ONE Alternative To RATTLE CANS Or AIRBRUSH?!

[@thestateofplay2023]

INFO: The Sparmax Flyer appears to be sold out now across the entire U.K. I sincerely hope this video didn’t cause that! I didn’t expect it to spread so wide on KZbin. Everything Airbrush, the U.K. online store, informs me that Sparmax are making an updated model but have no further info on release or availability yet. Man, you make one little video about a cool little spray gun and it sells out in days. 😂❤

[@grasswidowyt]

Yeah, I reached out to Sparmax, to try to track one down in the UK, and they responded in much the same way. I also asked if the new model would be priced similarly to the Flyer and they replied that they were "still confirming the price" so, wait and see, I guess? Thanks for the heads-up anyway, the Molotow compatibility is great, as is the ability to quick swap colours with a minimum of fuss. Cleaning my airbrush with every colour change is what stops me using it, mostly.

[@BbBb-zx6sx]

Sold out in the US also.

[@berkzers]

Can only find ones with a small iwata compressor priced close to €200. Will have to wait for the new one, i only ever use my airbrush for priming, and sometimes basing

[@hobbyjobbers]

I legit just had to order one off eBay from Japan. Most definitely your fault, sir. 😆

[@thestateofplay2023]

@@hobbyjobbers I wonder if I told everyone you could paint with tree leaves, if could make it look like Autumn, but in summer….🤔

[@cromcraft3494]

My dude. You just talk like a normal dude with no crazy antics or forced emphasise. Instant sub.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thanks, please pull me up on it if I ever change. Slap me back down to earth. 😀

[@EdGarnham]

I totally agree. With what we hobbyists end up using our airbrushes for, it's not necessary to have dual action or even fine nozzles tbh. We just want to get a primer, base and maybe broad highlight in. I'm gonna check this thing out. Glad I found your channel.

[@thestateofplay2023]

👍🏼

[@Dezkoi]

Got the timbertech from amazon with brush and all, no complaints for what you listed. Comes with extra needles tips ect and compressor is right beside me with out being too obnoxious. Vallejo primer and it have not let me down for a whole army priming, plus only used 10% of primer to boot, 20$ bucks cad with tax vs cans for 17-25 bucks that do quarter what i did in my 10% of a bottle of vallejo primer (200ml) and the airbrush I mentioned.

[@axtmann]

As soon as you pointed out the compatibility with Molotow refills this product became way more appealing!

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yeah that was a discovery and a half!

[@SnakeWorksStudio]

I have to admit at first I was like it's just going to be a rattle can trigger, then I saw, then I saw the hot swapping. And I was sold! Going to try one out soon. Thanks for the video!

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yeah I tried those. Tbh I couldn’t see any difference and they made my hands ache even more!

[@pbeickler]

This looks like a perfect tool to prime terrain. Which is great as I have shed loads of Zone Mortalis walls and columns I need to do, and the thought of doing them all with airbrush was causing me to break out in hives

[@thestateofplay2023]

I know exactly how you feel!

[@Daepilin]

I agree! I print terrain for dnd and its a pain to prime with an airbrush (cloggs, tiny paint Reservoir etc...) this would be awesome

[@sebastianking2531]

This tool is basically what I was thinking about. I just got into the painting hobby and I already felt basecoating by brush takes too much time. Thanks a lot for the video. As for your last queston, how about: I appreciate you taking the time.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thanks Sebastian. You know you’re the first person who made a suggestion! Thanks!

[@johnekare8376]

Great tip! One thought I had: I don't know if the mixing balls are of steel or any other material. But provided they are of any magnetic material, you could probably suspend it at the bottom by having a magnet on the outside while spraying. Come to think of it, I would probably want to add a mixing ball to all my paint bottles just for ease of mixing.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Good idea! I didn’t have a magnet strong enough to test sadly.

[@tonygreenfield7820]

I have the agitator balls in the paint container rather than the airbrush bottle but then again I never thought about having a 15ml bottle that I could plug into the airbrush when needed and otherwise store until the next project. Again it's an intriguing concept that I will seriously consider investing in

[@Smilomaniac]

Brilliant find, well done sir. Perfect alternative for my expensive and hard to clean H&S.

[@thestateofplay2023]

👍🏼

[@leighhadley8040]

I have this little handy tool, had it for a few years now, i had a few problems at the beginning of use with the setting but once you get your mix right its an absolute time saver all year round, i love it....

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yeah I love just grabbing a premixed bottle left over from the previous time and sticking it in and spraying!

[@leighhadley8040]

@@thestateofplay2023 I do like the pen idea, will have to look into that.

[@zak8953]

Great video on an interesting tool! Don't take this the wrong way, but you're probably not cleaning your airbrush correctly. With a gravity fed airbrush there is almost no cleanup at all when done the "right" way. I have a water dropper bottle and a brush. Splash some clean water into the cup, give it a quick swish with a soft paintbrush, then tip the cup upside down into a waste paint bucket. After that, squirt about a teaspoon of water into the cup and then spray that THROUGH the airbrush into a spray out pot or paper towels. This basically completely cleans the airbrush. When you get the hang of the process it takes about 10 seconds. I only deep clean the airbrush when something goes terribly wrong. There are also siphon/bottle fed airbrushes as well. Either way this is a great video of a nice tool! It just sounds like it takes longer to clean than an actual airbrush. Also, +100 for reducing waste and not using a rattle can! Now if I could only find a replacement for rattle cans to do graffiti-style murals...

