So You Want To Start Airbrushing? All You Need To Know

[@jasonmyersOU812]

Very in depth and thorough look at the basics of what you need in an airbrush. I learned quite a few new things. Thanks for your time and attention to the details. Also thanks for the keeping an eye on the budget. It is appreciated.

[@lowaimnobrain]

best video on this topic on youtube. no bait, no sensationalism.

[@spidiq8]

Thank you. I have a profound dislike for clickbait titles and actively avoid them myself. I hope it was useful.

[@enerzise3161]

Impressive and detailed video. 100% spot on with the warning of the paint fumes.

[@robertmitchell5689]

I am considering getting back into air brushing model tanks after twenty years away ( thanks to the Covid 19 seclusion ) and I have found this video EXTREMELY helpful. There is a lot more variety and quality to consider now compared to what I first had ...a siphon feed. Thank you very much from the West Coast of Canada for all the info. I have subscribed. :D P.S. I am 70 years old. Love learning new things!

[@spidiq8]

Thank you for the feedback and I hope you truly enjoy getting back into model kit making. I always love hearing from people who've found my videos helpful, every time I do it makes the effort of filming and editing worthwhile. If you're a Facebook user may I recommend the modelmaker's Boomhut, it's a very friendly and welcoming group with a diverse range of modellers of all ages. If it's been a while to be delighted with the range and detail of tank kits available now.

[@craigkershaw8593]

Thankyou. My wife found this video and bought me an AS18 compressor and airbrush for my birthday. I am well happy 😊 will check out your cleaning video before I get started.

[@spidiq8]

I'm glad it was useful. Enjoy your airbrushing.

[@noxfox3706]

I love that you also added health-related safety advice at the end of the video; that's very thoughtful. Thank you for this very clear and helpful guide!

[@janesmith56]

I am totally ignorant of airbrushing but would like to get into it because I am involved with RC Airplanes and 3D printing. I must say I appreciated this video. It gave me a lot of starting info to be gin my research with. Thank You

[@wolfchacer0139]

You're correct in the idea behind 'Pulsating', however your water trap and long hose offset that, so it is from experience these 2 items will negate most if not all pulsating issues. That said you will NEED them if you plan on going tankless but the compressors he uses here are great products and I have used them routinely without issue. If you can afford the as 186 or even the 196 then by all means get it, you will be much happier and can paint for longer periods. I have mine under a tote that has vent holes and lined with foam so I can paint all night and no one ever hears a thing lol The tote is placed over the top it completely muffles the unit while allowing air in and out so it doesn't over heat, works great.

[@peterc2248]

As a recently retired gent looking to get back into modelling this video was exactly what I needed to bring me up to speed. Cheers

[@spidiq8]

Glad it helped. Enjoy your retirement and your return to modelling.

[@peterc2248]

@@spidiq8 Many thanks. The largest 'gap' in my knowledge relates to paints. Back in my day, it was little tins of enamel from Humbrol and a few others - very simple. The other day I ventured into a model shop and was overwhelmed with various types that confused the hell out of me. Can recommend a suitable idiots guide on KZbin for the UK market?

[@spidiq8]

@@peterc2248 haha yes, I had exactly the same dilemma when rejoining model kit making. Not just the paints, there are so many manufacturers now we're spoiled for choice. When I modelled as a kid it was humbrol enamel although I did splash out on Tamiya clear orange and red for taillights. I don't know of specific guides online but for my own experience, if you're building civilian vehicles and want shiny, enamel or lacquer paints are far and away the best (airbrushed), Tamiya acrylics spray well for military models with a matt finish but are terrible to brush paint. The best brush painting paints I've encountered are Citadel from games workshop, they're a water based acrylic and brush fantastically, just very odd names as they're all based on fantasy D&D type things.

[@larrydelaruelle5778]

Easily the best airbrush intro I have watched (and I have watched many). Wish I had seen this last year before I invested in a Paasche starter set and a Harbor Freight work compressor. I now have a Royalmax (not crazy about) and a Master air compressor and am doing better. Thanks for all of this information.

[@spidiq8]

Glad it was helpful. You can do incredible things with cheaper setups and I still use my old Chinese first airbrush for primer coats occasionally so don't worry too much.

[@simonbarnes7620]

I find these sets from eBay quite good especially for starting out as a first airbrushing, the airbrushes themselves although cheap, are way more forgiving than expensive airbrushes when working out how much to thin the paints and how certain paints react with certain thinners, I still use the cheap airbrush for general spraying, large areas, and it works no problem, even stick pigments through it, of course I have a more expensive airbrush for finer work but I use the cheap one way more than the expensive one, the one problem I encountered with the compressor is that after 12 years it heats up rather quickly and causes the seals to fail and lose pressure still work but very low pressure (which is sometimes helpful) I just recently bought another one that came with 3 cheap brushes!. The only other problem I have encountered is with the hose, the ends come loose and leak air, but only after a few years of use.

[@chrismitchell9694]

I just bought one of these and I was experiencing buyer's remorse for not getting one with a tank. So this was awesome :)

[@spidiq8]

Glad it was useful to you.

[@cutrockr-diecastracing2773]

Thanks. I have been investigating what to do/get for over a month. It does get confusing! You cover pretty much all that is currently out there, and is helpful to me, to finally make my mind up as to what to get. Cheers.

