Thinking of getting an airbrush - what do I need to know?

I have a 50% off coupon from a craft store (Michael's), and I'm thinking of getting an airbrush. I know absolutely nothing about airbrushes, but I have a feeling it might be a good idea, so that I could paint indoors during the winter, and perhaps it would help me get a smoother finish.

As I said, I know nothing of airbrushes. What kinds of features do I need to look for? Looking online, I see that there are "siphon feed" and "gravity feed" brushes, but that's all the facts I know.

I can't draw, so I don't need something that will have a lot of fancy features for people who airbrush images, though perhaps something that would allow me to do some small color details would be nice. Mainly, I want to be able to paint my rockets as I usually do.

I've seen the Badger 350 brush, and also the Master line online. And I see Testors has a beginner's set. But I don't know if one of these is really superior, or one is really terrible, or if any of them are for special uses and wouldn't really work with rocket building.

So, are there things you would look for? Are there certain things you can't really do with an airbrush, for which rattle cans (or something else) would actually be better? How about for larger rockets - is it impractical to paint, say, a 4.5 foot, 3-inch diameter rocket with a tiny airbrush? And what about priming and surface prep?

I know you often get what you pay for, so I'm not looking for the cheapest possible brush, but I'm not a professional, so I also don't think I need the most expensive one. Are there specialty brushes I probably won't need to bother with? What about bad ones I should avoid?

Also: compressors - good, necessary, or just a nice extra?

I'm kind of rambling here, because I'm really not sure where to even begin, but I'd appreciate any advice you all can give me. I have one week to use this coupon, and I'd like to know more before going to the store.

Thanks!

Edit: Oh, one last thing! I'm not sure if getting one at Michael's with this coupon will really be a better deal than getting a different, better one on Amazon right now, as some of them seem pretty reasonable. Perhaps I should use this coupon for something else. Anybody have an opinion on this, I'd sure love to hear it.

Well... this has been discussed around here multiple times... by a lot of folks who're pretty knowledgeable about it. I'd suggest doing a little research here on the forum using the search function and reading some of those threads first. Here's a little primer on airbrushes...

First, generally speaking, there's two main types-- single action and double action. This refers to the trigger action... on single acting airbrushes, pushing the button releases paint and air... the more you press the button, the faster the paint comes out. On double acting brushes, you still push the button to release paint, but you also slide the button backward or forward to increase or decrease the flow of air out of the airbrush... and of course, the more you press the button, the more paint comes out. This allows you to do (with sufficient practice and skill) things like make fine lines all the way to fog paint jobs, and anything in between. That fancy airbrush art on cars and motorcycles you see at car shows is done with double-acting airbrushes.

Then there's internal mix and external mix... these do exactly what they say-- in internal mix, the air and paint are mixed inside the airbrush nozzle and spray out as a spray pattern, much like a spray painting gun. External mix airbrushes generally have an air nozzle that shoots a stream of high velocity air over a venturi-type nozzle; the high velocity airstream lowers the air pressure at the end of the paint tube and causes a suction force on the end of the tube, drawing paint up the tube to to the tip, where the paint is entrained as small droplets in the airstream, which sprays out toward the object being painted. Internal mix airbrushes tend to have far more control over the droplet size and spray pattern, and can put out much smaller amounts of paint, but are more difficult to clean out when done. External mix paintbrushes tend to 'fog' on the paint a little more heavily (which can be a benefit painting larger rockets and stuff) with a little more diversity in droplet size (larger and smaller droplets in a broader pattern) but are usually much easier to clean (which is important when switching colors as well as when the job is done and the airbrush must be cleaned before its put away).

Then there's siphon feed versus gravity-fed. A siphon feed airbrush puts the paint in a cup or jar below the airbrush, and "siphons" it up through a tube to be mixed with the air by the low pressure created by air rushing past a small paint nozzle (venturi effect, or more properly, the Bernoulli principle). Gravity fed airbrushes place the paint cup above the mixing chamber, and use the force of gravity to bring paint down to the mixing nozzle when the button is depressed. Gravity fed brushes usually have smaller cups than siphon fed airbrushes, some of which can be fed directly from the paint bottle.