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thanks man. I clean my airbrush exactly the way you describe. I can change a colour in about 45 seconds but there are a lot of people who can’t, or won’t so this tool is a solid alternative. And to be honest, I sometimes can’t be bothered to clean it all at the end for simple jobs like a prime. 😂 And you’re totally right. The less rattle cans we all use the better it’ll be! 🎯

[@martyp00s]

So glad i found this video. I am subscribing. As i use my airbrush solely to prime and zenithal my projects this product is exactly what i need. Quick. No fuss. Less cleanup. Thank you for sharing.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thanks Marty, I hope my subsequent videos help too. This one went more viral than I thought. 🤔

[@uriance88]

In the unlilely event that a North American viewer didn't pause to check, this is $130 Cdn for just the airbrush - the US Amazon only offers the kit with the compressor for $168 - and a pack of bottles (apparently only glass available in N. Am) runs around $60. So for what this is useful for, we're better off with an airbrush . . .

[@thestateofplay2023]

Probably true. But Amazon never has competitive prices. It’s often a rip off. Here in the U.K. Amazon has the Flyer for £85. Yet, at a model shop it’s £39.95. Having said that, I imagine any European Airbrushes would be also super inflated in price. Much like all of Games Workshops products. It astounds me the price you guys are asked to pay. But Moncler in U.K. is silly prices so I guess we’re all robbed in import costs. 😀

[@nrais76]

If you have a local hobby shop it would likely be worth checking with them if they can get and how much it will run you. That's what I plan on, as I live in Michigan. I've discovered the humidity on those rattlecans isn't strict, as the humidity here is NEVER that low. The temperature range is of course increasingly an issue, with the last several years seeing startlingly cold springs here that ended late and launched immediately into hot summers - well, hotter than you're supposed to be spraying. Meaning there was basically only a couple of weeks in autumn in the right temperature range, and then it was often rainy. That's my long-winded way of saying this seems like it's an absolute Godsend, and thank you very much for sharing this discovery!

[@Thee_Lord_of_Darkness]

I think this will be a game changer for me. I have an airbrush and it works well but its all the cleaning and having to watch when you clean the needle that you don't bend it. this looks like its so easy to maintain.

[@thestateofplay2023]

It is. If you can actually find one. 🫣

[@ExiledLoiner]

I originally bought a cheap airbrush/compressor for primers and base colours. I spent more time cleaning and stripping it apart than I did painting with it. I then bought a more expensive airbrush and although it worked much better I still disliked the amount of time it took to clean between painting sessions so I bagged it off. This sounds like the product I was after all along, ta very much! P.S. Great videos by the way, the subtle and snarky humour is my kind of thing.

[@thestateofplay2023]

It’s like looking in the mirror. I did exactly the same thing. Once I thought I’d cleaned my airbrush thoroughly only to find the nozzle jammed inside. Removing it broke it. That’s when I started researching new tools. 😜

[@ExiledLoiner]

@@thestateofplay2023 There's definitely a steep learning curve involved with an airbrush. Once it's mastered it becomes easier but the clean up makes it feel more like a job than a hobby for me. It'd probably better if I used it every other day or so but I could go months without using it because of like getting in the way. An airbrush just wasn't the product for me.

[@thestateofplay2023]

@@ExiledLoiner Yeah, I’ve learned to be pretty good with an airbrush now, but it took a long time with so many mistakes along the way. But as you say, cleaning it was and is a pain. I actually leave mine disassembled now top stop anything sticking together over time when not in use. This Sparmax flyer totally stopped me going crazy on days I couldn’t spray but couldn’t be bothered with cleaning an airbrush.

[@lawrenceelgrin2205]

Than you for the heads-up. I paused and bought it. I got the Molotov refills and a portable mini-compressor too. I own like 30 airbrushes, I hate being tied to my compressor for the priming stage, this is a superior step-up to rattle cans.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Let me know how it goes!

[@floggingluna]

Any updates on how the Flyer works with a portable compressor? A mini-compressor is all I have and I'm wondering how the paring with the flyer is.

[@thestateofplay2023]

@@floggingluna if your mini compressor can reach 25psi or perhaps a little higher then it should be fine.

[@NobalGaming]

It was awesome to find out there is an alternative. I'm not a fan of airbrushing but at the same time, I've had models that need printing for months. I'll keep an eye on your videos in case you find anymore interesting tools like this 👍🏻

[@thestateofplay2023]

Cheers!!

[@LikeaNinjaa]

This looks an awesome little tool. I hate getting my airbrush out just to prime minis, especially if it is only 1 or 2. Went looking for this product but without paying like £90 I can't find anywhere that stocks is. I did reach out to the guys from everything airbrush, they claim that Sparmax have discontinued it and will be bringing out a new version later this year. Soooo wait we must I guess.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thanks for that info. I’ll have to review the new one!

[@mikellass6588]

I saw this today and this absolutely great, not only for mini painting but for cosplaying props painting. Thank you a lot!

[@thestateofplay2023]

You're very welcome!

[@fraser551_]

Stumbled upon your channel due to a KZbin recommendation, having watched all your videos now I am keen to see what you do next! Love your calm and measured style. An easy subscription from me and I'm sure you'll have many more soon.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thank you Fraser. Calm and measured? Hmm, I believe someone else called me stubborn, opinionated and too dry. But I prefer your description!