[@spidiq8]

Glad I could help.

[@arveejaycastro0216]

Thank you so much. I’ve been looking for a very deep deep explanation for airbrush kits that will help me decide what to buy because I have been searching for ages to airbrush kit guide but all they talk about is how to paint not explaining the compressor and airbrush. This will make my model kits look more beautiful, new to gunpla started 4 months ago. Now I know what to buy. And I know this video is 2-3 years ago but thank you so much, you deserve more subscriber than this. Keep safe long lives to all. You’re my saviour.

[@spidiq8]

Thankyou, i'm very glad it helped. A quick note on Gunpla, apparently they use ABS plastic a lot which react badly with enamel thinner so bear that in mind when painting or weathering.

[@arveejaycastro0216]

Oh I see, so what kind of thinner should I get. Should I go for lacquer?

[@spidiq8]

@@arveejaycastro0216 My understanding is that direct contact with enamel thinner on the plastic makes it brittle so things like the push fit workable joints can break, I haven't built Gundam so can't say directly but if you use either Acrylic or Lacquer you should be OK. You can weather over paint with enamel thinner or mineral spirit based washes just not advisable on the bare plastic.

[@davidthomson4260]

thank you for these explanatory videos in the field of airbrushing. Hugely informative and wish I had found them 12 months ago. Should be required viewing by every aspirant airbrusher... Great stuff and thanks again. Appreciate it!

[@spidiq8]

Thank you and I'm glad you found them helpful.

[@fattoamanowoodwork3638]

most helpful video on airbrushing I've seen. I am getting one (iwata Eclipse CS) coming from a fully size spraying guns in order to do spot repairs on small items (mountain bike frames etc.). Thank you for this.

[@barlow2976]

Thank you for a very well explained video. You cover the subject well, but concisely. I've only ordered a Chinese brush, as I only need it for toning down fishing lures, but I love to learn what is involved in any hobby, and what I'm seeing is fascinating.KZbin has proven to be a great source of information, from people who (largely) know what they're on about. I really can't imagine I'd have had much success researching these forty years ago!

[@spidiq8]

Thank you, I'm glad you found it informative. KZbin is indeed an excellent resource and one of the first places I turn to for information on anything new to me. You might find these videos helpful How to clean kzbin.info/www/bejne/qpS2c35moZp_mNk Common faults and fixes kzbin.info/www/bejne/aHnbqJisbchoadE I hope you enjoy your airbrushing journey.

[@davidslobod5726]

I’m new to airbrushing so this really helpful. I just wish I had found this video before buying a kit with an Paasche VL siphon feed airbrush. I found learning to hold an airbrush with a bottom cup difficult, i.e. spilt paint, so I purchased an Iwata Neo. I got much better results right away and now after a bit of practice can use the VL too. Your video on how to clean an airbrush was useful too. Thanks!

[@spidiq8]

Glad it helped.

[@dundeedideley1773]

THANK you. A man making sense for once. Also I love your narration style. Makes me want to be a snot nosed apprentice

[@spidiq8]

Thank you. So glad you found it useful.

[@stuartosborne6263]

I’ve watched a lot of “Introduction to airbrushing” videos, wish I’d found this one first, I would only have had to watch the one. Brilliant explanation thankyou for sharing your knowledge.

[@spidiq8]

Thanks, I'm glad it helped you

[@Emtbtoday]

I'm using one I was getting pulsing and pressure dropping not regulating it was just dropping to 1.bar but upgrade to a sparmax and it all stopped and its working absolutely beautifully it's perfect! What I have narrowed it down to with 3 of my cheap Chinese airbrushes is the needle cap! There not machined right and there letting air through! I put my sparmax needle cap on them and they all work perfectly! Very very happy I have found this fault with them and it's all 3 it does it with so can't be a one off missed thread or something! Took a good airbrush to find this fault mind you but it's not the compressor! I highly recommend these for anyone starting out, just beware of the airbrush that they come with I would just advise a warning about!

[@spidiq8]

That's the real problem with the chai Chinese brushes. QC is very hit and miss.

[@Emtbtoday]

@@spidiq8 yeah they look the part but I'll never have another!

[@AkaiKnight]

this is the definitive model kit airbrush/compressor picking guide.

[@spidiq8]

Thank you, very kind of you.

[@tornapart75]

Just starting to consider using an airbrush and come across your video. So happy i did. All the info i needed answered in one clear video. Well done! Totally sold on getting one now.

[@spidiq8]

Thanks and I hope you enjoy your airbrushing journey. It's a whole different world to brush painting and the results are incredible.

[@TheCvele1974]

Awesome video and explanation on aircompressors and airbrushes. But more importantly on health and safety. Well done mate and thank you.

[@richardhalliday159]

Excellent, indeed ‘ everything I wanted to know ‘ exactly the information I was looking for , as a recently retired, widowed ‘oldie’ wanting to get back into my childhood model making hobby, but this time having a bit more disposable cash, I found your presentation, style and experience very good - so good I watched the video through to the end and subscribed. Having trawled through the many instructional / info videos on the subject I found yours the most useful , for that many thanks. Regards. Richard. Yorkshire.

[@spidiq8]

Thank you so much for the feedback and I hope you enjoy your return to the hobby, there's so much variety and choice nowadays compared to what was available when I first started. Which part of Yorkshire are you from? I'm originally from Sheffield

[@richardhalliday159]

spidiq8 I live in Baildon up near the moors , 6km from Leeds Bradford Airport , I’ve a few drones so only just outside the 5km exclusion zone.

