get?

I know it depends on what I want to do. I'll be very specific, I want to paint motorcycle helmets. Not ruling out the possibility of doing other things in future, but helmets will be where I want to start exploring.

There are easily 50 different make+model of AB out there, anyone of them good for painting helmets?
I'm only a newbie, never held an AB in my life so doing very detail work in the near future is out of the question.

Any suggestion?
Thanks.

Cheers
RG

[mayhem]

welcome to the forum !

check out the product reviews at the color tabs on the top of the page, it should have answers to some of your questions, I dont know if you already have a regulator on your comp but if you dont that sould be on your to get list,and I would run about 10' of hose between your comp and your water trap, that allows the air to cool down and the water vapors to get filtered out..when the vapors are warm the filter wont catch them very well...

I use an anthem 155...and it is pretty easy to clean maybe down the road I might pick up a gravity feed for better detail but for now i am happy with my trusty anthem

good luck and dont for get to post

[RG_]

Thanks for the comments and advise guys.

Yes I have the moisture trap and regulator on the way in the mail.

One thing which I'm unsure of and please don't mind me asking, what is the difference between 'bottom feed' and 'gravity feed' ?

There must be reasons why they make both types.

[redneck]

bottom-feed or suction-feed airbrush paint container is on the bottom,paint is pull up a tube into the brush [ higher psi is required before the brush will work, gravity-feed paint cup is on the top of the brush ,they do not need high psi since the paint is a drip-drip [no pun intended]

http://www.howtoairbrush.com/airbrushs.htm you might find that page helpful

for ease of getting parts and support it's best to stay with a name brand airbrush Badger, Iwata, Passche, Hannsa, Harder. Anyone with the will can buy a bunch of knock off airbrush's from Japan, China, Asia stick thier name on it, stick them on E-Bay or for sale or on some forum web site somewhere and sucker people into buying them. 99.9% of those airbrushs are lower quality airbrushs that are almost impossible to find parts for or support for when you have a problem. Many are sold using the marketing technique the company is trying to save the cunsumer money by offring knock off airbrushs of name brand airbrushs. Do not be fooled one minute it's about the company making more money at your expense. Knock off airbrush like the HP-C you can have made in Japan for as little as $60 to $80.00 and resell them for what an actual HP-C sells for thats their motivation high profit margin, it's not as noble as these company's make it out to be. The airbrushing commuinty, the folks buying those airbrushs suffer for their lack of ethic's.


It pays to buy quality tools weather it's a drill, wrench or airbrush.

Enjoy the forum, it's just paint after all have fun

[redneck]

Sear & Roebuck will replace the tools that they sell if they break,we do not see knock-off companies that sell airbrushs making that offer ,maybe if they were required to guantee their products that they sell

Sears sells Badger airbrushs they rename if I'm not mistaken as does Snap On and several other tool companies. They deal with Badger they do not end run them.
The advances in airbrush equipement over the last ten years was funded, continues to be funded by a hand full of companies (name brand airbrush manufactures namely) you now have a bunch of people who's ONLY goal is profit margin knocking their airbrushs off and selling them just a bit cheaper than name brand airbrushs.
Without Badger, Passche, Iwata where would airbrushing be in the US right now. There would be no Craig Frazer, there would be no Terry Hill and the like there would be no Micron, HP-CS, Badger 360 there would be Binks single action airbrushs and airbrushing would still be in the stone age.
Providing the airbrushing commuinty with choice I have no problem with, selling it as a noble jesture under the heading of saving the consumer money I do have a problem with, it's about higher profit margin. it's about making money plain and simple lets be truthful about it at least.
Where are the next advances in airbrushs to come from the companies making knock off airbrushs in Japan, China, Asia highly unlikely, orginal thought, ideas is not their strong suit coping others ideas is. Orginal thought, ideas is not the strong suit of the companies selling the knock off airbrushs, greed is.
Would you enjoy the fact another airbrush artist stole a design of yours and is now coping it making a ton of money? I think not.

Sorry for the rant but I'm feed up with hearing "Oh that big evil airbrush company (Iwata) is picking on me from those companies, retailers selling knock off airbrushs" Give me a break, come clean, be truthful what you are doing is lining your own pockets,looking out for your own bank account, playing the airbrush commuinty as suckers with the poor little me act.

[redneck]

Sears sold everything from guns to car tools over the years that I bought from them that were manufactored by other companies and had their name stamp on on the item,I wonder how much Sears pay for the copy-right , I will look for airbrushes next time that I shop there

I believe Badger makes the brushs for them and just stamps the Sears name on it, nothing wrong there Badger still gets the money they deserve. There is a diffence between having a brand name product renamed selling it under your own name with the companies blessing and sending a brand name product to China, Asia to have it copied skirting patents, copy right laws etc.

