New To Airbrushing Baits And Need Help!

[1099gl]

I honestly have no idea what im doing so if somebody could help me. I need to find a airbrush on the cheap that will work and where on the internet I can get it cheap.

[OsageJoe]

If you buy a cheap brush you likely won't get far. Spend the money and buy a quality brush, where you can get replacement parts. And probably most important, learn how to clean your brush. I've learned mostly from trial and error and searching through forums such as this. I also used a video from Amistad Tackle that you can pick up some basics from.

[HAWGFAN]

The Iwata Neo is as cheap as you'd want to go.  There are many sources for it online and through Ebay, so just take a few minutes to shop around.  Of course "cheap" can be a relative term.  I believe most would agree that you'll be better served with the Iwata Revolution BR, if you can afford it.  In the world of quality airbushes, it's very affordable.  You'll want a gravity feed, whichever you go with.  Createx paints will do well for you.  You'll have to experiment with air pressures and reducer to get it to spray the way you like.  If you don't have an air supply, a small, nail gun type compressor will do fine.  If it doesn't have a regulator, you'll need that as well.

[gone2long]

The iwata revolution is a good buy but I recommend the eclipse it shoots acrylics with ease, you don't want to be fighting your brush.

[Thinman13]

Yea, I got an Iwata eclipse, Awesome gun cause it will do acrylics and lacquer based paints. Now be patient and u will find one cheap enough. I bought mine on ebay and it had no defects. Cheap airbrushes ain't the way to go if u are serious about painting.

[Matt M]

I recommend the Iwata Neo to start. If you have a Hobby Lobby near you. You can get the 40% coupon and it makes the gun about $40.

[mark poulson]

Be sure to go online and check out the how-to-clean videos that are available.  Developing a quick and easy cleaning process, so you clean your brush between each color and after you're done, will prevent tons of headaches.

[Skeeter]

Mark brings up one of the best points ever for buying a particular airbrush.

 

* Ease of tearing it down to clean.

 

Iwata makes an excellent gun. I have one myself. But in my opinion, the Paasche VL in the kit is the way to go. I have had mine for 14 yrs. and I still use it a lot. It tears down easily (exactly the same as my Iwata) and comes with the hose, tools, needles, tips, bottles, and cup. You need all of this stuff. If you don't get it all with your purchase you will end up having to buy it anyway. This gun is nothing but a workhorse and it is built very well. Plus most hobby shops carry Paasche parts. They are easy to obtain and cost much less than Iwata parts. There is nothing wrong with saving money. But if you go too cheap you will not be happy.

 

Skeeter

[fishnart]

I agree with the cleaning

[riverotter]

I bought a  passche. it is single action not gravity fed. its all they had. it was 79$. its a pain to clean between colors. I will be ordering another one now maybe even a passche but will be gravity few and double action.. don't be impatient like I was just get what you need want to start with.

[mark poulson]

I bought a  passche. it is single action not gravity fed. its all they had. it was 79$. its a pain to clean between colors. I will be ordering another one now maybe even a passche but will be gravity few and double action.. don't be impatient like I was just get what you need want to start with.

Try buying a couple of spare paint bottles, and use one with clean water to back flush and clean your gun.  That's what I do with my Badger siphon gun, and it works fine.

[riverotter]

ty I will give that a try.

[Anglinarcher]

I agree with the cleaning, clean often, at the beginning of the session, at the end of the session, and between color changes.  Experience will tell you how much and how often. 

 

I agree with having a bucket to black flush the brush in, and I advise a gravity feed air brush.  Often, during the spray session, between colors or between fills, I just soak the whole head of the brush in that bucket and push the spray valve.  This flushes clean water through the brush and cleans the build up off the crown and the tip of the needle.

 

I have a Passche Talon (gravity feed that comes with three different size needles for a hundred bucks total) an older Passche siphon and a Harbor Freight siphon.  I use the Harbor Freight for lacquer and for a fast and heavy base coat of acrylic, and I use the Talon for everything else.

 

My advise, learn from the airbrush painting experts.  As lure painters, we take the lessons the real painters have learned and use them for ourselves, but ........ we are not painting experts.  YouTube is full of true airbrush artist that are more then willing to teach us how to do the basics.  I suppose that WE are experts when it comes to base coats, colors, paint types, top coats, etc., but not really experts as it refers to true artist.

 

Once you get the basics, then practice, practice, practice.  The fish don't care and soon enough you will be shocked at how good your work looks.  Then, in a way, you will become as much of an expert as any of us are. 

[mark poulson]

I keep a Glad brand tupperware tub of water next to my painting area, and I made a simple U shaped wire holder that attaches to the side, so I can hang my air brush in the water while I'm drying my lure's paint without the paint in the brush drying out.

I used a metal coat hanger for the wire, so it's easy to do, and not expensive.

[Skeeter]

If possible, I would get a double action airbrush regardless of what brand you buy. Pushing down on the trigger controls the air flow, pulling back on the trigger controls the amount of paint being shot. It is just the way to go.

 

Skeeter

[riverotter]

I got the 40% off the neo at hobby lobby. so far I love it much better than my siphon feed paasche. also got the create paint kit the one with 6 in a pack. had the wife get it with another 40% off coupon.

[joetheplumber]

Badger has some airbrushes on their website that are discounted right now. I use one and I like mine. It's a syphon feed but I think the mass of lure painters all like the gravity feed guns. They have a couple of badger gravity feed guns with good discounts listed under their "garage sale" section. Maybe you can save a few bucks. They are good quality airbrush guns IMO..

[swimstein]

I started with a $20 air brush from Harbour freight, the trick is taking your time and keeping the brush clean and free of water. Hobby lobby has a 40% off coupon, you can jump into a system at a discount.

But you need more than a brush, you need a system. Airbrush, regulator and airpump/compressor.

If you haven't used an airbrush before then you have a lot to learn. Google how to paint a crank bait and follow the vide instructions. I bought a dowel rod and cut it into about 20 sections and practiced painting two or three patterns. Heat setting paint and base coat and clean tip...post those three rules up and when something goes wrong I bet you have missed one of those three.

Good luck!

[token12]

I recently got an airbrush kit complete with gun paint compressor and moisture trap for $105 from TCPglobal.  So far I have been satisfied with it.