Airbrush and Compressor Validation needed

I just spent 400$ on an airbrush and compressor. Anybody would please want to comment on my choice before I open the packages?

Thanks for your help!

I have the same air brush it works great. I cant speak to the compressor never tried it but I do recognise the brand. I love the autoair paints.I have tried many others but the autoair worked best for me.

Thanks. That's reassuring

Do you use your airbrush and the autoair paint for rockets only?

Paints are good. I use those myself. Also look into the Wicked Colors line (an alternate Createx brand) that you can pick up to some extent from Hobby Lobby, a local art store, or online via TCP Global.

For guns, I prefer my el cheapo harbor freight dual action brush, or the el cheapo harbor freight mini spray gun for doing primer / white coats (covers very quickly/easily for larger surfaces).

I also have a few other brushes (Master brand). For our purposes, pretty much any brush will do.

A few recommendations from my experience: adjust pressure / flow so that you can use the paint unthinned at first wherever possible. Thinning opens up a lot of variables that can be frustrating. I rarely thin my paints these days. The Pearlized paints are the only ones I thin, and even then only some of them require it. Others don't.
Also invest in Auto Air Sealer White. It makes for a good first coat to cover all the prefinishing you will do using automotive filler primer / glazing putty / CWF / Tamiya or Squadron putty. The acrylic paints wet differently on those different surfaces; a coat of Sealer White gives the acrylic color coat a nice even surface to stick to.

And most importantly: CLEAN THAT BRUSH THOROUGHLY after each use. Use the Restorer (good job getting it) when needed, but remember it is oily so you have to get rid of every trace of it before you can paint with acrylics afterward.

Good luck and keep us posted.

Congrats, IMO you can't go wrong with either Paashce or Badger airbrushes, and the one you got appears to be a double action. With a little practice you can do some nice work with them. From experience I use my airbrushes for mostly detail painting, and rattle cans or the cheap harbor freight spray guns for primers and base colors. Keeping the brush clean is definitely a must.

I have 3 of those very same Air brushes, I love them. Easy to clean and maintain. I have a couple different compressors. But have to say I didn't spend Near that much on my combinations. Now if that includes a lot of Acrylic paints that may be a different thing. Something you'll want to add to your compressor at some point will be a in-line pressure equalizing tank and an adjustable air pressure gauge. Once you have all that , you'll be able to produce finishes as fine as any dual action air -brush. I have a very expensive dual action that I never take out of the box anymore

Great choice for an airbrush ! I've had one for more years than I can remember. Keep it clean or you've wasted your money. I can't speak to the compressor but if it's quiet it's likely good. Practice , practice and learn to thin your paints with an open mind---your gonna have some fun now !

Thanks for all the answers. Now I can feel confident and open the boxes

Since cleaning sems so crucial, do you have any details on how to properly and thoroughly cleaning the airbrush?

Mark, how do you insure the Restorer is completely removed? Do you use soap?

That's the VL Set, yes? I have the same one, very happy with it. If you don't have it, get the moisture trap - well with the expense to keep the compressor moisture under control.

The compressor has a moisture filter.

For removing restorer don't use soap. Instead, soak the parts in acetone an then rinse them with denatured alcohol. Final rinse is with the mostly water airbrush cleaner.

Between uses I clean via the airbrush cleaner, then lots of running water. And I have a can of compressed air to blow parts clear.

Restorer is just for periodic build up cleaning.

Practice spray technique before getting close to a rocket. Thinner coats much better than thick ones!

Sent back in time via Android 9.0 TimeText feature.

morlock said:

The compressor has a moisture filter.

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Got it. I run mine off my shop compressor so I use this inline:

Love my Paasche. I pull mine fully apart and clean it out every time. Take good care of it and it will last you forever.

Is there a good tutorial somewhere about a complete cleanup?

not that I know of, my dad taught me how to pull his double action apart and clean it so I do the same. I flush things with the appropriate thinner when done painting, then take it apart and clean each piece. I run a twisted up paper towel or a pipe cleaner through the passages that need it. let it dry and then put it back together.

morlock said:

Thanks. That's reassuring

Do you use your airbrush and the autoair paint for rockets only?

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I also do some stuff on paper. Havent done much more than practice on steel.

morlock said:

Is there a good tutorial somewhere about a complete cleanup?

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Look at airbrushforum.org there are a lot of tutorials on the site and a lot of helpfull people

ductape said:

Look at airbrushforum.org there are a lot of tutorials on the site and a lot of helpfull people

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Thanks for the tip!

After watching about an hour worth of airbrush videos on YouTube, I opened the box and fooled around with my new toy. Overall very pleased!



I totally overfilled these sheets but I couldn't stop spraying

I see how the paint will be less forgiving of bad surface prep, so I expect to spend more time priming and painting.

Are there any primers that can be used in the airbrush and that would be compatible with the auto air paints?