[@greaterpainter7996]

Wow this is actually pretty cool. The hot swap ability of the containers is really useful and could be very useful for army and terrian painting.

[@thestateofplay2023]

It’s great for terrain and priming due to speed but I couldn’t get it precise enough for detail on miniatures. But maybe that my inability rather than the product.

[@SlamDancinMoogle]

Thank you for this! I've been looking for a solution to my wanting to do zenithal priming without having to invest in an airbrush, and not wanting to have to constantly be replacing rattle cans. And the bonus is this would be really easy to use indoors as well! Love it!

[@thestateofplay2023]

👍🏼

[@yhsindi]

Cost wise you will still need a compressor (or am I wrong?). So the cost of the sprayer + extra bottles + compressor will be greater than the cost of an airbrush with a compressor. It's also worth noting that there are tips and tricks for hot-swapping and cleaning when using an airbrush. So perhaps that's the reason why they are not being bought as much as expected. If they drop the price + supply a portable good compressor then perhaps it might pick up.

[@thestateofplay2023]

A good airbrush will set you back way more than this a few bottles. Sure a terrible cheap airbrush won’t but man, who wants all the issues that come with those. And sadly they are being bought. They’re sold out, literally everywhere.

[@Frequencydaniel]

Wow, nice. Thanks for this. I, as so many others I think. Got an airbrush for "easy" spray miniatures. But, so annoying with the cleaning. But this looks awesome.

[@thestateofplay2023]

👍🏼

[@rDunfee]

I've got a Badger single action airbrush I swear by. I use it for priming and for doing large sections of terrain. Super happy with it

[@thestateofplay2023]

👍🏼

[@FHangya]

don't worry about the ending, great insight on a cool product! Defo buy for me, especially since I don't have any space for an airbrush at all ^^

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thanks man!

[@NikkiAnnMarie]

Airbrushing can be really quick and painless - cleaning is really quick if you do it right! Vince venturella has a great video on cleaning an airbrush/swapping colours quickly that I'd highly recommend. I used to get really frustrated with it too, but now I use that method it takes about 15 seconds to swap colours. The key is not spraying anything you don't need to through the airbrush, and working generally quite thin. Instead of spraying out leftover paint, add water to the cup, backflow/mix, and dump it out. Repeat once or twice until there's barely anything left and then spray a little water through to check. Doing that, maybe with a little airbrush cleaner/isopropyl for more stubborn paints (white ink/primer), I barely even have to think about cleaning the airbrush - all I do is spray some cleaner through, take the needle out and wipe it down at the end of a session. Bonus tip - always add thinner to the airbrush cup first, as that guarantees no thick paint will go through. I actually can't remember the last time my nozzle clogged since doing this.

[@thestateofplay2023]

All good advice.

[@arzer114]

This sounds like a perfect tool for priming, zenithal, varnish and vehicle base coats. I’ll have to pick one up eventually.

[@thestateofplay2023]

It is. If you can find one. 👍🏼😜 I believe they are working on a new model.

[@samhoban2509]

I REALLY Liked this video. This was a straight up great review. Thanks for sharing this. Think I’ll get one.

[@thestateofplay2023]

👍🏼

[@gwendolynart8538]

I just found your videos and watching this one, I wanted to let you know about another option. It’s called youcan, it’s by jacquard. It’s a reusable spray can, you fill it with whatever media you want, I used it for watercolors, wash it, fill it again. It’s pressurized with an bike pump or compressed air. If you’re paint isn’t solvent based, there’s no issue with smell or temperature. You can just directly spray on acrylic paints or inks. You can use different caps for like with regular spay paint. Possible downside is you can’t change colors quickly.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Sounds like a decent product. But doesn’t it require loads of paint? And as you say, I’d colour changes are slow then maybe buying two would be faster? Use one, wash one. 🤣

[@justinn.4161]

Amazing discovery!!! Kudos!

[@thestateofplay2023]

Cheers!

[@electricsheep1963]

This sounds great for me, as I don't have an outside space and priming models on the street is not really convenient, even on the few dry days that we get in the UK

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yes, summer sun. 3 whole days! I believe Sparmax are releasing an updated model soon.

[@electricsheep1963]

@@thestateofplay2023 That would be nice as the current model seems to be out of stock everywhere in the UK

[@Butterjaw1]

Fantastic find, glad I got recommended this channel, gonna be trying this out. Subscribed!

[@thestateofplay2023]

Wow. Thanks mate!!

[@kevinkabal6598]

Suggested extro - "And that is the State of Play, today!" Keep being brilliant!

[@thestateofplay2023]

You don’t think that’s cringe? You think it would work?

[@kevinkabal6598]

@@thestateofplay2023 Branding!

[@thestateofplay2023]

@@kevinkabal6598 🤣🤣🤣 I think all the other cool names were gone!

