Newbie question about "which" brush

[Wannaby]

Disclaimer: I'm not a canvas artist on any level. Not going to be airbrushing any fantastic paintings or painting any tiny game figurines.

I'm tossing around the idea of painting my motorcycle. There is typically a lot of taping of stripes etc..............along with multitudes of shading in the process. I'm going to have to buy an airbrush. Certainly don't need an Iwata Eclipse or anything of the caliber. I've heard people I know who use airbrushes frequently in their work say the Paasche Talon is a respectable brush at a reasonable price. Any thoughts you'd like to share with a green newbie would be much appreciated.

 

[AndreZA]

Get the Eclipse and put an end to your airbrushing troubles. Paasche guns are not what they use to be. Very few people are happy with them.

 

[Mr.Micron]

I will suggest https://spraygunner.com/gsi-creos-mr-airbrush-procon-boy-ps-270-0-2mm-no-package/
it holds up as well as the iwata's and sprays just as good.
Saying you're not going to be a canvas artist is hog wash being what are bike tins? Metal canvas , Canvas is a broad term to include walls , bike tins , cars , paper or pretty much anything you can get to hold paint or hold still long enough to get paint on . Even the human body aka body artist.
Talon = not worth the money or the hype. While the fan spray set up is nice I can do the same thing with my mini hvlp and I had already owned it.

But thing like drop shadows and making them look right still take the practice time.

 

[JB Test]

Hi Wannaby

Speaking as a totally new behind the ears air brush addict, I will say you are at the right place to find the info you need to succeed.

Can't wait to see the works you produce. I went to the website in your intro post and the woodwork is amazing. You will be great at airbrushing.

All the best,
-Joe

 

[Ronald art]

AndreZA and mr Micron have pointed you in the right direction and what ever you decide stay well away from the Paasche talon , it is a great looking airbrush but that is the only good thing about this airbrush the quality is poor to say the least

 

[Wannaby]

Thanks AndreZA. Believe me, if I could afford the Eclipse I wouldn't have posted my question.

This bike project is likely the only thing I'll ever need an airbrush for. If I have to invest too much in an airbrush and all the "trimmings" one must have to buy with an airbrush I might as well just pay someone else to paint the bike and be done with it.

 

[Ronald art]

trouble is that good airbrushes and compressors dont come cheap but the PS 270 is a cheaper alternative for the eclipse and just as good as the eclipse
If you go down the "just pay a guy and be done with it"route you may find it will be a expensive route as well as that guy had to buy a good airbrush and compressor install a good spray booth or has acces to a spray booth that he possibly has to rent and then there is a matter of the costs of the paint and his hours

 

[Wannaby]

Well put Ronald art.

 

[Wannaby]

Hi Wannaby

Speaking as a totally new behind the ears air brush addict, I will say you are at the right place to find the info you need to succeed.

Can't wait to see the works you produce. I went to the website in your intro post and the woodwork is amazing. You will be great at airbrushing.

All the best,
-Joe

Thank ya Brother. All "flowers" are much appreciated.

 

[Wannaby]

trouble is that good airbrushes and compressors dont come cheap but the PS 270 is a cheaper alternative for the eclipse and just as good as the eclipse
If you go down the "just pay a guy and be done with it"route you may find it will be a expensive route as well as that guy had to buy a good airbrush and compressor install a good spray booth or has acces to a spray booth that he possibly has to rent and then there is a matter of the costs of the paint and his hours

Well, Ronald art, my problem is..........will I use it or not??? Back when I was making furniture for a living I'd hand brush and sand Shellac until I had 10 coats of hand-rubbed "excellence" on it. It would take longer to put the finish on a piece than to make it. Time is money, so I decided a spray gun would be much faster and purchased a DeVILBiss FinishLine FLG HVLP Finish Spray Gun. Bought all the bells and whistles needed to do good work with it. Sprayed one piece of furniture with it (yup, just one) and it's been swinging in it's hook for the past 20 years gathering dust. I'll probably resurrect it to do the bulk of the spraying on the motorcycle. But that's why I'm hesitant to run out and purchase an Eclipse when I'm about 99.9% sure that's the only time I'll use it.

​

 

[AndreZA]

The thing about a good airbrush is that you can always sell it and get most of your money back. Nobody will buy the Paasche from you.

 

[JackEb]

I'd go with Mr.Microns suggestion on post 3, they're not generic 'hit or miss' and will save you some $$.
we assume you have a compressor ??

 

[Mr.Micron]

Well, Ronald art, my problem is..........will I use it or not??? Back when I was making furniture for a living I'd hand brush and sand Shellac until I had 10 coats of hand-rubbed "excellence" on it. It would take longer to put the finish on a piece than to make it. Time is money, so I decided a spray gun would be much faster and purchased a DeVILBiss FinishLine FLG HVLP Finish Spray Gun. Bought all the bells and whistles needed to do good work with it. Sprayed one piece of furniture with it (yup, just one) and it's been swinging in it's hook for the past 20 years gathering dust. I'll probably resurrect it to do the bulk of the spraying on the motorcycle. But that's why I'm hesitant to run out and purchase an Eclipse when I'm about 99.9% sure that's the only time I'll use it.

