Airbrush Questions

Hey all! I'm really excited because I finally have my hands on all the materials I need to begin the fun task of painting my helmet! Seeing as how I'm as green as grass when it comes to using an airbrush, I was hoping to maybe crowdsource some answers to a few questions I have, so any help would be much appreciated!

1. Is it okay to airbrush a layer of acrylic over a layer of enamel and vise versa? (assuming each layer is dried before applying the next)
2. What's best to thin acrylic paint with for airbrushing? I've read windex can be used, isopropyl alcohol, or distilled water, is there a preferred or will any do?
3. Best way to clean your brush in between uses? I hear paint thinner can be bad for inner gaskets in the brush and I have a bottle from Testors labeled "enamel thinner & airbrush cleaner", so I'm guessing that can naturally be used to clean, but also to thin enamel as well? Just looking for clarification on that one to make sure!

Those are the big questions I've got at the moment, any input from the more experienced airbrushers in the community would be very much appreciated!

I use puff can silver Rustolium , then acrylics layers with latex masking. Sometimes the silver can be tricky to mask be patient and practice on a sheet of plastic first.

I have used water to thin out the paint, went on you tube and found some very helpful videos on how to get the mix just right.

I take my airbrush apart to bare bones stripped down and soak in distilled water, same as I thin out the paint with. 30 mins. or so does it then clean like the directions suggests and use the provided lube for the needle ,shoot some air through it and back in its happy little case.

Practice is the key. Around corners round shapes, just grab scrap items and test out distance and pressure. You will get it.. It's is my new favorite thing. Every chance I get to airbrush I can’t wait. Plus I LOVE the fact you can mix your own color and not be limited to puff can colors. I have not sprayed thinner based oil paints, that cleanup would be kind of messy. Acrylics have been really good to me thus far and they don't stink up the shop...

Best of luck

No issues with acrylic on enamel or vice versa.

Perfect thanks for the replies! I had figured a good deal of this process would be "learn as you go" but I just wanted to make sure I didn't make any costly mistakes, thanks guys!

Acrylic also a lot easier to clean from the equipment than enamel.

This site has a lot of helpful info about enamels and lacquers and what that all means. Nothing about acrylic but it's useful info for sure.

Dupli-Color :: FAQ

If I was to pick up an airbrush set, any recommendations? I've got a DP 95 that needs a paint up, and a set of resin gauntlets to do too. I figure those will look better airbrushed (I'm not even sure how to rattle can the helmet for even a semi-passable level of detail). Lots of good info here, so I figure there's some good suggestions based on what works/doesn't.

Take a look at this thread: http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/f23/airbrush-budget-kit-47733/
I guess you are going to find some useful information. Some airbrush sets are being named there.

I have a couple of airbrushes but the one I have used the most is a cheap plastic airbrush (about £10 max and comes with a couple of bottles, tubes etc). Mostly with the layered technique the airbrush enables smooth and even coats to your paintup. The pictured example is what I have (mostly) used for my paintup. Whilst I admit there is plenty of room for improvement on my first paintup I'm generally happy with my results. Some demi gods are capable of these smooth and even coats using an ordinary brush but us mortals have to make do with our own limitations.

http://www.thedentedhelmet.com/f23/intwenothor-esb-helmet-painting-wip-47140/



The advantage of this is that it's very simple and very easy to clean; the only removable parts are those metal parts to the left of the 'AIR-BRUSH' writing; only four parts that unscrew. It's a very simple single action airbrush. It doesn't easily allow the same flow control as a double action airbrush but it is possible with some adjustments to the nozzle - a double action is easier to adjust flow in that all you have to do is change the pressure or direction of the switch valve but it's more complicated to clean. I did use the double action for a short while but stopped with it because as I have said the main aim was even and smooth coats. Of course a very nice double action Iwata airbrush is better but also expensive. Buy a few fine brushes for the topical touch up work.

I would also recommend you use a compressor rather than compressed air cans from the model shop and again these compressors need not be expensive and provide a far superior flow of air. Lastly I would recommend you click on the Youtube link in post #8 of my thread where TDH member 'Welshwarrior' gives a step by step break down of the paintup process across 26 excellent videos. Each step from helmet preparation to stencilling to airbrushing are there.

Live the dream

Andy