NBTD Some pics of my Sparmax Compressor and Airbrush.Both of them working like a charm The only annoying thing about the compressor is that it turns on quite often,but i've gotten used to it.I never notice it now

Unless you in enginnering field, otherwise not much people know it. My job involve in air line thing.

ntc3freak, if you want to reduce the turn on quite often, they is a way. If your compressor ve a pressure switch which ve a indicator how much pressure you want before the compressor cut off.( I guess sure ve) Try to increase the pressure abit. But don't too much. Check your compressor max pressure spec. Otherwise your compressor cannot take it. And your compressor won't turn on quite often cause it take sometime to reduce to the 'on' pressure.
From the picture, I can see that your compressor don't ve the moitsure trap. Just an air regulator. So you got to put in one.

This post has been edited by ozak: Nov 30 2006, 11:28 AM

LOL i cant understand the first part that's why la,i oso thought don have, but the uncle said is inside the tank.So far,no signs of moisture appearing.

What the uncle mean is, using the tank as a moisture trap and drain out the water from the vavle below. Comapre the moisture trap early you post with the tank and the regulator of the compressor. It is similar function.

ntc3freak, how much u bought for the whole set? How is the noise of the compressor?

Hmm about 900+,should be less than 950.It's not noisy,quite like the same noise level as a table fan,but slightly quieter.Noise shouldn't really be an issue

Hey guys. Im a beginner for airbrush. I also have that Sparmax compressor with Water trap but Without that BIG BLACK THING under it (wat is tat by the way)

And my compressor don have autoshutdown and auto On.. like u guys discuss here. Why? Everytime i use i have to On it. One thing i dislike about the Compressor is...it is very noisy.

Anyway. Since im new i need some advice here. I bought this compressor from TAMIYA. but the airbrush itself was given by my friend's brother (graphic student) When i used the airbrush.. it works fine at first...but after sometime..

1) the brush head seems to be starting to clog. Isnt that smooth as when started using.
2) then... once in a while.. There will be Splashes of Water.. coming out.

So whenever that happen.. I have to do all the troublesome work.. Clean all the inside part all overagain.. somtime not really solve the problem after cleaning

Please is there any complete guide for me as a beginner? I want to use it for my gundam.

The Big Black Thing is an airtank. This stores a bit of compressed air, so that the compressor doesn't have to on all the time. Only when the pressure in the airtank falls, then it switches on again to top up the pressure. This is good, cos it gives a smoother flow of air to the brush.

If you don't have an airtank, then you won't have autoshutdown/on. And it needs to be on all the time.

Please make sure not to on it for too long. Take a bit of rest every 25-30min to cool down the compressor. It'll let the compressor last longer.

And the brush head starts to clog often. I experience it too.

Some technique helps a bit...

If your AB is double action, always turn on the air first, turn on paint, turn off paint, turn off air.

Don't turn off the air without turning off the paint first. In fact, the air should be on all the time while you're painting, and you just turn on and off the paint where/when you need to.

But even then, the head gets clogged.
It happens when I use modelling acrylic paints. Experiment with the formulation of paints. Thin with more water or what.

It doesn't happen when I use specific made for airbrush paints like MEDEA etc.

Another way I suppose, will be to upgrade to an IWata AB. With Teflon coated needle, the head shouldn't clog as easily.

The best and cheapest advice?
Go to Nanyang Bookshop near Petaling St. They have some old stock of MEDEA paints, that they're still selling at old pre-inflation prices.

Imagine rm6 for a 1oz bottle of good airbrush paint. Used it and loved it.

Too bad the choice of colours are limited. Can't even get white and black. But there are a number of shades of red, blue, green, yellow...

I experience Water Splash after using a while. is it because of the compressor over heating, or because the brush starting to clog?? i Notice when i use Airbrush..im always PANICking. Try to spray watever thing i can in a shot..because i scare the colour will dry up in the Airbrush.

