# airbrushing help



## Da new guy (Feb 23, 2011)

I am looking to get into airbrushing mainly for the purpose of painting crawler harness blades and possibly spoons...I am not looking to spend a fortune getting into it. I am asking for any suggestions for an airbrush: like would I want a gravity fed one vs a siphon fed since I wont be using a bunch of paint in one sitting. Also would anyone suggest a compressor. I know that you dont need a $300 compressor, just looking for suggestions and or tips when I get started...

thanks for any help, I can only hope to get half as good as some that I see on this forum...

Curt


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## Musky Lip (Jan 5, 2011)

http://www.harborfreight.com/air-to...58-psi-compressor-and-airbrush-kit-95630.html

Here is a good combo. I can't speak for the compressor, but I have the airbrush and I am more than happy with it. I purchased an Iwata HP-BS and it is great but the one from Harbor Freight is almost as good. It has some better features that I wish my Iwata had. I believe I paid about $125 for my Iwata and only like $15 for this Central Pneumatic http://www.harborfreight.com/deluxe-airbrush-kit-95810.html from Harbor Freight. I got the 1 year extended warranty for a few bucks more incase anything happened to it after their 30 day satisfaction guarantee period.

I know that there is always a 20% off coupon that get from the paper or online.


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## muskyslayer96 (Feb 28, 2009)

Musky Lip,

LOL

I have three airbrushes, two very nice ones and my HF $15, I do 99% of my work with the HF....gets the job done, Always figured if i can get the painting down on a cheap throw away the nice ones will work as well.

Cool,Cool Worked all day on the new drying wheel/heat box will post pics later if there is any interest.


80 degrees here tomorrow

MS


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## CarpetBagger (Sep 21, 2009)

I have an Air Pro Tools 900 dual action gravity feed you can have for like $50...I dont use it since i got my new brush...


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## ostbucks98 (Apr 14, 2004)

harbor freight has a dual action airbrush for $14 and also they have a 3 gallon compressor for $54 on sale right now. In this months field and stream is a coupon to get the 3 gallon compressor for $44.


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## TClark (Apr 20, 2007)

If you're painting spoons and blades, go to powder paint instead of airbrush.


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## jerkin (Apr 3, 2008)

Powder paint is nice since it will almost never come off but you can't get near the detail or the color choices that you can with an airbrush. Another thing I don't like about it is that when you heat it it seems to tarnish the unpainted side of the blade and you lose all the flash, at least it did with the blades I had.


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## Da new guy (Feb 23, 2011)

thanks guys for the info. I will probably look into the Harbor Freight combo just to get started and see how much I actually paint and how I do. I was just asking for some starter info and I believe that I have a good start.

Curt


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## Hetfieldinn (May 17, 2004)

I have the Harbor Freight compressor in the link above. I think I paid $59 for it. It works very well, and is whisper quiet. I'm very happy with it.


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## Da new guy (Feb 23, 2011)

I tried PMing Het but I didn't have enough posts so I appologize for bumping the posts but I wanted to know which compressor he has as there were two different mentioned, one being a pancake and the other being an airbrush compressor...

Thanks for everyones time I have learned ALOT from eveyone on OGF...

Curt


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## sonar (Mar 20, 2005)

Since we're on the subject of new brushes ,my sister in law can't do any more painting due to here illness,which REALLY SUCKS!! ,SHE IS SO VERY TALENTED!!!!!! But a good thing is coming out of this, she sold her brushes to me! & one of them is a POSH gravity feed, and I'll get it Wed., So does anyone use a POSH? if so what about them? she said it is THE BEST! It has three-way control feathering? I cannot wait to try it out,lots of supplies with it! She used to paint helmets,tanks,& fenders, also did T-shirts,and acrylic tattoos . She is a TRUE ARTIST& a GREAT LADY,SHE IS MY HERO &I DON'T know ANY MAN TOUGHER THAN HER ! and she's only 5' tall, I'm proud she let me have her tools, I want to learn to use them while she's still around! ----->>>>>sonar<<<<<-----


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## Hetfieldinn (May 17, 2004)

Da new guy said:


> I tried PMing Het but I didn't have enough posts so I appologize for bumping the posts but I wanted to know which compressor he has as there were two different mentioned, one being a pancake and the other being an airbrush compressor...
> 
> Thanks for everyones time I have learned ALOT from eveyone on OGF...
> 
> Curt


I have the airbrush compressor from Harbor Freight. I had a very small compressor for air guns, but it was a bit loud if I wanted to paint late at night or early in the morning.


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## kingnuke32 (Jan 14, 2009)

I use the HF airbrush compressor as well. Works great and is extremely quiet.


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## CarpetBagger (Sep 21, 2009)

Use the same one as well, however if you get a normal compressor with tank and moisture traps the brush works a lot better due to the even pressure of the air...The second you hit the button on your brush the compressor is trying to keep up and the pressure dies off a bit...Still works well, but you burn these little suckers up in a hurry for how much they gota run...



kingnuke32 said:


> I use the HF airbrush compressor as well. Works great and is extremely quiet.


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## sonar (Mar 20, 2005)

I'm real new to airbrushing! I've always stenciled my accents on my sonars,BUT NOW I have 2 airbrushes!! a PAASCHE,& A BADGER, THEY ARE PRETTY SERIOUS LOOKIN!! I'm gonna try em out real soon,& will do a little posting of my results,or ,,,,,,,,,,,my help needed questions.... ----->>>>>sonar<<<<<-----


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## kingnuke32 (Jan 14, 2009)

CarpetBagger said:


> Use the same one as well, however if you get a normal compressor with tank and moisture traps the brush works a lot better due to the even pressure of the air...The second you hit the button on your brush the compressor is trying to keep up and the pressure dies off a bit...Still works well, but you burn these little suckers up in a hurry for how much they gota run...


Ya I have used both, I have a 220 compressor with a 60 gallon tank in the shop, as long as I am under 30PSI I don't notice any drop in pressure aside from the first little drop when pressing down and then it stabilizes, If I needed higher pressures I would go with the bigger compressor.


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## rjbass (Aug 1, 2007)

Buy the best airbrush you can afford. Stay away from knock offs. I don't want to start a big rowe here, but honestly guys, the Harbor Freight stuff is junk.... You will only be frustrated with the cheap guns. To each his own, but I have been doing this for many years and have used probably every airbrush out there...but an Iwata, you won't be sorry. I am sure some of the other veterans will chime in here......

Rod


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## K gonefishin (May 4, 2004)

iwata hp-c


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## kingnuke32 (Jan 14, 2009)

K gonefishin said:


> iwata hp-c



Just got one very easy for the beginner to use as well.


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