If you're painting large rockets, at some point it's better to start looking at touch-up paint guns from places like Harbor Freight, etc... They're not particularly expensive (compared to airbrushes) and are capable of putting out a LOT more paint than an airbrush can... They're also generally easier to clean as well, but they do require more of an air supply. They might not be particularly well suited to painting small rockets, either... a bit more cumbersome or something, a little more 'overkill'. Still, painting large rockets will get VERY old with a small airbrush!

Now we get to compressors/air supplies. This is an essential part of ANY airbrush/detail gun setup, because they won't work without an air supply. For small airbrushes used infrequently or for small jobs, canned air is acceptable. For larger jobs or frequent use, the expense and trouble of dealing with canned air gets old real quick. A small airbrush compressor is certainly an option, and they have some that run pretty quietly now (and some that don't, usually the cheaper models, so be sure you hear it run before you buy one!) Thing is, a small compressor usually costs about as much if not more than a much larger compressor, which is FAR more useful for delivering the quantities of air necessary for larger trim/detail guns or larger airbrushes, or for other uses (blowing off dust, airing up tires, etc). One can use an air tank or even a spare tire for an air supply for an airbrush and avoid the cost of canned air, but you'll have to get it refilled at a filling station with an air compressor. Not much of a solution for larger/more frequent jobs. For the money, I'd buy a decent sized homeowner type compressor compared to a small airbrushing compressor, unless you KNOW you'll NEVER move up to a larger detail paint gun and have NO need for any other air tools or use of compressed air (airing up tires, sports balls, blowing off dust/etc...) It's quite easy to outgrow a small hobby-type compressor pretty quickly, and the costs for a good hobby compressor and a basic "homeowner" type compressor are pretty broadly similar. Now, there are DEFINITELY differences in homeowner type compressors. First, there are two basic types-- "oilless" compressors, and "oil type". I would HIGHLY recommend you avoid oilless compressors if you plan to use it frequently or for large jobs. They generally run faster and deliver more air in a given time than a similarly sized oil-type compressor, BUT, they do this by having a high-speed bellows-type pump versus a piston-type pump, which is why they use no oil... BUT, this design is NOWHERE NEAR as long-lived as an oil-type compressor. I once bought an oilless compressor for the farm shop from Sears to replace an old oil type compressor we'd had since the early 70's, which really needed to be rebuilt (new reed valves particularly). It was completely worn out and ready for the scrap heap in about a year... the old oil-type belt-drive compressor it replaced is STILL working (albeit slowly) on the other farm at Shiner, despite being over 40 years old! (I replaced the junked oilless compressor with a new twin-cylinder large-tank shop compressor from TSC). While many "deals" are available on compressors at Lowe's, Home Depot, Harbor Freight, etc., most of these are for oilless type compressors, which won't have anywhere near as long a service life. If you just plan to use it occasionally for short durations, they're okay. If you want a compressor that will last under frequent or heavy use, you'll be sorely disappointed. For the same money or less, I'd suggest buying a used oil-type compressor from a pawn shop or elsewhere, or put a little more money into getting a new oil-type compressor- it will last you a lifetime and still be running when an oilless compressor is in the scrap heap.

Then there's paints... you want to make sure that the airbrush/detail gun setup you're planning to use is a good fit for the materials you plan to use. There's acrylic paints available in almost limitless colors from Hobby Lobby and other such suppliers, but they have their own drawbacks and benefits... (cleanup with water and/or ammonia is a BIG benefit, but most of the colors tend to be VERY transparent and require many coats to get them to properly "cover" the surface, and often have to be "heat set" by drying the paint with a hair dryer or something to provide the heat to set the paint...) Then there's various hobby paints and stuff (like Testors, House of Kolor, Pactra, Model Master, etc) which is good paint but gets expensive for larger jobs. Automotive paints from various auto supplies or body shop suppliers are a good alternative, especially for larger jobs, but can be EXTREMELY expensive, depending on the material. Some body shops/suppliers will sell leftover paint from auto refinishers/body shops at pretty good discounts. You have to shop around.

