Changing Needle And Nozzle Sizes: What You Need To Know

[@S.A.S.H.]

These Q&A videos are great. I would also very much like more details on needle setups, when to do it, what to do it for, the various options and their strength and weaknesses. Your expertise sort of needs longer format videos to share of it at a time. But I, for one, appreciate any amount you are willing and able to share in any given video. Thanks for sharing m8.

[@S.A.S.H.]

As soon as I typed that I got a list of videos suggested by YT that met my criteria. So the lesson, search more before asking, huh?

[@harderairbrush]

Our pleasure. I would really like to set up an event where we can talk to people live and take actual questions on the stream. Hopefully we can set that up to start this year, and do it regularly.

[@S.A.S.H.]

@@harderairbrush Will be looking forward to that if it comes about. Are you UTC or UTC+1? I'm, UTC -5.

[@Andrewc87563]

Video on needle swapping makes sense.

[@giorgoschrysochoos8874]

Thank you for the very informative series. Here's a question for you and your team: Do 0.2 air cap, needle and nozzle and 0.4 air cap, needle and nozzle setups are compatible with the same needle cap? If not, does having a dedicated needle cap for each setup yields better results instead of having a generic needle cap?

[@harderairbrush]

Needle caps perform different functions with different brands. With us, the needle cap is purely a protector for the needle - we do not perform any airflow conditioning with the needle cap. Therefore, we only need one size for each family of set-ups.

[@richardharmon1874]

Please provide a video relating to needle/nozzle size to versus air pressure

[@harderairbrush]

Hi Richard - certainly, but could you elaborate more specifically on what you are asking? I'm seeing a couple of potential interpretations of that question and would like to be clear on what you're actually asking.

[@hennie7777]

Hi, I have an Ultra 2024 and i like it but I have a question. I have only just started and I would like to install an infinity nozzelcap on it for the purposes of more comfortably backflowing. How should i go about this, do I have to change the needle and nozzle as well or can i just purchase the 0.4 infinity nozzlecap? kind regards

[@harderairbrush]

No just the aircap. BUT why not stick to our painting process for the Ultra? If you’re a beginner, get our painting process down first - it’s been very well researched as an optimal way for a beginner to start out. Also, it will save you spending money on a new aircap :-) once you’re comfortable with that, THEN start learning how to use naked aircaps such as the Infinity.

[@hacheyp]

What is an air cap? Needle cap?? New to this!

[@harderairbrush]

The aircap is the part which clamps the fluid nozzle on. The needle cap is the part which slides or screws onto the aircap and protects the tip of the needle. On our ULTRA, for example, the needle cap and the aircap are integrated into one part. Hope that helps!

[@Jimmy-sb3fc]

I have several airbrushes that don't have any markings at all. How do I measure them to determine what needle sizes they are? Thank you!

[@harderairbrush]

Hey buddy - I assume that these are not H&S airbrushes - I'm afraid I can't help you there :-) If there are no markings on the needles or nozzles, then the only way that you can determine what size they are is with specialist measuring tools. In the case of needles, there is no way to measure a needle to determine its size as they are tapered without knowing what nozzle they are intended for, you cannot call it a "size". Actually the terminology that is typically used - for example, a 0.20mm needle, is not really correct. For example, on our needle designed to work with the 0.45mm nozzle, at some point along the tapers, you will find a dimension of 0.28mm but it is not designed for use with a 0.28mm nozzle. Really, we should talk about head system sizes, as they infer compatibility, rather than size, which is only really applicable to the nozzle mouth diameter. Hope that helps to bring a little more understanding, if not answering your question directly!

[@Jimmy-sb3fc]

@@harderairbrush Thank you so much for the fast and detailed response!

[@KayakFishingCentral]

Keep up the good work, this video series is great. 👍

[@harderairbrush]

Thank you! And of course, I have to ask, did our airbrushes help you catch any fish???

[@KayakFishingCentral]

@@harderairbrush yes, I have had plenty of fish with lures that I have painted up using my H&S airbrush. 👍🎣

[@harderairbrush]

awesome man!

[@rf64]

Always, needle-nozzle-Aircup. Like the Holy Trinity.

[@nightwolf357.]

👍 on the video. I have several. budget friendly airbrushes, .3 needle size, however there different... They seem to have a different taper rate. (1) why is this? (2) can you inter change them? And yes, I'm getting better with practice. Big C 😎

[@harderairbrush]

Generally, don't interchange needles from one manufacturer to the other. I doubt that damage will occur, but you won't be optimised. Taper rates vary for many reasons, from the mundane (lack of technology to make it any different) to the interesting (balancing detail ability with control of tip drying). Typically, you'll find that a dual taper needles out perform single taper needles. We will make a video about that in the future!

[@nightwolf357.]

