DIY AB Trigger Pad

indeed a trigger pad can help to gain more trigger control , but it all depends on the users hand and trigger finger ;) I never needed one before my stroke and now I am happy I can work with the standard v2 trigger without any problems

Yes, many people don't need pads. But I just can't do without them:) Finger pain is something!:)
It also depends how people hold their ABs. I prefer to draw standing at the easel so I hold the AB as I've already shown above. Many people draw sitting at the flat or almost flat surface and they hold the AB differently. So the pad would be different hight and maybe its shape would be different also.
I've done what works best for me, at least for now:) Maybe some improvments will be in future, I think they're gonna be;)
 
I hold my brush a bit like on your second photo , only difference is I have my fingertip on the trigger , I used to have finger cramps but I solved that problem with the Zsolt soft air valve spring in all my airbrushes and the needle spring tension turned all the way back to the softest set up the brush can handle and a iwata grip filter
 
I thought about changing the airvalve spring it will also reduce finger fatigue. But I'll do that later when ordering from Foxy. I need some items they sell. I find their prices reasonable and for the soft springs also.
And I'd say that V2 Micron has the softest spring among all iwatas I have. Though I've never pushed Zsolt's spring:)
I'd say Olympos air valve spring is something I can break my finger with:) I've immidiately installed the spring from chinese knock-off instead original one and also changed the spring of the needle mechanism.

BTW Ronald where did you buy your soft spring?

And I will also try to order springs locally at the plant maybe I'll have that something I need. The price will be lower than to buy them I think.
 
I thought about changing the airvalve spring it will also reduce finger fatigue. But I'll do that later when ordering from Foxy. I need some items they sell. I find their prices reasonable and for the soft springs also.
And I'd say that V2 Micron has the softest spring among all iwatas I have. Though I've never pushed Zsolt's spring:)
I'd say Olympos air valve spring is something I can break my finger with:) I've immidiately installed the spring from chinese knock-off instead original one and also changed the spring of the needle mechanism.

BTW Ronald where did you buy your soft spring?

And I will also try to order springs locally at the plant maybe I'll have that something I need. The price will be lower than to buy them I think.
I got the first spring as a gift from Marissa , the other ones I bought from Foxy and the Sm K33 already had one in it :) , and I do think the soft springs help a lot by reducing the pain and cramps in trigger fingers , you have big hands and if you combine the soft spring with the right trigger extension you could paint all day :) by looking at you pics I would say a 2 to 4 mm higher trigger would be enough but that is something you need to find out for yourself
 
I got the first spring as a gift from Marissa , the other ones I bought from Foxy and the Sm K33 already had one in it :) , and I do think the soft springs help a lot by reducing the pain and cramps in trigger fingers , you have big hands and if you combine the soft spring with the right trigger extension you could paint all day :) by looking at you pics I would say a 2 to 4 mm higher trigger would be enough but that is something you need to find out for yourself

K33 is a needle? How do you find it?
Soft springs will definitely help me! But only reason I'm not buying them the quantity I need for now, 7 or 8 I don't rememder how many iwatas I have for the date. So money... you know lean times these days:) Chinese knock-off springs are softer then iwata original when I changed them it bacame more pleasant to draw. I'll definitely change all springs to soft in future.

2mm extention is low for me;) I'd say normal hight that suits me starts from 4-5 mm but I haven't measured it yet so I can't be sure.
 
The Zsolt springs are only €5 each. Not the $30 that others are charging. For some or other reason it doe not work in my HP-B. It does not have enough power to push the trigger back up. But it works in my Eclipse, Micron and HP-C.

BTW, the K33 Ronald is talking about is a complete airbrush. You will see it on Foxy's site. But they are all sold out. But you can still get the needle.
 
The Zsolt springs are only €5 each. Not the $30 that others are charging. For some or other reason it doe not work in my HP-B. It does not have enough power to push the trigger back up. But it works in my Eclipse, Micron and HP-C.

BTW, the K33 Ronald is talking about is a complete airbrush. You will see it on Foxy's site. But they are all sold out. But you can still get the needle.

Thanx Andre!:)
I sold my B models as I don't like them;) So there isn't issue for me:) But I have HP-SB and I'd say they have the same air system as HP-B and it bothers me:)

All those tuned ABs are sold. But who buys them? I have not read any reviews on them and also haven't seen any photos. Maybe some guests from other galaxies buy them all...:cool:
 
Thanx Andre!:)
I sold my B models as I don't like them;) So there isn't issue for me:) But I have HP-SB and I'd say they have the same air system as HP-B and it bothers me:)

But it works in my HP-C which is also the same system.

All those tuned ABs are sold. But who buys them? I have not read any reviews on them and also haven't seen any photos. Maybe some guests from other galaxies buy them all...:cool:

They were sold before they were even made. Marissa has been using it for two years, that is enough of a review.
 