​

I'd say if you have no interest in using an airbrush except for one small project then just find a local paint shop and start getting prices on how much your vision will cost you.
Being everything from the price of wages to the price of paint has went up so much in the past year you may be surprised what it may cost.

Funny thing is I have had folks ask for what they think is simple yet do not realize how much work really has to go into it.
Primer coat, sand, base coat 1 , sand, base coat 2 , Sand , Inner coat clear, scuff, graphics, Wipe down, clear coat , sand ,clear coat , Cut buff and polish.
Oh wait doesn't that sound like what you did doing wood projects?

No one who paint bikes, or cars whats to have a bad clear coat on them, same as with the items you made. When it is done you want it to be 100% as perfect as a human can make it.
Granted the CS is a work horse and well made but the one I linked to you is also well made and in my opinion holds but as well if not better then some of the IWATA's . It is also ready to go as a detail brush , But detail only comes with hours of practice time.
airbrushing is not a one and done thing.

 

[Wannaby]

Good advice Mr.Micron. (and thanks for the PS-270 advice....much appreciated) And, yes, I do know what an all encompassing undertaking it is to prepare a piece before and after every coat of finish and how many coats go into a good finish. To be honest, I enjoy all of that sort of "doin's". It's a labor of love for sure. I've "lost" my fingerprints and palm of my hand to water-paper more than once in my life. I've never painted anything with a lot of graphics, so taping all of that would take some trial and error. And I'm sure the learning curve for an air-brush would take a lot of time but I already understand the process of laying down a proper coat of paint. I've painted a few cars in my day (my Dad owned a paint and body shop back in the 30's and 40's, so I've always had access to the equipment) and understand the process. Yes, I've a large shop air compressor and a smaller "pancake" compressor. Already have paint masks and paper suits. I have a list compiled of things like regulators, water separators, cleaning bowl, airbrush cleaning brushes, practice pads and easels but I think the most expensive item to buy is the airbrush.

As far as the learning curve, my student who is the retired sign painter told me to come out to his place and practice with some of his airbrushes before running out and buying anything.

But I like your comment concerning the airbrush not really being a one-and-done thing. True words, my friend. I should let them bounce around in my empty head for a while. Like I told my good friend JB Test, I'm notorious for getting all hyped up about a new craft, climbing to the high board and diving from there for my first dive and then losing interest and never going in the pool again.

 

[JB Test]

You never know dude, this could be the love affair you have been looking for.

JackEb, cue up the 'Do it Do it'...........

 

[Wannaby]

 

[JB Test]

Wannaby, check your email.

 

[Wannaby]

 

[Mr.Micron]

Good advice Mr.Micron. (and thanks for the PS-270 advice....much appreciated) And, yes, I do know what an all encompassing undertaking it is to prepare a piece before and after every coat of finish and how many coats go into a good finish. To be honest, I enjoy all of that sort of "doin's". It's a labor of love for sure. I've "lost" my fingerprints and palm of my hand to water-paper more than once in my life. I've never painted anything with a lot of graphics, so taping all of that would take some trial and error. And I'm sure the learning curve for an air-brush would take a lot of time but I already understand the process of laying down a proper coat of paint. I've painted a few cars in my day (my Dad owned a paint and body shop back in the 30's and 40's, so I've always had access to the equipment) and understand the process. Yes, I've a large shop air compressor and a smaller "pancake" compressor. Already have paint masks and paper suits. I have a list compiled of things like regulators, water separators, cleaning bowl, airbrush cleaning brushes, practice pads and easels but I think the most expensive item to buy is the airbrush.

As far as the learning curve, my student who is the retired sign painter told me to come out to his place and practice with some of his airbrushes before running out and buying anything.

But I like your comment concerning the airbrush not really being a one-and-done thing. True words, my friend. I should let them bounce around in my empty head for a while. Like I told my good friend JB Test, I'm notorious for getting all hyped up about a new craft, climbing to the high board and diving from there for my first dive and then losing interest and never going in the pool again.

Take that sign painter friend of your's up on trying his brushes , Heck just see if you can use them to do this project and money saved. Tell him it is practice LOL.
But I am guilty of diving off the high tower into the quarry but most time being a stubborn Irishman decent redneck I almost never give up on them. I still tell folks I suck at this airbrushing thing but it gives me something to do and I can drink shine while I doing it

 

[Wannaby]

Using one of his brushes to see if I "take to it" was his whole point to the offer. Will just have to see where the winds take me. I'm just treading water at this point.