[@spidiq8]

@@richardhalliday159 I know the name but I'm not familiar with the area. It's a shame the scaremongering of a few have led to the tightening of the drone rules.

[@HeadHunterSix]

Thank you for the guidance. I haven't used an airbrush for about 30 years (I used to build armor models for IPMS competitions). I'm painting miniatures for tabletop wargaming, mostly 1/100 armor and I'm starting small. This has given me a good place to start, and I'll be checking out your other videos as well.

[@kipmax6556]

Very well explained, very thorough and very easy to understand. Thanks for taking the time to make this!

[@spidiq8]

Thanks, glad it's helpful to you.

[@alpachino468]

Holy crap! These are the exact questions that were floating around in my head...

[@mrnobelnigel]

Super introduction. I feel more confident getting started, having watched this. Thanks for sharing 👍

[@Proto250]

I find the siphon fed, single action brushes, are also good for spraying the paints that use the real metal flakes suspended in lacquer (alclad II or mr. metal for instance).

[@spidiq8]

Useful to know thanks.

[@Goldchucker1]

Hi spidiq8. I watched 3 of your videos pertaining to air brush selection and maintenance and am very impressed with the detailed presentation you provide. Details art important and should not be over looked if one expects the tool to operate properly every time. Thank you. Chuck From the USA

[@spidiq8]

Thank you for the feedback, I'm glad you found them useful.

[@seloss5734]

Just starting out. Very helpful, thank you. Hey, I love the dragon cover bowl in the background. Very cool.

[@spidiq8]

Glad I could help and thanks, that was a gift from a friend a few years ago who's really into her goth stuff, she used to run a shop selling things like it.

[@JeffreyBenjaminWhite]

Spot on reasoning with the hose/pulse analysis, subscribed immediately therafter.

[@spidiq8]

Thank you, I hope you find the content useful.

[@petemelanyevans9162]

I think you may have to ammended your advice my friend . I am new to air brushing and so watched your video .your part on compressor's and pressure flow is incorrect . As I have the surging problem and needed advice and a cure . But your comment .regarding piston size and pressure staying constant is wrong .as when you purge. the pressure drops and volume decrease regardless how long the hose is . pressure is pressure and it needs to stay constant .so a receiver tank is vital to maintain pressure at a constant flow as long as demand is not greater than delivery!

[@williamaviles2647]

I too got the Chinese airbrush and so far it's Good. I just started again. I'll get a better one next time. Mine it's called Master from Amazon. Tku for the Tips. 👍

[@tmanimal]

A small In-line water trap just before the airbrush also helps smooth out any uneven air flow, on tankless compressors ....by virtue of their buffering effect, due to their small, but significant air storage capacity, rather like a Capacitor in an electronic smoothing circuit... 👍

[@ksingleton101]

I'm very happy, knock on wood, with my Iwata Eclipse HP-CS Air Brush and the Iwata Sprint Jet Airbrush Compressor IS-800 that came as a kit. I've owned them for 14 years and have only replaced the needle once, about 6 years ago. I've always thought buying something that is reliable than cheap is much better. .

[@l8tr597]

Lol well duh, you got yourself top shelf stuff to start with, if you can afford that route it’ll make usage a lot more fun, in any endeavor, buying quality vs crap is always a good idea!

[@ColonelSandersLite]

I started airbrushing in models and am getting into art and here's an observation I have made - There is a pretty good number of good artists with airbrushing tutorials on youtube. With the exception of the T-shirt guys, they nearly universally use gravity fed Iwata brushes. In all the people I have watched, at least two dozen, I only spotted a single partial exception. I think there are 3 reasons for this. 1 - There is probably a bit of name recognition snobbery and artists do seem to be particularly prone to this. 2 - The Iwata brushes can be, and nearly universally are, run without the end cap. On a badger airbrush, the end cap is critical a part of controlling the airflow but on the Iwata, it simply exists to protect the needle. One key advantage to this is that you can put the tip of the needle physically closer to the artwork and get more finely controlled fine lines more easily. In modelling terms, this could be useful for doing things like panel line shading and such. 3 - The other big one is closely related to the last - Running the airbrush without the endcap makes cleaning the tip easier and quicker. With the Iwatas, they just pinch the tip between their finger and thumb, twist and pull, then back to painting. With my badgers, I scrub the end with a toothbrush. That means keeping a tub of clean soapy water and a brush at hand, giving it maybe half a dozen swipes and then you have to blow the soapy water off the tip before you can get back to painting and if you forget to blow the suds out, you'll make a mess of whatever it is you're working on. The downside of running without the needle guard would of course be that accidents are more likely to damage the needle and nozzle so maybe not recommended for a beginner. The professional T-shirt guys seem to favor the siphon feeds airbrushes. I suspect that the difference here is that with other mediums, artists tend to do a lot of black and white art with tinting via transparent colors which doesn't apply so much to T-shirts. Anyways, just food for thought.