Well, that's the basics... the rest is for someone else... I picked up an external mix airbrush that can accept the large model paint jars at TSC last Christmas for less than $20. I have a large shop air compressor, so that's not a problem.

Later! OL JR

There are two basic types of airbrushes, single and double action.
Single action has one control, a spring loaded button that you push down for more paint flow, the air flow is set by the regulator on the air supply system.
Double action has two controls, a spring loaded button that you push down for more paint flow, if you pull back on the same button it controls air flow.
Dual action airbrushes are more expensive and are used by professional illustrators. They also take more skill to master.
Most hobbyists use a single action, the Badger airbrushes are a good value to get started.
As far as air supply, there are several options:
Propellant Cans – There are canned sources of propellant, good for small jobs
Propellant Tanks – They contain gas under very high pressure or gas, they can be refilled and require a regulator to reduce the pressure
Air Compressors - These come in all sizes, there are many small hobby compressors that will work with an airbrush, they will also require a regulator, many have the regulator built in.

Good luck and enjoy,

Bob H

When our Michael's was having a closeout on Badger supplies, I hooked a good deal on the 200 Single action brush. I too, had no interest in one that did really fine details, but I also didn't want some beginner model. Here's a little description about the 200 on the Badger website
https://www.badgerairbrush.com/BADGER_200.asp

I also preferred the siphon model for easy color changes. For a pump, Harbor freight sells one just for airbrushes, and it works very well and not noisy. Here's my complete set-up, less the extra paint jars I purchased. I have absolutely no regrets buying this brush over anything else they had to offer.



The reason I bought an airbrush in the first place was so I could get custom auto colors mixed at NAPA, and to get that really nice fade job I have always wanted. To answer your question about brushing large rockets, I did this once and it took forever. Better off with a good rattle can or what OL said, a paint gun. I don't think the HF pump in the above picture would work very well with a paint gun either. You can also use metal flake paints with an airbrush.

I had little to no experience with these brushes, so I bought a couple small bottles of cheap airbrush paint to practice with. For our intended purposes, you'll be surprised how fast you can learn to use it to paint your models. Here's one of my better fading efforts. Give a shout if I left something out.

I use an airbrush several times a week at work for painting models and I have tried a lot of them.

For your first airbrush, go with a quality single action external mix like a Paasche type H. That is what I use at work.

Later on, if you want to do precise faded lines, pencil thick lines and color fades, you can try a more advanced airbrush.

If you are painting mid power rockets and larger, use an inexpensive HVLP type touch up gun for general priming and painting and save the airbrush for detail work.

Single Actions you have to manual adjust the spray pattern for width pressing the button only make paint flow, Dual Actions the button moves both up/down and forward/backwards, allowing paint to spray and spray width to be adjusted. Buy a good compressor, if you already have a shop compressor/pancake compressor, just add a oil/water seperator and air dryer unit, and pressure regulator and you have a great air supply. Internal mix is great for detail work and spraying most paints. External mix (most of them) are single action and pretty much are just refillable spray cans with spray quality about like a can of Krylon, however the external mix ones are my favorite for spraying primers. I own both a Single action and a Dual action both Badgers and use them for many things, the more proficient I become the more I lean to using my Dual Action more and more.

I prefer the dual action over single action. I own a Paasche dual action I got for 40% off at Hobby Lobby. The dual action give you a lot more control over the spray in my opinion. I tried using a "hobby" compressor but felt like it was inconsistent with the air pressure it produced. Currently I am using a cheap Home Depot 3 gallon pancake style compressor and it works really well.

