Airbrush, Airbrushing, and Compressor Questions

[oteebzo]

First off, I got one of those cheep "powercat" ebay deals, so yes, I know I'll need something better

Here's my problem, I don't know if its the vacuum breaking or what, but here it is. The brush sprays fine for about a second (enough time to make two quick passes) then sprays just air for a moment. Thats just using the cup, using a bottle, its about twice as bad. Oh, weak (but constant) compressor only gives me 15-20 psi when spraying, and it doesn't seem like its just the pressure dropping. Does it for water, paint, thinner...

Do you get spitting after you get just air?
If you get nothing have you cleans your AB recently?
If so how thin is your paint?

[mrmaigo]

No spitting, it just picks right back up spraying fine. Its happened sense I've had it, and I've completely cleaned it several times. As for thinness of the paint, it does it the just same if its paint or thinner.

[oteebzo]

No spitting, it just picks right back up spraying fine. Its happened sense I've had it, and I've completely cleaned it several times. As for thinness of the paint, it does it the just same if its paint or thinner.

So you get fine spray then just air nothing happens after that?
What AB is it dual or single and what kind? Your trigger might be in backwards. Just a guess but it might not be depressing enough to get the paint in flow.
Use water when you try to check an AB, its free and flows through everything.

[mrmaigo]

So you get fine spray then just air nothing happens after that?

Fine spray, just air, fine spray

What AB is it dual or single and what kind? Your trigger might be in backwards. Just a guess but it might not be depressing enough to get the paint in flow.

Dual. Press it down for air, pull it back to move the needle and get paint. The trigger is the same both sides. And yes, I've checked the needle. Its in right, it slides freely, no spray when its closed.

Use water when you try to check an AB, its free and flows through everything.

I've tried water too

[oteebzo]

Ok you will not beable to see this but if you have a magnifine glass look at your head assembly. I have a Iwata and my head assembly has this cone shaped thing that the needle sides into. Basicly my head a ssembly caome apart in 2 and there is a cone sleeve. If yours has this look at the cone to see if there are cracks this cause that alot.

[BobSpamGundam]

I think I'm havening a similar problem to mrmaigo's.

I have a Badger crescendo 175, dual action, bottom feed, hooked up to a compressor. (unsure of the brand)

It didn't do this from the beginning but in the past few months it's been spraying irregularly, in that it will be spraying paint perfectly for a few seconds and then just air,then paint again. it appears as though it is losing suction, I can't for the life of me figure it out as it does this with water too.

Thank you for taking the time to listen to my problem.

[Zoccoli]

I think I'm havening a similar problem to mrmaigo's.

I have a Badger crescendo 175, dual action, bottom feed, hooked up to a compressor. (unsure of the brand)

It didn't do this from the beginning but in the past few months it's been spraying irregularly, in that it will be spraying paint perfectly for a few seconds and then just air,then paint again. it appears as though it is losing suction, I can't for the life of me figure it out as it does this with water too.

Thank you for taking the time to listen to my problem.

I had a similar problem with my Badger 200, and it turned out that the siphon tube had cracked away from the rest of the jar lid a bit, so it wasn't able to create proper suction. I solved the problem by switching to a gravity-fed brush.  :wink:

(I'd had other issues as well and was generally unhappy with my Badger 200 anyway, it was just another excuse to ditch it.)

[FichtenFoo]

http://www.craigcentral.com/models/trouble.asp

That page has all kinds of airbrush troubleshooting tips. Check near the bottom for "erratic spraying". Try those tips and let us know.

[BobSpamGundam]

http://www.craigcentral.com/models/trouble.asp

That page has all kinds of airbrush troubleshooting tips. Check near the bottom for "erratic spraying". Try those tips and let us know.

I have tried what it said to do before, I've even tried just thinner. It still starts and stops, I have also replaced the siphon tube lid thing. I'd rather not just up and replace the air brush as it was a little pricey. So, is my only salvation a top fed air brush?

[FichtenFoo]

No... that's not your only salvation since many of us including me use a siphon fed brush. I found that site by googling "airbrush problems". Try that approach and you might get another answer. Let us know!

[oteebzo]

It sounds like your teflon bearing is shot. It is the bearing inside of the feedneck. If it is a badger they are warrentied for life but you have to ship it back to them because it is factory install only. If it is an Iawata then you can order one and install yourself. Thats one of the reasons I live Iawata every thing can be replaced by the consumer.

