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I have acquired a used airbrush (Paashe model H and pump). The pump is working fine but the brush appears to be clogged. I have partially disassembled it and found that the passages for conveying the paint seem to be clear of obstruction. Is the valve bad? What can I use to clean it? Also bought some Createx paints to practice with: black,white,red,blue,and yellow. After getting the paints home, I realized that everything but the black and white were "transparent". What is the transparent stuff for? Should I buy a double action brush or will the single action be fine for a beginner? Thanks for any help.
------------------ Wayne Webb Webb Sign Studio,Inc. Blastin' "woodesigns" in The Sunshine State "autograph your work with excellence" webbsignstudio@digitalexp.com
Posts: 7403 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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Oi, weh........Wayne, you just opened up a new world. If your brush appears to be clear, it's possible that your medium is too thick. You'll need some "medium thinner". You'll get lots of advice, I'm sure, but you REALLY need a video for beginners. There's way too much to learn up front on the airbrush basics alone to do it with disconnected posts. Also, keep your double action. Far better than the single.
------------------ St.Marie Graphics & Makin' Tracks Sound Studio Kalispell, Montana Mkntraks@digisys.net Carving America into a better shape! PEACE, through superior chisel-power! We're chiseling every day of the week! :^)
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Wayne........... Like Pierre says..ya need a video, or better yet, someone to work with ya hands on. Without any of the above, here's absolutly "THE" best place to get a handle on airbrushing... www.howtoairbrush.com ....Tons of "GOOD" info Hope this Helps.........cj
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Keep the double action. I bought my first airbrush not knowing a thing about them and purchased a single action. As soon as I saw a double action in the hands of Mr. J I realized the limitations of the single action airbrush. The only time my single action comes out of the box is when I want to throw alot of paint in a hurry on a background. I think I've used it once in the past 3 years.
You need to practice some basics until they come naturally to you. Dots of various sizes, straight lines (verticle, horizontal, & angled, from thin to thick), and the dagger stroke (thick at one end tapering to a point, sorta like a comet & tail) when you have these strokes down pat the art part is much easier.
While you are learning go ahead and use it for fades & highlites. Pat Reynolds has some nice tapes on beginning airbrush and some super cool (& very easy) special effects like wood, chrome, stone, marble, etc.
Good luck attaining a new skill.
------------------ Dave Sherby "Sandman" SherWood Sign & Graphic Design Crystal Falls, MI 49920 906-875-6201 ICQ: 21604027 sherwood@up.net
Posts: 5396 | From: Crystal Falls, MI USA | Registered: Apr 1999
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Wayne, The basics of airbrushing. Where does one start. The machinics of this device is very simular to automotive spray units. The major difference being size. There are four types; "top fed", "bottom fed", single action, double action, and any combonation there of. The most common is double action/syphon or "bottom fed". There are not many parts, about 10 or fewer, and will completely come apart. There are two adjustments, the needle depth, which controls the amout of paint, and the "double action" control, that regulates the air pressure, *and* the amount of paint.
The needle and its counter part, the farell determine the "sharpness" of the brush, and is labled; one, two, and three. This takes us to paints and their viscosity. The airbrush can use many types of paints including, enamel, latex, vinyl, lacqur, to name a few. I like enamel.(OneShot) Mixing the paint either 50/50 or 60/40 (paint/thinner) Like milk. Too thick, it "sputters", too thin, its transparent.
Since you didn't mention *what* you were going to use it for, I'll start with something simple. A "blend". The easiest way is the masking method, which makes perfect use of a plotter. (gerber mask) The mask I like best is vinyl transfer mask. (transparent paper type) Lay your mask over your substrait, and cut out you image. If you have use of a plotter; cut, weed, and apply to substrait. Now take your airbrush, hold it about 6" to 10" away, and make a couple of "dummy" passes to help get the feel of it. Have a piece of butcher paper, or newsprint hanging and ready. Next, hold the airbrush over the paper, and pust the air feed, at this point, no paint should be coming out. Now slightly pull back. This will recess the needle, and paint should flow. The further back you pull increases the amout of paint. Now go back to your substrait, start at the bottom, and make a couple of passes, with the the paint feed about 1/4. To get the blend, simply add more layers. Heres where you should be careful not to rush things. Let the layers dry a little before continuing.
One thing I cannot emphsize most is to keep your airbrush clean. If you use lacqur thinner, be sure to remove the rubber o-rings. Keep removable tip parts in thinner. After cleaning blow off all the parts.
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Ok, first thing t do with the Paache model 'H' is throw it away, that should fix whats wrong with it get your self the Paache model 'VL' it should come with a diagram and a few lessons you can do to get a feel for how it works. Too many beginers stat with the wrong type of airbrush and fail to do anything creative with it, in turn loosing intrest. the only reason I know that you would want a single action gun is for model painting. if you need any help email me.
------------------ -------------------------------------------------- "A wise man once said that, or was it a wise guy?"