[@spidiq8]

Knowing a few artists that use various mediums I'd say that snobbery is only likely in a very small percentage of people who 'art' as a secondary / hobby a higher percentage of people who's true passion is art will use all manner of things but they're balancing affordability with practicality. Simply put, a good quality tool is actually 'cheaper' in the long run because it works right first time, needs less maintenance, lasts longer and comes with the benefit of others experience and recommendation. An example would be Uni Posca art pens, I know artists who watch what they spend day to day but will pay for Uni Posca which aren't cheap but ARE good rather than another brand which 'might' be ok but equally might not be. For a jobbing artist this becomes even more important as it's the difference between turnaround times and only doing a piece of art once. Re the end cap thing, it depends on the brush, the Badger in this video can have the end cap removed for close detail work for example so it's more likely a model by model difference. I think the T shirt and airbrush tattoo guys only really use the syphon guns for quick simple colour changes and using inks it means there's minimal chance of clogging and need for cleaning. For paint artists a gravity feed is better as you can use much lower pressures.

[@dodgydruid]

I've got a Badger bottom feeder, does the job very well, its old but a very simple design and have been using it today to lacquer some watch dials, never had a gravity feed to compare it to lol

[@spidiq8]

@@dodgydruid The only difference is that gravity feed can work at lower air pressure as it doesn't need to create much suction to draw the paint. They're popular with airbrush artists and tattooists who use inks for the ability to change colours by switching bottles which just plug in

[@denisestover2416]

Oh, yes...Paasche does indeed make a double action airbrush. In fact, quite a few!😃 Paasche Talon costs over $200USD (£160.87). I use the Paasche VL as my workhorse. I hand paint on Silk with both the "normal standard" paint brushes and airbrushes. Thank you for generously sharing your knowledge with us all. God Bless! 🙂 🙃 🙂

[@spidiq8]

That's good to know, thank you. They're not common in the UK like Badger are. Glad you liked the video and thank you for the information and your feedback.

[@ZILLION4EVER]

wow 09:50 had NO idea I had to do that, only started spraying 14 days ago luckily.. I researched the topic about 6 months before biting the bullet (got the same compressor with tank by the way :) and never heared that screw mentioned in countless airbrushing starter and intermediate level videos and tutorials.. thanks so much for making sure I got the knowledge to keep my gear in optimal state for years!!

[@spidiq8]

The drain valve I assume you mean? Yes that's commonly overlooked, on these and on workshop compressors. The tanks are strong and it would take a lot of corrosion to destroy them but the bigger risk is flakes of rust and water collecting in the tank.

[@denisnicholls6945]

Defiantly a better video explaining witch compressor and airbrush to choose for a beginner, Thank you

[@spidiq8]

Thanks, glad it helped.

[@angelinajoy3084]

Finally a video that can help me to choose an airbrush! Yay!

[@TheBadBone23]

Very helpful video, I am myself in this situation, looking for an airbrush/compressor kit on a budget.

[@coinsmith]

Excellent advice from someone who KNOWS! Thank you so very much for sharing.

[@spidiq8]

Glad it helped

[@coinsmith]

@@spidiq8 Oh, it did! Based on your advice, I was able to locate, evaluate, and purchase a compressor and airbrush to suit my needs. I have been accumulating model kits for over 20 years in anticipation of my retirement, and over the past few years watching model building masters on KZbin do things I had never thought possible. I am now retired, and looking forward to experimenting, learning, and doing. Thank you again for your outstanding and knowledgeable input! People like you contribute more to other people's quality of life than you could possibly imagine.

[@danram69]

detail is so important love this post mate thank you

[@twest003]

Excellent video just what i have been looking for, getting back into modelling after 30 years.

[@spidiq8]

Glad you liked it. It's a good time to get back into model making. Enjoy.

[@NeoIsrafil]

Wow, yours are so much louder than mine. I got a 120 dollar Amazon kit, probably a clone of your small, no tank compressor. Your brushes are much nicer than mine though. They are dual action except the siphon one that came with it. I AM overall quite happy with it. Its a fairly nice set, if it had come with the quick change for the hose instead of just the airbrush nob side and a screw on hose itd basically be perfect.

[@spidiq8]

It's most likely how it comes across on the video. The compressor is actually really quiet. The surface it stands on makes a difference as it'll vibrate through a table for example.

[@ScaleModelVamp]

Very detailed Spidi, thank you, this will help a lot of people for sure ! awesome video !

[@spidiq8]

Glad you liked it, was a bit of an epic this one, longest I've done I think but hopefully got all the stuff in there that's useful.

[@calvinfox2566]

hi thanks for this video as i dont own a airbrush and have never airbrushed i have gone and bought a as18 airbrush/compressor set that you showed in the video i have now got to learn how to use it for my 1/72 1/76 armour range

[@spidiq8]

Glad it's been useful. You'll be surprised how easy it is with a little practise. Make sure you thin with appellate thinner to the consistency of milk and check out my how to clean video to keep your brush on top performance.

[@Freecloud9]

Well, I'll Pat myself on the back as I bought an AS18 without realizing it's a worthy purchase & before seeing your video, glad I've done something right. Thanks my friend, great video info' & help. 😉👍

[@spidiq8]

Glad it helped. Have fun on your airbrushing journey.

[@nicateamaviation4648]

Muchas Gracias. Me armé de Paciencia y logré el resultado correcto con tu Video. Excelente explicación.

[@sitnspin1819]

Thank the stars I found this video. It's often 60% humidity at a minimum where I live in the UK. Definitely need a tank.