Below is from the Iwata web site blog:

"Even some of our very own wholesale customers have ventured down into this abyss. Under the guise of "it's just marketing 101", and their enlightened wisdom, they have decided to pursue their own "house brands" then pass them off to unsuspecting consumers as Iwata Light - Iwata Quality and Performance without the cost."

[redneck]

how many airbrushes would you had buy in order to had your name stamp on them ,a Airbrush Tech airbrush might be a good idea for a promotion give-away, I lost my change to get in the hotel business

[Bugmaster]

For what it's worth I totally agree with Don. Furthermore if you can't make enough or close to enough in this field as a business or as a hobby to be able to just buy good equipment maybe rethink how you are going about it. Do not support the imitators. I have had many hobbies that have not made a damn dime but that is part of the cost of hobbies. Airbrush work in conjunction with metal art is the only hobby that has ever made me any money.I did not do it with cheap knock off equip.Hope you can make sense of this all over the board reply. Gone Buggin'

[Bugmaster]

I got carried away and forgot where this started. I have three different Iwata brushes and love them. Comfortable, easy to clean,parts available.I donated an entry level Revolution to the local high school last year.I borrowed it back over the summer and it fast became my favorite as long as the details were not extremely fine. I then bought one for myself. Gone Buggin'

[RG_]

Originally Posted by RG_

Thanks for the warm welcome guys.

Ok...I'm going to ask the bloody question... which airbrush should I get?

I know it depends on what I want to do. I'll be very specific, I want to paint motorcycle helmets. Not ruling out the possibility of doing other things in future, but helmets will be where I want to start exploring.

There are easily 50 different make+model of AB out there, anyone of them good for painting helmets?
I'm only a newbie, never held an AB in my life so doing very detail work in the near future is out of the question.

Any suggestion?
Thanks.

Cheers
RG

Ok, now back to my question.... which one should I get for my purpose?

I find the Iwata Hp-CS works great for me all I do ALOT of motorcycle helmets. Other artist find the VL works great for them doing thesame type work. You will also need a mini HVLP for base coating and clear coating.
this page should help you http://www.airheadairbrush.com/airbrushingh.htm with supplies you might need for painting helmets.

[paulmo1]

I'm from downunder as well (Sydney) I started with a VL and moved on to a HP-C Plus a great brush the cheap(cost wise) in is the VL a good brush and supercheap sell the HVLP touch up guns which work well for base coats as Don suggested. where are you from as different cities will offer different opportunities to learn and who to buy off. I use some sydney suppliers but have bought textile paints from Queensland as well, A good place to start is http://www.injprint-sign.com.au/ they carry a range of brand Paasch Iwata guns and some paints. Hope this helps.

[RG_]

Thanks for the replies.

What is a 'mini' HVLP ?
I suppose that is a smaller version of a spray gun?

I have one coming in the mail(got it off eBay) which have the following specs:
Working Pressure: 2.0-3.5 Bar
Average Air Consumption: 5 cfm
Canister Capacity: 600cc
Air Inlet: 1/4" NPS
Standard Nozzle Size: 1.4mm
Type of Feed: Gravity (G)
Pattern Width: 190mm


paulmo1, I'm in Brisbane.

donjohnson, what kind of base/paint would you recomend for helmets?

[rowie]

G'Day back at ya RG, i'm from Melbourne and like you a total greenhorn when it comes to this medium.

Currently i have a badger 155.3 Anthem, an Aztek (multi tip in a wooden box) and single action paasch (ewww).

The Badger is an awesome brush and for a short time I thought it was the best thing since sliced bread. The only thing that I found annoying was the small suction cup that doesn't have a cap, it can really get messy if you need to mix in the cup or if your painting on a strange angle.

Yesterday I was exposed to my first Iwata, gravity fed cup, a nice lid on the cup, variable air pressure and very comfortable to boot.

I know what i'm saving up for next.

Oh and Don, please mate never apologise for a rant like that, it was !!Brilliant!!.

and finally, thanks for having me guys, hopefully I can show you some real "rowie-ised" work one day soon.

regards from way down under (next step is Tassie)

Shaun "rowie" Rowe

[rustyJayIII]

It seems that I can post a hello to ya now, seems that you found a subject that generated some energy and passion. What ever you buy, just make sure parts like tips and needles are easy to get. I know your pain when it comes to choosing a brush, Ive been trying to figure out which one I want also. They arnt like cars where you can test drive it before you buy it. At least you found out how helpful and chalk full of info this site is, and that the community is pleasent and knowledgable. Cant wait to find out what you get, happy painting, good air and no clogs to ya mate.