[@ge2719]

also as far as cap size, it seems like the official bottle would be 18-425. the 18 is the outside diameter of the thread on the neck, and the 425 is the code for the thread type. Though thats hard to see from the video, so i might be wrong on that being the right one for these bottles. 425 is for a thread that goes all the way around twice with no space below the thread for a deep cap. Theres guides out there for measuring threads, theyre all standardised, but yeah, amazon might not list them. but bottle suppliers do.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yes, I think you’re correct on all counts. Problem we all have is finding a good (and inexpensive) bottle supplier willing to sell minimal units. One place I spoke to wanted me to buy 10,000. Now I’ve got a lot of paint - but not that much. 🤣🤣

[@ge2719]

@@thestateofplay2023 yeah, an alternative is something like aliexpress. just looking now theres plenty on there, they tend to supply things in quantities like 10, 30, 50, 100. which wouldn't be prohibitively expensive for small bottles like these.

[@davidmoore1042]

This is a nice concept as I have a permanent airbrush station but sometime I just want to be lazy with my primer and zenithal highlights! 🤣 I'm actouly considering grabbing one. Thanks for the review!

[@thestateofplay2023]

You’re welcome David. I totally know where you’re coming from.

[@MaxMustermann-ql2wm]

Nice video and interesting product! The way you presented and explained it, the Flyer would be more interesting to people who are looking to step up their priming but don't own an airbrush and/or don't want to get one such as myself. Could you elaborate on 1. all the other components and accessories needed (compressor, cleaner, etc.?) for this to work, 2. some corresponing cheap to medium priced examples for each and 3. maybe some things to look out for / mistakes to avoid etc. That would be great, thanks!

[@thestateofplay2023]

Ok, lots to unpack here. Let’s see. 1. Yes you will need a compressor. Depending on budget and how much spraying you need to do and how often, you can get a full tank compressor (£££) or something like a Sparmax Beetle (££) or use a rechargeable handheld compressor (£) or compressed air cans (£). Each of these have their pros and cons. Cleaning. Basically I fill a spare bottle with a mix of water and alcohol and just spray through to clean the nozzle. Maybe a cotton bud around the Flyer tip if needed. Things to look for. Hmm, not much here as it’s a pretty simple trigger pull. I would say, if you turn it to open up too much you can go through paint really quickly. It’s best to do multiple thinner coats.

[@MaxMustermann-ql2wm]

@@thestateofplay2023 thanks!

[@rankothefiremage]

@@thestateofplay2023 "compressed air cans" any consideration to connection a paintball air tank?

[@thestateofplay2023]

@@rankothefiremage I’d never thought of trying to be honest. Not sure the pressure would be long and consistent enough.

[@rankothefiremage]

@@thestateofplay2023 doing some looking into it the big problem is stepping down from 3k PSI (or 4.5k) to 30PSI, the 2 or so regs might cost as much as a lower in compressor....

[@frankodonnell5247]

That is what I have been looking for for year, great video and thanks, as for how to end the videos, sorry to say I can’t help you there.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thanks!

[@fistfulofcolours]

Definitely worth considering. I have a huge pile of Necromunda terrain to do. I was going to rattle spray the base layer and do the rest with airbrush/by hand. But this might be a worthwhile investment to speed things up. Now you mention it, I’d love to hear more about how you painted that Ash Waste terrain. Looks great and in only 5 hours!? 🤯

[@thestateofplay2023]

I rattle canned all the Zone Mortalis. That’s why I ended up buying this. It kept raining, then sunny, then rainy again and I was getting seriously irritated. 🤣 I wanted something else for Ash Wastes.

[@Himle_]

Actually saw this reviewed a while ago, but since the extra pots was so expensive it just got filed into the "cute, but no thanks" part of my brain. Never thought about looking for extra (cheap) bottles on Amazon/other brands and would never have thought about trying out Molotow paints with the cap. Thanks for the great vid and the info! Will certainly re'visit this and see what I can source nationally. (-:

[@thestateofplay2023]

You’re welcome. I’m glad it helped. Yeah, one nozzle and bunch of cheap bottles will work. Just fill one bottle with cleaner and flush the nozzle for a colour change!

[@stelstorm5157]

Brilliantly done. One of the awesome aspects of hobby time is imaginative technique. Having a imagination when it comes to the actual subject is rewarding and when you constantly think about how to “tweak the technique “ to accomplish your creation makes it that much more satisfying. Keep it going sir!

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yes! This! Creativity in this hobby shouldn’t be limited to just painting. 👍🏼

[@stuartosborne6263]

Looks very useful, thanks for sharing.

[@thestateofplay2023]

👍🏼

[@epicbamf123]

Is there any solid alternative to this? I watched this video when it came out and have been waiting to see if I could get my hands on one of these. Have had wasps on my patio all summer and haven't been able to prime anything with cans and really don't want to use my airbrush to prime en masse if I can avoid it

[@thestateofplay2023]

There isn’t sadly. There is a new version but it’s currently only available in Japan

[@YouTube-Grifter]

Heard your voice and subscribed immediately!! Good stuff!!

[@thestateofplay2023]

Hmm, most people down south just call the police…🤣🤣

[@kumarsalib722]

This seems perfect for terrain. I think a traditional airbrush is still better for priming and detail painting.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yes. I can’t disagree there.

[@deathofastrawberry8669]

do you think this is better than a rattle can for priming minis though?

[@andybillco2424]

@@deathofastrawberry8669 very good question. Yes. I do. I have more control. Can do multiple thinner coats, have access to more colours cheaply, can do it no matter the climate outside, can direct a zenithal positionally and I don’t end up with a compressed air can to dispose of (they won’t accept them in my recycling).

