Air brush - Getting started
- Thread starter dnanoodle
- Start date
RuneBrush
New member
There are numerous threads on the forum covering various choices on Airbrushes. In principal you don't actually need very much to get you going - the actual airbrush itself, an air supply (compressor) and you're actually good to go.
In addition to this, I would personally recommend an "Airbrush Cleaning Pot" that doubles up as a stand (mine is a Sparmax one), a set of "Airbrush Cleaning Brushes" for your sized airbrush and an airbrush cleaning liquid of some kind (I use "Badger Airbrush Cleaner" in a spray can, although there's loads out their.
In addition to this, I would personally recommend an "Airbrush Cleaning Pot" that doubles up as a stand (mine is a Sparmax one), a set of "Airbrush Cleaning Brushes" for your sized airbrush and an airbrush cleaning liquid of some kind (I use "Badger Airbrush Cleaner" in a spray can, although there's loads out their.
me_in_japan
New member
'ello - tis I, your cyber stalker 
re: airbrushes - I have an Iwata HP-BH, and am very happy with it. The wee valve thingy near the nozzle (which can regulate air flow without fiddling about with the compressor) is very handy, I find. There's a slightly larger capacity/larger needle size model called the HP-AH, and a smaller one called (unsurprisingly) the HP-CH. I like my B though. I browsed quite a lot for cheap airbrushes here, and rather surprisingly found Amazon.co.jp to have the best prices. Go figure. I couldnt say if they still stock them, mind you.
Iwata sales page:
http://www.iwata-medea.com/index.php/products/hi_line
re: airbrushes - I have an Iwata HP-BH, and am very happy with it. The wee valve thingy near the nozzle (which can regulate air flow without fiddling about with the compressor) is very handy, I find. There's a slightly larger capacity/larger needle size model called the HP-AH, and a smaller one called (unsurprisingly) the HP-CH. I like my B though. I browsed quite a lot for cheap airbrushes here, and rather surprisingly found Amazon.co.jp to have the best prices. Go figure
. I couldnt say if they still stock them, mind you.Iwata sales page:
http://www.iwata-medea.com/index.php/products/hi_line
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Hello,
All you need is an airbrusher and a compressor, plus an airbrush cleaner and an airbrush reamer to prevent clogging.
Here is a tip - you change the position of the needle to change the amount of paint released - they don't make that obvious in the manual, but it is an important variable in achieving the result you want.
Also clean your airbrush very well with hot soapy water and give the needle a wipe with white spirits after use.
Have fun with your airbrush!
All you need is an airbrusher and a compressor, plus an airbrush cleaner and an airbrush reamer to prevent clogging.
Here is a tip - you change the position of the needle to change the amount of paint released - they don't make that obvious in the manual, but it is an important variable in achieving the result you want.
Also clean your airbrush very well with hot soapy water and give the needle a wipe with white spirits after use.
Have fun with your airbrush!
PegaZus
Stealth Freak
Just starting out myself, but I'm pretty sure that you'll need the hoses, although some kits might come with one. Had a bad experience buying one from Amazon, and wound up just getting one from Hobby Lobby, so warning you on that. Local shop was happier experience than online.
Spray booth would probably be a requirement if you're planning to paint indoors, but as I plan on using the garage, I don't plan to get one.
me_in_japan
New member
As Montka said, you need
Airbrush
Compressor
Cleaning fluid (I recommend Tamiya's stuff. Easy to find here in Japan)
Some things for cleaning inside the airbrush (I confess I tend to use make up remover things, a bit like cotton buds, but pointy. The first ones were nicked from the wife, but now I buy em from 100yen shops.)
You'll also need
a hose to connect the compressor to the airbrush (this should come with the compressor)
thinner for your paint (I've had trouble using only water. Again, Tamiya do a good thinner)
Either an extractor cabinet (which you can build out of a kitchen extractor fan (you can buy em in K's Denki or similar for about ichiman en) and some thin wood (cost me about 2000yen in a hardware store.)
OR
A dust mask. Not one of the crap ones folk use for allergies. A proper hardware-store dust mask. Airbrushes send paint particles everywhere, and first time I used mine I ended up with blue snot. Not a problem in and of itself, but I cant help but think that blue lungs are not so good...
I used to airbrush indoors, with windows wide open and a fan, wearing a mask. When I came to move house I discovered that the entire surface of the room was covered in a thin, powdery layer of paint. That was a mega-cleanup job, let me tell you. Now I use my home-built extractor cabinet (set up simply so it sits on a desk with the fan end pointing out of the window.)
tbh, airbrushes are a bit of a bugger to get the hang of initially. They are undoubtedly great things, but be prepared for some wailing and gnashing of teeth before it all goes smoothly. It's worth it, though
Airbrush
Compressor
Cleaning fluid (I recommend Tamiya's stuff. Easy to find here in Japan)
Some things for cleaning inside the airbrush (I confess I tend to use make up remover things, a bit like cotton buds, but pointy. The first ones were nicked from the wife, but now I buy em from 100yen shops.)
You'll also need
a hose to connect the compressor to the airbrush (this should come with the compressor)
thinner for your paint (I've had trouble using only water. Again, Tamiya do a good thinner)
Either an extractor cabinet (which you can build out of a kitchen extractor fan (you can buy em in K's Denki or similar for about ichiman en) and some thin wood (cost me about 2000yen in a hardware store.)
OR
A dust mask. Not one of the crap ones folk use for allergies. A proper hardware-store dust mask. Airbrushes send paint particles everywhere, and first time I used mine I ended up with blue snot. Not a problem in and of itself, but I cant help but think that blue lungs are not so good...
I used to airbrush indoors, with windows wide open and a fan, wearing a mask. When I came to move house I discovered that the entire surface of the room was covered in a thin, powdery layer of paint. That was a mega-cleanup job, let me tell you. Now I use my home-built extractor cabinet (set up simply so it sits on a desk with the fan end pointing out of the window.)
tbh, airbrushes are a bit of a bugger to get the hang of initially. They are undoubtedly great things, but be prepared for some wailing and gnashing of teeth before it all goes smoothly. It's worth it, though
Just placed an order for an Iwata HP-BH with a Silver Jet compressor. Hope the compressor is all right. It got good reviews on Amazon. For now I only ordered the expensive stuff. I think I can get cleaning supplies and a stand cheap enough at a shop. The box I'll make, I guess. The ones in stores are crazy expensive and I can't carry one on the train from Tokyo.
Thanks for the advice, MiJ. The more I read, the more the HP-BH appealed to me. I wanted one with that nozzle size and it has all the controls I was looking for too. Amazon turned out to have a better selection and better prices than eBay too.
Thanks everyone!
Thanks for the advice, MiJ. The more I read, the more the HP-BH appealed to me. I wanted one with that nozzle size and it has all the controls I was looking for too. Amazon turned out to have a better selection and better prices than eBay too.
Thanks everyone!
RuneBrush
New member
If you're sensitive to fumes a disposable spray mask would also be a good purchase (more for when you clear the brush out than painting). I've never had issues with overspray on my gravity feed brush so quite happily spray indoors with a bit of newspaper on anything very close.