The biggest thing I stressed when teaching my model railroading buddies to airbrush was to keep it clean! It takes a while to clean an airbrush but it is essential to keep it working properly.

Dan,

I'm short on time tonight but wanted to chime in for one point:

I recommend as a first airbrush you get a pair of them: 1 small dual action airbrush from Harbor Freight, and one small mini spraygun from them as well. In total, with hoses, that will set you back ~40 bucks. I own a Paasche H and have used more advanced Badger brushes. But for our rockets, the mini spraygun is PERFECT for water-based acrylic primers or white coats, and the airbrush works great for color coats that go onto specific areas of the rocket.

Spraygun is this one I think: https://www.harborfreight.com/adjustable-detail-spray-gun-92126.html

Airbrush is one of these:
https://www.harborfreight.com/34-oz-deluxe-airbrush-kit-69492.html or
https://www.harborfreight.com/deluxe-airbrush-kit-95810.html

I spray with CO2 from a 20lb cylinder (need to refill it once or twice a year), at about 35 lbs pressure. I've just never invested in a decent pump, and many of the times I want to spray, people are trying to sleep, and don't want to hear the noise. So CO2 works for me. I use Wicked Colors (available at Hobby Lobby), or Auto Air / AutoBorne paints (all these are made by Createx).

I find for these acrylic paints, unthinned, the atomization from the HF dual action brush is significantly better than the Paasch H with any of the tips. However, the Paasch does an OK job and is easier to clean after use. I use all of them, but keep going back to the mini gun for primer or whole-rocket-in-one-color jobs, and the HF airbrush for doing sections.

Search some of my past threads; I've talked about my acrylic techniques, though some of those posts are outdated and I do it a bit differently now. I'm working on a Xarconian cruiser... maybe I will do a build thread and get into the painting stuff in there.

Feel free to PM me with questions.

Marc

for the vast majority of Model rocket and many fine art project a simple single action Passche type H will server all but the most demanding Artist. I've been using my 3 or 4 for more the 35years LOL! I have a couple dual action fine art airbrushes used for vary vary fine oil paintings. but and I say but! for just about every single job i've done over these years I've use the Passche-H. They are inexpensive, rugged and with the extra needles will outlast just about any dual action.
A small compressor will do the job. a larger (10gal or larger) air tank in-line with these small compressors help even out rough air flow.
a few extra different size paint bottles also make multi-color jobs less of a chore.
Keeping the Brushes clean is the most important thing, blow water or thinner through the brush as soon as you've finished with a color or painting. If you are going to use water base and solvent based paints use different airbrushes for each. otherwise you will likely have problems with fish-eye and other contamination problems.

The last photo below is a very inexpensive Detail Spraygun from Harbor Freight, they can be had for under 10 bucks and do exceptionally well for covering standard to HPR Rockets for the same small compressor.

Ps: Nothing wrong with Badger Airbrushes but I've time I just like the balance and feel of the Passche-H better. But its a personal choice.

I paint more aircraft than rockets, as a rule.

I have excellent luck airbrushing inexpensive acrylic latex interior house paint with the Paasche H airbrush. (3 or 4 dollar 4 oz custom mixed sample jars at Home Depot, reducing with automotive windshield washer fluid and adding a little Floetrol wetting agent) It is always a good idea to get the material to the viscosity that works best for your airbrush or gun.

Using latex house paint is a popular technique with the scale R/C aircraft crowd.

Here is an example of a R/C ducted fan Me-262 model I repainted last year using the latex house paint technique. A before of the airframe parts showing the stock paint and the finished repainted model ready for decals and a clear flat coating. I used the inexpensive Harbor Freight HVLP touch up gun for the large areas and a Paasche H for the soft fogged lines. This was about 5-6 hours of paint work one Saturday....lots of little airbrushed spots...

I will be airbrushing the camo on a Estes 2.6" V2 converted to an R/C A4b and a Maxi Brute V2 using the same material one day soon.