But it works in my HP-C which is also the same system.

Maybe there were some issues with o-ring or the piston in your B model?

They were sold before they were even made. Marissa has been using it for two years, that is enough of a review.

The reason I would like to read different people feedbacks about cool Microns is what makes them so expensive and what kind of real improvments of stock Micron are made. Nozzle and all spraying head remains the same there. Colour of the AB body can't improve the way the AB works:)
I can see needle and needle protection are new.
 
Maybe there were some issues with o-ring or the piston in your B model?



The reason I would like to read different people feedbacks about cool Microns is what makes them so expensive and what kind of real improvments of stock Micron are made. Nozzle and all spraying head remains the same there. Colour of the AB body can't improve the way the AB works:)
I can see needle and needle protection are new.

The coating is mainly to make it non-stick. Each of these has been assembled by Prof Zsolt. He has truly matched the heads to the nozzles unlike what Iwata does. Needle, needle pack and springs are all the special parts. Next year more will be released but without the body coatings.
 
Andre is right the Sm K33 is a limited series tricked out Iwata cm sb airbrush that has been fine tuned by prof. Zsolt and there are only 35 made .
I was the first to order one even before the word got out they would be taken into production . the reason why I bought one is simple : I had the chance to test the first ever made back in 2008 and I was blow away by how that one preformed and the Sm K33 is the result of may more improvements since I tested the first one .
this is mine : there are only 3 that look like this :D
micron 028.JPG
this brush out preforms the standard CM SB like the CM out preforms the HP SB+ :the trigger action is much better and smoother , it needs less then 50% air pressure compared to the CM and dry tip is reduced with 99% due to the K33 needle . my stock Cm also has the K33 needle so I hardly ever need to clean the tip of the needle even if I use white paint :) a quick blast of air and the needle is clean and ready to go again .
 
Thanx Ronald!:thumbsup: It's the first feedback I've ever read. The secret is revealed:) You're lucky to have one of three ABs on this planet!;)
It seems like needle packing srew is also changed, isn't it?
 
Maybe there were some issues with o-ring or the piston in your B model?



The reason I would like to read different people feedbacks about cool Microns is what makes them so expensive and what kind of real improvments of stock Micron are made. Nozzle and all spraying head remains the same there. Colour of the AB body can't improve the way the AB works:)
I can see needle and needle protection are new.
nearly all moving parts on this airbrush are modified and it took prof Zsolt and his team over 7 years to develop all those modifications and that is what makes this brush the best micron ever built but also the most expensive one
 
and a perfect seal it is : smoother than the old rubber ones but solvent proof :)

As I understand V2 Micron has teflon packing o-ring, am I right? I haven't unscrewed it yet:)
I've changed the needle packing in Olympos with teflon o-ring istead of stock rubber one. So I think I'll order another type of solvent proof o-rings made with different materials so I could choose the best one among them. I need to try it;)
 
As I understand V2 Micron has teflon packing o-ring, am I right? I haven't unscrewed it yet:)
I've changed the needle packing in Olympos with teflon o-ring istead of stock rubber one. So I think I'll order another type of solvent proof o-rings made with different materials so I could choose the best one among them. I need to try it;)
yes it has and I really didnt like it as it makes the trigger action not as smooth as the old version and replaced it for a type 1 rubber seal :)
 
My modifications continued...
After many of the posts from the members that they like short trigger versions I decided to make smth shorter.
Here's shorter custom trigger version.

P1011021.JPG
I've done some lettering on the brass trigger top and covered it with transparent polyurethane. But the bubbles in the resin spoiled my efforts pretty badly.
The trigger height is like stock one, but diameter is slightly less that original trigger top. I've tried how it works for me, but it does not work for me:)
It will be removed and changed for following design.

P1011240.JPG P1011242.JPG P1011243.JPG

I like new trigger appearance, it especially fits Olympos black back handles, though for chrome handles it also fits. But it's not the main feature.
This design I like for detail ABs. Height is some mm taller than original triggers, diameter is slightly less than stock trigger's. The shape is convenient to grip.
I think for detail ABs I've found what works for me. With "background" ABs triggers I'll experiment in future.
 
minor changes in shape and height do make a huge difference to me it is the shape that matters as in it has to have a good grip to it and those pads look to smooth to me but that is just me ;)
 
minor changes in shape and height do make a huge difference to me it is the shape that matters as in it has to have a good grip to it and those pads look to smooth to me but that is just me ;)

You're right, Ronald! The shape is very important thing. For the first I've done the same pads, but with more flat top, than you see on the photos above. They were inconvenient. Right after giving them rounded shape (like on photos above) the difference was very impressive.

Pads only look too smooth;) I had the same thoughts after I did the first one of this design. I thought it would be slippery, but after trying I realized they worked great. All other pads I make this way.
 
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