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Made in us
Fresh-Faced New User





Hey everyone, I'm hoping for a little guidance with some specific questions regarding airbrushing. I've done a lot of reading and watched a lot of videos to try and make sure I don't get tripped up by any supremely obvious stuff along the way. Still, I'm finding it difficult to know with 100% certainty why I see some of the behavior I see.

First, I am starting off with a Neo CN as a beginner brush. It seemed like one of the better choices to get something decent while not investing too much too soon. I also bought this compressor:

https://www.amazon.com/dp/B004KNBVM4/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_uXyiBb3X6P8CK

I'm trying to find my sweet spot for paint thickness and PSI. Sometimes when I spray, I may get 2-3 seconds of flow before it dies out, where I'll then give it a sharp burst to buy another 2-3 seconds. Generally speaking, is it better to try and thin the paint more or try a higher PSI? Assume that I'm cleaning the needle, nozzle, everything very frequently and thoroughly.

In both cases I find if I go much more thin on the paint or higher on the PSI, the paint tends to "splash" onto the model and the air pushes it around, giving it an awful and uneven texture.

Do I need to pull the brush farther away from the model? It seems like videos I see, on low PSI, you should be able to get pretty dang close. I'm sure I've got user error on my part since I'm starting out, but could it also be that I don't have a tank on my AC and it's causing inconsistent airflow? If the airflow was inconsistent, how would I test for that other than looking at the regulator dial?

I can probably come up with more details if any would be helpful. Just let me know. Thanks in advance everyone.
   
Made in us
Librarian with Freaky Familiar






So, I'm gonna give you the answer, and it's the answer no one likes to hear because it's the same answer when people ask, how do you loose weight?

You just gotta do it.

For what you are experiencing there is no answer anyone cane give you other then, keep playing with mixtures and PSI until you get it right, all paints are different. But generally you wanna be shooting at around 17 psi

To many unpainted models to count. 
   
Made in us
Fresh-Faced New User





Hah, honestly I'm fine with an answer like that. Knowing is half the battle, right? I just want to eliminate as many possibilities of what's going wrong as possible.

I've been aiming to stay in the 10-20 PSI range, honestly most of the time at 18 PSI. Knowing I'm in the ballpark helps.

So if I experience the "splashy" sort of effect in that ~18 PSI range, is the paint too thin?
   
Made in us
Steadfast Grey Hunter




Just curious, what paint are you using?


There's really a 'hands on' learning curve and about the only thing I found that made it any easier (aside from looking at some guides) was trying some dedicated airbrush paints to get through the "Ok that's how it's supposed to work. Now to thin out colors I want." stage.
   
Made in us
Martial Arts Fiday






Nashville, TN

One thing I've been doing is practicing my airbrushing on terrain. It gets me used to the feel of it and I can afford to make the occasional mistake since it's just terrain. Plus I'm getting some terrain painted!

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Courageous Questing Knight





Texas

Try to keep your PSI around 20 on the average - no higher than 25 if a bit thick, no lower than 15 or you will get sputters. Going too high can damage the seals in your brush.

Your paint should be the consistency to consistently flow through your brush at this PSI. I find about the thickness of whole milk works good, but your brush type will dictate what it likes.

And you have it right - terrain is an excellent learning ground, as the paint areas are not usually so strict, so learning time is nice.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/06/14 18:01:35


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Made in us
Librarian with Freaky Familiar






If you are getting splatters it's because the paint is to thin,

So my mix that I was taught was to use a 1:9 of 90% alcohol to water mix, that will be your airbrush thinner. The I find that for reaper paints and vallajo a roughly 1:1 mix of your thinner and paint works pretty well, erroring or the side of more paint then mix, and you gotta play with it there

To many unpainted models to count. 
   
Made in us
Abhorrent Grotesque Aberration





Can you tell if that compressor is actually giving you a consistent PSI? Pretty much every tankless compressor is garbage for airbrushing.

Sounds like 2 possible problems. The first is that the paint is globbing up in the airbrush. Clean it thoroughly by taking it completely apart and making sure absolutely everything is clean. Along with this go buy a paint that is already thinned for airbrushing. That’ll eliminate proper paint thinning as a problem.

Another possibility is that the compressor isn’t able to keep a solid pressure level up. Tanks provide air pressure consistency that compressors alone can’t do. I’d highly recommend you return that tankless compressor and buy one with a tank. Beyond just pressure consistency, a tank means the compressor isn’t always running so it’ll last far longer.