[@thestateofplay2023]

What he said ^^^. 😀

[@TheChiefSmeg69]

Yeah, had one of these for a few years, I use it for priming. Only got the plastic bottles though

[@thestateofplay2023]

Cheers! That’s pretty much what I use it for.

[@TheChiefSmeg69]

@@thestateofplay2023 what I did not know though was that the Molotow bottles fitted the thread in the cap - that was a cracking spot!👍

[@stephenrenwick8781]

Qthanks for the video mate, never heard of this thing. I have a airbrush but with the compressor etc then I can't be bothered to set it up. I use rattle cans to undercoat so something like this might be worth a look.

[@thestateofplay2023]

😀 you sound like me. I was exactly the same.

[@Ziforigin]

I think the main question here is not about the control, but about the adhesion. GW rattlecan primer sticks to the model and you can't cheap it off. An airbrush primer (I mostly used vallejo) can be srapped off with your finger in a matter of seconds. I always prime everything with rattlecans and only use airbrush after that.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Airbrush primer has to cure longer and ideally not be thinned. But I prime with Molotow so never really have any issues with thinning or adhesion. 👍🏼

[@Ziforigin]

@@thestateofplay2023 tganks for the advice, i'll give Molotov a try

[@Outlawdave71]

this looks like a really handy tool, yep pause search-then get told the price, great stuff, sub earned as soon as you said your intro spiel

[@thestateofplay2023]

Apparently Sparmax are releasing a new version sometime.

[@ARVETDEG]

Everyone fighting over rattle can or airbrush. Meanwhile... I'm sitting here priming my minis with brush! Haha Great video, and interesting tool. Will definitely check it out.

[@thestateofplay2023]

May I ask how long it takes to prime with a brush? I’ve never tried.

[@ARVETDEG]

@@thestateofplay2023 Priming a single mini takes me about a minute or two. But since I always do two coats, I have to wait like five to ten minutes. Not because it takes that long to dry, but because I want to make sure it has completely dried up. So I either prime other minis while the first one dries up, or just do something else if it's a single mini. Then I apply the second coat and wait the same amount. So, yeah. It doesn't take too long, at least for me, especially since I don't know why, but the climate where I live, apparently is perfect for priming as I've read that some people, even with brush priming, have to wait a whole day for one coat to dry up. But yeah. At least for me it doesn't take too long. And I've never had any problem painting a mini l, or with the paint after I have painted the mini. So, that's my method and I'm super comfortable with it haha

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thanks for that info!!

[@MidnightAphelion]

I had bought something that works on a similar system but it was this fancy $1500 system that I returned, was terribly disappointed. Will keep an eye out for it.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Ah yes! I remember once watching a KZbin video about that. Like Jbrush or something.

[@MidnightAphelion]

@@thestateofplay2023 It was called the Zero G and it looks like it does exactly what this device does... but for 20x the price. I'll pick one of these up to see if it will work for my stencil and airbrush temporary tattoo booth.

[@brionl4741]

I've been using an external mix single action airbrush since the late 70s. Never felt the need to get one of those fancy schmancy double action jobbies. I'm pretty sure Badger still has the adapter so you can hook your air hose to the spare tire from your car instead of an air compressor even.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Awesome. The tire thing sounds great. I want one.

[@MrBizteck]

Ive trued googling for somthing to adapt a car compressor to an airbrush tube several times. And found nothing that seems to do. If theres somthing out there link please !!

[@andybillco2424]

@@MrBizteck I think the pressure would be too fast, too quick for car pump. So there’s possibly not a direct adapter.I’d imagine you’d need an expansion tank and a moisture trap between the pump and the brush to get it to work.

[@brionl4741]

@@andybillco2424 You connect to the spare tire, not to a car type air pump.

[@andybillco2424]

@@brionl4741 yeah I got that. But I thought the question above was “how do I connect a car compressor?”.

[@cwj138]

I have a cheap airbrush I bought purely to prime minis but over time I have found that acrylic primers are not half as hard wearing for gaming miniatures as a rattle can so I still buy rattle cans and use the airbrush for regular painting now. This looks like a neat tool for what you said about washes and such though.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yeah most airbrush primers say you can thin them so they spray. But thinning them stops them from working properly. You effectively have to whack up the pressure to use it out of the bottle and then end up dealing with clogs or use a huge needle that floods the model if not careful. It’s a Kobayashi Maru (Star Trek for no win scenario)! 🤣

[@cwj138]

Even without thinning you are never going to get the wear resistance of a solvent based paint from a water based one, you can really tell the difference when you try stripping them too. It wouldn't be so bad on grey plastic but the brightly coloured red or blue stuff sticks out like a sore thumb.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Amen to that!!

[@paulwingrove7105]

So I purchased a Sparmax Flyer when I was on holiday in Australia....and I can't get it to work. At all. Using mig ammo black primer (which I believe is identical to stynylrez) with airbrush thinner and flow improved. I got exactly one line of spray out before it clogged and stopped spraying. I pulled it apart and cleaned the tip and got the same result. Cleaned it again and it wouldn't spray at all. I poured the paint into my cheapo .4mm airbrush and it painted perfectly. At the moment I would score the flyer a zero out of ten.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Interesting! I’ve never had an issue in 2 years. You might have a dodgy model or your pressure is too low. Does it spray water? Or nothing at all? Could be airflow? Did you try taking it apart and looking at the trigger mechanism to see if it’s out of alignment.

