hello

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numbers

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hi - i am new to airbrush - just bought an iwata hp-c plus and starting to try to comprehend what i need to actually get started. I already have a workshop style compressor with airhose that i use for rattle-gun tools and car tyres etc. I'm guessing and hoping that i can use this workshop compressor if i can work out how to attach the airbrush to the workshop airhose - i thought it would be easier but i have no idea what size attachments to buy. i've also been looking to try to work out what brand of paint to buy and what i need to get started and finding pretty confusing - hopefully it will get easier to understand
When i get started i want to paint bike tank and fenders starting with simple stuff and working up to something that looks impressive.
I have seen some tutorials with lessons and will get into all of that as soon as i work out attachment to compressor and find out what paint to use - at this stage i'm hearing that createx would be a good paint for bike tank
 
hi - i am new to airbrush - just bought an iwata hp-c plus and starting to try to comprehend what i need to actually get started. I already have a workshop style compressor with airhose that i use for rattle-gun tools and car tyres etc. I'm guessing and hoping that i can use this workshop compressor if i can work out how to attach the airbrush to the workshop airhose - i thought it would be easier but i have no idea what size attachments to buy. i've also been looking to try to work out what brand of paint to buy and what i need to get started and finding pretty confusing - hopefully it will get easier to understand
When i get started i want to paint bike tank and fenders starting with simple stuff and working up to something that looks impressive.
I have seen some tutorials with lessons and will get into all of that as soon as i work out attachment to compressor and find out what paint to use - at this stage i'm hearing that createx would be a good paint for bike tank

Welcome Home numbers..
Yes you can use you shop compressor for airbrushing. But 40PSI or lower is all you want to run it. If you have not done so buy a water trap for the airbrush. This helps keeps water out of the paint.

Have a look at the AirbrushTutor youtube vids it will give you the basic knowledge you will need to learn control..you can find it here..Airbrush Tutor - YouTube

Lots of good information on here and if something is not covered just ask that is what we are here for.
 
First welcome to the forums, Where are you from in the world? Paint choices can vary on what part of the world your from to your situation as far as ventilation and where you plan to work. The compressor you have what is the CFM very important number here when it comes to spray guns. Prep work is every thing when it comes to automotive and motorcycle refinishing. Need to knows are you repainting it a different color? Are you just adding graphics to an existing paint job? Is there body work envolved? All these are going to affect how you go about this. Feel free to post pics of your project and we will help you through it.
 
Welcome to the forum from NH. That's one great brush to start with.


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welcome aboard my friend, HP-C+ is a great brush, i use one a lot, you buy some Com-art paints which are great and not to expensive, also work right out of the bottle and work great in iwata and will be great for starting.
 
Hi numbers from the uk. I generally paint tanks, fenders etc. So shout out if you need any advice. As Strictly Attitude mentioned before there is a lot of prep work to get to grips with if you are not painting over a good surface, so you'll want to check out some info on that. If you have a good surface/the right colour to paint on, a good scuff, degrease etc is fine.

As far as paint goes, that depends on your workspace, if you go for uro's you will NEED proper ventilation and protection, if you don't have that then you need to look at waterbased paints. My preference is Wicked/Wicked Detail, (waterbased)it's good for many surfaces and is lightfast so can be used on auto stuff too. You may also want to check out Spectra-tex, Auto air, and Trident. You might also want to consider whether you want opaque or transparent colours. I use opaque black and white and trans colours for most things. I would recommend a 2K clear as it is tough, looks great and copes with small petrol (gas) spills, again nasty stuff so you may have to get that done elsewhere if you don't have the right workspace. Hope this helps.
 
cheers Herb - appreciate the advice - i'm going to try tomorrow to buy an air hose with connections to fit from airbrush to the bigger hose coming off the workshop compressor - i will make sure i go with the 40psi and will get a water trap when i go shopping

Can you let me know if createx is OK to use to paint automotive jobs - seems to me that its water based and i was guessing they wouldn't work together
 
Cheers John - i have a few jobs - one tank needs a heap of basic prep before i start; another is in excellent condition and i just want to add a little (as a starter); another is a bit rough and i'm going to sand back the imperfections before i put something on it
 
thanks - hope it's good - i wanted to start right - now i'm not sure what paint to buy
 
Thanks squishy - i will ask - i'm guessing uro's are the paints that you can dilute with thinners - if water-based will work with tanks and fenders then i will start with that

To start with i need to buy some paint and not sure whether to start with one of those expensive starter packs with a heap of colours in little bottles - i'm guessing that they are going to run out very quickly and i'm thinking its probably better to buy a few half litre bottles rather than a heap of tiny ones - i'd seriously appreciate some advice on that as i have no idea how much or how many different colours you use on a job

After using the 2K clear to protect the airbrush work, can i put a regular automotive clear over the top for even better protection - or doesn't it work that way
 
Hi Squishy - i just saw the cherubs, arrows and skulls - that's really impressive - do you do that freehand or do you make a stencil to start with (and if so, do you make your own stencils) are stencils good to get started with - and if so, is frisket a good thing for me to buy?
 
Hi Squishy - i just saw the cherubs, arrows and skulls - that's really impressive - do you do that freehand or do you make a stencil to start with (and if so, do you make your own stencils) are stencils good to get started with - and if so, is frisket a good thing for me to buy?

Thanks numbers. :cupcake:
I generally use a mixture of freehand, (I use saral paper to make an outline to follow), hand held masks, and cutting my own stencilsif I need to. I actually used pin stripe tape for the arrow shafts.

Frisket can be good. If your using it for automotive, with curves etc, can be tricky to get it to lay flat. There is a stretch version by artool, which conforms to curves easier, but not very cheap. Also transfer tape can also be useful, you can get some quite wide (I got some 24 inches), and is good as you can draw directly onto it and cut with a blade, (being careful not to cut into the paint below).

If you haven't seen them already check out the airbrush tutors (Mitch) vids, and start learning the different AB strokes and fades, when you've got those licked, you'll be able to do anything! He shows you what you'll need to know to paint the eye which is what a lot of people start with. Stencils can be good, but try and add some differrent strokes and textures, rather than just filling them in to make them more original.

".........To start with i need to buy some paint and not sure whether to start with one of those expensive starter packs with a heap of colours in little bottles - i'm guessing that they are going to run out very quickly and i'm thinking its probably better to buy a few half litre bottles rather than a heap of tiny ones - i'd seriously appreciate some advice on that as i have no idea how much or how many different colours you use on a job............"

I think you'll be surprised at how little paint you can use, a lot of people measure it out in drops which may give you some idea, and it will usually need reducing (you can use water depending on the type of paint, but I prefer the proper brand specific reducer, as it also helps with drying) so will go even further. I generally use 3 times as much reducer as paint, so goes 3 times as far. To get yourself started once you've chosen the paint you want to use (make sure it's lightfast for tanks, fenders etc, or it could fade in sunlight) I would get an opaque white and black, then the primary colours (I prefer transparent colours as I think the colours pop more), and some reducer, with that paint combo you can pretty much mix up any colour you like, and will definately get you going. If you mix up a colour you lie then spray some on a bit of paper and write down the recipe, e.g 1 yellow, 2 red, 1 blue, so that you can make it again. You'll soon have a colour chart.

IMO 2K clear is one of the best clears to use. It's great for auto use as the hardener makes it really tough, has a glassy finish, and when properly cured can cope with small gas spills, which is good for bikes.

Good luck, hope to see some of your experiments posted soon!
 
brilliant - thanks for your advice - that will help a lot to get me started
 
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