Airbrush questions!

[PhyllieBean]

Like we don't already have a million of these, but I'm pretty sure this hasn't been asked...

I recently bought some iridescent medium and I'm wondering if it will run through my airbrush ok (watered down of course).  Has anyone tried using this stuff before?  It basically looks like pearly white paint.  I'm planning on mixing it with a base color.  I'd hate to gum my brush all up testing it out if someone has already tried it.   

Secondly, I am sucking majorly with gradients lately.  I've just got my airbrush out from being packed away and ignored for close to 3 years now, so I'm a little out of practice!  I'm having a hard time keeping my gradients even or unspattered, and I'm having some problems getting the paint where I want it in small areas.  Like, I'm trying to do some eartips and I keep hitting the back of the ear instead of the top.  I want to keep a little distance so I don't get spatter, but the further I am away from what I'm painting the more off the mark I'm going!  Anyone have any suggestions for control, or even set up?  My pressue is pretty low, but maybe my whole setup is off, who knows!

Haaaalp!!   

[MercuryStar]

I know this isn't helpful (sorry), but I had an image of an airbrush with a gun scope on it pop into me head. 

Yeah, I don't have anything useful to post, I don't have an airbrush, so don't know what would help.  *flees*

[PrincessOfDarkness]

Like we don't already have a million of these, but I'm pretty sure this hasn't been asked...

I recently bought some iridescent medium and I'm wondering if it will run through my airbrush ok (watered down of course).  Has anyone tried using this stuff before?  It basically looks like pearly white paint.  I'm planning on mixing it with a base color.  I'd hate to gum my brush all up testing it out if someone has already tried it.   

I have When mixed with the base colour, it should run through like normal. BUT... if you plan to use it as a top coat, I suggest really watering it down and spraying very lightly, as a heavy spray can be disasterous and resulted in some pretty bad splotches, splatters and runs, as most of my irridescent colours are very thick and heavy, and have a tendancy to run. (I have them in 6 different colours, plus a pearl metallic white)

Secondly, I am sucking majorly with gradients lately.  I've just got my airbrush out from being packed away and ignored for close to 3 years now, so I'm a little out of practice!  I'm having a hard time keeping my gradients even or unspattered, and I'm having some problems getting the paint where I want it in small areas.  Like, I'm trying to do some eartips and I keep hitting the back of the ear instead of the top.  I want to keep a little distance so I don't get spatter, but the further I am away from what I'm painting the more off the mark I'm going!  Anyone have any suggestions for control, or even set up?  My pressue is pretty low, but maybe my whole setup is off, who knows!

Firstly, have you given the airbrush a good strip and clean? I find many of my issues are solved by a thorough clean - I'd probably strip it down, soak it, give it a good clean and let it all dry before putting it back together.
As for pressure and the such, I have my compressor set to about 20 PSI at the moment, but I'm constantly making tiny adjustments to that, depending on the brand of paint I'm using and how I want the finished piece to look. Anywhere between 15 & 30 PSI is what I've been advised to use for years.... Thats a bit of trial and error though - I've found different brands (of paint, compressor and airbrush) can all require different PSI.

For airbrush control.... I use a variety of methods. I have a Paasche VL right now and to get tiny fine lines and details, I use a smaller tip and needle. I adjust the turn wheel at the front of the trigger so a tiny amount of paint comes out and do it that way to get the small details like spots on fawns or ear tips. I don't tend to spray from a distance unless I want to create a 'dusted' look to my piece... for something like eartips, I just turn the flow down and get in nice and close for accuracy.

Hope this helps Phyllie!!

[PhyllieBean]

Thank you so much PoD!!!  I'm generally pretty good about getting it cleaned out after each project, but maybe it needs a more detailed breakdown.  Usually I dismantle the whole thing but I think I need to get a better tool to get in to all the little holes on my tips and stuff.  What do you use to soak yours that would get dried paint off if it's in there? 