Hope this helps

[BobSpamGundam]

It sounds like your teflon bearing is shot. It is the bearing inside of the feedneck. If it is a badger they are warrentied for life but you have to ship it back to them because it is factory install only. If it is an Iawata then you can order one and install yourself. Thats one of the reasons I live Iawata every thing can be replaced by the consumer.

Hope this helps

This is the only thing that I have not tried, I had tried changing to one of the other needles over the weekend thinking that may be the problem but alas is seems my air brush is going on a vacation.

Thank you all for answering my questions.

[thor777]

i never workt with an airbrush before so is it wise to begin on a piece of plastic to get the feeling of it before painting any gundams?

I'm currently not an airbrusher, so I can only really answer this question based on people I've talked to and research I've done. Yes--practice, practice, practice before you start painting models. In fact, I think I read somewhere that you should practice using water before you even start using paint.

I had absolutely NO practice, or even touched an airbrush for that matter, before painting the Infinite Justice.  The first thing I sprayed on was a piece of the kit   Just spray at low PSIs until you a get feel for the AB and have more control over it.

Anyone have any experiences with the Iwata Revolution CR ? Double action, gravity fed with a 1/3 oz paint cup.

I've been looking on this model for a while but never got to buying it (got busy and school) but now that I got more time.

I would also need a compressor which I'm debating between the smartJet and SprintJet. But I'm wondering does auto on and off on the SmartJet matter that much ?
If not I think I might just get the sprintJet and get a surge protector with a switch as GunDom mentioned wayy back.

Thanks in advance
-Zen

I have the exact setup you're looking at.  Revolution CR and Sprint Jet.  Both are excellent.  No problems so far in the 4 months since I got them.

[zerobxu]

I had absolutely NO practice, or even touched an airbrush for that matter, before painting the Infinite Justice.  The first thing I sprayed on was a piece of the kit   Just spray at low PSIs until you a get feel for the AB and have more control over it.

Fools rush in where angels fear to tread? I remember where I heard the "spray with water before paint" advice now (thankfully, I had over three weeks between my original reply and when you quoted me to think about it, thor): An artist who retired from commercial art in order to become a successful scupltor and art instructor. But hey--what works for one person may not for another.

If you feel comfortable jumping head-first into putting paint to plastic, by all means. Go for it. I suppose you can always learn technique on-the-fly.

[thor777]

I had absolutely NO practice, or even touched an airbrush for that matter, before painting the Infinite Justice.  The first thing I sprayed on was a piece of the kit   Just spray at low PSIs until you a get feel for the AB and have more control over it.

Fools rush in where angels fear to tread? I remember where I heard the "spray with water before paint" advice now (thankfully, I had over three weeks between my original reply and when you quoted me to think about it, thor): An artist who retired from commercial art in order to become a successful scupltor and art instructor. But hey--what works for one person may not for another.

If you feel comfortable jumping head-first into putting paint to plastic, by all means. Go for it. I suppose you can always learn technique on-the-fly.

Was too excited and eager to try out my AB so I said screw the practicing!! haha    

[beertax]

Hello,

This has been posted as a separate topic, but it was pointed out that I should repost the question here, so here goes:

When cleaning my new Iwata HP-C Plus airbrush for the first time, I "think" I accidentally pushed in the needle tip a tiny bit into the body. Alarmed, I tested spraying water theu the nozzle to success. But I am concerned, when cleaning in future, what is the best approach to handling the needle tip? Also, is there a way to pull it out to its original length?

Thank you in advance for any replies. This is my first time handling an airbrush

[oteebzo]

Most people do not realize that when taken your needle out and putting it back in you should push down on your trigger to let the needle slid through with out hitting bottom of the trigger guide hole.This can some time put a bur on your needle tip which will cause spitting.

CAUTION: DO NOT TAKE YOUR BRUSH APART OR PRESS THE TRIGGER WHILE TAKEN APART WITH THE AB CONNECTED TO AIR!

Just thought I would throw that in there just in case someone tries. At least my butt is covered now.

[mrmaigo]

Just looked at my needle and had got a rather good size bur on the tip

[mrmaigo]

Fixed the bur, didn't help. Took the brush apart and checked everything. Don't know exactly what I did but its fine now  

You know what would be cool, a siphon cap for tamiya bottles

[accord99]

Ok, I tried out my Iwata HP-C airbrush today and apparently I don't know how to use it right.
I sprayed it at 13-15 PSI, I added my acrylic color into the paint cup then close the cap and pressed the trigger and pull back, but it kept squirting the paint out of the cap(little hole in the cap). It kept making a bubble sound, it's like mixing or something. My hairs and my head covers in white paint. I thought it was the needle but it's fine.
How do you use a normal Iwata HP-C