Double Action airbrush= airbrush that can control the amount of paint to spray out? am i right? Im using an old olympos hp 100b-a

The Medea Paints u are talking about.. is it arcylic? Can it be apply for Gundam model?

u r right about the double action airbrush: the airbrush that can control the amount of paint to spray out. Unlike single action ab, when u press the trigger, only air will come out. u need to pull it back for the paint to come out. the more u pull, the more paint will come out.

As for the water splash, i am not sure..... I heard that compressors also need maintainence to clear out the "white cakes" or lime. Not sure whether is that ur problem. Anyone can explain more on this?

Sorry for the late reply guys!!! I have ALOT of problem trying to upload these photos into photobucket after the Taiwan earthquake. Tried numerous time before i succeed to upload it.





Well a pic is worth a thousand words so this explain alot how and where i install my moisture trap.

ntc3freak: I suggest that you try to empty the water in the tank after every session. Open the valve which is located at the bottom and tilt the compressor to the front and later to the back. You will be surprised by the amount of water in it.

The Medea paints are acrylic.
As to whether suitable for Gundam or not, that I can't say la...

But from the choices of colours available there at Nanyang at the moment, I'ld say it's *highly* unsuitable... unless you want a lime green or red Gundam.

Like I said, Nanyang doesn't have the whole range of colours. These are old stock. I've only used the red so far, and I managed to get some rather good red leather wings effect from it...

http://insanesquirrel.blogsentral.com/2006/12/20/terminus/

what I did with the Medea paint...

but the medea paint is a bit glossy. not sure if that's the effect you want from your gundam.


And I do have a lot of trouble with the AB clogging up too. If I work fast, I can get a few minutes of good spraying, before it gets clogged, and I need to clean the AB before I can continue. Or just up the PSI and force more air thru, but control suffers...

Still experimenting and trial and error. Maybe I'll try with more dilute paints, or paint in a room without fan or aircon. Cos the miniature paints that I use dry quite quickly.

Hm.. I never know well how to operate my compressor even after 1 years since i bought it from Tamiya. The airtrap... I did open the valve below.. and let water out..But the amount is little..just few drop. And there are still water inside that i cannot get them out.. So i have to shake my compressor (turn upside down, left right) to force the water come out? I guess that's probably the cause to my problem (airbrush spraying splashes of waters once in a while)

Do you have a tank that goes with the compressor? I have quite alot of water trapped in the moisture trap. The same goes to the air tank. Perhaps the water level in ur compressor/water trap is too high causing it to escape through the channel going to your airbrush.

HELP!!! I disambled my airbrush and I dont know how to fix it back!!!!

This airbrush i got from my friend's brother.. I notice it is not in good order maybe because there is some colour stuck inside..so decide to take it off to see and mayb have a clean up for it..

But now i donno how to put it back.. Any can some one please tell me how to properly wash my airbrush? Put the whole thing in thinner for few days? And can i use normal cheap Thinner, instead of the expensive thinner from Tamiya? Im gonna broke if i have to use Tamiya one everytime i wash my airbrush

NOoooo! Please don't soak your the whole AB. Guaranteed you will damage it for good.

The metal parts you can slowly and carefully use hardware shop thinner to clean with cloth & cotton bud.

Any part with rubber/plastic washer... slight rub clean and quickly rinse with soap water. Long exposure of the rubber/plastic parts with hardwareshop thinner will damage it permanently.

As for putting the whole thing back.. it all depends on the models and brand. The basics are quite similar.. do a google for the AB schematics for assistance.

Be careful with the needle, nozzle and washers.. if you damage/bend it = gone!

Good Luck

So meaning..i can use the hareware shop thinner...not necessary using Tamiya thinner for tamiya paint?

Didn't I mention that already?

If your using Tamiya Acrylic, you can try surgical spirit from the local pharmacy

when your AB start to spray out water..that its time for you to give your compressor a break..let it cool donw first before continue..when the compressor get hot..it start to spray water..this mostly happen for those with mini compressor like mine..