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Wayne, The Paasche "H" model is ,like Captain Ken said,a single action airbrush. Good for doing fades and model painting, that's about it. You need to buy a VL ,or better, an Iwata Eclipse bottom feed,it it will be OK for what you need it to do. As far as regulating the air flow, that isn't a problem if you are set up right. You should have a compressor (at least 1/2 hp with a holding tank). The diaphram type compressor is gonna give you nothing but grief. They tend to pulse and you don't want that when airbrushing. You will need a regulator and moisture separator to keep your pressure where you want it and to keep clean dry air flowing to the tip of your brush. When you first start practicing you should not use over about 30 lbs. More pressure as you get used to the feel. Practice on heavy paper towels and do the "dagger" stroke until you have it mastered. By mastered I mean when you can make it any size, any direction, and any distortion such as a curve. The dagger is the most important stroke in airbrushing. Airbrushes are not designed to regulate air pressure, only to regulate the amount of paint coming out of the tip. DO NOT try to regulate air pressure with the trigger. You'll only make it harder on yourself. Set the pressure to what you are comfortable with and never take your finger off the trigger. The key to good airbrushing is "air always on". It makes you more able to concentrate on the back and forth motion necessary to execute a good clean stroke. Hope this helps, R.T.
------------------ R.T.Thomas,AirdeSigns 4407 US Hwy 49 S Hattiesburg,MS 39401 (601)543-0271 ID#2363 Proud supporter of LETTERVILLE! The best site on the net!! "I yam what I yam and dat's all dat I yam"
Posts: 547 | From: Hattiesburg,MS USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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I agree with most of these posts...VL Double action, they have 3 tip combos...If you are shooting acrylic it drys in the brush fairly rapidly, so your consistency should be just heavier than milk..(drips sortof fast)... Other solvent types, do your final cleaning with lacquer thinner, and leave it in the airbrush in the bottle. I have for 8 years without a problem. They only things that clog an airbrush are trash,thick paint, and acrylic buildup as it slowly coats you nose cap inside. When cleaning with the reamer supplied, don't get too aggressive on the rip cone or you will flare it out. The laquer thinner tends to relax any of the clogs in short order. Cheers, Bronzeo
------------------ Jack Davis 1410 Main St Joplin, MO 64801 www.imagemakerart.com bronzeo@prodigy.net http://www.imagemakerart.com
Posts: 1549 | From: Joplin, MO | Registered: Mar 2000
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I agree with the others on the H model being worthless. That being said,, the H model is Kenny Youngblood's favorite! Gives a lot of weight to my statement hahahahahaha
------------------ George Perkins Millington,TN. goatwell@ixlmemphis.com
"I started out with nothing and still have most of it left"
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Thanks for the great response guys! And for the wealth of information. I'm surely on the right track now. Thanks for the advise about the model H, after playing with it awhile, I'll get that VL. Right now I would like to start putting some nice fades on vinyl lettering etc. If the diaphragm compressor is indeed too "pulsey", we also have 5 and 7 1/2 hp outfits. What type of regulator if any would work with these? Thanks
------------------ Wayne Webb Webb Sign Studio,Inc. Blastin' "woodesigns" in The Sunshine State "autograph your work with excellence" webbsignstudio@digitalexp.com
Posts: 7403 | From: Chipley,Florida,United States | Registered: Oct 1999
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Wayne, Any regulator will work as long as the regulator on the compressor itself isn't set too high for the pressure rating of said regulator. In other words, if your "new" regulator has a rating of, say ,150lbs then the actual pressure coming out of the tank should not exceed that. Your compressor should have a regulator built in, if not, then make sure the one you get can handle all the compressor can put out. Also, when airbrushing, you should have at least 50' of air hose between your compressor and your regulator/moisture separator so the air has time to cool and condense before going into your brush. Air coming directly out of a compressor is hot and full of water not to mention oil if it's and oil/piston type. This can be very detrimental to getting a good airbrush job because the water and oil will mix with the paint and cause all sorts of problems. Hope this helps, R.T.
------------------ R.T.Thomas,AirdeSigns 4407 US Hwy 49 S Hattiesburg,MS 39401 (601)543-0271 ID#2363 Proud supporter of LETTERVILLE! The best site on the net!! "I yam what I yam and dat's all dat I yam"
[This message has been edited by R T Thomas (edited May 11, 2000).]
Posts: 547 | From: Hattiesburg,MS USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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------------------ R.T.Thomas,AirdeSigns 4407 US Hwy 49 S Hattiesburg,MS 39401 (601)543-0271 ID#2363 Proud supporter of LETTERVILLE! The best site on the net!! "I yam what I yam and dat's all dat I yam"
Posts: 547 | From: Hattiesburg,MS USA | Registered: Nov 1998
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Interesting comments.......George i like yours the best .seems to sum it up nicely......it aint the gun its the artist.....Youngbloods work is mighty fine......and its all what ya get used to......i bet if there was only one airbrush the H...there still would be some awesome arbrushings around.......i know i learned on a wren pen......and that bad boy kicked butt in the early 70s...very realy 70s..hehehehe..but when i tried a VL double....yea things got easier.......................what ever ya git make it sing..............DocCyber
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