Airbrush Practice?

[stona]

And I'll say one more time. Do not try to control the air pressure/flow with the up/down action of the trigger. It's what your regulator is for. Trying to do so is a common beginner's mistake. Use that action simply to turn the air on and off.
Don't take my word for it if you don't want to. There are other resources on the internet and elsewhere which you can look at. I KNOW they will back me up.

Here is just one of any number of pages. This is Airbrush Technique Magazine.

http://howtoairbrush.com/how-a-double-action-airbrush-works/

Good technique:
1 Air on
2 Paint on
3 Paint off
4 Air off
Try to turn the air on or off away from your model. It's good practice, though I'm not always rigorous about this myself. Sometimes you will have to start the paint when on your model (as in the scheme on the Natter above or painting inaccessible areas like wheel wells). You need to be confident about your paint/thinning/pressure and know that you will not get any splatter, spiders etc.

The rest is up to you

That's me out of here.

I really hope this has helped anyone thinking of moving on to a double action brush.

Cheers

Steve

Edit:
I think some confusion has also been introduced about single and double action airbrushes. This link has a very good explanation of the different types.

https://airbrushes.com/airbrushes.php

I can recommend this lot for those in the UK. I once emailed a query about some parts for one of my brushes and received an immediate reply from Ken Medwell who was on a beach, in France, on holiday. Now that's customer service!

Steve

 

[mikewint]

It seems to me that we are talking as if there was one golden AIRBRUSH with one "written on Golden Tablets" instruction set. Different brands of air brushes may all be "dual action" but differ within that context. I can only speak directly about my Aztek. Each of the 9 different nozzels has its own air pressure range. The fine spray (.30mm-.53mm) 5-30psi medium (.40mm-.70mm) 15-30psi and large (.50mm-1.02mm) 15-40psi. Like Steve I almost always run at 25psi, push all the way down and just move forward and back controling the paint volume up to the max flow rate set by my thumb valve. I also find a difference between using gravity feed cups and siphon feed. The siphon requires more air pressure for the same paint volume feed. No one has mentioned paint viscosity either which will make a big difference in how your airbrush performs (generally the consistancy of milk)
Play with your airbrush varying all your controlable parameters (one at a time) until you find what works best for you and your airbrush
As to cleaning I use 70% isopropyl alcohol and a tooth brush. Blue wingshield washer fluid works as well and is cheaper. Stubborn paint try denatured alcohol (methyl/ethyl) or if really dried on lacquer thinner

 

[stona]

It seems to me that we are talking as if there was one golden AIRBRUSH with one "written on Golden Tablets" instruction set.

Not really as all air brush types are different. There is a right and wrong way to use the trigger on any dual action airbrush. Attempting to control the air with it is something I have personally had to 'unteach' several self taught users who were having difficulties with their hobby spraying. It's why I know it is a common beginner's mistake and that advising anyone to do this is just wrong. It's why I'm belabouring the point somewhat! I can't put it any more politely than that I'm afraid.

I absolutely agree with your points about paint consistency, pressures and the rest. All sound advice, particularly the bit about playing around and finding what works for your individual set up as, again, everyone's is different.

Cheers

Steve

 

[mikewint]

Steve, you and I agree 99% I just leave room for the talented 1% who can consistantly move down 0.1mm and hold it there who look at the rest of us wondering why we can't.
I can see no reason to run a compressor at 40-50psi and use the down control to reduce to 20-25psi for spraying. Even at that pressure small or flat parts blow away, at least they do for me.

 

[stona]

The really talented 1%, who are almost invariably professional airbrush artists, don't do it
I know, I was taught by one of them whose work you will have seen on some famous album covers, if you remember LPs and are of a certain age!
Cheers
Steve

 

[N4521U]

Welllllllllllllllllll good for you................................... steve

 

[mikewint]

Remember them!! H*ll's Bells I remember when they were cylinders