OK...now that you have been overstimulated with all these responses, know this. It doesn't have to be complicated. If all you want to do is a simple application, go with a simple model. One you won't outgrow so swiftly. I've gotten great results from my model and I have only scratched the surface with it. Here's another great fade job it gave me.

The key point is to figure out exactly whet you want to do with the airbrush.

Are you simply replacing the spray can you used before? If so, know that it can get tedious to paint or prime all of a moderate size rocket's primer or base color with an airbrush. And it can be hard to get the entire moderate sized rocket wet with paint at the same time using an airbrush.

A decent touch up gun can be cranked down to give a spray pattern about the size of an airbrush with a large tip and is far better at priming and base coat painting any model larger than something about the size of a Baby Bertha.

An airbrush is best at detail painting trim colors on larger model and mid power rockets and complete finishes on smaller models.

I just painted an Aerotech Strong Arm in a scalish AMRAAM style color scheme. Used the touch up gun for primer, the white on nose cone and for the light gull gray body of the model. I used an airbrush for the metallic steel color I used on the fins and strakes and I used the airbrush for the yellow and brown banding on the airframe. Added some CNC cut vinyl lettering and then used the touch up gun to give the entire model a coat of clear flat.

Doing the entire model with an airbrush would have been more difficult and would have taken far longer.

luke strawwalker said:

Well... this has been discussed around here multiple times... I'd suggest doing a little research here on the forum using the search function and reading some of those threads first. Here's a little primer on airbrushes...
Later! OL JR

Click to expand...

Unfortunately, too many longtime members on this forum fall into this way of thinking.

But the reality is, since the Rocketry Forum is not organized topically like a wiki, the search function renders way too many results to make it practical. For example, if one were to do a search for a term like "compressor", one would find EVERY reference to the word in every build thread, "what did you do today?" thread, holiday gifts thread and on and on. Unless one already knows in advance what the thread topic was that contained the info one expected, it is not productive to do a generic search for a term, especially a term used widely in our hobby.

Not that it is important here, but a few posts mentioned that with dual action airbrushes, pushing the trigger down releases paint and pulling the trigger back releases air. It is actually the other way around. Pushing the trigger down opens the air valve, and pulling the trigger back pulls back the needle, releasing the paint. The air flow isn't adjustable but the amount of paint sprayed is adjustable by how far back you pull the trigger.

I started out airbrushing the same way - with a 50% Micheal's coupon I bought a Badger Anthem (dual action, internal mix, siphon feed). I also have a Badger Renegade Krome (dual action, internal mix, gravity feed).

Before I got a compressor I used a few air cans. They freeze up quickly so they aren't good for much, other than real small jobs. I bought a used Badger compressor from eBay and have since replaced it with a quieter new Iwata.

For primer, I just use Rustoleum Painter's Touch 2X from the hardware store. For paint, I typically use Createx, Auto Air or Jaquard. Read the manufacturer's instructions as they typically require heat to set (like a hair drier). Transparent colors are perfect for creating fades, but for most applications, opaque paint is best.

Most acrylic paints will need a clear coat to protect them and to give them a smooth gloss finish. I typically use Krylon Krystal Clear UV resistant clear or Minwax Urethane gloss, both from spray cans. I tried a Createx airbrush clear coat and wasn't impressed with the surface texture. Lots of people also spray Pledge floor shine with Future through their airbrushes to get a gloss coat. Personally I've never tried that because I feel it will gum up my airbrush. But I have used Future by brushing it on with a foam brush or spraying it from a cheap spray bottle. However, since acrylic paint is water-soluble, Future can cause the paint to run, specially on fades where the paint is thinner.

I have also painted large high power rockets with an airbrush and have had good luck with them (see the LOC IV and LOC Forte below).

Good luck with whatever set-up you end up getting. You won't be disappointed. Keep practicing and experimenting. And above all, post some pictures of your work!