And thank you so much for the suggestions too!  It's so hard to find good tutorials and tips for airbrushing that don't involve "how to make an awesome skull on the hood of your truck!"  I have been using my smallest needle, but it's just what the brush came with.  I'll have to do some research and see if I can find any additional parts for it, since I bought it at Michael's and of course they don't have anything!  I have a Badger double action and I think I'm just sucking at the "double action" part!  Lol!  I usually run it at about 15 psi also, unless I'm doing a FBR then I bump it to 20 or 25 and use a larger needle.  I guess it just comes down to more practice and getting better control up front.  I'll have to figure out what knob you're talking about to make less paint come out.  Mine doesn't have one at the front of the trigger.   

[Colorscapesart]

Oooh I hadn't tried going that low with my psi, what a great idea! <3

[PhyllieBean]

CSA I figured you'd be a total airbrush master and know what every psi is good for!!  What do you usually use?  *we seriously need an airbrush tips and tricks sticky*

[PrincessOfDarkness]

Thank you so much PoD!!!  I'm generally pretty good about getting it cleaned out after each project, but maybe it needs a more detailed breakdown.  Usually I dismantle the whole thing but I think I need to get a better tool to get in to all the little holes on my tips and stuff.  What do you use to soak yours that would get dried paint off if it's in there? 

I've been advised to use a 50/50 mix of methylated spirits and water to cleab it after each use, which I do, then run through some water, then I dismantle it.
When I soak it though, I just use good ole dish soap I mix it up in some warm but not boiling hot water, strip it down and remove the o rings (which I soak in a seperate small container so I don't lose any when I empty the water), then soak the needle, tips, nozles etc, but not the main body of the airbrush itself. I soak for a while, rinse thoroughly and leave apart so it air dries. I don't actually reassemble it till I'm going to use it again, since leaving it together all the time can cause 'flat spots' in the o rings (from being under pressure when its all together) which can cause it to not seal as well (which can also lead to splattering).

And thank you so much for the suggestions too!  It's so hard to find good tutorials and tips for airbrushing that don't involve "how to make an awesome skull on the hood of your truck!"  I have been using my smallest needle, but it's just what the brush came with.  I'll have to do some research and see if I can find any additional parts for it, since I bought it at Michael's and of course they don't have anything!  I have a Badger double action and I think I'm just sucking at the "double action" part!  Lol!  I usually run it at about 15 psi also, unless I'm doing a FBR then I bump it to 20 or 25 and use a larger needle.  I guess it just comes down to more practice and getting better control up front.  I'll have to figure out what knob you're talking about to make less paint come out.  Mine doesn't have one at the front of the trigger.   

**nods** I wasn't sure which airbrush you were using, so I wasn't sure where the little flow control knob would be - on my old airbrush, it was at the end of the handle.... without knowing exactly which Badger you have, I did a quick google search:
http://paulbudzik.com/tools-techniques/Airbrushing/Images/Airbrushing_08.jpg
In the pic there, you can see the bit labelled material adjustment... Thats effectively what I use to limit the flow Some of the badgers I saw in my search have one, some don't.
On my Paasche it looks like:
http://www.ww2aircraft.net/forum/attachments/painting-questions-tutorials-guidebooks/165929d1303877278t-paasche-vl-airbrush-question-paasche.jpg (the little wheely knob thing at the front of the trigger)
You can get the same result by being very careful - hold down the trigger slightly so you don't have the full airflow coming out, then very VERY carefully pulling the trigger back till the paint starts coming out. It definately takes some practice but it can be done

[Maniah]

I hope it's ok if I pop in here with a question?

I cannot tell the PSI for my compressor, because the water trap/pressure gauge that it came with will not connect to my airbrush hose. It is crazy.. The Compressor has a large nozzle onto which I can attach the gauge. But the gauge has a small nozzle onto which the hose cannot attach. The hose is meant to be attached to the large nozzle on the airbrush. I have no idea what to buy for converting it. I don't see anything like that at Hobby Lobby or Michaels So can anyone link me the part I need? Because I don't even know what to search for.

[PhyllieBean]

**nods** I wasn't sure which airbrush you were using, so I wasn't sure where the little flow control knob would be - on my old airbrush, it was at the end of the handle.... without knowing exactly which Badger you have, I did a quick google search:
http://paulbudzik.com/tools-techniques/Airbrushing/Images/Airbrushing_08.jpg
In the pic there, you can see the bit labelled material adjustment... Thats effectively what I use to limit the flow Some of the badgers I saw in my search have one, some don't.