------------------
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"Why not?" - Asdrubael Vect 
   
Made in us
Librarian with Freaky Familiar






You don't need to use pre thinned paints and 90% of the time you will need to thin them more any way.

The splatter/spider effect is because the paint is to thin.

As mentioned, get a compressor with a tank it helps a lot.

To many unpainted models to count. 
   
Made in gb
Stalwart Ultramarine Tactical Marine





Stevenage, UK

If you have a dual-action airbrush then you're able to control the airflow with your finger. Get the pressure up on on the compressor, over 40 at least and use the trigger to manage it.

That way you can use the higher pressure you have available when it starts to clog a bit to blast it through.

I didn't believe this, then I went on one of the Siege Studios courses with James who is an absolute legend and he runs his at around 65psi, check out their webpage to see the results he gets.

Rik
   
Made in us
Librarian with Freaky Familiar






 Rik Lightstar wrote:
If you have a dual-action airbrush then you're able to control the airflow with your finger. Get the pressure up on on the compressor, over 40 at least and use the trigger to manage it.

That way you can use the higher pressure you have available when it starts to clog a bit to blast it through.

I didn't believe this, then I went on one of the Siege Studios courses with James who is an absolute legend and he runs his at around 65psi, check out their webpage to see the results he gets.

Rik


That's not how that works. The duel action does not control the pressure the dual action controls the flow of paint out of the cup with the tirgger pull, pressing down controls the air flow sure but it's not a good way to be trying to control it.


Also don't airbrush at 40+ psi you are going to have a bad time. Your spider effect is going to be even worse.



Automatically Appended Next Post:
Blasting it through is a HORRIBLE way to go about it, you should be running around 15 to 25 psi depending on paint flow and other ractors, I'd you get a clog you should pull off your model pull the trigger all the way back and let it go forward to push the paint out and spray it off the model, you don't want to be blasting your model with dry paint chunks unless you want sand.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
If it works for you then I say go for it, but pasting at that high of air pressure is just ugh, itdba quick way to burn out your compressor if you are not careful

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2018/06/19 16:50:49


To many unpainted models to count. 
   
Made in gb
Stalwart Ultramarine Tactical Marine





Stevenage, UK

 Backspacehacker wrote:
 Rik Lightstar wrote:
If you have a dual-action airbrush then you're able to control the airflow with your finger. Get the pressure up on on the compressor, over 40 at least and use the trigger to manage it.

That way you can use the higher pressure you have available when it starts to clog a bit to blast it through.

I didn't believe this, then I went on one of the Siege Studios courses with James who is an absolute legend and he runs his at around 65psi, check out their webpage to see the results he gets.

Rik


That's not how that works. The duel action does not control the pressure the dual action controls the flow of paint out of the cup with the tirgger pull, pressing down controls the air flow sure but it's not a good way to be trying to control it.


Also don't airbrush at 40+ psi you are going to have a bad time. Your spider effect is going to be even worse.



Automatically Appended Next Post:
Blasting it through is a HORRIBLE way to go about it, you should be running around 15 to 25 psi depending on paint flow and other ractors, I'd you get a clog you should pull off your model pull the trigger all the way back and let it go forward to push the paint out and spray it off the model, you don't want to be blasting your model with dry paint chunks unless you want sand.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
If it works for you then I say go for it, but pasting at that high of air pressure is just ugh, itdba quick way to burn out your compressor if you are not careful


I'd have said the same, but frankly the results James Otero gets both for his commission stuff and his competition stuff suggest that he probably knows what he's talking about.

Rik
   
Made in us
Courageous Questing Knight





Texas

As long as your brush can handle the higher pressure, then do what works. I just know I blew out a pretty good Badger dual action brush years ago by using a high pressure - the seals got destroyed. Maybe the better brushes are made better now.

My Novella Collection is available on Amazon - Action/Fantasy/Sci-Fi - https://www.amazon.com/Three-Roads-Dreamt-Michael-Leonard/dp/1505716993/

 
   
Made in gb
Stalwart Ultramarine Tactical Marine





Stevenage, UK

 MDSW wrote:
As long as your brush can handle the higher pressure, then do what works. I just know I blew out a pretty good Badger dual action brush years ago by using a high pressure - the seals got destroyed. Maybe the better brushes are made better now.


On their website badger say up to 65psi for their brushes as a working pressure, Harder and Steenbeck say 59psi, Iwata only rate their compressors not their brushes on the site, the compressors however only go up to 60psi.