Is airbrush painting addictive?

Kirk G said:

Is airbrush painting addictive?

Click to expand...

Yes!

LW Bercini said:

Unfortunately, too many longtime members on this forum fall into this way of thinking.

But the reality is, since the Rocketry Forum is not organized topically like a wiki, the search function renders way too many results to make it practical. For example, if one were to do a search for a term like "compressor", one would find EVERY reference to the word in every build thread, "what did you do today?" thread, holiday gifts thread and on and on. Unless one already knows in advance what the thread topic was that contained the info one expected, it is not productive to do a generic search for a term, especially a term used widely in our hobby.

Click to expand...

Yeah, sure, whatever...

Why even have a search function AT ALL then?? Geesh...

A little research goes a long way. If the search function here doesn't cut it, use Google or your favorite search engine... threads and topics will come up.

Looks more like an excuse for laziness than any legitimate gripe IMHO...

Later! OL JR

Google is a better method of searching TRF than our own search engine, I regularly find all kinds of useful info searching on TRF by Google-ing, but if I try searching on TRF I gets bubkis...

luke strawwalker said:

Looks more like an excuse for laziness than any legitimate gripe IMHO...

Click to expand...

Okay, then let's put you in their shoes.

Are you up for a challenge?

Time yourself and tell us how long it takes you to find the following:

Somewhere there is a post where somebody talks about their technique to seal the edges of an Estes-style shock cord anchor.

Use the forum search feature, identify the poster (so that I know you found the one the newbie had in mind) and tell us how long it took you to find it.

The clock is ticking...

Wait... What? I thought we were discussing airbrushes here.

FatBoy said:

Wait... What? I thought we were discussing airbrushes here.

Click to expand...

In Post #2, the first paragraph, Luke Strawwalker admonished the OP for not searching for the information before posting.

LW Bercini said:

In Post #2, the first paragraph, Luke Strawwalker admonished the OP for not searching for the information before posting.

Click to expand...

Virtually EVERYTHING rocketry related has been discussed here at one time or another, usually MULTIPLE times and at great length. While I agree that posting a "do a search PERIOD (end of post)" type response is TOTALLY useless, IMHO if someone isn't willing to spend a little time ATTEMPTING to search for the information they're looking for, well, then they must not need the information TOO badly. I merely suggested that doing a search, or heaven forbid, paging through the appropriate part of the forum looking for related threads would yield a considerable amount of information. I THEN went on to include a basic outline of the information, rather than simply saying "search for it buh-bye" type worthless response, which apparently doesn't sit well with some folks.

Like the papering fins thing... I've responded to similar questions about a hundred times at least, giving an in-depth response and description, posted pics of the process, and references to threads where I went into even MORE in-depth description and stuff about the process. I don't think it's unreasonable to simply tell someone "do a quick search to turn up more info, but here's the basic synopsis" or "here's a link to how it's done" rather than having to spoon-feed the information to someone three times a week as newbs show up and ask the same question over and over.

In short, doing one's own homework does go a long way. If someone still needs help, or can't find anything in a search or browsing the forum, it's certainly not unreasonable to ask the question then, or ask for more information.

If that upsets someone, too bad. While I agree that posting "do a search" and hitting "post" is worthless and somewhat insulting, the alternative I suppose is to simply post nothing at all, and ignore questions by newbies to the forum that are repetitive. I guess that's always an option, and apparently given the chiding for even SUGGESTING someone actually try to search for the information, evidently preferable to some folks on the forum rather than attempting to give a brief synopsis of the information that has been discussed many times previously.

Oh well... can't please everybody... LOL

Later! OL JR

And now this thread is half full of posts about question-asking etiquette. A Wiki sounds like a really good idea.

luke strawwalker said:

Virtually EVERYTHING rocketry related has been discussed here at one time or another, usually MULTIPLE times and at great length.

Blah Blah Blah..

