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Wow! You always seem to find great deals! Seeing and hearing so much about the airbrushes has got me chomping at the bit to get one. Spring time!

I'll be interested to know what paints you end up getting.

still drooling over the tanks

Already do have a compressor, but it is noisy as hell, and doesn't have a moisture trap. I was just looking for a moisture trap when I found the package deal. The package seemed like a pretty decent deal, so I decided to give it a try. I practice soo much overkill when it comes to this hobby it hurts. I know very little about airbrushes, but I now own 5 of them and 2 compressors. At least if one overheats I can switch to the other.

Will definitely look into quick disconnect.

This hobby is soo expensive that I bargain hunt constantly, otherwise I don't think I could afford it.

Already have a head start on airbush paint. I used to work for a local haunted house that would airbrush makeup onto it's performers. At the end of the season they would just toss the large half empty bottles of paint. One year I ended up with all the left overs. I moved the contents to smaller, air tight bottles, and it's been sitting on my shelf next to the airbrush. At least a dozen or so bottles there.

To be honest though, I'll probably try my hand at thinning craft store paints, unless the project requires me to do otherwise.

Currently I'm spray painting on base coats and applying mostly craft store paints by hand as it is.

And yes, those tanks look pretty sweet. Probaly going to be the first vehicles I try the airbrush on.

My problem is that bargain hunting makes me buy things I probably don't need

Thinning the paints is probably going to work just fine. If they're especially gloppy, I would recommend thinning them before putting them in the color cup.

I have one very similar to the one on the right, single action with an underhanging pot. It's alright for basecoating, and not a lot else if I'm honest; it also fails to pick up paint unless you put in quite a bit, but if you if use cheap paints it's not so bad. The others I can't speak for, but they look pretty decent and the top-fed one should save some paint.

 GrimDork wrote:
My problem is that bargain hunting makes me buy things I probably don't need

I am absolutely guilty of this

 Paradigm wrote:
I have one very similar to the one on the right, single action with an underhanging pot. It's alright for basecoating, and not a lot else if I'm honest; it also fails to pick up paint unless you put in quite a bit, but if you if use cheap paints it's not so bad.

Until I am confident with with the airbrush, it's going to be cheap paint all the way

and then probably cheap paint after that as well...

The constant bargain hunting mode would also have me in the constant buying mode. I don't think my wife would approve of that...

That's my problem lol, always keeping an eye out for cheap modeling stuff and ending up with too much of some things etc. Also doesn't help that I back kickstarters and then still want to bargain hunt later on

Pre-ordered Deathstorm from GW and TheWarStore.
Release Day was last Friday.
GW mails it out the day AFTER release.
TheWarstore's inventory was delayed by GW and they mail it 5 days after release.

Today, I get my copy of Deathstorm from TheWarStore.

My expected shipping date from GW is on Friday, 2 days from now.

Got all excited to build the models, and then realised I don't own the newest codex for either Blood Angels or Tyranids.

WHOOPS!

Build them anyway, when it doubt, MAGNETIZE

New Blood Angels Codex drops this Firday, and I happen to have it off, so I'll likely have a Blood Angels Codex on Friday.

Tyranids, I know I'll want the Leviathan Book and the Codex, so I think I'll shop around until I can get a deal on them. Leviathan will get a softcover reprint "soon", so they should stop going for silly prices on Ebay, and start showing up with a discount.

Besides, now I have to figure out how to make stencils for airbrushing T-shirts

Well that last thing is ridiculously easy.

Print the thing out, or hold a paper up to your screen and trace it, I use printer paper 'cause it's thicker, white construction would work too. Cut out the shape, sometimes it works better to use the negative space that's left, other times I use the paper doll that comes out. Get some low-tack spray adhesive, the kind that specifically mentions removing it being a thing. Spray the back of the paper, let it sit for a minute or two so the glue doesn't soak into the shirt and become an issue, press the stencil down onto the shirt firmly, give it a minute or two, then you can start spraying. Spray. Let it dry, then remove stencil.

You can do words the same way, it's probably just as easy (or easier) than using plastic stencils and trying to do a letter at a time.