Rik
   
Made in fi
Locked in the Tower of Amareo





Still don#t see why i would want that high. Maybe it's possible to control it like that but would be hard to avoid disaster. When 15-20 works perfectly why not use it?

2024 painted/bought: 109/109 
   
Made in us
Fresh-Faced New User





Ulfhednar_42 wrote:
Just curious, what paint are you using?


There's really a 'hands on' learning curve and about the only thing I found that made it any easier (aside from looking at some guides) was trying some dedicated airbrush paints to get through the "Ok that's how it's supposed to work. Now to thin out colors I want." stage.


That's actually exactly what I ended up doing, after it was suggested that I keep trying to find the right thickness and PSI. I have a combination of Citadel and Vallejo Game paints that I was trying to thin down with AB thinner. I ended up buying some Vallejo Game Air to finally get a frame of reference and also eliminate the paint as an issue.

It ended up working a little bit better, but it definitely still felt like my spray would die down after 1-2 seconds in the same position unless I was blasting it. I've tried higher PSI and it helps a little, but the higher PSI is getting sloppy because I have to pull back farther.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
clively wrote:
Can you tell if that compressor is actually giving you a consistent PSI? Pretty much every tankless compressor is garbage for airbrushing.

Sounds like 2 possible problems. The first is that the paint is globbing up in the airbrush. Clean it thoroughly by taking it completely apart and making sure absolutely everything is clean. Along with this go buy a paint that is already thinned for airbrushing. That’ll eliminate proper paint thinning as a problem.

Another possibility is that the compressor isn’t able to keep a solid pressure level up. Tanks provide air pressure consistency that compressors alone can’t do. I’d highly recommend you return that tankless compressor and buy one with a tank. Beyond just pressure consistency, a tank means the compressor isn’t always running so it’ll last far longer.



I have no idea how to tell if the PSI is consistent, other than looking at the gauge attached to the compressor. Based on that, I'd say it's consistent? I do notice that if I spray for a few seconds, it'll start turned-on and then sometimes stop very briefly before kicking back on. Does that just mean after a couple seconds, the pressure built up to the adjusted PSI in that exact instant?

As for cleaning, I've taken the whole dang thing apart and given it a very thorough cleaning (I bought a little cleaning set so that I knew I could clean the nozzle, chambers, etc)

I did end up buying Vallejo Game Air to just cut out that variable from the equation.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
 Backspacehacker wrote:
 Rik Lightstar wrote:
If you have a dual-action airbrush then you're able to control the airflow with your finger. Get the pressure up on on the compressor, over 40 at least and use the trigger to manage it.

That way you can use the higher pressure you have available when it starts to clog a bit to blast it through.

I didn't believe this, then I went on one of the Siege Studios courses with James who is an absolute legend and he runs his at around 65psi, check out their webpage to see the results he gets.

Rik


That's not how that works. The duel action does not control the pressure the dual action controls the flow of paint out of the cup with the tirgger pull, pressing down controls the air flow sure but it's not a good way to be trying to control it.


Also don't airbrush at 40+ psi you are going to have a bad time. Your spider effect is going to be even worse.



Automatically Appended Next Post:
Blasting it through is a HORRIBLE way to go about it, you should be running around 15 to 25 psi depending on paint flow and other ractors, I'd you get a clog you should pull off your model pull the trigger all the way back and let it go forward to push the paint out and spray it off the model, you don't want to be blasting your model with dry paint chunks unless you want sand.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
If it works for you then I say go for it, but pasting at that high of air pressure is just ugh, itdba quick way to burn out your compressor if you are not careful


I've experimented with PSI and I get pretty inconsistent spray in that 15-25 range. I can get a gentle spray but then it dies out, have to pull the lever back slightly more to get spray, it dies out again, and on and on until I get a blast. So it SEEMED like "okay, the paint is probably a little thick and building up at the nozzle" ... but a higher PSI (30-40 range) still felt sort of similar.

Basically it just feels like if I'm pulling back, say, 10%, I get a split second of 10% spray then it goes down to 0%. So I pull from 10% -> 15%, get 15% spray then it goes down to 0%. And this is using Vallejo Air paint. I've had to use it at 30-40 PSI and paint from very far away, but it's so hard to control the amount of spray at those levels.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2018/06/21 22:51:11


 
   
Made in us
Fresh-Faced New User





I know I've been long-winded (I don't want to ignore everyone who has been nice enough to chime in), but another thing I wanted to point out... The paint is ending up sort of... textured..? on the model. It dries and has kind of a grainy effect.

