The wife is bugging me for what I want for Christmas and before she buys me a dozen neckties I was thinking of learning how to use an airbrush.

I was looking at the Paasche VL-STPRO kit for $89

or the more expensive Iwata Eclipse Autographic for $134

The Passche comes with a lot more stuff the Iwata doesn’t even include a hose.
I don’t plan on high-end graphics and the only plan I have for it now is to spray some camo patterns on gunstocks. Most of it using frisk paper or taping not freehand. Easy to use, clean and strudy is what I want.

What do you airbrush pros recommend?

I bought a Paasche in 1968 or 69. It was the top of the line in those days. I have never had any problems with it.

The Paashe VL is perfect for what you are doing. It is a very dependable gun, Parts are easy to find and cheap. If and when you decide you want to start automotive airbrush work or illustration I would step up to the Iwata. I cant comment on the Eclipse since I dont own one but the people that do swear by them. I own several Iwata's but use HP-C Plus's for automotive or one of my Custom Micron B's for illustration work.

I looked at the HP line and the eclipse, I cant tell what the diffrence is. The Eclipse CS looks like the HP-C

http://www.dixieart.com/Eclipse.html

http://www.dixieart.com/High_Performance_PLUS_and_Hi-Line_Iwata_Airbrushes.html

I dont know what they mean by fixed nozzle on the HP

The one thing I read that make the eclipse more attractive is they say you don’t have to change needles and cones. It can do fine lines to 1 1/2 inch patterns and can do light to heavy paints without a needle and cone change.
I don’t know if that makes less of a hassle then the Passche models. I don’t know if its just hype.

It also says stippling can be achieved by removing the air cap. What is stippling?

this what i found on stippling

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stippling

Jamis,the Iwata Eclipse, Paashe, Badger all share the same type of nozzle which is a self centering drop in style nozzle. The HP line of airbrushes have a very small threaded, screw in style nozzle. The smallest nozzle size in the Ecliplse line is 0.35 where you can get an HP series with a nozzle as small as as an 0.2 in some models. The fine lines can be acheived with any airbrush, and has more to do with skill level, paint viscosity, lower air pressures, and getting real close to the surface but the smaller nozzles and higher quality airbrushes definately help with the learning curve. Stippling is an effect usually done to reproduce a "speckled" look such as granite, but is usually done by lowering the air pressure or spraying at an angle against a paint stick making the paint splatter on your work surface. This is just a generalized answer. To learn more airbrush techniques and tricks check out these sites where you can find about any information you could ever need.

http://www.etac-airbrush.com/

http://www.airbrush.com/

http://www.learnairbrush.com/

going back to your original question, i would recommend a mini gun like the sata minijet or the iwata lph50 or lph80. airbrushes suck at trying to cover any area larger than the size of their pattern. iwata even makes one with a tulip style airbrush tip and a fan pattern tip, it also has a trigger like conventional spray guns. if you go with an airbrush dont go cheaper than the Eclipse top feed. its like $150 plus $20 for a good hose. thats the workhorse gun that you wont grow out of ever until you're ready to paint on the head of a dime. i'm kinda biased, but dont waste money on anything that doesnt say iwata.

>x<, he is only painting camo patterns on gun stocks, an airbrush will do just fine.:lol: A Sata Minijet or a Iwata LPH series is overkill for what he is doing.

$150.00 for a Eclipse!!!!, for that price he can step up to a HP-C Plus through Dixie Art and have a much better airbrush. Check Hobby Lobby, last time I was in there they had the Eclipse CS for $89.00.

I looked at the minis before and they would be great, but the prices of $250 and up have turned me off. The only one I found reasonable is this AUTF on this page. But I haven’t read any opinion on it, it may be junk


http://www.paascheairbrush.com/cgi-bin/store/search.cgi?category=Manual+Spray+Guns


The Eclipse CS is $109 and the HP-C plus is $159

The feature I like the HP has is the pre-set handle, I think that limits paint by setting maximum you can pull the trigger back, so it would be easer for a newbie like me to keep a fixed line width. At least that’s what I think it does, I haven’t found any explanation of it on any of the web pages I visited.

The only thing I don’t understand is that Iwata’s web pages rates the HP-C as “good” for auto paint work and the Eclipse CS as “excellent”

I have narrowed it down to theses two brushes, if I don’t find a suitable mini.

