I've recently received my new airbrush and iwata sprint compressor. Can someone provide me with pointers on the use of the brush since the user guide provided wasn't much help or direct me to a better user guide. I'm trying to paint detailed line for cammo and coming up with poor results. I'm using vallejo and tamiya acrylics and both come out the a bit of splatter and not even close to those displayed on the test paper that came with the brush. My psi is set at 30. Also what is a good maintenace routine to follow and thinners for the line of paints mentioned. Thanks!!

When spraying fineline camo, you should try to have the paint really thin. Like milk or similar.
You could try to thin the paint till you think you´ve got it right, then using a small brush or cottonbud, dip it into the paint bowl of the airbrush and pull some paint up the side of the bowl like you were painting it. The paint should be quite translucent and run back down the side easily. If it does´nt add more thinner to the mix and try again.

Then lower your pressure to about 10-15psi and go at it slowly (test on an old crappy model or scrap plastic) press down on the trigger fully (full air) and pull back VERY slow and keep the brush still until you see some shadowing appear, then you can give it some more paint and progress from there. You´ll be doing nice camos in notime, just keep practisin`

Sorry I forgot!

When done painting, wipe the bowl really clean with a lint free cloth, some thinners and some cottonbuds, then pour some tamya thinner, alcohol or water into the bowl and spray it through the brush onto some tissue or kitchen roll until there is no sign of paint coming out. DO NOT use alcohol when cleaning up vallejo (unless its vallejo air) since it will turn the paint into some sort of goo, for regular vallejo water will be just fine.


BUT

I would not recommend using the vallejo paint unless its the vallejo air kind, since this is really thick and hard to thin properly for airbrush use.

If I were you i´d stick to the Tamiya since these are easy to use when starting out. When doing fineline camo, I´d recommend thinning with Tamiyas own thinner only, speaking from experiece.


Then pull the needle out by removing the small nozzle in the front and loosening the small screw clamping the needle it in the back. Pull it out FORWARDS since otherwise the paint will scrape off into the back of the airbrush and cause some headaches. Wipe everything off, put it back together and your ready for next time. You could try to look over the brush every once in a while and give it a complete disassembly and wipedown with som lacquerthinner to loosen builtup residues.


Happy painting!

Emil

When using Tamiya paint use their own thinner. Thin the paint 50-60% and spray at about 5-10 psi. You should be able to get very fine lines and do great cammo schemes free hand. Vallejo Model Air doesn't spray well through the HP-C Plus. When using Vallejo Model Air I would suggest using an Iwata CR or similar airbrush. Vallejo clogs to easy in the HP-C Plus. Practice on an old model before spraying on your actual project. This insures that you have the right air pressure, and paint to thinner ratio.

V/R
Rob

I agree with the other's posts about the paint dilution. Unless it is thinned properly you will get those results. Also check your Iwata's air cap, the part that the needle seats against, to make sure that it is properly snugged down---but don't overdo it. An even slightly loose air cap (some call it a head) will create those same problems especially at the pressures you describe.


Jim
Large Scale Armory

...and never press down on the trigger to start the air flow while it is pointed at the model. That way it won't blow any paint remaining in the head on the model. It helps too if you can remember to let the air flow a second longer when stopping the paint (move trigger to forward stop position and then stop air)
John

Agreed; spatter can happen for a variety of reasons. A lot of that has to do with your paint. These air brushes are very fine. You need to make sure the paint is very thin, and this will mean multiple coats, but a lot of control. You will need to drop your airpressure, or you will 'bead' the pain, and push it all over your model. When I spray really thin mixtures, I spray anywhere from 5-15 PSI.

There is a very dynamic interplay between your paint, your compressor/air source and how you need to use your brush. Learning to use an airbrush, especially to do very detailed work, requires understanding how your equipment functions, how to control your media and learning techniques that work for you to get the results you want.

Vallejos need to be heavily thinned, but don't use alcohol -- my experience has been that it leads to clumping. They fit in well with water as well as some airbrush mediums.

Have you solved your problem?