[@spidiq8]

Glad you found it useful. A separate moisture trap under the airbrush is a good idea also.

[@sitnspin1819]

@@spidiq8 Thank you! I need all the information I can get on airbrushing. It's 11 degrees and 94% humidity in Durham today!

[@spidiq8]

@@sitnspin1819 This current weather is not conducive to airbrush use for sure but the fitted moisture trap and an under brush one will make sure you don't get any contamination. I've only had it happen once with a tankless compressor and a very long session lasting about an hour during which the compressor was on and off continuously. If I can assist with anything else just shout and good luck with your airbrush..

[@sitnspin1819]

@@spidiq8 I will do, marra! It's only something I committed to yesterday. I've been wanting to make my own Jason Voorhees masks for months now, but always ignored the idea for one reason or another. With my knowledge of colour theory and background in nail art, makeup etc, I want to see if I can put all of my know-how into action and make a mask.

[@spidiq8]

@@sitnspin1819 Sounds great! Get on it before Halloween! Hope you'll upload video or images of them. I'd love to see.

[@nickholman3440]

This was very helpful! Thank you so much!

[@zanetwiesman9079]

I do find your videos on the airbrushes extremely helpful! Thank you for taking the time. I received my one today and it is extremely intimidating and maybe a little scary. I tried to clean the one with the cup at the bottom and that was very scary. I ordered another one, the gravity one, and will give that one a try. I will just keep on watching how to clean it. Thank you once again.

[@spidiq8]

Thank you for the feedback, I'm so glad they're helpful. Keep at it and remember there's nothing you can do in normal use that cannot be cleaned up. Airbrushes (or any spraying) are an initially steep learning curve but once past t first hurdle incredibly easy. It's actually harder to learn to brush paint well than to get a good airbrush finish. If there's anything I can assist with just ask.

[@zanetwiesman9079]

@@spidiq8 I need your expertise, please. The one airbrush that came with the compressor has the bottom cup but the needle has a little ball thing at the back thus I don't know how to get that off to pull the needle out the front. Does it turn off, or what to do, please? Thank you.

[@spidiq8]

@@zanetwiesman9079 Unfortunately you can't draw those forward because of the ball. The sole reason for that is to be able to grip and draw it back to quickly clear clogs which is really only relevant to airbrush artists using certain inks and paints who use low pressures and get frequent clogs. My recommendation for those is to take it out, saw off the ball and using a fine file remove the burrs, this then allows you to insert and remove from the front. I'm not a huge fan of the syphon type as they require higher pressure to draw the paint through, gravity feed tends to offer more control but the syphon are good for quick and frequent colour changes for art.

[@zanetwiesman9079]

@@spidiq8 Thank you for that info. Yeah, I don't like it so I bought the gravity feed one. I will do what you said just so I have an extra one on hand! I really appreciate your feedback!!

[@spidiq8]

@@zanetwiesman9079 No problem. Happy to help if I can.

[@davidrumsam7932]

Very informative thanks for taking the time to make the video

[@sergiolima14]

Great video, great explanation! I own a compressor just like the first one presented, a Chinese airbrush for primers and varnish, and a Brazilian Gatti brand, model Ag3, of artezanal production, very good, I get excellent work with him.

[@lesalley2086]

Thankyou for a great video, all my questions answered and good health and safety advice too.

[@smartass23t]

Thank you very much sir, excellent info in this video. I happened to buy one of the China brushes a few years ago now. I believe it was $20 including shipping. Seem ok to me. I don't use it all that much and couldn't justify buying anything more expensive at the time. Lately I've been painting RC car bodies, mainly Tamiya hard bodies. They're quite large. I have 3 needles for this airbrush, .2, .3, and .5. I've been using the .5 to get better coverage on large areas yet is still isn't enough. How can I adjust this airbrush to get better coverage over larger areas? Only way I think it might work is to pull the needle back slightly but that might have some negative effects and I don't want to ruin my current projects by playing around with the airbrush yet.

[@spidiq8]

Unfortunately you can only pump as much through as the air feed and nozzle size will allow, pulling the needle back won't help much if at all and will result in paint dripping from the nozzle before starting to spray. RC lexan bodyshells as I recall are quite large and for solid single colours you have a couple of options. You could use a single action brush which often allow a wider fan or you can use an automotive 'touch up' gun which will typically have a 1mm+ nozzle. There is of course the good old spray can. One other thing you can try is using well thinner lacquer paints is to increase the air pressure and spray further away, this won't work with acrylics as they flash dry too quickly and would work best with enamels but should be manageable with a lacquer paint and something like Mr colour levelling thinner which uses a drying retarder and flow improver.

[@garyb2392]

This was amazing ! Great info! Time well spent. Thank you so much ! Answered all my questions

[@spidiq8]

Glad it was helpful!

[@CrucesNomad1]

These air compressures need little maint, but I did clean mine and lubricate it as there was metal chips inside from the manufacturing process.

[@spidiq8]

They can be a bit rough around the edges but generally very good for the cost.

[@lewistaylor1965]

Great video for folks who want to start airbrushing...A must watch!

[@spidiq8]

Thanks, glad you liked it.

[@martingoddard2171]

Excellent video - just wish I'd seen it before I made all thewrong buys!

[@petebathoart8819]

Excellent video, with the sort of info I was looking for. I will certainly check out your other videos. Thanks.

