Air Brush

[King's X]

I just picked up an airbrush compressor off craigslist for $20. The guy had several of them and life has changed, he had children. He was moving and was getting rid of some stuff. He couldn't find his extra air brushes, but would call me and offer them to me for $20 bucks each. I told him that I was considering the one at habor freight for $14.99 and he said that he wouldn't buy anything from HF. I told him that I was starting out and was looking for something to practice with. He told me that the compressor will outlast any HF brush.

So far, I have $36 in a complete set up. I hope to study CitizenKate previous thread and tutorial and try it out. HobbyTom, go for it.

Greetings from Round Rock, Texas

[CitizenKate]

Tom I to have been thinking about using a air brush but have the same questions you had. Now that we know it will work and give a much better finish we need someone to tell us how hard clean up is and how often you have to clean one. Can you just leave the leather sheen or what ever in it if you will be using it every day or two.

Thanks for asking !!!!

Mike

Ah, okay... that question still left unanswered...

When I used acrylic finishes (*shene or resolene) I poured the remaining finish back into the bottle, then rinsed the sprayer with warm water with every use. If I did not do this, the finish would dry up around the nozzle and clog it. If this happens, a very long rinse with warm water will clear it. But it's best to rinse the sprayer with every use when you use acrylic finishes.

With the wax finishes I use (mostly Bee-Natural, but I've also found the same true with others), I just leave the sprayer loaded with finish all the time, and rarely have to rinse it out between uses. Maybe once in 10 or 15 uses.

When using any dyes (spirit or water based), you will want to rinse it out after every use, and spray through water or solvent to clear the nozzle of any remaining color.

When considering whether this is worth the trouble, consider also how much time you spend cleaning your bristle brushes between jobs. I still use bristle brushes for various applications, but using a sprayer whenever possible, overall, has been a huge time-saver for me.

Kate

[MikePatterson]

Thanks folks that's what I was after!!!!

Mike

[David]

Everyone has been talking about airbrushes and compressors....DONT FORGET THE SPRAY BOOTH . You need to vent those fumes somewhere. If you have a small shop like mine, the fumes from spirit dye will fill your house. You really need to get rid of those fumes. The water based dyes are even more dangerous. Your body will eventually purge the denatured alcohol but the overspray from acrylic paints and dyes can and will stick with you forever. SO either invest in a small spray booth or count on spraying outside. And wear a mask!!!

Dave Theobald

[CitizenKate]

Good point, David. You're absolutely right.

Kate

[ABC3]

Kate,

I think I will take eveyones suggestion & put an "air brush" system together. One of the forum membors suggested a compressor from Northern Tool ($99.99 # 1202S152) & I hope this one is not loud. When you have time would you PM me as to what items I will need for a complete system. Maybe even some suggestion regarding the paint booth which I will try to make. I can vent it outside - will I need a small fan?

Thanks so much for your help.

[weaselrunner]

something nobody has mentioned is what about an air tank with a quick change coupling and a filter dryer. just hit the gas station and tank it up. Years ago (B.K. - before kids), when I used to build models, I got a couple old freon tanks and put a couple air tank adaptors on them and used them as an air supply for air brushing. Why couldnt you do the same thing with an automotvie air tank for inflating tires. Throw em in your vehicle and hit a gas station (especially if any still have free air) and tank up. We also used to use em as a portable air source for tires, blowing out bug lights, etc. When using any air source you want a dryer at least to filter out any moisture from the line before it gets to the brush.

[CitizenKate]

Kate,

I think I will take eveyones suggestion & put an "air brush" system together. One of the forum membors suggested a compressor from Northern Tool ($99.99 # 1202S152) & I hope this one is not loud. When you have time would you PM me as to what items I will need for a complete system. Maybe even some suggestion regarding the paint booth which I will try to make. I can vent it outside - will I need a small fan?

Thanks so much for your help.

Sorry for not noticing this until today... The compressor accessories I use with my air brushes are the following:

- Long compressor hose (to allow placing it some distance away from where I'm spraying - safety recommendation from the manufacturer)

- Moisture filter, to prevent condensation from getting into the hose and eventually onto your work (that has a way of ruining your day). It looks like the NT compressor you're considering comes with a moisture filter, so you might want to confirm that before buying a separate one.

- I have quick-change couplers, but that's so I can also use my compressor to inflate tires, and run other air-powered tools that I have. If you only plan to use the compressor with your air brush, you probably won't get much benefit from them.

- I'm not sure what is included with the brush you plan to buy, but you will probably need to get an airbrush hose to attach to your compressor hose. The airbrush hose usually comes with an adapter to connect the two hoses together.

As for the spray booth, I've got a home-built one. Several people here have built their own, and one existing topic includes information on that. I've been working on putting together some more complete information about that, and plan to post it sometime in the (hopefully near) future.

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?s...ray+booth\

That should get you started. Have I overlooked anything else, guys?

Kate

[ABC3]

Thanks Kate,

That does help. I have one of the red pancake compressors from Home Depot (but it is sure loud) and I notice that when I unscrew the valve on the bottom, water comes out. So I'm guessing purchasing another would be a good idea.

So the complete system would include: Air brush w/hose, compressor w/ hose, a moistutre filter (if not included) & a point booth.

What size of paint container would you suggest. Will be using it for dyeing & final coat on small items (holsters, belts, ect)

[CitizenKate]

What size of paint container would you suggest. Will be using it for dyeing & final coat on small items (holsters, belts, ect)

2 oz. color cups should be fine for smaller projects. I use that size to spray finishes on my 24"x24" game boards, and 2 oz. is just about the amount that takes. If you're doing dyes with it, get several, so you don't have to be constantly filling and emptying them with different dye colors.

Kate