I have a Crescendo, and after looking through the manual I think I have one of those that don't.  Boooooo.  Unless I'm just a totally blind moron, I don't think I can control any paint flow except by trigger, yes?  www.badgerairbrush.com/pdf/model%20175%20crescendo.pdf

And seriously, PoD, THANK YOU so much for the advice!  It's so awesome to get some good constructive advice, I feel like such an out of my element n00b with this thing even though I've had it for so long!

I hope it's ok if I pop in here with a question?

I cannot tell the PSI for my compressor, because the water trap/pressure gauge that it came with will not connect to my airbrush hose. It is crazy.. The Compressor has a large nozzle onto which I can attach the gauge. But the gauge has a small nozzle onto which the hose cannot attach. The hose is meant to be attached to the large nozzle on the airbrush. I have no idea what to buy for converting it. I don't see anything like that at Hobby Lobby or Michaels So can anyone link me the part I need? Because I don't even know what to search for.

I *think* I know what you're talking about.  My gauge is connected to the compressor, then the water trap connects to my gauge and my hose connects to the water trap.  My hose wouldn't fit in the trap as it was so it needed some help too.  You can get what you need at the hardware store.  It's just a little brass coupling thing that connects the two.  I wasn't sure what size I needed so I took my hose and my trap with me and the guy at Lowe's actually opened up all the packages until we found the right one!  I needed 1/4 inch male connections for both sides (so one went into the trap and one went into the hose).  Unfortunately they didn't have a male to male in stock so we Frankensteined something so I wouldn't have to wait for them to get it in.  I can take a picture of it tonight if you want. I HOPE this answers your question, if I'm way off the mark of what you were aksing let me know!  Oh, and the parts were over in the section where they have compressors and paint guns and stuff, but I think you find them in plumbing too. 

The part I needed looks like this, but metal.  I guess a plastic one would probably do the same thing though.  You might not need the exact same kind, you may need female to male or something else depending on what's on the end of your guage/trap thing.  My trap did actually have a male connection on it, but it was stuck to some other piece my brother in law had connected to it so I gave up on trying to get it off and got the part instead.  The part is super cheap, just a couple bucks.  Even my Frankenstein version which is like 3 things put together only cost me about $6.  Be sure to pick up some Teflon tape too, just in case there are any little air leaks. 

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[Maniah]

Thank you so much! That is exactly the info I needed!

[Colorscapesart]

Great info PoD!  Trust me, she is "a master"!  Thank you for the complement, made my day!

Airbrushing is so much fun but the learning curve is a bit harsh!  I learn new stuff everyday it seems   Great advice for Maniah too!  We DO desperately need an airbrush sticky, but there is SO much info it's hard to put in on one cohesive thread!

[PrincessOfDarkness]

**nods** I wasn't sure which airbrush you were using, so I wasn't sure where the little flow control knob would be - on my old airbrush, it was at the end of the handle.... without knowing exactly which Badger you have, I did a quick google search:
http://paulbudzik.com/tools-techniques/Airbrushing/Images/Airbrushing_08.jpg
In the pic there, you can see the bit labelled material adjustment... Thats effectively what I use to limit the flow Some of the badgers I saw in my search have one, some don't.

I have a Crescendo, and after looking through the manual I think I have one of those that don't.  Boooooo.  Unless I'm just a totally blind moron, I don't think I can control any paint flow except by trigger, yes?  www.badgerairbrush.com/pdf/model%20175%20crescendo.pdf

And seriously, PoD, THANK YOU so much for the advice!  It's so awesome to get some good constructive advice, I feel like such an out of my element n00b with this thing even though I've had it for so long!

My pleasure I still have those OMG OUT OF MY ELEMENT n00b days too You should have heard the cursing when I bought my Paasche - turns out switching airbrushes was more difficult than I'd thought it would be

So I read the pdf file, and I can't see any way to control the airflow other than trigger control. I think you'll just have to play around with it and see how you go - nice and close, gentle tiny movements... I have a 'spray booth' I made (Its an old box with the top and front cut off) and I do a lot of my practice spraying on the back 'wall' of the box