Got my first airbrush kit


NYSW F45

NYSW F45

Active Member
I got this kit from my future father-in-law (awesome guy btw) as an early wedding gift. Opened the box and saw the Compressor and was pretty stoked, then the fiancee pulled out the smaller boxes and this airbrush kit came out. Was pretty happy, its a basic external mix kit, figured ok i'll get used to the whole airbrush thing first. No sense in going all out in the beginning. The the fiancee pulled out another box. A nice Dual action, internal mix. I was pretty happy seeing this box. Now I just can't wait to get my first jars of paint and get started.

But I have a few questions, I couldn't find the answers in the manual for the delux kit.

1. The needle at the back in the blue part, how and why would you need to adjust it?
2. The small little cup when inserted it is at an angle and if I was pointing the brush downward at all, the paint would spill out. Is there anything to prevent this?

Also can you use paint thinner to clean out the jars and brush or should it only be airbrush thinner?
 
not sure on #1, but I can help a bit on the others:

the cup should rotate to help with the angle. But for the most part, you shouldn’t tilt it too much, you’ll have to tilt/move the model around. I’ve actually gotten to where I move the model and hold the airbrush relatively still. Practice will get you more comfortable with all this.

Some call it heresy but I use regular paint thinner for cleaning. The special cleaners for the brands are grossly expensive and a waste of money in most cases. Take it all apart, wipe out the bulk of the paint, then soak all the parts in a jar. Clean them with a soft brush then reassemble it and run a paint cup of clean thinner thru it.

For lacquer paints (Floquil), use lacquer thinner. For acrylics and latex (Polly S, Tamiya), use isopropyl alcohol (not rubbing alcohol).

and have fun!
 
thanks for the info on cleaning. that was one area i was a bit worried i'd mess up and ruin the brush.

Now I have another question regarding paint. Im trying to see if i can get the actual paint color used on NYSW engines, i believe its PPG paint. If I can get a small enough jar of it, could this be run thru an airbrush?
 
You can spray any kind of paint through an airbrush as long as it is thinned properly. The paint they use on a real locomotive will be a type of automotive type paint. Not something you want to play around with if you haven't got any experience painting. It requires a hardener as well as thinning. Also the fumes are toxic. A special paint suite with fresh air mask is required as well as very good ventilation. Not something you want to spray in your house. Better to mix up a color out of acrylic. If you don't think you can do it yourself ask the hobbyshop if someone there can help you out. They usually have someone there that will have experience in mixing paint. You may have to buy three or more colors to properly tint it to the color you need.
 
RonP said:
Sir Isopropyl is rubbing alcohol I think you mean not spirits alcohol such as methyl
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no, rubbing alcohol is isoproyl with some oils added. Not good to have oils in a water-based paint system. Iso is used to thin pretty much anything that thins with water, but it works a lot better.
 
NYSW F45 said:
But I have a few questions, I couldn't find the answers in the manual for the delux kit.

1. The needle at the back in the blue part, how and why would you need to adjust it?
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The airbrush you got from HF is almost an exact copy of the Badger 155/360 airbrush,

155Anthem.jpg


360th.jpg


which is a very good brush. I'm not sure if the parts are interchangeable, but if they are, this could come in handy if replacement parts are necessary. It was made for painting with acrylics, but I have successfully used it with enamels, laquers, and other solvent-based paints.

To answer your questions, the way you adjust the needle is to loosen the thumbscrew in the oval cut-out, then pull or push on the ball on the end of the needle. You can also remove the needle for cleaning.

This is a dual-action, internal mix airbrush, but you can use it like a single action by pulling back slightly on the ball of the needle to adjust the paint flow. Just remember NOT to pull back on the trigger. Just press down on it to start the airflow.

2. The small little cup when inserted it is at an angle and if I was pointing the brush downward at all, the paint would spill out. Is there anything to prevent this?

Also can you use paint thinner to clean out the jars and brush or should it only be airbrush thinner?
Click to expand...

As far as the color cup, you need to swing it to either side of the brush depending on which hand you paint with. I paint with my left hand, so the color cup swings to right, and vice-versa for right-hand painters.

Yes, you can use paint thinner or laquer thinner to clean jars. Personally, I like to keep things separate. If I'm working with acrylics, I wash up with water and/or a water-based cleaning agent. If painting with solvent-based paints I clean up with laquer thinner.

Donnell
 
Thank you this helped me immensely.


sd80mac said:
The airbrush you got from HF is almost an exact copy of the Badger 155/360 airbrush,

155Anthem.jpg


360th.jpg


which is a very good brush. I'm not sure if the parts are interchangeable, but if they are, this could come in handy if replacement parts are necessary. It was made for painting with acrylics, but I have successfully used it with enamels, laquers, and other solvent-based paints.

To answer your questions, the way you adjust the needle is to loosen the thumbscrew in the oval cut-out, then pull or push on the ball on the end of the needle. You can also remove the needle for cleaning.