[@spidiq8]

Thankyou, I hope it was useful to you.

[@AlexFranke]

Great video. Why would you choose the one the smaller cup size over all the others? Is it easier to hold, control, or clean?

[@spidiq8]

For me, I occasionally spray very small parts or do some detail bits which is where I tend to use the smaller cup as it's less mess to clean. Otherwise it's entirely personal choice.

[@Riverrockphotos]

WE got new compressors at my work for filling your tires at the self service air. I took the old one home it is a dule piston compressor a little bigger than the one you show here, It also has been rebuild fairly recentaly. I'm wonderin if I can convert it into an airbrush compressor then I could spend more on a really good airbrush.

[@spidiq8]

I see no reason why not, you just need a regulator and a water trap.

[@daveyhu]

Hi, thanks for the video, very thorough indeed. I was wondering if you'd tried any of the somewhat recent battery compressors and what your thoughts were? As far as their claim goes, the one from Autolock can reach up to 27 PSI.

[@spidiq8]

It's funny you should mention that. I recently got one with a replaceable battery pack which claims pressures up to 30psi. I've given it a brief test but intend to do a thorough one and film a review. Keep checking the channel. I've got a couple of other videos to get edited and uploaded first but hope to get it done fairly quickly.

[@salc9593]

Hello Spidiq8, I just came across your video and found it very informative and instructional (I'm ware you posted this video 3 1/2 years ago) and would like to ask you if you can change needles in an Iwata Neo .3mm to .5mm ? for spraying primers or overall matt coats. Thank you again for a great and in depth video.

[@spidiq8]

First of all thank you. I'm glad you found the video helpful. Ideally when changing setup on any spray equipment you need to swap needle, nozzle and air cap as the air cap has an optimal gap around the nozzle to create an area of low pressure to draw the paint out. The other problem with swapping parts is that although the needle body is theoretically the same diameter it could be slightly larger and enlarge the seal which would then affect the other needle when refitted. I've had this happen myself. You're better getting a second airbrush with a larger nozzle for specific tasks. This video might help with airbrush problems and give you a better understanding of the inner parts. kzbin.info/www/bejne/aHnbqJisbchoadE

[@keeganpenney169]

This is exactly the video education I was looking for lol

[@redbarnz]

Fantastic information from an experienced user!

[@spidiq8]

Thanks, hope it was useful to you.

[@jamesschrom317]

Thank you for all the advise. Very well done. I am new to airbrushing in fact I haven't purchased anything yet. I want to do my home work before I go out and do something foolish. I will want a good compressor with a tank and at least a somewhat decent brush. My first model I will airbrush will be a 1/350th Titanic model. So there will be a huge hull to be painted and will the .3mm nozzle be large enough? Sorry if that is a dumb question but I am a noobie just wanting to learn.

[@spidiq8]

Not a dumb question at all. That's a lot of plastic model to paint and for that size i'd recommend a minimum of a 0.5mm, even then it'll take a while and you'll get a bit of condensation from heat build up via the compressor recharging. I'd suggest for the bulk of the hull using something like tamiya aerosols or look at a larger compressor with a bigger tank to minimise overloading the little one.

[@stevenbuckley1416]

That was very well Explained and to follow that’s all I Wanted. Something you don’t get with other Tutorials. Thank you so much great job. 🤝🙏 Plus I subscribed to ❤️👍

[@spidiq8]

Thanks, glad it helped.

[@vojkotravner6413]

very helpul video, thanks!

[@MugenGlider82]

Very thorough bud! Thanks for sharing.

[@spidiq8]

Thanks. Hope it helped.

[@gvfq]

You can buy spares needles and nozzles for those cheap Chinese airbrush from Aliexpress for like 75cents each piece.

[@spidiq8]

Useful to know, thanks

[@MrMickjbriggs]

Superbly informative. Thank you.

[@spidiq8]

Glad it was helpful!

[@dodgydruid]

Wanted to add, you can use workshop and garage sized compressors if you don't mind the excessive noises from the cheaper models. I only found this out by accident in the old Badger I found in a model car joblot, never been used either and included with it were several hose adapters including one that allowed me to connect to my 50l 2.5hp car compressor the only thing to remember is to ensure I've turned it down from die grinder PSI or impact/air ratchet PSI as more likely to blow the poor brush off its hose. I use it for lacquering vintage watch dials mainly and the occasional watch hand set and handles both extremely well even though the old Badger is a bottom tank feeder. I haven't tried hard lining or colouring in between lines and shapes with it but for watch repair work its a champ :)

[@spidiq8]

Absolutely yes! As long as you're not in a block of flats/apartment complex or have easily irritated neighbours. Try to leave the compressor regulator no higher than 50psi max. (Realistically you don't need more than 30) Large compressors are great but noisy when filling.

[@hooshangmaster]

this is solid advice. it's a shame i jumped straight into the iwata neo tho. would've went for a cheap chinese one and a cheap compressor.

[@spidiq8]

The neo is a great starter brush though so don't be too concerned. The main problem with the cheap Chinese brushes is qc some are great others can have niggles, they're usually easily resolvable but if you don't know airbrushes it can be difficult to know if it's your own inexperience or the tool.

[@vangelis.gavalakis]

Great complete info. Thank you.

[@sabotup7442]

Outstanding tutorial-thank you so very much...

