Airbrushes & Stands

[Model Maker]

I put together this airbrush stand from scraps of wood. All the piping is 1/4" galvanized to ensure no rust particles reach the filter or airbrush itself. I found an old regulator and bought a separate moisture separator. But combined regulators and water separators can be purchased. The water separator ensures no moisture is entrained in the air gong to the airbrush. Quick disconnect fittings were installed on the ends of  the flexible hose which joins the compressor to the stand. The stand to hold the airbrush certainly addresses my age old issue of having to find a place to rest the airbrush in the correct position between coats.

The airbrush shown is a cheap external mix design. It's approximately $18.00 Canadian. But it's become my "go to airbush". It has a large nozzle opening. I can use a 0.6mm pin to clean the nozzle so it's at least this size. Many of the more expensive airbrushes use a 0.3mm nozzle. It's manufactured by Hobbico, but there a numerous manufacturers which make similar styles.

The larger nozzle size allows me to airbrush water based polyurethane varnish without plugging. I spray this at around 10 psi or slightly lower. Many folks on the Internet mention issues with plugging and cleaning water based urethane with airbrushes which use the smaller nozzles. It also works great for laying down solid base paint colours. I've only used Tamiya paints with it so I can't comment on other brands. But I wouldn't expect any different results with other brands. The Tamiya paints are sprayed with the air pressure set between 15 and 20 psi.

Clean up is a breeze. Simply wash out the bottle, siphon tube run a pin through the nozzle followed by a quick air blowout to remove any water in the siphon tube. - Much faster & easier than cleaning my Badger 150. The airbrush is certainly not for detailed work. I use the Badger for that. But for covering large areas with paint and water based urethane, this external design is certainly fit for purpose.

I'm sure it would be of interest if other members listed their experiences with other airbrush types and manufacturers.

[lastvautour]

I use a $39.00 Aztec by Testor. It is also external mix. My Badger was trashed many years ago. Slightly off mixtures would clog and require complete tear down to remedy the problem. When it worked, it made very fine lines but alas, that feature has limited use in my solid wood model making. Thanks for the construction tips.

Lou

[Peter]

Very interesting stand thanks for sharing it with us. I have a Badger Anthem 155 which so far is working great on the plastic models. I was also given an Badger Aspire air compressor which is working well so far. I have been considering buying a cheaper brush for covering larger areas. I've also just bought some Vallejo Air which is premixed from airbrush paints. They have a wide range of aircraft colours so keep your fingers crossed

Peter