Later! OL JR

Click to expand...

Yeah, yeah, yadda yadda yadda...

How are you progressing with that search challenge?

LW Bercini said:

Yeah, yeah, yadda yadda yadda...

How are you progressing with that search challenge?

Click to expand...

DO YOUR OWN HOMEWORK!

Later! OL JR

luke strawwalker said:

DO YOUR OWN HOMEWORK!

Later! OL JR

Click to expand...

I already know the answer.

What's wrong? Is the most knowledgeable Luke Strawwalker not able to meet the challenge?

OK, guys, for the record, I did search both here and on Google, and wasn't really finding the kinds of where-do-I-begin information I was kind of hoping for. I spend a lot of my spare time reading all I can get my hands on on rocketry-related subjects, but I don't have endless time to look up everything.

Most of the airbrush Google stuff I found was related to drawing fancy designs, or specifics of airbrushes - stuff that either I wasn't really up to (drawing) or was a bit more advanced than the very beginning stuff.

And yes, as LW Bercini pointed out, searching on TRF is a little frustrating, as any search term will turn up every single thread in which that word is even mentioned. Advanced tag search turns up the threads people have bothered to tag.

So, not knowing where to start, I turned here to TRF - a gathering of experts often keen to share their knowledge. Usually, this has been very helpful. I've also emailed specific rocketeers (John Coker, Chris Michielssen, Sascha Grant) whose websites I admire, and try to gather some background information before I ask a question so that I can ask something specific so they will not feel their time has been wasted, and their replies have been invaluable to my education on this subject. A lot of people here are eager to share their knowledge with relative n00bs like myself, and I've been quite grateful for that. That's the advantage of a pool of experts.

There are a lot of new threads on this site I see, and think "I bet that's been asked a thousand times here!" About launch rails, painting techniques, determining static port size, etc. And yet people keep returning, because it's a very valuable resource, where we can talk about our obsessions with each other (because maybe our friends and families don't get why we're into this).

I feel this simple thread of a few questions has gotten out of control, and I don't understand it. Luke, I've found a number of your replies to my threads to be very helpful. And indeed, the information in your first response here was really, really helpful. A lot of the initial responses were - I now feel like I have an idea of what I'd like to look for in a first airbrush - and that perhaps a touch up gun might be more useful to my purposes. I'm not sure I would have figured this out through a Google search - something interactive where I can ask questions seems more likely to turn up unexpected information like this.

I shrugged off the initial comment, because you did have a point - of course it's been discussed before. But I did do some searching. I just wasn't exactly finding the initial information I wanted. Perhaps it wasn't meant for me, but I have to say, the word "laziness" in your later reply made me wonder if I was being insulted or chastised. I do hope that wasn't your intention.

If the comment was for me, I understand why you may have thought that, but I'm not a lazy rocketeer. I've learned a lot - taught myself a lot - in these last six months, and spent just about all my free time obsessing over this stuff. Just looking for info here, guys. Let's leave the insults to Reddit.

Thanks for your help!

Daniel,

You have nothing to apologize for. In fact, I owe you a bit of an apology. I steered your thread in a different direction.

This is not the first time, nor will it be the last time somebody makes a comment in this forum and somebody challenges the veracity (or in this case, the efficacy) of the comment

It is just the nature of the forum.

This place is a very valuable resource for information, but it requires Persistence. Some participants are better than others at explaining. Some are better than others at putting themselves in the shoes of a newbie. Some folks here have very high opinions of themselves. In some cases, the opinion is deserved, in other cases it is merely a delusion. Some folks fancy themselves as comedians.

All this to say that there are multiple types of personalities here with varying communication skills. This leads to a lot of "noise" in the content, requiring persistence in finding exactly what you need.

The very best of luck to you.

LW Bercini said:

It is just the nature of the forum.

Click to expand...

You really believe its never your fault, don't you.

bradycros said:

You really believe its never your fault, don't you.

Click to expand...