I've had to use about ~35 PSI to get consistent spray (or as much as I've been able to manage), but that means I'm spraying from fairly far back. I have no idea what to attribute it to. Dust? Humidity? Paint not spraying properly? Or is that just because I'm spraying from farther back, so the paint isn't as focused on a point by the time it hits the model?
[Thumb - IMG_20180621_184333.jpg]

   
Made in gb
Stalwart Ultramarine Tactical Marine





Stevenage, UK

Probably should have asked sooner, but with regards to technique are you:

A) Keeping constant pressure on the trigger and blasting paint through in a continual stream, trying to get the colour you want in a single pass.

or

B) Using short, controlled passes with the pressure coming off after each pass to build up very fine layers of colour and give yourself a gradual change of tone.

If you aren't doing option B, that may well be the route of at least some of your issues. It's all about building those layers and gradients very gradually.

Rik
   
Made in gb
Frenzied Berserker Terminator




Southampton, UK

The grainy effect comes from the paint drying in the air before it hits the model. Lower your pressure and spray closer to the model.
   
Made in us
Lone Wolf Sentinel Pilot






Texas

Lots of good advice. When I started out I had the same problems. You do just have to practice as mentioned.

As a general rule I spray between 15-20 PSI ( i have the same tankless compressor you do). Had it for several years now.

The other thing to keep in mind on PSI is that it can drop when you engage the trigger. So this 15-20 PSI is when paint is actually spraying, not when the compressor is on and just idle. So check that. Sometimes it can drop a couple to upto 10 PSI.

Paint consistency is a big thing. Consistent like milk.
I have spray Cheap ass Apple Barrell paints through an airbrush, you can do it, you just have to thin it.

Vallajo game color, Vallajo model color, Vallajo air range, Tamiya, and Citadel lines are all good choices paint wise. (but again you can really spray anything).

3 things that helped me A LOT were:

1.) Get Vallajo Flow Improver, its kind of expensive, but a $12 bottle will last you a while. You only need a few drops (as well as paint/water milk consistency). But this slows the drying time of the paint and keeps it wet. This will help with avoiding that textured pattern you are getting on your model.

2.) Keep the Tip of you airbrush clean. Get a SOFT bristle toothbrush and brush the tip to remove excess paint from the needle cap and needle. You should be doing this every 3-5 mins. If needed dip the toothbrush in water.

3.) You can use Windex(ammonia) or other RETARDANT to speed up the drying time. I do this if I get my paint to watery and it starts to run, spider etc... This can also lead to the crackling pattern you see on your model. Its a delicate balance.

Try spraying the following so you can get the feel of it. Take the same paint bottle/color (doesnt matter, just not a wash or and AIR color) and mix that with water to get milk. Spray that.

Now take the same paint and use windex/Retardant and spray that. You should see the paint dry almost as soon, if not before it hits the model. You may also notice that paint dries on the tip much faster. Use that Toothbrush to keep the tip clean.

Lastly, try using paint and just Vallajo flow improver, the paint will stay wet much longer.

As you practice you will get the feel of it.

Lastly, watch Next Level Painting on youtube/twitch. He is a little out there with his Jargon/Gangsta style, but he has some solid Gold Advice when it comes to airbrushing.

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Made in us
Fresh-Faced New User





 Rik Lightstar wrote:
Probably should have asked sooner, but with regards to technique are you:

A) Keeping constant pressure on the trigger and blasting paint through in a continual stream, trying to get the colour you want in a single pass.

or

B) Using short, controlled passes with the pressure coming off after each pass to build up very fine layers of colour and give yourself a gradual change of tone.

If you aren't doing option B, that may well be the route of at least some of your issues. It's all about building those layers and gradients very gradually.

Rik


I'm trying to get a low, controlled stream so I can take several passes on the cloak I posted a picture of. I believe I'm attempting what I've seen in videos, which is that B option, but the lack of controlled lower spray has been a blocker. And that's where I get into turning the PSI up, which leads to spraying from farther away, thicker coats than I'd want, etc etc...

I definitely have had to strip a couple models after getting a little too aggressive with the spray, so I can confidently say I know I'm aiming for option B


Automatically Appended Next Post:
Crispy78 wrote:
The grainy effect comes from the paint drying in the air before it hits the model. Lower your pressure and spray closer to the model.


That really helps to know. Unfortunately spraying at lower pressure and therefore closer to the model has been the issue... But knowing that if I can figure out what my blocker is to that it will solve the grainy issue, is extremely encouraging.


Automatically Appended Next Post:
 Dynas wrote:
Lots of good advice. When I started out I had the same problems. You do just have to practice as mentioned.

