My cheap double action is a 0.3mm nozzle. Which I think is good enough.

It's fine enough that I can get good control.

0.2mm is finer, but I imagine that it'll be even more prone to clogging up if u don't use specialized paints, or filter your acrylics after diluting.

And the 0.2mm costs a bit more (rm20), and I didn't think I need it that fine. For miniatures, you can only use the AB for basecoating anyway. Can't paint fine details with AB no matter how fine the nozzle, so no need to go overboard. And the gravity feed cup for the 0.2mm AB is much smaller too. Frequent refilling.
Gravity feed and bottom feed each has pros and cons. Easy to imagine how if u just look at the AB.

Gravity feed, there's a metal cup at the top. Fill it with paint. Spray till finish. Refill paint.
Then when you change colour, pour the left over paint out. Wash it. Flush the nozzle. Then fill with new colour.
And when u want to paint something at a funny angle, like drawing on the ceiling.... paint will fall out of the cup and into your face. Paint won't even reach the nozzle if you paint at a funny angle.

Bottom feed. You just collect lots of bottles. Fill each bottle with the colour you want to use, properly mixed and diluted to how you like it. Screw on the bottle, and spray. Finish with that colour, unscrew, put the cap back on. And next time you want to use the same colour again, it's ready. Effortless, consistent colour results every time.

Then, you put the bottom feed straw in a small bottle of water / cleaner. Spray to flush the nozzle. And you're ready to screw on the next bottle with a new colour.

Very convenient. And can also spray on ceiling.

But need to collect more bottles, which isn't expensive. SGD$1-2 each when I saw at ArtFriend.

Or if you only want to paint ONE drop of colour somewhere... might be wasteful to use a bottle for it, and mix a larger batch of paint that you won't finish. A bit of wastage. No big deal.

Compressor need to use higher pressure to suck the paint up against gravity.

Bottom feed AB is more expensive.

I like the idea of bottom feed. But I didn't want to spend extra on the AB until I'm really serious about the hobby. The gravity will do for what I need it for at the moment.

i'm new here.. i'm interested abuot airbrush too.. so normally what do u recommend for a beginner to get started with airbrushing?? is it just the airbrush and the compressor? then what about the paint?? any paint will do? and is there any other stuff we need to add in with the paint b4 spraying it?

icic.. so how much did it cost you for a complete set.. i went and ask abuot the airbrush set in a hobby shop and the price was rm 500.. comes with an airbrush and a compressor..

air brush kit (or hand piece)
*single or dual action
Diff is dual action can control paint flow as u are spraying. single also can (correct me if i'm worng ), but must adjust before spraying, once adjusted, that's the constant amount that comes out.
*gavity flow/side/suction
depends what purpose and usage la..
e.g.
if gravity one, is for normal usage, cleaner is easy
if side one is almost like gravity flow cup, but is a bit cumbersome for me
wel for suction/bottom cup is actually recommended when there's a lot of diff paints need to be sprayed as it's easier to change bottles than to clean the normal gravity cup, but is bad if small amount is sprayed, too little paint will have problem for the suction up to the ab.

basic component of an air compressor:
1)air compressor (the motor/pump that pumps in air)
2)air tank (reservoir tank)
3)air pressure detector (sort of like limit switch, when detect certain air pressure in the reservoir tank, will cut off the air compressor)
4)air/ moisture trap filter + pressure regulator + pressure gauge (all in 1)
5)socket attached with hose

so anybody can build an air compressor and sell it?
hehe

hmm.. i think i tried zebra brand before but forgot whether it's spirit of thinner...
but some thinner has bad effect on plastic

hardware thinner.. hmm.. tried many.. but stil will clog after ab sometime..

reason is bcoz the paint itself is not 100% dissolve la.. nex time i shoot some close up pic..

emulsion formation.. anyone has experience??

ahh... i see

i checked mine (zebra brand), it's methylated spirit.. no wonder la..

so wat to do wt the fast drying paint? use retarder? any other options?

Hi guys.. Im new here.. Just got a question.. Anyone of you knows where to service compressor in KL area.. My compressor seems to have a problem where it will keep pumping the air until the pressure is tooo high and the air cant come out from the airbrush. You even can here the air hissing out from the compressor and the gauge pressure indicator will decrease to 0 PSI.. My only option is to off the switch and let go some of the air from the moisture trap.. Then only I can start spraying back.. It kinda annoying and I kinda afraid of long term damage if it keep continuing to happen like that.. By the way my compressor looks like Ozak one except without the 'Driyer'.. Thanks for the info in advance.

Hi all sifu.  anyone ever tried this tamiya airbrush system ? i wonder is it good for newbie to start with.



thanks for advise

Thanks the info. but i am currently in japan, so need to visit some shop here to see what they are selling.

not really sure whats the price in malaysia. but the tamiya system above is selling around RM 500.00 here. hope thats not too expensive.

but the bundled AB is single action only, and i think there are no moisture trap also

Came across with this cheap double action AB today, can switch between gravitiy or bottom paint bottle. Price around RM80.00.



Seems good enough for begineer to begin with.

Hi there,

This airbrush thing seems very interesting. I would like to learn about it. Anyone can help/guide me here? I am graphic designer.

grafiti  at bts.selling 580 whole set compressor+ab+regulator

Is it the iwata AB come with the compressor and cost RM500? Where can I get it? I think it quite cheap.

I see. Thaught can get it here. Any shop got sell it at here? My single and double action AB spoil liau. Thinking of get a good AB.