[@spidiq8]

Glad it was helpful!

[@Emtbtoday]

That's why I bought that cheap 30 pound kit for at nyts as nearly completely silent as an air pump for a fish tank

[@spidiq8]

Which 30 pound kit is that Scottish Bonsai? Also, do you grow and train your own trees? I love Bonsai but don't have green fingers sadly.

[@Emtbtoday]

@@spidiq8 yes I do there all coming back into bud just now just reported alot the other day and adding slow release fertilisers that's my main hobby for summer and when they go dormant for winter I move onto my kit building but I'll be doing alot more kits this year as got right into it alot more recently iv been creating bonsai for the past 15 years iv got a few trees imported from Japan too, there very expensive and very old 3 older than myself haha! It's a brilliant hobby I went to college for.3 years there to take up horticulture landscape and design just finished last year I wanted to learn more iv got alot of young trees cuttings and seedlings all coming through just now they'll take alot more care but the more established older trees can just be left to.there own devices to much care n love will just kill them seems hard to think about but abit of neglect goes along way in bonsai! Just remember and water and they'll grow healthy and strong for years! After all nature just takes it's own course with them! Alot of folk over water following KZbin videos on watering 3 time a week every second day etc ! Dont do that! Test the top of the soil if damp if it is dont water and if dry water it it's so easy when get to know your trees habits and soil conditions and you do learn how soil will react in different weather on how fast it'll dry up a.d need watered but with organic soil's I only water once every 10 days to a fortnight and that's only if needed! if using akadama bonsai soil there clay pellets you mix with horticulture grit it drains n dries out quite quickly during summer winter takes a week or so iv only.watered my trees 3 times or something throughout the whole winter the rain keep the soil's moist enough! And there bouncing back very healthy again this year! I done a water when added the fertiliser pellets the other day n just letting the rain take care of it just now till springs over and summer comes in we just play it by ear every year. Follow this bud you'll have your bonsai for years to come!

[@spidiq8]

@@Emtbtoday Wow! As infrequently as that? I think I may have killed my Bonsai years ago with kindness. I'm terrible at anything horticultural but I would love to have another go with a Bonsai. Thanks for the detailed reply. Much appreciated.

[@shamonjackson3478]

Thank you. This video was a huge help to me

[@user-wj4xw6pb8h]

I could listen to you talking all day! Very engaging way about you. I’ve recently decided to get into plastic scale modelling- never done it in my life but I thought why not? I’m planning to brush paint but I’m itching to get an airbrush because of the better finish. Is this the case? Can brush painting deliver any sort of comparable finish? When it comes to buying a compressor and airbrush, do you have any suggestions (ie links) online? Money isn’t an issue but I don’t want to spend big at first just in case it’s not for me or I don’t take to it, if that makes sense. Any help would be appreciated.

[@spidiq8]

Very kind of you to say. Thank you. You can get reasonable finishes by brush but an airbrush will give a far superior finish and with thinner coats so you're less likely to obscure details. The most important thing is to enjoy it and remember that despite what anyone tells you, there are no strict rules. Your model. Your rules. For starting any of the AS18, AS186 or AS196 Chinese compressor like in this video. If you have access to a garage or workshop compressor that'll work but they're much louder in use. For a starter airbrush the cheap Chinese ones can be great. The problem if you're new to them is the qc is hit and miss and knowing if it's working right or if you're not using it right. Something like the NEO for Iwata is a great starter and they're qc checked.

[@royloveday4350]

Super useful. Thanks.

[@aloncome]

Excelent video, very helpful...Thank you!

[@spidiq8]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@shumakerguitarworkssgw9505]

My favorite air brush was a cheap one from vida xl .. I just ruined it by cleaning it with acetone.. lesson learned.. got a new one, hope it works as well as the other did

[@spidiq8]

Hope it works

[@paredding]

Bit confused, you show a pic of the Pixie which I have similar in an Expo package. I also have that airbrush kit but cannot work out where that quick release union goes as it doesnt fit anywhere ie I have to unscrew the brush from the water trap each time

[@spidiq8]

If you're referring to the adapter which comes with the airbrush that's not a qr, it's for a push fit air hose, you'll notice the angled grip sections which allow you to push into an air hose but would prevent it from slipping out. The qr adapter is a separate unit you have to buy and it comes with both sides of the fitting, one attaches to the under brush filter or air hose and the other to your airbrush.

[@paredding]

@@spidiq8 Great - many thanks for explanation - really appreciated as its been bugging me ie tried all ends of the hose. Will look into getting one as tedious unscrewing the brush all the time

[@brushstroke7190]

FML. I just got through driving myself insane with one of those cheep, Chinese airbrushes. Garbage made the model I was working on into garbage. :( Gonna get the Japanese-made iwata from the manufacturer and a nice 58-PSI compressor from the hardware store.

[@l8tr597]

Didn’t pulse lmao but ran out of pressure and shut off. It’s just dumb unless there is a specific reason to not have a small tank. At Amazon tankless vs tank versions are negligible in price. I do however like the newer designs with the built in fan. The fan will give you longevity if your pushing a lot of air. Bring up another point about tankless, they will run more often.

[@CHRISBUCKLANDjohn]

Some great info .

