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MRVP is pleased to introduce FineScale Modeler senior editor Aaron Skinner to an audience eager to acquire new airbrush painting and weathering tips, tricks, and techniques! In the first episode of this series, Aaron guides you through the wide array of airbrush options available on the market today. Follow along, and you’ll be sure to discover new skills that will help enhance your modeling efforts!
If you have a series of videos, at least make the next video (#2 in this case) easily accessible.
There are questions on air compressors. Here are some views. My father ran a commercial art studio in New York City. To keep the noise to zero, his staff used bottled air (tanks about 4 feet tall, heavy pressure) with pressure regulators. No noise, and a bottle lasted for months of heavy use. Definitely not the cheapest way to go, but an alternative.
At Harbor Freight, they have a portable air tank, about 2 feet high which holds air at up to 100 PSI. (It is intended use is to inflate a flat tire on the road.) Add a pressure regulator and a water trap, and you are quietly in business. If you are using acrylic paints, a cardboard paint booth is all you need.
I also have a noisy, inexpensive air compressor which works quite adequately.
Looking forward to future episodes. Hope you cover off on different air supplies!
Well done video, Aaron. Waiting for further episodes!
Yes, thanks for putting this together…I look forward to seeing other episodes in this series!
Aaron – an excellent overview of the main types of brushes. I’ve been debating a double-action brush, but I think I’ll stick with my old single action (if I can find parts for it – it’s a Binks Wren Model B from the late 60s), or at least that upstart Pasche H. Can’t wait for the next and subsequent episodes. PS – like your book a lot.
Ned in Nevada
Good stuff – but – hopefully you’re going to speak to the costs of all the other ‘parts’ to airbrushing. it obviously involves more than just the brush. What is the ROI for spending all of that to weather or paint a $4.95 Blue Box freight car? And how about first timers? I just can’t walk into a hobby shop or craft store and ‘test drive’ one (least ways not around here) without first buying it. The air compressors for air brushes cost three to four times more than a good home garage compressor from Harbor Freight or Sears and will do a lot more than air brush. I’m sure you’re going to get into that subject and a lot more. Good start but get ready for the questions – more to come. Thanks.
Jim Alexander
I want to pigtail on Alan’s comments. I am new to airbrushing and believe this series will be of great value to me and others new to this tool.
I’m appreciating how MRVplus is using the entire ‘stable’ of experts no matter which magazine they might specialize in. This makes your presentations even stronger and more helpful. Thanks.
Great start Aaron to a series that I’m sure will get a lot of interest.
Air brushing I find is a hobby in itself for some modellers and to others it’s just a means of getting the paint on a model that is a nessasary evil. I’d class myself as the former I have a selection of brushes similar to Aaron and enjoy the process of painting a model.
In response to Jeff Thompson “the cost” is relative to your interest as you say spending $100’s of dollars to spray a single $4.95 “blue box” car, is a bit of over kill, however if you have a entire trains worth of blue box models then over the entire train the cost of the setup is minimal per item painted, weathered and added to the layout. It’s just a different way of looking at it. BTW the “blue box models” are great items to practice with when you start out with an air brush, Develop your skills with them, then move on to the good stuff with confidence.
Take this as an example, A modeller spends $1000 on a nice new raw brass model takes it home and decides that he now wants it to be the correct livery whilst it could be painted with a brush, a finish from an air brush will be what’s desired do you devalue the model with hand brushed on paint or use a air brush set up that cost a few dollars at the start but pays for it self the more it is used that brass model is now worth $1400 with the nice paint job.
Re Cost , As a point of interest I tried a Air brush kit set up from an discount store in Australia “Aldi” costing $90 Aus about $65 US the set up came with a Mini compressor with regulator, and 2 air brushes both double action with different styles of paint delivery and the results were very compareable to my most expensive air brush, as an aside to this the compressor that even comes with a inline water trap, I found to be so good I now use most of the time when weathering models as it is so quiet that can be used at any time of the day for that quick squirt.
Looking forward to the rest of the series Aaron
I have not been able to find an airbrushing book that talks about preparation of the surface, in particular, preparing brass models for painting. Suggestions.
The timing of this series is excellent! I have just begun to investigate and learn about air brushing as it seems to be what the true professionals in the model railroading hobby use. My biggest concern is the compressor and what to purchase and how to control it for the best possible performance and results. Thanks for doing the series – I am sure it will motivate me to move forward with air brushing.
This is a long time coming video. I like the information. I have 2 air brushes that were cheap. I know that I need to spend a lot more to get a good one. Thanks for all the information from all your video. Charlie
Thanks Aaron for a very interesting start to the series. I have never used an Airbrush. Are there any problems with balance when using a Side-Feed Airbrush, please?
I’ve been using the same Badger 100, internal mix, side feed, double action airbrush for over 30 years. I also have a 150 with the bottom feed, but prefer the side feed. Once you buy a decent airbrush, and take care of it, it will last you forever. I’ve only needed to replace the needle a few times. I’ve also been using the same small, Badger 180-11 diaphragm compressor for the same length of time. Can’t imagine not having an airbrush for model railroading.
Excellent!
thanks Aaron. do some airbrushes work better with acrylics or solvent based paints? I have an airbrush but the clean up is much longer than the painting, that I don’t paint or give up and use a rattle can How do you clean up quickly between different colors for one project?
Looking forward to this series, I use an H and get results I am very happy with, but I am interested to learn what else is available
Very interesting, can’t wait for more information. I hope that you will cover compressors also
I’ve been in the hobby for a long time and although I can see advantages of an Air Brush set-up, I’ve always had a hard time justifying the cost. it’s not only the cost of the Air Brush itself, it’s the added costs of a compressor, airline drier and a paint booth! I’m not here to argue one way; or, the other about the necessity of investing in a spraying facility. Just stating that I have always struggled with the cost and work involved in making a spray painting facility. I am therefore, fairly handy with other methods of applying paints and weathering.
I also get tired of the postulating that serious modelers MUST have an Air Brush set-up!
This is something I’m really looking forward to seeing more of. Ive wanted to invest in an airbrush, but getting a start can be intimidating. Cant wait to see the next installment!!
Thanks Aaron I’ve already learned a bunch from this video. Really looking forward to this series also. I hope we might be able to ask questions as the series progresses. I could use the help.
Joe from FL.
I’m looking forward to the rest of this series.
Very well done. Looking forward to the series.
Sounds like a great series!
How about Air Compresors versus Propel Cans?
Thanks
Jacob N.