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Air brush recommendations please
http://mowrystrings.luthiersforum.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=53363
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Author:  Mike OMelia [ Mon Jul 20, 2020 12:02 pm ]
Post subject:  Air brush recommendations please

I want a touch up brush that can use nitro. Double action button most likely. Thoughts?

Author:  ballbanjos [ Mon Jul 20, 2020 2:10 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Air brush recommendations please

I use a Preval Vfan and like it--it's made to be used either with the Preval canned air or a regular airbrush compressor. I use the compressor.

Dave

Author:  Clay S. [ Mon Jul 20, 2020 7:06 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Air brush recommendations please

For a spray gun between the size of a jamb gun and an airbrush the HF mini detail spray gun works pretty well. I use a cheap regulator at the gun and can dial it down better than this guy does:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CIzYEPxU584

Author:  phavriluk [ Tue Jul 21, 2020 9:18 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Air brush recommendations please

HF stuff is generally inexpensive. That detail gun in today's catalog is fifteen bucks less the common 20% discount coupon. Certainly cheap enough to experiment with. Their external-mix airbrush for ten bucks (copy of a Badger 350) is often on sale, too.

Author:  Chris Pile [ Tue Jul 21, 2020 10:37 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Air brush recommendations please

I don't know if they make Miller stuff anymore, but this cheapy has served me well since the early 80's. I've done hundreds of finishes and refins with this simple, cheesy unit. I use a replaceable filter (the white thing) to catch any oil, water, or other contaminates. Single action airbrush that uses a baby food bottle, no moving parts except the nozzle which screws up and down to adjust spray pattern density. Cost me $19 in 1979, and came with 2 bottles, 2 nozzles, 2 airbrushes, the compressor and hose. I've probably got my money back by now.

https://imgur.com/IhIz5K5

Author:  TimAllen [ Tue Jul 21, 2020 12:43 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Air brush recommendations please

There's some useful information in this thread viewtopic.php?f=10101&t=28344, including a clear explanation of the difference between single-action and double-action airbrushes.

Author:  dzsmith [ Tue Jul 21, 2020 3:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Air brush recommendations please

I’ve used a Paasche single action for many years with good results.
I thin lacquer about 50% and shoot around 60 psi.
Last weekend I sprayed dye in alcohol for a black base coat followed with black Mixol in lacquer.

Author:  Mike OMelia [ Tue Jul 21, 2020 4:28 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Air brush recommendations please

I am kind of leaning towards two Paasche models. H and VL. Both have similar 3 tips, VL has dual action. The bottles are plastic, can they handle nitro? Then there is the issues of bottle seals.

People who use Paasche, thoughts?

And, I plan to use my shop compressor with an unknown fitting. Fitting info please. I am talking about at the big hose. Wont do me any good if I cannot adapt.

I DO like the screw on fitting.

Mike

(I downloaded tech specs, said 1/8 one end, 1/4 20 (Paasche Thread) the other end. What does that mean?

Author:  dzsmith [ Tue Jul 21, 2020 9:08 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Air brush recommendations please

My Paasche bottles are glass. Also came with small metal cup.
Mine screwed onto a standard hose fitting. I bought the Paasche air hose.
Hard to believe, but I spray color with the airbrush and clear with a regular gun.

Author:  Tai Fu [ Thu Jul 30, 2020 10:09 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Air brush recommendations please

Airbrushes, especially double action airbrushes have a very fine spray pattern. You can spray a guitar with it but it will be very tedious with frequent paint fills (you will have to thin the paint quite a bit due to its small nozzle). They are great for artwork, so if this is your purpose for the airbrush they are great. But if your purpose is to just spray sunburst or whole guitars, it's going to be tedious. But if you have one of those nail gun compressors, well it's better than nothing I guess.

But as others have suggested, a preval unit will be a better choice here.

Author:  dzsmith [ Fri Jul 31, 2020 9:44 am ]
Post subject:  Re: Air brush recommendations please

Tai Fu wrote:
Airbrushes, especially double action airbrushes have a very fine spray pattern. You can spray a guitar with it but it will be very tedious with frequent paint fills (you will have to thin the paint quite a bit due to its small nozzle). They are great for artwork, so if this is your purpose for the airbrush they are great. But if your purpose is to just spray sunburst or whole guitars, it's going to be tedious. But if you have one of those nail gun compressors, well it's better than nothing I guess.

But as others have suggested, a preval unit will be a better choice here.


I agree Tai,
I should clarify that I use the airbrush when spraying color if I have areas masked with tape. The airbrush allows me to put on the minimum amount of color avoiding a thick ledge of lacquer along the tape edge. After removing the tape, I don’t need to clean up or scrape the ledge.
On this guitar, I sprayed black dye in alcohol as a base color followed by black pigment in lacquer.
If I were doing an entire instrument in color, I’d use a regular gun.

Author:  Mike OMelia [ Tue Aug 04, 2020 4:46 pm ]
Post subject:  Re: Air brush recommendations please

I eventually settled on the Paasche Talon gravity fed. I like it so much I will be getting the siphon feed model (for bigger jobs). Works great off of my shop compressor. I like the control that the double action trigger provides. I used https://www.midwestairbrush.com/. Great place, great prices.

I liked the Iwatas, but they had limited needles and tended to be specifically designed for applications not like what we do.

All you need is a male quick release adapter (for the hose, pictured above, 1/4" NPT) and you are up and running. I bought the wooden box kit.

Thanks for all the advice!

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