Wednesday, February 4, 2015

Happy days....first Airbrush bought!

Hi guys, yes happy days indeed as I've finally got my hands on my very first Airbrush and I can't tell you how chuffed I am right now, anyhow I've had the kit out of their various boxes put things together and tested....well air's coming out and the regulator works not done any painting as yet because of work and home life but the weekends mine (ish).

Right then loads of pictures for your perusal.


After lots of time reading and watching various reviews I ended up buying the Sparmax TC-610H compressor and the Harder & Steenbeck Evolution Silverline 2in1 airbrush, the Brush comes with two needles 0.2mm & 0.4mm and two cups 2ml & 5ml, it also has paint adjusting control and quick release tail.



The compressor comes with a 2.5 litre tank (something I found out is that you really need a tank with compressors) and is alot quieter than I thought it would be when it kicks in, the regulator came separate and had to be attached but one screw so easy then, it was quite weighty which is usually a sign of quality and also looks like it has another hose attachment just to the left so two brushes can be ran at the same time.



The compressor also came with a hose, couldn't tell you if this is a standard hose or not but it's a nice touch that it's coiled, I got a few other bits with my order, a quick release valve and the H&S brush cleaning kit.


I also got this cleaning station with the package, not so sure what the plastic tub it came in inside the box is for, maybe it's to put the pot in if it begins to smell to much.....but then you would empty it right!, anyhow you get another four little filters and a further rubber seal.




On to the brush itself......WOW it's gorgeous so tactile and beautifly chromed, it's a little more money than I wanted to spend on my first brush but hey get the best you can afford right and hopefully it should last, forgot to mention so I'll say it here the second needle comes with another brush tip.

The reason I opted for Harder & Steenbeck in the end over other brush manufacturers is the fact that they are so easy to break down for cleaning and also the needles and other bits fit other H&S brushes in their range so if I were to buy another say just for varnishing I can swoop the needles/tips around ect.




The Airbrush came with this little handy instruction booklet, it shows you how to break it down and clean it aswell as brush practice tips and a list of parts.

Well that's it guys, next stop learn how to use it wish me luck ;)




9 comments:

  1. Welcome to the party! It looks like a pretty top notch starter setup (well beyond starter). I'd bet that extra little plastic tub will come in handy for soaking your parts while cleaning. I hope you bought some cleaner!
    Having the two different sizes is really nice, though I'd bet you don't switch back and forth between them often- certainly not within one painting session. You're going to find yourself wanting a second airbrush soon if only because you have that extra port to fill. What can I say, it's a dangerous hobby :). It's fantastic to be able to switch back and forth between the sizes. When you're ready, I'd say keep the higher quality brush you bought on the .02 needle, and then buy a super cheap one on ebay for your base coating. As long as you make sure it's a dual action brush, you'll be able to get a lot of models out of the $20 you drop on one of those cheap Chinese ones in the blue foam.
    Enjoy!

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    1. Thanks for the welcome Deet ;)....and yep thats clearly what the plastic tubs for (what was I thinking), got some cleaner a while back so I'm sorted there.

      Your right I'm already thinking of another brush but I'll have to wait a few weeks as my good lady seems to think I've overspent on hobby related things this month.

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  2. Jamie,
    Order some replacement needles stat! I'd also start with the 0.4 to get used to cleaning and thinning paints. Move to the 0.2 once you are comfy. (bigger nozzle = less likely to clog).

    I'm still new myself, so those are the only suggestions I have!

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    1. Hi Greg, already on it with the needles and are also considering one of those pinch tips for the brush.

      It's exciting times fella and I'm doing all I can to walk before I run ;), really want to try some undershading on an old Rhino I wrecked with a rattle can a year ago, looking forward to easy yellow basecoating:)

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    2. Start with a brown. Looks a bit better :).

      Other things I've learned so far...

      1) Thin layers covering each other > trying to get full coverage in a single pass.

      2) Keep a squirt bottle of water and alcohol (91% or better) nearby for cleaning (mark the alcohol bottle).

      3) Make sure you wear a respirator (unless you have really good ventillation...if you can smell it, put on a mask!)

      4) Get some dropper bottles to put mixes you make in, so you can use them later.

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  3. Thanks for tips Greg.

    Might show some trial and error pic's in a post on the old blog soon, should give you all a laugh if nothing else ;)

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    1. I'd only laugh if I did the same thing. It's all a learning process for all of us! If you use a ready made airbrush paint, don't pull a greg...check to make sure the tip isn't clogged before you squeeze the bottle REALLY hard and end up with bronze paint all over your walkway.

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    2. Ha ha already done the bottle thing just in general painting though, went everywhere.

      Check this out Greg
      http://makezine.com/2015/02/03/how-to-extend-the-life-of-pricey-hobby-paints/

      Got 100's of hits on my blog off the back of this the other night ;)

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    3. Hehe I saw that same article! I already pushed some of those containers, haven't transferred any paints yet though. I might be switching to p3. I need to consolidate stuff....

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