Airbrush, Airbrushing, and Compressor Questions

[Zenismyname]

Hey guys. I am getting a huge airbrush problem: It looks like I am airbrushing with silly string. my Paint is frosting like crazy. At least I think thats the correct term. Anyway I am painting with an Iwata revolution and my air source is a    
Paasche D3000 AIR COMPRESSOR running at about 20 Psi. I am also using Tamiya paints thinned to a 1:1 to a 2.1 depending on the type of paint. I usually am very anal about following certain guidelines when it come to airbrushing, such as paint no more then 8 inches away ( yes I measure sometimes... god Im a nerd.) If you have any tips that can help me out let me know

[GlauG]

This should go in the airbrush/airbrushing sticky?  But the thing you're describing is something that happens with My Colour paints if you don't use retarder...  I've never had it happen to me with Tamiya acrylics,  but I'm guessing some kind of paint retarder is the fix there as well.

[AJL]

I run an Iwata revolution also with tamiya paints at a similar PSI, and haven't had that problem.  Are you thinning with IPA or tamiya thinners?  I would suggest you are perhaps not thinning enough.

[GlauG]

With my success at stripping paint with brake fluid, oven cleaner, Cillit Bang and other similar fun, I decided that it was time to give my airbrushes a clean the other week, and left them soaking in one or t'other for a few days before giving their small parts a shake with my ultrasonic cleaner. 

Thing is, my Sparmax brush (DCH-P, I think?  I'm at work ATM, but it's a double-action gravity feed, at any rate) is playing up still.  Despite my best efforts to clean it, paint sprays erratically, with bubbles coming up through the paint resevoir (and while I test-drove it while it was still wet with cleaning fluid, up through the trigger piece).  I had a look through the thread, including the airbrush troubleshooting guide, but I didn't see any solutions that jumped out at me.  If the air's bubbling back up through the resevoir and the paint's not flowing, I'm guessing there's some kind of blockage at the front of the brush, but I've not had any luck cleaning it out, I'm also fairly sure it's not the needle or the inner nozzle thingy, as I've tested several needles and the inner nozzle's almost brand new...  Any ideas? 

[Climax-Zero]

Tamiya has released a Trigger HG Airbrunsh last year. I am intrested in purchasing it, but I am not sure whether I can make it not spray anything or spray air or spray paint and air.

[Marc]

It says here that it's a double action:
http://www.tamiya.com/english/products/74510hg_trigger/hg_trigger.htm

[syn13]

What kind of jobs can the Tamiya Spray Works Basic Compressor pack do?  Basically my friend and I chipped in for a compressor and as well decided to get that specific package.  I know absolutely nothing about air brushes.  Is it good for specific small details?

Added: well I heard that the Tamiya SW set is really very basic, guess I'd get myself a Iwata airbrush and use the current compressor.

[phammerz]

Hi,

I'm brand new here, and was wondering if there was anything to look for when buying a used air compressor.  I luckily came across a Paasche D3000 Air Compressor on craigslist for $70 which seems like a great price.  But, I'm hesitant at the same time because its such a great price.  So I was wondering what I should look out for?  Are there any common problems to look for?  Apparently the owner has been using it for tanning.  Anwyays thank you in advance for all replies.

[doodle]

Happy New Year Everyone!

Question.
How long can you run your compressor for before it reaches its pressure limit and turns off?
I'm talking about the smaller compressors types like the paasche d500sr.
Is it normal for it to reach its limit and blow out only after a minute and a half?
This is with the regulator set to 15 psi and 10 psi spray.

Thanks in advance.

[Zers]

I have an Iwata compressor, and running at 20 PSI, it generally only runs for 2-5 seconds before it shuts off automatically.

[doodle]

Maybe I'm getting the general idea of using a compressor wrong.
Am I supposed to let it run until it reaches max pressure and auto shuts off then start spraying?
Am I supposed to spray while the diaphram is pumping air before it auto shuts off?

How much work time do you actually have ?

[Zers]

well, when you turn it on, it pumps up to pressure, then it stops. Then when you're working, (at least mine) turns on and off to keep the pressure flowing at a regular rate. So, I wait for it to pump up to pressure, then I just go at it till I run out of paint, or run out of model =p

[doodle]

What I do is turn it on with the regulator valve closed then attach my hose for the airbrush.
I turn the valve to set my psi to 20. This thing is supposed to be max 25-30 ish.
It works fine at this point and sprays at 15. Then after a minute or so the whole unit shuts down
and I lose pressure completely. Then all I hear is an electric hum.

Please tell me I'm doing something wrong. I'm completely at a dead end.

[eyewitness]

What I do is let my comp fill itself up to 8 BAR (approx 120 PSI) then shut it off, set the reg. valve to 1.5 bar (20 or so PSI), and spray for however long I like or until the pressure inside the tank reaches around 1.5-2 bar, but then again since the big volume of the tank, I can practically airbrush the entire surface of the model with 1 fill. Wierd how this was the cheapest comp I could get my hands on and it's pretty useable for spraying. Except it dishes out 93decibels of sound when pumping... that's what I get when cutting corners in modelling equipment 

[Zers]

What I do is turn it on with the regulator valve closed then attach my hose for the airbrush.
I turn the valve to set my psi to 20. This thing is supposed to be max 25-30 ish.
It works fine at this point and sprays at 15. Then after a minute or so the whole unit shuts down
and I lose pressure completely. Then all I hear is an electric hum.

Please tell me I'm doing something wrong. I'm completely at a dead end.

Sounds like your compressor has an issue, what brand is it? capacity etc?

[doodle]

Paasche D500SR http://www.paascheairbrush.com/2005_parts/D500SR%20Comp.%20Parts%20List.pdf

edit: brought it to a shop and they deemed it damaged. they're ordering me up a replacement one.

[AnatoleFarmond]

So, I cant currently afford an air compressor, however, I know they have propellant tanks for air brushing. Should I just bear down and save up for a compressor or do these propellant tanks do the job? thanks

[Marc]

Air cans are horrible. Don't buy them.
You can always find small compressors for less than 150$. They work perfectly for beginners.

[fulcy]

Well, it depends on what propellant tank you are talking about - are you asking about the small cans, that are about the size of a spray can?  If so, then Ez is right - they are horrible, and don't last long.  However, if you are talking about a propellant tank - something similar in size to the tanks that divers use, and are used with welders, then that may be a viable alternative.  Sure, you need to find a source for filling them up, and actually take the tank there to get it filled up, but it will be less expansive than a compressor.

This being said, in the long run, a compressor/tank combination will be more convenient - no need to take the tank anywhere to get it filled.  I prefer having a compressor/tank combination, since it allows the compressor to shut off after building up enough pressure, and let you run off the pressure stored in the tank.  Take a look at these two:

Airbrush Compressor:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=92403

Compressor with small tank:
http://www.harborfreight.com/cpi/ctaf/displayitem.taf?Itemnumber=95275

[AnatoleFarmond]

Thanks for the insight, both of you. I may just bite the bullet and buy a compressor, since I'm just starting on airbrushing. But in the future I can look into alternative options.