As a general rule I spray between 15-20 PSI ( i have the same tankless compressor you do). Had it for several years now.

The other thing to keep in mind on PSI is that it can drop when you engage the trigger. So this 15-20 PSI is when paint is actually spraying, not when the compressor is on and just idle. So check that. Sometimes it can drop a couple to upto 10 PSI.

Paint consistency is a big thing. Consistent like milk.
I have spray Cheap ass Apple Barrell paints through an airbrush, you can do it, you just have to thin it.

Vallajo game color, Vallajo model color, Vallajo air range, Tamiya, and Citadel lines are all good choices paint wise. (but again you can really spray anything).

3 things that helped me A LOT were:

1.) Get Vallajo Flow Improver, its kind of expensive, but a $12 bottle will last you a while. You only need a few drops (as well as paint/water milk consistency). But this slows the drying time of the paint and keeps it wet. This will help with avoiding that textured pattern you are getting on your model.

2.) Keep the Tip of you airbrush clean. Get a SOFT bristle toothbrush and brush the tip to remove excess paint from the needle cap and needle. You should be doing this every 3-5 mins. If needed dip the toothbrush in water.

3.) You can use Windex(ammonia) or other RETARDANT to speed up the drying time. I do this if I get my paint to watery and it starts to run, spider etc... This can also lead to the crackling pattern you see on your model. Its a delicate balance.

Try spraying the following so you can get the feel of it. Take the same paint bottle/color (doesnt matter, just not a wash or and AIR color) and mix that with water to get milk. Spray that.

Now take the same paint and use windex/Retardant and spray that. You should see the paint dry almost as soon, if not before it hits the model. You may also notice that paint dries on the tip much faster. Use that Toothbrush to keep the tip clean.

Lastly, try using paint and just Vallajo flow improver, the paint will stay wet much longer.

As you practice you will get the feel of it.

Lastly, watch Next Level Painting on youtube/twitch. He is a little out there with his Jargon/Gangsta style, but he has some solid Gold Advice when it comes to airbrushing.


That's a good point about the PSI dropping on the compressor. I noticed that early on, so I'll spray an empty brush and turn the gauge until I get the PSI I want with the trigger engaged. So for clarity, yes the PSI I'm referring to is with the trigger engaged. Great thought, though. I'm still in the return period on the compressor so I ordered the same one + tank.

Will the flow improver thin the Vallejo Game Air paint, like an AB medium/thinner would? I do have some Vallejo retardant. Would it be worth adding some retardant and then some AB thinner and seeing if that helps? I know the retardant thickens the paint since it's kind of gelatinous, but the thinner should counteract that.

I've definitely checked out some of those videos before digging into things. One where he took apart his brush and explained the different parts was so helpful when it came time to making sure I did some thorough cleaning. Definitely goofy on the style, but really easy guy to learn from.

Can any of this be caused by something I did unknowingly to the brush? I don't see anything like a drastic bend in the needle, but if it was warped just slightly or the tip was bent just slightly could that be a potential culprit? Or would I absolutely notice something like that with the needle?

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2018/06/22 23:14:48


 
   
Made in us
Lone Wolf Sentinel Pilot






Texas

It sounds like your paint is too thick. Army painter paints I have to really thin. Citadel just a bit. Vallajo veries, Game color is thicker i have found, Model color i barely thing. Air colors In my experience don't need thinning, maybe just a drop of flow improver and go.

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Made in us
Fresh-Faced New User





Just a quick update for everyone who has been great enough to offer their thoughts:

I ended up returning my tankless compressor for the version with a tank. I noticed an immediate difference, though not a silver bullet, in the consistency of the spray. I still had some struggles on lower PSI and low trigger action, but it felt more predictable than before. I'm guessing that, as a byproduct of other issues, an imperfect airflow was compounding some of it. If I was perfect at everything else, I bet I wouldn't have any issues. Still, screw it, I spent the little extra for a tank and know I can count on it.

I'm still convinced that there is SOMETHING not quite right with the airbrush. Thoroughly cleaned out, with airbrush-ready paints (or even, to an extreme, a shade), I still get diminishing spray strength unless I'm hitting it stronger than I'd like. I've ordered some flow improver to see if that can do JUST enough.

I wonder if it makes sense to get a larger needle+nozzle so it can be more forgiving with the paint and allow me to focus on things like controlling the brush.
   
