My Very First Internal Mix Airbrush: Questions

[shiyao]

Hi guys,

I just got my first internal-mix, double-action airbrush yesterday.

I used to own an external-mix single-action affair. It was, suffice it to say, crap.

Anyway, a few quick questions (I believe these have not been answered on the other threads, but feel free to destroy me if otherwise):

1. The brand of my internal-mix airbrush is "Rich". I have been assured that the company that makes Iwatas makes them, as well as Mr Hobby, and everything else. "Only one airbrush making company in Japan. Iwata is just the brand to market in the US." (-->shopowner) Is this true?

2. I feel that although paint control is good (pulling back on the lever), air control (pressing down on the button) is less so. Is this common to all internal mix airbrushes? There appears to be very little difference between little air and maximum air.

3. I do not like to fully paint my kits. Especially the MG ones, which are already molded in fine colors. So, question: what is the best way to go about "touching up" an unpainted kit, without fully painting it? Will I still have to use primer/base coat? And are there transparent primers?

4. Is a 0.3mm nozzle fine enough for postshading?

5. Mine is a "Baby Air Compressor". Without any controls, just an on/off switch. Problems?

Right, that's all for now, thanks!

Shiyao

[Kylwell]

1. Could be. Could also be from the same people that said Tamiya & Gunze paint are the same. And just because the same manufacturer makes them doesn't make them the same. BMW used to produce a sub-compact econobox, doesn't mean is was a 3 series BMW.

2. Because there is so much less travel on the air part of the switch, control is very tricky. Takes a much finer touch to regulate airflow.

3. Matching paint to plastic is very difficult. It's possible, but not easily so. Most plastic is slightly translucet, giving a depth to the color that paint can't match.

4. Should be, just watch how thin your paints are and keep your air pressure on the lower side.

5. Potentually. Without a reglator you're stuck spraying at whatever pressure the compressor puts out, likely between 30 & 50 psi. This is very high pressure for painting. The highrer pressure can lead to paint drying before it hits plastic leaving you with a sandpaper like texture. See if you can find a decent regulator, it makes all the difference in the world.

[Greyryder]

I think I'd have found a different place to buy my airbrush. Even if they are made in the same factory, the different companies will still have them made to different specifications. I don't think that either of my Iwatas is designed to use diffent size nozzles. They're meant to be able to use one nozzle for everything.

The short travel on the air control, is fairly common on double action airbrushes. It takes a bit of practice to learn to control it well. I usually just turn down the pressure, with a regulator. The regulator I'm using was bought at a Home Depot.

Paint matching is a pain. I've never been any good at it.

[shiyao]

1. Well ... I don't really mean paint-matching per se .. more like, "How in general does one make his model kit look good without a full paintjob?"

2. So I can get a regulator SEPARATE from a compressor? I already have the latter, albeit with no controls.

Thanks!

[Greyryder]

Yes. You can buy regulators seperately. You can get them for lower powered hobby compressors, or just go to the local hardware store/home improvement center and buy a regular one. You might have to pick up a fitting or two, but everything should be using standard 1/4 inch fittings. Usually only the airbrush itself takes a weird size, and you already have a hose that fits it.

[honneamise]

1. There are or have been at least 3 brands in Japan: Iwata, Rich and Olympos - as I am in Germany I can tell that all three of them are available with different brand names side by side over here. About 15 years ago I bought a Rich, the guy in the shop said it was it was some kind of "copy" of an Iwata just cheaper but probably even made by the same company - I had an Iwata as well and it had almost the same parts plus I could not spot any quality differences.

Just 2 weeks ago I bought an Olympos, and the shopowner (different shop) said it was somehow related to Iwata and Rich as well. I still don´t know for sure but all three brands are excellent and have only minor differences.

2. You are right about this but with a little experience you can handle it. I mostly use the paint control lever, if you can adjust the pressure on your compressor you won´t need much of the air control anyway.

3. If you don´t want to fully paint the kit you should still use a clear base coat (e.g. Citadel clear varnish from a spray can) - otherwise the plastic will yellow after some time - don´t know if that can be avoided at all! And your cement will change its colour as well plus the decals will yellow...... frankly, I´d say better fully paint your kits, they will look better, especially long-term.

4. I have had airbrushes with 0.2 and 0.3mm nozzles and you can use both for any job as long as the airbrush is not a crap polish Iwata copy (Don´t buy Sogolee). As long as the thing is clean, paint is correctly diluted and all the airbrush parts are maintained well you can even paint mottle camouflage on 1/144 WWII fighter planes with a 0.3mm.

5. I had one of these things that make a lot of noise and deliver a standard pressure with no means of regulation - didn´t work well! If it is possible get a regulator as the other guys have said or get a compressor with a 20-30 ltr air tank and a regulator for the air pressure - expensive but worth it. I usually adjust the pressure to what I want (lower for detail/shading etc., higher for bigger surfaces or clear finish etc.) and then go with it - plus it is so quiet I don´t bother anyone even if I work at night.

Hope this is of help shiyao. I think the most important thing is that you´ve got the right airbrush to start with, everything else is experience (except that pressure adjusting ability on the compressor).

[shiyao]

whoa, thanks! that was a very detailed reply. i am very grateful.

so i am comforted - rich is an ok brand. at the same time, depressed because it appears i will have to fork out more for a new compressor with a regulator (not sure where to get regulators *alone* here in singapore).

right now i'm just doing basic shadowing on my kits, as per the advice on dannychoo.com. Does anyone know of any links to gundam modelling tutorials on the web? i've already seen dannychoo and fichtenfoo's - now im looking for more lazy like-minded individuals' opinons

will post up pics of the kit soon.

if anybody wants to volunteer their gundam building method (ie. cut off sprue, trim, airbrush, top coat first or what first etc etc), please go ahead!

[Penguin]

There is a Gundam Plamodel thread in the "Anime or Science Fiction" forum HERE. I'm sure you can get plenty of feedback there.