Last gasp plea for help with Airbrush Problems

[Murph]

Hi, I'm having serious issues with airbrushes, I got a cheap one which was basically useless, then this one .....

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08DKCXQ6B?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_6&th=1



Better but not good then i forked out for this....
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0923H9WK3?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_3



Works but only close up , no wide spray pattern, only a fine line of spray, as you pull further away no coverage at all
Tried all 3 supplied airbrushes, same result

Then got this ....
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CHYD4G2V?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_2



Still no coverage, tried adjusting pressure up and down no change
Tried all 3 needles 0.5mm and 0.8mm no change
Acrylic airbrush paint straight from the the bottle with and without thinners no change
Altered front button and rear button no change

Seriously, I'm at me wits end with this problem, and if that wasn't enough to be getting on with
the pistol was a different compressor fitting and ended up paying €10 on an assortment of adapters
Gave up last night
Please help , A very frustrated Murph

 

[Pantherman]

Hi, I'm having serious issues with airbrushes, I got a cheap one which was basically useless, then this one .....

https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08DKCXQ6B?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_6&th=1

View attachment 140901

Better but not good then i forked out for this....
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0923H9WK3?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_3
View attachment 140902


Works but only close up , no wide spray pattern, only a fine line of spray, as you pull further away no coverage at all
Tried all 3 supplied airbrushes, same result

Then got this ....
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CHYD4G2V?ref_=ppx_hzsearch_conn_dt_b_fed_asin_title_2

View attachment 140903

Still no coverage, tried adjusting pressure up and down no change
Tried all 3 needles 0.5mm and 0.8mm no change
Acrylic airbrush paint straight from the the bottle with and without thinners no change
Altered front button and rear button no change

Seriously, I'm at me wits end with this problem, and if that wasn't enough to be getting on with
the pistol was a different compressor fitting and ended up paying €10 on an assortment of adapters
Gave up last night
Please help , A very frustrated Murph

I bought 2 of these on amazon 3 year's ago. Around £20 each. Never had a problem with them but you need to really clean them well after each session and complete strip down once a month if possible.

Have you stripped down and cleaned every part of your airbrushes just to make sure nothing is blocked? Pantherman

 

[Belugawrx]

 

[Murph]

@Pantherman , yeah, and with proper airbrush cleaner, cotton buds and hot water,

 

[blakeh1]

How wide an area of coverage are you anticipating?

There are so many factors that go into it.

Everything from needle size to air pressure to paint consistency

Works but only close up , no wide spray pattern, only a fine line of spray, as you pull further away no coverage at all
Tried all 3 supplied airbrushes, same result

The above sounds like it might be a combination of too little air-pressure and/or possibly too thick paint consistency leading to tip drying?

What paints are you using? I ask since different paints types and even different brands of a paint type can require different air pressure and thinning

 

[Connor Obrien]

I bought 2 of these on amazon 3 year's ago. Around £20 each. Never had a problem with them but you need to really clean them well after each session and complete strip down once a month if possible.

Have you stripped down and cleaned every part of your airbrushes just to make sure nothing is blocked? Pantherman

View attachment 140905

got the same one for my birthday o.3 mm nozzle broke but still works very well I strip and clean once a week

 

[locomotive]

Do what I did .

Throw the feckin thing in the bin and use a brush.

They're, in my opinion, more trouble than they are worth.
Setting them, cleaning them, maintaining them, mixing paint to PRECISELY the right consistency.
The spraying for 20 seconds.

I gave up with it. Life is too short to be pissing about with these stupid things.

 

[airdave]

Re what you bought...cheap stuff is always going to give you problems.
Not one of my many airbrushes cost as little as that package deal you bought which included 3 airbrushes and a compressor?!!
But it's not just about cost.

Its all about the fit and finish.
Cheap airbrushes have poor part fit, gaps and air leaks, rough and unpolished inner surfaces.

Poor internal surfaces is probably the biggest concern.
They clog easier and aren't going to operate well.
Generally thinned paint will flow better, but you still need adequate air pressure.
These small cheap compressors often don't provide that.
You would do better with propelled air canisters, but they don't last long and it gets costly.

Tip size is important.
.03mm is generally for finer work, but illustrators use guns with smaller.
For spraying model paints, I don't think I would use smaller than that since clean up is a bit more difficult
and clogs and other issues become more common.

.035 was the standard tip for most illustrators with guns like Iwata Eclipse, using finer paints like ink and gauche.
Modern airbrush acrylics should flow quite well through this tip because they usually have the right thinned consistency
and have flow enhancers (additives to make the paint slippery). (Yes, silicone is used as a flow enhancer)

A .05 tip is a big tip. My old Paasche VL was a .05.
These allowed the older thicker textile acrylics for painting tee shirts.
But it was difficult to produce fine work.
It's a great size for spraying wide sprays to cover larger areas, but you need adequate air pressure. 30psi and up IMO.
I used to spray tees at about 70-80psi (because you needed to impregnate the fabric deeply).
With that much pressure I could often work through things like tip dry and clogs.

Spraying a car body with a .035 should be no problem with today's airbrush ready acrylics.
Coat with overlapping bands of about 1-2" wide.
You will need a compressor that can provide constant regulated flow, with a decent range of say 15-40psi.
And spend the money on a decent airbrush, not one of these cheap "package" deals.
Buy a well known brand name, or listen to someone who has already achieved success with a cheaper airbrush.

Personally I wouldn't have touched anything you bought, but it sounds like inexperience is a big factor here.
Even an expensive Infinity won't help you if you aren't using it correctly.
Watch videos, like the one posted earlier.