This is a dual-action, internal mix airbrush, but you can use it like a single action by pulling back slightly on the ball of the needle to adjust the paint flow. Just remember NOT to pull back on the trigger. Just press down on it to start the airflow.



As far as the color cup, you need to swing it to either side of the brush depending on which hand you paint with. I paint with my left hand, so the color cup swings to right, and vice-versa for right-hand painters.

Yes, you can use paint thinner or laquer thinner to clean jars. Personally, I like to keep things separate. If I'm working with acrylics, I wash up with water and/or a water-based cleaning agent. If painting with solvent-based paints I clean up with laquer thinner.

Donnell
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Isopropyl alcohol and "rubbing " alcohol are the same product. The difference is that Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol, U.S.P. / B.P. contains 68-99% of isopropanol (isopropyl alcohol) by volume, the remainder consisting of water, with or without color additives, suitable stabilizers, and perfume oils. It's these perfume oils that Ken was talking about in terms of gumming up the works in your air brush. You can find unscented rubbing alcohol, usually 71% or 95%, and that will work fine with an airbrush for thinning and cleaning.
 
RonP said:
Fair enough, not to get anal on you but does that include the 99% stuff ?
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yup, the other 1% is water, IF it is isopropyl alcohol. Often I have seen 4 pints for a dollar, but it was 75%, or 25% water and it works just fine too. The 99% stuff is just more expensive.
 
No Problem. I visit HF at least 3-4 time a month, and I've seen this airbrush kit. I wanted to buy it just to try it out, but I already have 5 airburshes; a Paasche VL, 2 Paasche H models, a Badger 360, and a Badger 155 Anthem.

I also got to try several Iwata airbrushes and instantly fell in love with that brand! Such precise control, those brushes are truly amazing!

Donnell


RonP said:
Thank you this helped me immensely.
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sd80mac said:
No Problem. I visit HF at least 3-4 time a month, and I've seen this airbrush kit. I wanted to buy it just to try it out, but I already have 5 airburshes; a Paasche VL, 2 Paasche H models, a Badger 360, and a Badger 155 Anthem.

I also got to try several Iwata airbrushes and instantly fell in love with that brand! Such precise control, those brushes are truly amazing!

Donnell
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I love my Iwata! Much nicer then my Badger. Not that the Badger is bad or anything... The Iwata is just better!
 
I'll have to agree Fred.

I've tried the Eclise, the Revolution, and the HP. But the one I was most impressed by with the Custom Micron. This airbrush is phenomenal! It can do things other brushes only dream of!

Donnell



CP9302 said:
I love my Iwata! Much nicer then my Badger. Not that the Badger is bad or anything... The Iwata is just better!
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When you pull back on the trigger of your airbrush that will increase the amount of paint that flows through the brush. I use a Devilbiss Dagr brush which is comparable to a top of the line Iwata and that is how it works. My brush gets used for everything from models to murals on cars and works great with all types of paint from acrylics to base/clear automotive paints.
 
i might pick up some poly scale this weekend if i can and dont get stuck on overtime again.

as for the needle, the needle i was referring to was the adjustable one at the rear of the handle.
 
kenw said:
For lacquer paints (Floquil), use lacquer thinner. For acrylics and latex (Polly S, Tamiya), use isopropyl alcohol (not rubbing alcohol).

and have fun!
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Floquil hasn't been an lacquer for many years. It's now an enamel. Floquil lacquer was sold with a black label, and as they switched over to an enamel base, they changed their labels to red. For a while you could buy the same color in the black label, (lacquer), and also the red label, (enamel). I'm not even sure if they even sell their "Barrier" anymore, which was recommended to be used on plastic before spraying the Floquil lacquer.

As to "specialty" thinners, I just go to Lowe's, Home Depot, etc, and get a gallon of Tuolol, and/or Xylol. Floquil's "Diosol" is a mixture of these two thinners, as is Scalecoat's thinner. Either by themselves thins Floquil, Scalecoat, or any other enamel.

The "adjustment screw" at the back of the airbrush really isn't one. Its a set screw to anchor the needle in the adjustment bracket properly. You can use it to pull the needle back some to cause the brush to function as a single action airbrush, but why would you do it. I bought the same Dbl Action airbrush the first of May and have used it some. Looks to me like its based on one of the old Binks airbrush designs. I also picked up HF's $9.95 brush. This one appears to be based on the old Binks single action "Wren" design. Only problem I can see with it is it doesn't seem to be able to spray as fine as I would like.

A Passche "H" cup has an extra bend in the supply pipe to allow the cup stay in a better position, and it fits the HF Dbl Action Brush.

I also got to try several Iwata's a few years ago, and they are very excellent brushes. But the results aren't any better than the lower priced Passches or Badgers. So I'll just do the majority of my solvent based paints with my Passche and Badger, and use the HF Dbl Action for acrylics and the "Wren" brush for large areas that may not have to have that perfect finish.

I'll see if I can get some pictures posted on this. But I gotta stumble downstairs and do it.
 
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