[@christianfriedrichs]

Thanks for your investigation! This reminds me of the Revell Starter Class Airbrush. Might be something to look into ✌️

[@thestateofplay2023]

Ah yes, I remember that. It came with a can of compressed air.

[@AuthorSurrogate]

As someone who only wants to use an airbrush for priming and zenithal purposes, this may be my dream product!

[@thestateofplay2023]

Apparently they’re working on a new model. Coz the old one is missing in action.

[@jamesaskins9547]

Really like this little thingy. Don't have enough space to set up a regularly use the airbrush I have, but the only thing holding my speed painting up is undercoating and varnishing. I've resulted to cans, but I'm going through many, thus looks like an interesting option.

[@thestateofplay2023]

👍🏼

[@blkjet117]

I have found that brush on primer works great, and the clean up is quick and easy, and best of all is that it's cheap.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Indeed! But I wouldn’t want to do that on 50 models in one go. 😀

[@kensaiix]

i also wonder if one could make an adapter to Vallejo bottles. it seems to need the thread and conic nozzle. 3d print to the rescue?

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yes that would work. I’ve also seen some vids making one out of green stuff.

[@Roymantic]

Thx! i have this thing for about a year now, and never used it :( but now i ordered some molotows, hope i can get it work

[@thestateofplay2023]

👍🏼 enjoy!

[@Roymantic]

@@thestateofplay2023 it actually worked...thank you very much for showing us this "hack"

[@andybillco2424]

@@Roymantic you’re welcome!!

[@LathanM]

This is where 3d printing pays. You can make an adapter to go form 1 thread to another. I did this with my single action airbrush because I had a ton of tiny glass bottles but the pl;astic ones that cam with the brush were a different thread.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yes! That’s genius!

[@nathanthom8176]

This is kind of perfect for my needs as i typically only use my airbrush for priming, zenithal and basing anyway. I wondered if put a neodymium magnet at the bottle of the acrylic marker would stop the mixing ball from rolling to the tip temporarily?

[@thestateofplay2023]

I wondered about that myself but I didn’t have a strong enough magnet to test the theory. In the end I just tip it backwards and the balls rolls back.

[@SpooKimi]

This looks amazing for me, airbrush looks expensive and complex with cleaning etc, rattlecans are a pain as I need good weather I just want it for primer, base coat and varnish Getting an air compressor still looks scary tough

[@thestateofplay2023]

I used to think a compressor was scary. But honestly it’s no more complex than a hairdryer. Switch it on. Air. Turn a knob, more air/less air.

[@SpooKimi]

@@thestateofplay2023 def looking into once imoved and have money as no more having to throw away rattlecans and being able to prime, basecoat and varnish indoor and cheaper be nice ^^ and once they are back in stock :p

[@babbagebrassworks4278]

Many years ago someone reinvented the airbrush, plastic and ergonomically shaped also expensive. Wonder if this could be 3D printed. The smaller bottles are a great idea, save messing with dropping paint in the airbrush cup. There are some alcohol marker kids hand pump air paint systems. Reinventing the airbrush could be fun. Great for those bigger area/models/dioramas.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Trigger right at the front, the way you hold a pen. Paint cup behind at a slight angle. Hose coming in at the back. Seems intuitive but no one wants to do it. 😢oh well!

[@davidwheeler254]

Sounds like a great tool for 'big coat' jobs like priming and varnishing and leaves the airbrush for finesse work. Shame it's hard to find now. Thanks!

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yes correct. It is. But they are apparently making a new model…no ETA yet though

[@ADhammer]

This is quite an interesting tool. The fact that it is Molotow compatible is a big deal

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yeah, that was an amazing surprise

[@_iJamo]

Seems like a good product, is there little to no cleaning? thanks!

[@thestateofplay2023]

Very little. Q tip around the end if needed, but not often. Fill a spare bottle with cleaner and spray through the dirty nozzle. Done.

[@krisbeaver6246]

5:13 ITS A LITTLE BIG BUT FITS, AND THREADING IS ALMOST PERFECT. LITTLE BIT OF THREAD TAPE AND SHOULD BE FINE LISHINE 50 Pack 1oz Plastic Squeeze Bottles with Twist Top Cap, Boston Dispensing Bottles Small Twist Top Applicator Bottle, Mini Squeeze Bottles for Paint

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thanks! 👍🏼

[@LoneEagle2061]

Doesn’t do the same job; but someone used to do a miniature scale HVLP gun (the sort of thing used to paint cars); but which could be run on an airbrush compressor. I cannot find it anymore; nor remember where I found out about it. HVLP is good at laying down thin, even coats, over large areas. It would have been more a replacement for rattle-cans from my perspective; good for priming, and for things like vehicle and terrain base-coats; but not much else.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Doesn’t that have a wide spray and go through paint like nobodies business?

[@Kat4Dead]

Neat! I have a kill team to primer and the prospect to buy a rattlecan and set outside is not so appealing.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Today is probably the first sunny day I’ve had in months. And I’ve no rattle cans left. Typical!

[@Kat4Dead]

@@thestateofplay2023 today here is the 4th day of rain XD

[@epsilonaut]

If it fit Vallejo droppers, that would be amazing!

[@thestateofplay2023]

Agreed!

