Air Brushing/spraying Top Coats

[Leather Maid]

I have never sprayed finishing coats on my work but, have been having problems lately with streaking. Some of you have suggested spraying finishing coats on. I have been given a small compressor and am wondering if I can use an airbrush to apply lacquer/ finish to my work. If so, what airbrush brand and size should I purchase. Do I also need to filter lacquer before putting it in the airbrush? Please help someone! Leather Maid (Jamie) Brisbane Australia

[ChriJ]

http://leatherworker.net/forum/index.php?showtopic=67407&hl=

This might help with some of the questions... There's been a lot of discusion on here that might answer some more of them.

[Art]

Veda airbrushes out of Hong Kong work just fine. Also the Badger 250 works good for spraying finishes and is what I would use if I was only spraying finishes like Resolene. They both are cheap, so you're not out a lot if things don't work.

Thin Resolene with water till it sprays well. Use thin light coats and allow to dry between them. Practice before you do the real thing.

Art

[Colt W Knight]

I have a few cheap air brushes, but the IWATA airbrush I have is by far the superior tool. Better spray, easier to clean, and easier to use. It was expensive though. My finishes have drastically improved since I started using an airbrush.

Technically, you should filter everything that you spray. Can you get by without doing it, yes you can, but small particles can build up and prematurely clog your tip or cause the brush to sputter and drip. I have a reusable filter cup from Angelus that i use for all my paint. I don't generally filter alcohol based dyes.