I have read the reviews on airbrush.com but I don’t know them from Jack, I rather get it from the pros here. I have never gone wrong with the advice from here

I looked at the C-5 when you mentioned it before and it looks like a good brush as well from what I read. Airbrush.com doesn’t have many product reviews but they have killer How-To articles. I did notice one name familier to me at airbrush.com that use to be on this board. Nice guy from your neck of the woods.
Maybe I’m just over thinking this, kind of worrying too much about what I buy, I may not even like using an airbrush or disappointed at the difficulty of using and maintaining. I have two HVLP guns, one for primer and a Sharpe for a little better finish, a mini I would definitely get use out of, but I would still like to try the air brush just to learn something new.

I found some more reviews here
http://www.airbrushtechnique.com/Reviewpost/

Besides the air brush what else should I get, I see cleaning brush sets, fancy hangers, frisk paper, blablabla.

LOL happy to see you
So which one do you like the best the Phoenix 213C or the peak C-5. The Richpen brand seams to more wide spread then the Peak.

So we have two pros battling out the brands Iwata VS Richpen....now theres only one pro that I know of on the board thats missing.....Ohhh Rigo...


Ohhhhhc $$$ forget about the Phoenix 213C thats for the pros

i've read that the richpens are great, never seen one in person, but only because iwata has this state cornered. they say they are identical to iwata but 75% cheaper. i sell iwata though so my opinion is biased. they are sending me a free hat next week i figured i would plug em on the internet

honestly i would go with whatevers cheaper for you first one, then when you're ready to get way into it you'll have to go the iwata route because they have the Custom Microns. my first airbrush was an iwata hp-bc with a side cup. paid too much for it and i hate it now to the point that i gave it to a buddy. side cup airbrushes take a little longer to clean, so they suck for workhorses where you are trying to run ten different colors through it in 30 minutes. i'm currently using a hi line with the mac valve and the top cup for everything and a custom micron sb for detail.

Flatbedchev, are you Dubie?

I thought so, I just put 1 and 1 together, a Canadian with a flatbed chevy:lol:. I see someone over here has more cowbell than you though:lol: I have been looking at the grex or precisionaire airbrushes for cheap backups, you heard anything on them?

I saw your milkcan in AB Magazine. Cool aint it! I think the January issue of AutoArt magazine will have an article on E'TAC paints and the panel I did for Bill is supposed to be in it. We'll see.

Your BOTH in trouble NOW. hehehe.
Guess Who???

Outlaw does KILLER design work BTW.;)
Dubie would quit fooling around with milk cans and get some auto work going on.:crazy:

Both are great brushs but MY $$$ would be on a Iwata 4500 Revolution.
Fine lines,big spray,solventPROOF seals factory and it's CHEAP.

Check out my "HI" post in the new guy section to see what I got myself into.
Keith, I may need some design help on this one too.

Mike K.:)

My buddy Mike, where have you been hiding? Let me go see what you have gotten into. Glad to hear from you.

Let me know if you need some help, I am up for another one. I still have the pictures of the dragster you did.

:whine: :whine: :whine: :whine:

More than I expected.
I been working this tank in my spare time along with some paying work but it's all good.
You get anything published yet?
What are you into now?
I kinda "left" AB.com. A little too "artsie" for me.
Hell, I'm a car painter not an "artist".
I still get rave reviews on the dragster. You know you did something right when people walk up and stare at the PAINT instead of the big a$$ motor stuck in it. I've got several interested but nothing signed.:rolleyes:

Here's one from Memphis.
Sorry Jamis Didn't mean to hijack you post.
http://i29.photobucket.com/albums/c252/Bee4Me/Memphis-04.jpg

Maybe, the 69 Yenko Camaro I did won second in class at the Indianpolis Super Chevy Show and last I heard was they were scheduling a photo shoot for mid 2007. Havent heard back. I am still doing resto's and custom bikes.

Thanks for the pic, much better than the one I have.

Here's one from Memphis.
Sorry Jamis Didn't mean to hijack you post.


No problem Mike, the more you guys chat about the art the more I learn. Cool job on the dragster.

flatbedchev
Thanks for the tips, I will call bear air today

If you guys are intrested check out my little brothers work here

http://www.erbellastudios.com/je-welcome.html

You need to get little brother busy.
NICE work.

Way to go Keith. You e-mail me if it does get out. I want to get a copy.

Jamis, your little brother is an incredibly talented artist. Awesome work.