@@harderairbrush Be looking forward to it...😎

[@richardkatzman1215]

I’m new at airbrushing so I want to know everything you can tell me.

[@wrinkledm]

Yea... so I've had the Infinity now for 5+ years and I love it to death. It is simply a joy to use and clean. The issue I personally have is that I have several times now tried changing to the .2 (from the .4) needle/nozzle and it ALWAYS ends in disaster. I only spray hobby paints (Tamiya / Mr. Color) with the same brand of thinner. The few times I've put in the .2 needle/nozzle/cap I have yet to successfully spray a single thing. I've played with the amount of thinner and paint as was as the air pressure and no matter what I do, either the paint doesn't leave the airbrush (too much paint) or the paint is so thin I get nothing but non-stop spatters or runs. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[@harderairbrush]

Hey buddy - write me an email on [e-mail] - let's see if we can get on a WhatsApp call together and solve this for you, on condition that you then come back and write a summary as a comment as to what you learned to solve your problem :-)

[@Geekeric]

What scares me about changing needle sizes is getting the nozzles mixed up. Is there any way to tell what size needle a nozzle is actually for? I mean, nozzles are so small, they can't mark them according to size, can they?

[@MrSakatumi4637]

Don't know about other brands, but H&S 2.0 versions (i have Evolution) actually have markings: notches at the back of needle (for example 2 notches is 0.2, 4 is 0.4), nozzle and nozzle cap have same markings system, with number of rings around them corresponding to size. I also have "budget" airbrush that has no markings, mixed needle and nozzle sizes once, and was wandering why is it performing horribly (paint was stopping and spitting). No damage to airbrush parts, but performance can be horrible.

[@Geekeric]

@@MrSakatumi4637 wow, thanks for the great info! I have to go look closely at my airbrush now...

[@MrSakatumi4637]

@@Geekeric Glad to help :) If you are not sure which one is which, just put needles next to each other, nozzles as well. You should be able to see difference in size (nozzles you look at the tip), then sort them and mark. Usually nozzles come in containers, and mark container and end of the corresponding needle with some color, so you don t make my mistake. :)

[@Geekeric]

@@MrSakatumi4637 I think needles I can visually tell, even though 0.2 and 0.3 are pretty darn close. Nozzles? I guess the magnifier can help!

[@harderairbrush]

Hi there! thanks Mrs Akatumi for your accurate advice. I have nothing to add!

[@Chris-iu5ol]

Explain the difference of the new needle and nozzle in the Ultra 2024 to me and can I put it into the Infinity V2 I have just purchased?

[@harderairbrush]

Hey Chris - all H&S heads are interchangeable, so yes you can do that. But you must always have the same sizes for the head, needle and nozzle.

[@Kairasp1]

Please please, tell me how to clean my nozzle as they are very small & delicate ??

[@harderairbrush]

Hi there - please always remember the first rule of airbrushing - never let paint dry in your airbrush. Then cleaning is always super easy. I actually like Angel Giraldez' method as it is so effective and simple. Go to his channel and look up airbrush cleaning. It's a great method. Other than that, you'll find more content about cleaning procedures in our Need to Know Basics series on this channel. Hope that helps!

[@zechcross7176]

I hope he can show prove rather then just cheap talk. 😮‍💨

[@harderairbrush]

Hey buddy - what do you want me to prove? If you have content suggestions, more than happy to try to satisfy them :-) W

[@mikebalis9963]

Would you please discuss the formula for distance, air pressure, and paint thinning?

[@harderairbrush]

Hey Mike - I would suggest that you watch one or two of our painting process videos - perhaps start with this one and go on from there... kzbin.info/www/bejne/gGqzfWiqiZ11qbM

[@mikebalis9963]

@@harderairbrush thank you very much.

[@richardharmon1874]

Does H/S have a 0.1 mm conversion kit for the Evolution series of air brushes or for any other series? Richard

[@harderairbrush]

Goodness me, Richard - here we are working on the aerodynamics inside our air caps so that you don't need tiny nozzles to get down to incredible detail, and now you're asking for tiny nozzles! So 2010s brother! Just kidding :-) The 0.15mm set-ups are of course available... until something special comes out soon and changes the game completely ;-)

[@richardharmon1874]

Thanks

[@richardharmon1874]

Please provide a link where I can purchase a 0.15 needle conversion kit

[@harderairbrush]

Hey Richard - just search for Harder & Steenbeck 0.15mm Fineline Nozzle Set and your local options will come up.

