Airbrush

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Buggleskelly
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Airbrush

Post by Buggleskelly »

A new discovery for me anyway. While browsing Amazon I saw that there seems to be quite a few cordless airbrushes doing the rounds, and liked the idea of being able to do a few quick paint touch ups, without having to get out all my usual spraying equipment. So I treated myself to one of these (see pic). Not yet tested in anger, but seems to spray water well, and has a nice weight and feel to it. Very handy for a quick bit of weathering I think. The airbrush is double action, and seems well made.
IMG_20200201_095501 (Copy).jpg
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Ironduke
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Re: Airbrush

Post by Ironduke »

Do you charge them up or is the pressure can disposable?
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Rob
Buggleskelly
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Re: Airbrush

Post by Buggleskelly »

Hi Rob,
The lower black part is the compressor, onto which the air brush is attached. It is rechargeable and will power the air brush for about 40 minutes, a USB lead is supplied with it. Once you switch it on, there is an air bleed, so no need to worry about it over pressurising. This is all metal and has a nice weight to it. The white dot at the top of the pic. is the on/off switch. The silvery dot at the bottom, is the recharging socket.
This one came with a double action airbrush, so you can control both the paint and the air going through it. The thread on top of the compressor is a standard one, so another airbrush could be used instead.
Hope that helps.
RAF96
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Re: Airbrush

Post by RAF96 »

No one has asked the price yet and supplier. Looks to be a handy unit.
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Buggleskelly
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Re: Airbrush

Post by Buggleskelly »

My brush cost me £40, but prices seem to vary from day to day. I see them from £32 to £50 on Amazon where I bought this one. Having a quick look at YouTube shows them being used in nail bars and hairdressers with hair dye, so I suppose they have many uses.
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Bigglesof266
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Re: Airbrush

Post by Bigglesof266 »

Attempt at convenience, but it looks awkward.

OK for very occasional use on jobs where manipulative finesse isn't required I suppose.

Small tank like that and with a tiny piston, compressor would be running most of the time and hard.

Is the compressor noisy?

Seems gimmicky to me.

I'll stick with hose and decent sized compressor and tank with water traps and filters thanks.
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Ironduke
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Re: Airbrush

Post by Ironduke »

It's hard to believe a compressor that small would actually work. You should make a video of it working.

When I think about it, the compressor is the least of my problems when it comes to airbrushing. I've got a nice little unit that fits on a shelf but still manages to be useful, not like the piss-weak one I had before, which had no tank.
The main thing that stops me from using it more is preparation and cleanup.

My compressor.
Image
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Rob
Buggleskelly
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Re: Airbrush

Post by Buggleskelly »

Having only used it so far to paint a 1/35 Russian lorry kit, my first impressions are quite good. Using Vallejo Model Air acrylic, I can spray down to a 1mm line width with it, and noise wise, I would say quieter than an electric tooth brush. As far as awkward goes, I'm only really holding the brush like a pen anyway, not the black body of it. Convenience wise really good. Just a case of, pick it up, few drops of paint in the cup, off you go.
I do have an air compressor with tank, one of those ubiquitous AS 186 models, which is fine, but as I live in a small house there is the problem of dragging it out and setting it all up each time. And there is only so much I can spray in a session as well.
For small projects, which I might want to just fit in when time is available, this little model suits me, maybe not everyone.
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flying scotsman123
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Re: Airbrush

Post by flying scotsman123 »

For the first time I'm actually considering the purchase of an airbrush, I've always been put off by the faff of it all, and the expense. This looks pretty handy and not too badly priced, thanks for posting!
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Bigglesof266
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Re: Airbrush

Post by Bigglesof266 »

"those ubiquitous AS 186 models"

Are fabulous.

C'mon they're tiny, compact, lightweight and quiet with sufficient air tank size to not be constant run annoying for the bulk of modelling spray jobs. I store mine under my train table. Taking it by its grab handle, positioning it for spraying at my desk and plugging it in must take all of 60 seconds from my life. Compared to the setup, prep, masking and airbrush cleanup involved in spray painting anything, 60 seconds is insignificant.

Coming from a background of lengthy modelling and airbrushing experience, I'm often bemused by people who are disparaging of the rebranded AS-186 because they are inexpensive, Made in PRC, and now "ubiquitous" for sound logical reason. I could only dream of such a compressor in the days when I couldn't afford an airbrush or compressor at all in plastic modelling's heyday, not really all that long ago. And when I harken back to my first compressor with an air tank which I could afford, it was a NAF (noise as f...) Made in America Miller about as sophisticated as something which might have been designed and mass manufactured during the First World War, which cost me four times as much as much as an AS186 did a few years ago, and in actual 1981 dollars rather than adjusted for inflation!!!! Now it was positively agricultural, with such a ridiculously small air tank it may as well not have had one other than it acting as a piston pulse buffer. An absolute PITA to use, it's only redeeming feature was that it was better than no air brush compressor.
Buggleskelly
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Re: Airbrush

Post by Buggleskelly »

???? '' people who are disparaging''

I really like my AS186, a really useful compressor. I was simply saying that you see them advertised a lot, because they are so popular. If you have plenty of space to store it when not in use, then that's nice for you.

I was just showing a useful and convenient airbrush that I recently discovered and purchased, with the intent that it may have been of interest.

I should be obliged if admin would lock my post please.

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Bigglesof266
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Re: Airbrush

Post by Bigglesof266 »

If I have 'plenty of space' to store an AS-186? An object less than the size of two small shoeboxes stacked? That's beyond funny considering the volume of space a layout occupies, and what by necessity, must lie beneath its frame.
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GeraldH
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Re: Airbrush

Post by GeraldH »

Buggleskelly wrote:I was just showing a useful and convenient airbrush that I recently discovered and purchased, with the intent that it may have been of interest.
Are you still getting on OK with this? I quite like the idea. Perhaps someone else now has experience of one?
Gerald H - BNR Correspondent :-)

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Buggleskelly
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Re: Airbrush

Post by Buggleskelly »

Hi Gerald H, yes I am getting on fine with this. I mainly use this as a general purpose paint brush for various hobby projects. Useful for small tasks, as it is easy to top up the fixed paint cup, or give it a quick rinse out. I have not had any ''spatter'' pattern from the brush, but like any other brush, you need to keep the nozzle and needle clean and a consistent paint/thinner mix. I have not had the need for a precision brush, but the thread on top of the base unit is a standard thread so any other brush should fit if this one gets damaged I suppose. Overall it has been very useful, and convenient, as it is rechargeable. n.b can also be recharged with a powerbank.
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