Airbrushing

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

I have just bought a double action airbrush. It came with a 0.2mm needle fitted plus a 0.3mm and a 0.5mm needle. Do the larger needles allow more to be sprayed at a time or are they better for spraying a larger area? My first job, when it stops raining, will be to spray a hull.

Tim

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

Tim,

Yes, indeed: the larger the nozzle (and the corresponding needle), the more paint you can get through the airbrush in a given amount of time.

Furthermore, the larger the nozzle and needle, the less you will need to thin the paint before spraying. With a 0.2 mm needle, the paint will have to be quite thin indeed (the consistency of milk is an oft-quotd rule-of-thumb) to avoid clogging the nozzle; with the 0.5 mm needle you might, depending on the variety of paint you plan to use, be able to get away with next to no thinning, or even be able to spray straight out of the tin.

If this is your first experience of a double-action airbrush, is is very important to practice to the level of automatism the proper sequence of painting, namely this: air on, paint on, paint off, air off.

In other words, first push the trigger straight down, to open for the air, then (and only then) when you've got the air flowing, pull the trigger back to open up for the paint. When stopping, first let the trigger back to where no paint comes through, but keep the air flowing, then (and only then) let the trigger back up to cut off air as well.

This helps against paint splatter at the beginning of the sequence, and stops paint from pooling just behind the tip of the needle and either clogging it, or splatting when next you open up again.

If the first job you'll tackle will be painting a hull, yes, I would definitely say, go for the 0.5 mm needle! Depending on the hull size, I would still recommend that you go slowly, and put the paint on in whatever number of coats you need to get good coverage. An airbrush gives much better control than a spray can, but it does not cover a surface anyway near as quickly; on the other hand, if you take your time, you are likely to get a very nice result indeed!

Also, make sure either that you have got proper extraction in place, or wear a good half mask with the appropriate filter(s)! An airbrush will produce extremely small particles of paint and solvent, that you cannot avoid breathing in, which, given their tiny size, will be able to reach the furthest, finest branchings of your lungs. If using waterbased paints, a good particle filter will be enough, but if there is another solvent than water involved, the addition of a gas filter is strongly recommended.

/Mattias

 

Edited By Banjoman on 13/06/2016 13:24:19

[Dave MilbournParticipant @davemilbourn48782]

Tim

Unless it's a very small hull you may find spraying it with a double-action airbrush is a very lengthy process, especially if it has only a small jar or cup. I have used a cheapo Badger 250-4 external mix airbrush-spray gun for a long time for covering large areas like hulls. It has a 4 oz glass jar and a larger body than the the standard 250. It's also a helluva lot easier to clean! I keep my Badger 200 for small areas and details, and I use a compressor for both types.
BTW this is in no way intended to contradict Matthias, whose own airbrushing is something rather special!

Dave M

[Tim CooperParticipant @timcooper90034]

Thanks for the advice. I have painted some hulls with single action brushes. So I will change it over to the 0.5 and have a play, that is when the dry weather comes back. I have just been in the garden picking strawberries , in the rain, before the slugs get them! The joys of British gardening!

I have been looking at half masks on the web but couldn't decide on one. Any recommendations,?

Tim

[BanjomanParticipant @banjoman]

Tim,

For my part, I really like the Sundström SR100 half mask (**LINK**); I find it very easy to put on and off, comfortable to wear, easy to breathe through and of excellent quality.

They have both particle and gas filters (**LINK**), which, if needed, can be snapped together and used in combination. As I almost always paint with acrylics (or use the mask to protect against other particles, such as wood dust) I usually only bother with the SR 510 P3 particle filter (**LINK**), but have a small stock of SR 217 A1 (**LINK**) gas filters, too, just in case.

The UK distributor is Arco (**LINK**), but I believe you can also get these masks and filters from i.a. Amazon (**LINK**) …

I'm sure there are many other good half masks, but this is the only one with which I've got any experience, and as I already said, I am very happy indeed with it.

/Mattias

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