[@cartouchator]

Ive noticed you only used black primer and then thinner paints. Most of my painting needs to be on a ultra smooth white primer. (Coconut crab tyranids). Which means spray primer isnt crisp and smooth enough, and it needs to be airbrush. I wonder if this thing would work well enough with white primer instead of black, it seems to be spraying quite thickly, and white airbrush primer is a lot less forgiving than black or grey..

[@thestateofplay2023]

Correct. It’s an external mix airbrush so a halfway house between rattle can and airbrush. Provided you’ve thinned your white super smooth, you’ll get better than a rattle can but worse than an airbrush. That’s for a smooth zenithal. If youre just spraying completely white, you won’t notice.

[@marlontruscott]

I have a badger single action siphon feed airbrush that I use for this purpose

[@thestateofplay2023]

Those are great. But I figured with those you’d need to make up even more paint and that they aren’t cheap airbrushes.

[@zS39SBT4fe5Zp8Q]

This seems like a way more sustainable option for priming than those cheap disposable plastic airbrushes I've been using.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yeah, I barely throw anything away now. Almost everything makes something else!

[@alanbakerbmx]

this is brilliant, i only use an airbrush for primer and varnish (currently dont use it as i hate cleaning it) so this is perfect for me, haha however looks like im very late to the party, i cant find one anywhere

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yeah, they all sold out about a week after I put up the video. Sorry! Still, my airbrushing video might help you love it again…

[@alanbakerbmx]

@@thestateofplay2023 I’ll have a look for the video, and thank you for your reply

[@2WARDEN2]

Have they said anything about a new model? This seems like the perfect tool for zenithal!

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yes, they did a silhouette reveal on Twitter a while back. No new info though

[@asaffin1]

Better than a rattle can but less fiddly than an airbrush is literally exactly what I've always wanted. One question: why do you need smaller bottles? Can you not just mix up whatever amount of paint you need in the default size? Does having a less full bottle cause problems with the feed? And if so, how do you avoid that with any bottle when it starts running low?

[@thestateofplay2023]

Well deduced!! When there’s only a few drips left in the bottles it becomes harder to spray. Exactly like the last few bits in a rattle can. You avoid it because it’s ‘hot swappable’. Just have another bottle ready. Because the bottles have lids it’s never wasted paint. Didn’t need it this time? Ok, use it next time! But honestly I keep the bigger bottles for varnish, black and white primers and chipping medium. The smaller bottles were so I could mix up less paint and save the big bottles.

[@asaffin1]

@@thestateofplay2023 I guess like many things in our hobby it'll come down to some experimenting to find out the tolerances--both mine and the machine's. I really dig the idea of using Molotow straight from the bottle Now I just need to figure out how to actually get one of these...

[@thestateofplay2023]

@@asaffin1 yeah, finding one now is the big issue.

[@southpaw5483]

Thank you for sharing. Have you confirmed if the USA bottles are correct and work? cheers.

[@thestateofplay2023]

I haven’t confirmed myself, no. But no one has contacted me to say they don’t work and all the measurements on the Amazon product page look correct. So not wishing to lie to you it’s 50/50 at this point. Luckily with Amazon it should be easy returns and I used my wrong ones to store pigments and other paint type stuff.

[@southpaw5483]

@@thestateofplay2023 Thank you for your time and responding; Your video is very informative, well articulated, good quality, and a good pace; Have a wonderful week; I look forward to finding the item for purchase and learning how to use;

[@kainoctis7724]

Flyer is great, but the extra bottles were expensive af after my o-ring failed on the original needle

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yeah I agree. Bottles and nozzles could do with being cheaper. Or better yet. Just sell spare nozzles or parts.

[@RamoArt]

Molotow has a chrome refill for their pens. It's one of the best mirror paints out there. Kinda curious how well this would do with that chrome paint!

[@thestateofplay2023]

Interesting…🤔

[@TheLegoman6969]

How does it go with contrast paint? Eg imperial fists yellow over a red/white zenathal? Or something fancy like that…

[@thestateofplay2023]

Better than soray can, not as completely smooth as an airbrush. I like you’d be hard pushed to notice if it was done with this unless looking super close up.

[@andrewshaw6063]

Thank you for sharing !

[@thestateofplay2023]

👍🏼

[@niallmurray1978]

Interesting video - maybe you could end on "...and that's the State of Play for this week" or "so, that's the State of Play for this topic" - accurate and gives the channel name a shout out

[@thestateofplay2023]

Good shout Niall! And thanks!

[@niallmurray1978]

@@thestateofplay2023 I know you say welcome back to the State of Play at the intro - usually directly after the logo screen. You could try "Let's see how we can elevate your game" as part of the intro to generate interest. I like the pre-intro to set up the video topic (great production values overall) Thanks for promoting the hobby with an enquiring mind.

[@DaveLife25]

How smooth are the coats when using this?

[@thestateofplay2023]

Smooth coats are down to the user not the tool. You can get really smooth coats with a rattle can. You can also get terrible ones. 👍🏼

[@nekoali2]

Thanks for this. This is honestly the sort of thing I've been looking for. I've been hesitant to pick up an airbrush because I don't have a large dedicated hobby space. And it would be overkill for what I want one for, priming/base coating and doing terrain and vehicles. I don't need or want to do fine details with an airbrush, I do those with a regular brush. So this really hits all the notes I want. What size compressor would you recommend for this? They sell a kit that includes a 38 psi compressor with the Flyer.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Thanks. That kits sounds spot on. I’ve never ran mine higher than 25psi.