[@hugostare8695]

Very interesting video, many thanks, I`ve subscribed. Thinking of buying my first airbrush for a couple of projects I have in mind, I have a couple of questions for anyone who could help me out. I have a big old workshop compressor in the garage with a line to my woodwork shop, I assume I can use that to power a modelling airbrush ok? If so, what pressure should I set it at for best performance? Any help much appreciated... Cheers folks!

[@spidiq8]

I'm glad you found the video useful. Yes a workshop compressor will be fine for your airbrush. The maximum psi needed will be 30, most spraying duties will be between 10 and 20. The best thing to do would be to fit an inline regulator/filter as close to your bench as possible and an under brush filter which will ensure moisture free spraying for extended spraying sessions.

[@hugostare8695]

@@spidiq8 Many thanks Spid, wasn`t expecting anyone to reply so quick! So I can get a pressure regulator that fits inline on the end of the hosereel so I don`t have to go round to the garage to turn the pressure down, never thought of that. Obvious really I suppose now I think about it. And you can never have too many moisture traps I guess... Cheers for your help and have a great christmas! Regards, Paul.

[@spidiq8]

@@hugostare8695 Absolutely yes, regulating of it close to is much easier and definitely no such thing as too many moisture traps. It also means you can leave the compressor pressure up at maximum. I try to reply to all comments on my video and it's late afternoon here and I'm just easing myself gently into relaxation for the holidays. Merry Christmas and have a great one.

[@hugostare8695]

@@spidiq8 Thanks mate, 1 minute into christmas day here in the UK and we`re celbrating it with a glass of Bailys Irish whiskey. NICE!

[@Ton-rs9tg]

Is the pointzero airbrushes and compressors a good beginners brand

[@spidiq8]

I couldn't say for sure as I don't know the brand, it might be a decent one but if you stick with a known manufacturer you know you can't go far wrong, Iwata, Badger, H&S, Grex, you don't have to spend a lot on a model either, the base versions they make are excellent.

[@stevennewman360]

what do you know about Master Air Brush equipment that's offered on Amazon.

[@spidiq8]

Nothing directly as I haven't had one but they're a reputable brand and I believe are made by a company who also make brushes for one or two others.

[@c.g.c2067]

very good video tutorial

[@bbaz6729]

Looking for an airbrush to get back into modeling. I'm a airbrush neophyte. I'm trying to stay away from the Chinese models. I can find a Badger 100-5 which is .22 mm or an Iwata Neo CN that's a .35mm. Both are about $60.00 U.S. What is your recommendation?

[@spidiq8]

For modelling, i'd recommend a minimum nozzle size of 0.3mm, smaller will get very tiresome when painting a large area.

[@bbaz6729]

Thanks. The Neo it is.

[@Emtbtoday]

Iv had my violamart compressor for 10 years now with no new parts as yet touch wood it was just a started ket to start with but never ever needed a twin tank model yeh it runs out of breath abit rapid but sufficient enough for my military vehicles I have a cheap airbrush set too the 30 bucks one like the revell compressor like a pump from a fish tank for priming and spraying larger surfaces and to be hon the detailing you can get from it is rather rema for 30 quid

[@jesusramos2985]

can i use a big 5hp 130 psi compressor? dialed down to specific air pressure that is.

[@spidiq8]

Absolutely yes, any compressor will do as long as you have an inline regulator to drop the pressure accordingly.

[@grahammummery5732]

Excelent video...Thank you!

[@j.4198]

What happens if you don’t have a lot of space in your desk? Will the particles of paint get in the air and everywhere is airbrushing messy?

[@spidiq8]

That's a yes and no question. Now if you use very thinned paint and low air pressure and airbrush details closely there'll be very little over spray, but if you want to lay down good wet coats on say a car model kit you'll need a wider coverage and higher pressure so more over spray. The best solution if you're limited to space but still want to airbrush is have a portable paint extractor which you can set up on your bench and then remove after use, they're designed to fold out with sides and a hood to shield the part you're spraying.

[@ralfsstuff]

First of all thank's a lot for the video. I'm planning on getting into airbrushing gundam model kits (14-21cm total) as well as some PLA 3D-prints (10-10-10cm) and I get that you SHOULD always use more then just an ffp2 or so mask. Still, any kind of facemask is hard to come by these days (I've been looking for days) and in the end it seemed like you said a well ventilated area was enough? With a mask and spray booth needed more for enclosed spaces? Like you said in the video there are lots of contradicting opinions on the matter. "Sigh".

[@spidiq8]

A mask with changeable filters is needed for organic solvents but you still need a mask that can filter particulates for water based acrylics for complete safety as you don't want to be breathing in atomised paint. As you note, masks are hard to find currently and there's little we can do but be patient on that. Good ventilation or an external extraction pipe for your spray booth is handy but you can get away with spraying then vacating the room with windows open to ventilate after, (whilst wearing a mask of course)

[@H-When]

Im still going with the cheapo chinese model. Cant be sure if im sticking with the hobby or not.

[@shaygabby2338]

So, kind of new to this.... I bought the same machine and purchased an airbrush and hose kit separate (paasche millennium set) and looks like I might need an adapter for it to fit on the machine.... Just don't know which kind to purchase...

[@spidiq8]

They probably use the same fittings as Badger? Small with a fine thread. Whereas compressors use a standard fitting with a coarser thread, I have no idea why the American brushes do this but you can buy adapters online on eBay and from airbrush suppliers. I don't recall the sizes offhand.