[@musoseven8218]

All well said Warwick - sage advice👍✌️💜 Iirc some Paasche AB's have common needle/nozzle/aircap parts that can sometimes be interchangeable/intermixable with each (don't quote me on that as it's from memory - head like a sieve). I thought with the very small nozzle/needle/aircap sizes (Eg V1 0.15 set up used 0.2 aspects?) there was a slight crossover with H&S AB's too? Although that's no longer the case. From what I recall, I've set up's as follows; 0.2, 0.4, 0.5, 0.6 and 0.7. that's across three brands; H&S (3 x AB's), Paasche (2 x AB's) and Sparmax (down to 2 of those now). All will do detail work (up to a point), not all will put on lots of paint quickly (or at speed). I see the nozzle sizes as "speed" settings as opposed to quantity settings. Kind of like in a a light aircraft, many see the stick or yoke as the height setting but without power/lift/height you ain't going to climb, so the throttle is the height and speed control. I hope that makes sense😉😄✌️👍💜

[@harderairbrush]

I agree completely. The most useful aspect of a smaller nozzle size is the extra control, deriving from the slow delivery speed. I don't remember Paasche having any interchangeability. Did you ever see the Turbo?

[@DigifilmShooter]

Great information. Why not put the fact of needing to change all three parts when "needle changing" into the included instructions for the airbrush, making it very clear for new people getting into airbrushing? I have recently got into airbrush painting and purchased an Infinity with a 0.15 and 0.4 needle and thought that I would also get the 0.2, I realised that I would need the 0.2 nozzle to match, so purchased both, when received I tried to set up with the 0.2 and quickly realised I needed the 0.2 cup as well. I ended up purchasing another complete 0.2 kit because I could not find the cup for sale locally. I just wish this video was done earlier. I am very pleased with the performance and quality of the Infinity, it is a very well make product made from quality materials. However, It is quite typical of highly engineered products to leave out fundamental basic instructions, assuming everyone would know. Fantastic that H & S are using KZbin to give further instruction and tips, but please remember that not every client would be watching these superb videos, may be a simple link to a series of KZbin basic tutorial within the instructions would be a good start. Great presentation style and content with your videos.

[@harderairbrush]

Hi there - you are 100% correct, and we are working on that. Thanks for the advice :-) and for purchasing one of our airbrushes.

[@Geekeric]

Hi, another question: my compressor gets quite hot when I'm airbrushing. I have the type with no tank. Am I going to burn out my compressor or is it actually designed to run that hot? Should I invest in one with a tank so I don't end up burning out compressors? My compressor runs very quiet, just purrs, but it gets really hot!

[@harderairbrush]

If it is compliant in any of the major territories, then it will have a thermal safety switch. So getting a little hot is not a problem. It should never really reach the "difficult to touch" level though... One thing to always do with any compressor, is regularly make sure that you don't have any leaks in the system, as if you do, you'll be putting it under more stress than necessary.

[@thehazmatguy480]

Another interesting video! Thanks!

[@harderairbrush]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@louisliguore7199]

Great information!

[@harderairbrush]

Thanks Louis!

[@d_dog9939]

some airbrush has only one hole/airway to deliver air while others may have 3 hole/airway(like Infinity or even 6(Badger? does this make a huge difference?

[@harderairbrush]

Not on its own. The choice how many airways is mostly influenced by the volume of air required to meet the design parameters of the aircap system. We like to minimise our air volume requirements, as this efficiency means that you don't need as much power and therefore investment on the compressor. What is most important, however, is the efficiency and shaping of the chamber immediately preceding the hole through which the nozzle goes. This is what achieves the final air distribution cleanly around the nozzle mouth. It's really important to over-feed this chamber, so that there is no swirl in this area. It can be achieved by single or multiple entries, depending on the design of the chamber.

[@DingoPaints]

These videos are great value, Thank you! You may have already covered this in another video, if so please just point me there, What are the main differences between an Evolution and Infinity?

[@harderairbrush]

We will be expanding in this topic in future videos, in great detail!

[@andyvan5692]

at 3:37 the answer is NO, definately!!- this airbrush is like a diesel fuel injector in a car engine, and if sprayed at you it can penetrate skin, veins and result in blood toxicity, or poisoning!! in early medicine, and mission impossible (II?) they used these in the form of "injection_Guns", but this practice is not done anymore, due to problems with it. perfumes are fine, as the pump is manual, no pressure (from air compressors), just dispersion of fluid over an area, not aimed directly and close to the face or skin.

[@harderairbrush]

Hey Andy... when working with make-up applications, the pressures are typically in the 5-12psi range. Diesel injectors run at many thousand psi. It's like comparing a paper aeroplane with an SR71 Blackbird :-)

[@d_dog9939]

i find some needle has 3-step while others have 2-step (the step mean the "turning point" for needle cylinder to become sharp does it matters? (may the manufacturer change their design?

[@harderairbrush]

The final tapers are critical. I'm not sure if that answers your question!

[@d_dog9939]

@@harderairbrush 😀Thanks, I get what i want to know at some extent.

[@Leopardtag]

Can you use GW washes to paint with an airbrush?

[@harderairbrush]

Yes, definitely.