Made in gb
Ferocious Blood Claw




North East UK

Try using only water and food dye to spray onto paper and see how it sprays. You could have a small blockage in the nozzle (it can take a very small amount of dried paint in there to mess up the brush).

If you think you might have then give the disassembled parts a soak overnight in some airbrush cleaner then give it a very gentle clean the next day (the nozzles are quite fragile and can be expensive for such a tiny part), just remember to remove any rubber seals before soaking.

This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2018/06/27 13:32:05


 
   
Made in us
Fresh-Faced New User





nedsta wrote:
Try using only water and food dye to spray onto paper and see how it sprays. You could have a small blockage in the nozzle (it can take a very small amount of dried paint in there to mess up the brush).

If you think you might have then give the disassembled parts a soak overnight in some airbrush cleaner then give it a very gentle clean the next day (the nozzles are quite fragile and can be expensive forsuch a tiny part), just remember to remove any rubber seals before soaking.



It does seem to spray something like AB cleaner consistently. I think I have some food dye somewhere in my cupboards, so I'll try some colored water (which should be marginally thicker than AB cleaner, right?)

Yikes, I didn't know to remove any rubber seals (would that mean the O-ring on the Neo CR nozzle?) so I hope I haven't caused a lot of damage to the sealing of certain parts

Well, I guess there really isn't anything super actionable and I just have to keep trucking and figuring things out.

Thanks again to everyone who has offered input! Extremely helpful.
   
Made in gb
Ferocious Blood Claw




North East UK

The food dye is just to make it a bit easier to see what's going on when you're spraying.

Just to clarify when I say remove the seals, I was meaning if you soak it overnight in a glass jar with some strong cleaner, then to remove the seals just as a precaution.

Also if you know of somebody who has an ultrasonic cleaner that you can use then it would be worth giving that a try too.


The thing with an airbrush is that once you've cleaned it you'll still find it needs cleaning again but in a slightly different place than before.

This message was edited 2 times. Last update was at 2018/06/27 13:31:35


 
   
Made in gb
Stalwart Ultramarine Tactical Marine





Stevenage, UK

An Ultrasonic jewellery cleaner from Amazon for around £30 (or whatever your local currency is) would be a sound investment, I don't use mine every time, but it's useful for those situations.

It's also good with some isopropyl for stripping models in absolutely no time, which is good to know for when the airbrush REALLY betrays you.

Rik
   
Made in fi
Locked in the Tower of Amareo





 Rik Lightstar wrote:
An Ultrasonic jewellery cleaner from Amazon for around £30 (or whatever your local currency is) would be a sound investment, I don't use mine every time, but it's useful for those situations.

It's also good with some isopropyl for stripping models in absolutely no time, which is good to know for when the airbrush REALLY betrays you.

Rik


On a side note thanks for the tip on stripping models. I have some cleaning voes on my airbrush so had been planning to get ultrasonic cleaner but didn't think of using it to strip models. Isopropyl+toothbrush has been doing wonders but damn it's annoying to do. Maybe this indeed helps there as well.

2024 painted/bought: 109/109 
   
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 Rik Lightstar wrote:
An Ultrasonic jewellery cleaner from Amazon for around £30 (or whatever your local currency is) would be a sound investment, I don't use mine every time, but it's useful for those situations.

It's also good with some isopropyl for stripping models in absolutely no time, which is good to know for when the airbrush REALLY betrays you.

Rik
Totally second the ultrasonic cleaner for the occasional deep clean on the airbrush. I don't use it all that often but when it starts getting buggy and needs a thorough strip down it's great for getting hard to reach places.

 Fafnir wrote:
Oh, I certainly vote with my dollar, but the problem is that that is not enough. The problem with the 'vote with your dollar' response is that it doesn't take into account why we're not buying the product. I want to enjoy 40k enough to buy back in. It was my introduction to traditional games, and there was a time when I enjoyed it very much. I want to buy 40k, but Gamesworkshop is doing their very best to push me away, and simply not buying their product won't tell them that.
 
   
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This Is Where the Fish Lives

Don't use an ultrasonic cleaner to clean your airbrush. It maybe be faster than doing it by hand, but it can also irreversibly damage it.

The absolute best way to clean an airbrush is to completely disassemble it and clean the internals using paper points, interdental brushes, and strong lacquer thinner. Watch this video:



 d-usa wrote:
"When the Internet sends its people, they're not sending their best. They're not sending you. They're not sending you. They're sending posters that have lots of problems, and they're bringing those problems with us. They're bringing strawmen. They're bringing spam. They're trolls. And some, I assume, are good people."
 
   
 
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