Anything that's floating in space will need little connective bits (you can see them on plastic stencils) or to be placed separately (to make stuff like O's and A's and what not). Once the stencil is removed you just got in low power and low paint and fill in the little line the connective piece left, it's easier than it sounds.

Sorry for rambling

These are the parts for the first drop pod

I look forward to seeing how this goes, it may save me a lot of money if it turns out Pods aren't too impossible to scratch build.

^This would certainly give my dreadnaughts something to do.

Will post some pics of the first assembled Drop Pod tommorrow.

Having a couple of minor issues with the templates. Nothing major, but some things I want to correct before building more of them. The vertical supports lack foam core in the top edge. It's not a big deal, but it looks like an oversight in the templates. Also, the doors are easy to cut out and build, but difficult to keep in their proper shape because the provided tabs are tiny and hard to secure. I'm going to improvise a few support pieces to help the doors keep their shape, and then use larger tabs on future drop pods.

All in all it looks very promising.

So.... If you manage to improve upon the templates, do share I like your stuff, it's usually easy to follow and looks to produce good results

Thanks, and will do.

I actually have a 5 page PDF ready to share for the drop pods, but I wanted to actually build it at least once before sharing the templates. No re-inventing the wheel in the templates, mosty laying out all the pieces in an easier to cut out fashion, instead of little bits by themselves that tell you they need 20+ of them.

Got my new compressor and 4 new airbrushes yeasterday. While I am eager to try them out, the wife is on vacation this week, so I may have to put off trying them out until next week.

Don't forget to get some airbrush lube stuff. Apparently it's good for them. I haven't noticed a big difference but it does make it easier to screw the tiny parts together snug without as much force (and therefore less chance to break parts) and maybe makes the trigger a little smoother.

I may have to look for some quick change adapters for the air brushes. 2 of the 4 have quick change adapters on the airbrush, but the hose they provided me does not.

Can anyone recommend some place inexpensive on line to get them ?

Or is that something I can find at a hardware store ?

I got one pretty cheap on amazon maybe 4-5 bucks. Shipping was slow though.

Maybe Harbor Freight? They have airbrush stuff but I have not looked closely at it.

Amazon had a bunch of quick disconnect options for under $10. I'll have to check my equipement to see which is best suited.

Harbor Freight has a suprising amount of airbrush supplies

I've always heard that but don't have one nearby. You may want to eventually look into an ultrasonic cleaner for weekly airbrush cleanings. Or well maybe bi-monthly depending on how much you use them. I've heard they work well, considering getting one myself.

I've been dabbling with the idea of getting an ultrasonic cleaner for years. They are great for stripping paint off of miniatures. The only problem is they are a $100+ for anything bigger and more powerful than a jewelry cleaner sized model.

I've had an airbrush for a decade I haven't used.
A vaccum former that I played with for a week and haven't gotten any serious use out of.
Three or so foam cutters that I used to make terrain I hardly used, or gave away.
Lead melting pot sitting in a corner.

I love my toys, er..um tools, but I'm reluctant to buy anything else until I'm confident I have a regular use for it.

ummmm $85 on Harbor Freight.....

Heh, I'm eying the jewelry cleaner sizes myself, by the time you've broken your airbrush down to get at the parts it'll easily fit inside (probably would anyway). I hadn't considered using a larger one to strip models though.... 2.5 liter.. that's a pretty decent size =/

The problem with the jewelry cleaner sized ones isn't really the size. They tend to be mostly plastic and intended for occasional light use. If you read the product reviews on Amazon there are plenty of small ultrasonic cleaners for around $40, but they have lots of negative reviews for breaking after a few months, or even after a few uses..

The larger models tended to be reviewed as built better. Although I have read more than one review that recommended sealing it with silicone to prevent water moisture making it into the electronics.

I was just looking at that exact ultrasonic cleaner from Harbor Freight. I like that one because it has a heated option. I need a larger one like that because I have some Carnifexes that need to take a swim.

If I could (easily) return my entire tyranid horde back to bare plastic (and preferably eat up some of the ugly joins I made back in my youth so I could reassemble them) I could actually see rebuilding and painting the things. Kind of wonder if it would do that good of a job w/o toothbrush/elbow-grease though.

If either of you gets it, lemme know

Here we go













Still needs detailing, but the basic build is done.