[@kensaiix]

on another note, does the thread of the Sparmax match the Vallejo bottle tread by any chance?

[@thestateofplay2023]

Sadly no. 🥲

[@Warghoul]

Nice! But I still have the original GW “hand flamer” gun, have never used it.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Woah! That’s a throwback! But then, we still have Chestnut ink in a dropper bottle that still works.

[@clinch4402]

This looks great!! Question - I live in a small flat and there's no easy way to set up a spray booth (also got a cat) or spray outside. Would this be ideal for me?

[@thestateofplay2023]

I mention this exact problem in my EASY airbrushing video. If you can paint with a brush. You can spray.

[@clinch4402]

@@thestateofplay2023 Just went and watched it, thank you! Cardboard box and mask it is :) I've been avoiding my local hobby club because everything I own is grey 😬 Your videos are giving me the courage to get painting!

[@thestateofplay2023]

@@clinch4402 very glad to hear it!

[@klorinator]

I was thinking about using this to speed up wash application for a large volume. Have you tried using this with speed paints, contrasts or washes? I have about 40 primed models that I need to wash when I get around to painting them.

[@thestateofplay2023]

Hey! Washes don’t work as washes through airbrushes, sadly. They will spray as a very thinned colour but won’t run into the recesses. The quickest way to do what you need need is to use Army Painter style dip wash. It comes in a paint can and you dip the minis into it and shake off the excess. If you Google “miniatures dip wash” you’ll find instructions.

[@klorinator]

@@thestateofplay2023 Thanks, I'll probably just paint them normally then. I still want to try one of these but they're sold out.

[@thestateofplay2023]

@@klorinator I can recommend applying wash with a small but wide round head makeup brush. It gets it on much quicker than using a pointy brush. You can do an entire model in seconds.

[@battlemonk1]

Do you still need to use airbrush thinners with it?

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yes. But doing that in a bottle is so much easier as you just shake. With Molotov paints no thinner required. Most airbrush ready paints no thinner. contrast or speedpaint no thinner. I thin all other paints 50/50 with golden airbrush medium and shake in the bottle.

[@mikepetrieuk]

Another downside is needing an air source. I recently bought a USB-Chargeable compressor and airbrush, because getting my compressor out of the back of a cupboard to set up in the kitchen was very inconvenient. Maybe the USB-Compressor with this would be even more convenient.

[@thestateofplay2023]

I had the same issue. In the end I put a plug socket in the back of the cupboard for the compressor and bought a really long air cable. 😀

[@abcdodd]

Pssssst....I finally got my Flyer SR and 5 Molotow refills. I am so happy. Thanks for your help. Maybe now I can...I dunno...learn how to use it or something! ;)

[@thestateofplay2023]

🤣🤣 screw them in and pull the trigger! 👍🏼

[@TierDrama]

could you show or test how resistant the colors are you are using? I never get the same protection/resistance from airbrush primers/colors compared to rattlecan primers (I even use cheap hardwarestore sprays...cheap and I have the same finish) Rubbing color of edges while painting drives me crazy even if its just from a small area...on metal minis its even worse...thats the reason I use rattlecans again. I think the chemicals are just "better"

[@thestateofplay2023]

I haven’t really found this to be a problem but what would help is mixing some varnish in with the primer.

[@davidsimons4143]

I saw this video and thought I’d like to get one of those but they are like the proverbial rocking horse s**t. I ended up getting a Paasche H single action airbrush to do all my coarse priming and base coating. Price was not much more than the Flyer and came as a set with a fine, medium and coarse nozzle. Still to try it out but it seems to have many of the benefits of the Flyer in use eg the simple swap out and seems fairly bullet proof in use.

[@thestateofplay2023]

The Paasche H is a solid workhorse that will last you years. My issue with it was volume of paint needed for the siphon feed. I just didn’t want to make up that much paint for tiny minis.

[@robertostler6205]

What were the smaller bottles you got from Amazon please?

[@thestateofplay2023]

Hi Robert, all the links are in the video description. 👍🏼

[@scalitus7964]

Where you have found the alternitive bottels?

[@thestateofplay2023]

There’s an Amazon link in the description. Make sure the measurements are correct in your country.

[@scalitus7964]

@@thestateofplay2023 😁👍

[@cursoryintegration8512]

Huh, totally new to me, sounds like a great option to keep around

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yeah, it’s my goal on this channel to try to get people to experiment a bit more. Look around at adjacent hobbies and see what we can steal from them! 🤣

[@syamsulnizar2114]

Is the Sparmax Flyer compatible with any compressor?

[@thestateofplay2023]

Pretty much yes. With the right hose connection.

[@TehCorbzor]

I picked up a Paasche H and some extra jars to fill this same niche.

[@thestateofplay2023]

👍🏼

[@SalivaYOUTUBE]

It seems like a new model has just been released this year in April. Will you try it out if you can obtain one? Is called the Flyer SR-2

[@thestateofplay2023]

Yes, but I contacted them and apparently they have no intention of selling outside of Japan. So I intend to source one anyway from friends in Japan, review it and try to convince them to sell worldwide.

[@shearring1]

@@thestateofplay2023 any luck with doing that?

[@thestateofplay2023]

Not exactly. It’s been sold out since launch. I even went to Hong Kong in summer and they couldn’t get any either (and HK is usually good at getting stuff from Japan).