rOtring airbrush Question

[rockanon]

Hi everyone,

I am interested in learning more (and possibly aquiring) a rOtring airbrush.

I was wondering if anyone can point me in the direction of model differences (I assume there's an in-line gravity feed, side gravity cup, and side siphon? Maybe also needle size variations?)

I also understand they use a custom hose connection so I'll need an adapter if I want to use my normal quick-connect setup.

On average, are these particularly expensive brushes To aquire? I assume theyre discontinued.

I'm a long time rOtring 600 brass pencil user and would love to try out their airbrush.

Any info is appreciated,

Thanks all!

 

[Kingpin]

I have the Conopois which is the baby brother of the Rotring and I love it, does take a little getting used to with the single action for air and then paint but it soon feels natural

@DaveG or maybe @2Diverse will be able to help out with the differences in the models. in the shortish time I have been looking for used brushes I have not found a rotring for sale, but when they do come up, I am sure they wont be cheap!

 

[DaveG]

To the best of my knowledge there are three versions of the body front - large Gravity feed globe, in body (A-cup) cavity, and side feed, which does use gravity feed style cups. The most common model would be the large globe style. The others were generally part of a set with three front body sections. All of them are rather uncommon to find on the used market, and most times fetch a hefty price. Spares are even harder to find... There are two sizes, basically a .2 and .4 - which require nozzle and needle pair. I've seen a few up for sale with destroyed nozzles - which will render the brush a paper weight unless you can find replacements. .4's can be had, .2's are getting pretty scarce.

They are interesting, so I hope you can find what you are after.

 

[2Diverse]

You had replied to this thread but to give you a visual of what Dave is talking about look at post #9 by Patrick Chung. To my knowledge it shows a complete head set. What is typically called an A is the head mounted on the brush. Below it on the left is the side feed cup. To it's right is the side feed head unit. The far right head unit is the C type which Rotring calls an E.

1st Look - rOtring Model E airbrush

Now, this one is about as cool as cool gets! rOtring Modle E airbrush. This one has a dated spray test sheet from May of 1992. Best as I can tell, once this brush was tested, it was never even hooked up to air again. Everything about is screams never used, or even taken out of the package, or...

airbrushforum.org

The head on the brush shown has the distancing guide mounted on the front. That is what would fill the empty hole in the case. The circular piece to the right of the side feed head, I believe, is a tool.

Over the years I've accumulated a number of Badger small diameter vinyl hoses. I cut the end off one and I can slip it over the air connection on the brush. I used the brush at 40psi and it stayed on.




Finding them in the US isn't easy although that is where I found this one. It wasn't cheap. You can find them in Europe but you have to deal with the poor USD to UK Pound or the Euro exchange rates.

 

[rockanon]

Thank you all for the replies and information. When we're talking "not cheap" are we talking 2-300 range or much more? (Obviously any sale will be unique, just trying to wrap my head around ballpark numbers to see if it's worth chasing).

Thanks again!

 

[DaveG]

Thank you all for the replies and information. When we're talking "not cheap" are we talking 2-300 range or much more? (Obviously any sale will be unique, just trying to wrap my head around ballpark numbers to see if it's worth chasing).

Thanks again!

The used market can be pretty difficult to predict - you may wind up being in the right place at the right time - I know I paid @$125 for mine, which looked completely unused, and as new in the box. I have been offered the same for @$600. Last few I have seen were probably in the $300-$500 range.

 

[rockanon]

The used market can be pretty difficult to predict - you may wind up being in the right place at the right time - I know I paid @$125 for mine, which looked completely unused, and as new in the box. I have been offered the same for @$600. Last few I have seen were probably in the $300-$500 range.

The collectible airbrush market sounds very swingy. Is the rOtring name pulling a large part of that cost or do the older Conopois style run about the same?

 

[DaveG]

I think it is harder to find a Conopois in as good condition as the pricier rOtring. Yes, part of it is the name, as well as the scarcity driving price. There is also not a lot of sales records to refer to in finding a price, so people may feel they are worth more - so ask more.

 

[rockanon]

I think it is harder to find a Conopois in as good condition as the pricier rOtring. Yes, part of it is the name, as well as the scarcity driving price. There is also not a lot of sales records to refer to in finding a price, so people may feel they are worth more - so ask more.

Understood. Thank you for the insights. Google pretty much only pulls up your posts on these airbrushes . I'll have to dig deep to find one for sure.

Out of curiosity, is there a US based Airbrush / airbrushing convention(s) that occur? There's a fountain pen convention in my city, so surely people are getting together for airbrushing, I imagine?

 

[DaveG]

If it were not for the internet, I would not know one singe other person that knows anything about airbrushes. There are some industry conventions and shows, but they have little to do with the actual airbrushes themselves.

 

[2Diverse]

I live near Pittsburgh and I have never heard of any type of local airbrush show or convention. Actually I've never heard of one planned anywhere, ever.

In my opinion when art schools began teaching CAD (Computer Aided Design) it was the beginning of the end of the airbrush as most schools dropped airbrushing from the curriculum. That was a good while ago. There are a few generations who have no idea what an airbrush is. Then along came PhotoShop and the like. Now is the beginning of AI as an art form. Who knows what's next but I doubt it will be airbrushing.

 

[rockanon]

If it were not for the internet, I would not know one singe other person that knows anything about airbrushes. There are some industry conventions and shows, but they have little to do with the actual airbrushes themselves.

If not for your posts, I never would have found this forum.

 

[rockanon]

I live near Pittsburgh and I have never heard of any type of local airbrush show or convention. Actually I've never heard of one planned anywhere, ever.

In my opinion when art schools began teaching CAD (Computer Aided Design) it was the beginning of the end of the airbrush as most schools dropped airbrushing from the curriculum. That was a good while ago. There are a few generations who have no idea what an airbrush is. Then along came PhotoShop and the like. Now is the beginning of AI as an art form. Who knows what's next but I doubt it will be airbrushing.

Kind of a shame about no conventions.

I'm a trained industrial designer and mostly have worked in toy design for around 16+ years. In college I learned how to make models on old ww2 machinery, but by the time I graduated we were all using auto-cad.

I do a lot of hand sketching with pencil and paper as well as digital apps, but much prefer real airbrushing to the simulated ones in photoshop.

 

[Drifter]

I live near Pittsburgh and I have never heard of any type of local airbrush show or convention. Actually I've never heard of one planned anywhere, ever.

In my opinion when art schools began teaching CAD (Computer Aided Design) it was the beginning of the end of the airbrush as most schools dropped airbrushing from the curriculum. That was a good while ago. There are a few generations who have no idea what an airbrush is. Then along came PhotoShop and the like. Now is the beginning of AI as an art form. Who knows what's next but I doubt it will be airbrushing.

I too had to deal with the new digital age taking over the art process in a different industry, silkscreen printing. I wish I had the knowledge of using computer that I have been slowly learning back then. I have a Graphtec 24 inch vinyl cut plotter that I am planning to use for cutting airbrush stencils. If I was only 30 now instead of 75......

 

[rockanon]

I too had to deal with the new digital age taking over the art process in a different industry, silkscreen printing. I wish I had the knowledge of using computer that I have been slowly learning back then. I have a Graphtec 24 inch vinyl cut plotter that I am planning to use for cutting airbrush stencils. If I was only 30 now instead of 75......

Vinyl plotters are great! I worked at a small sign shop through college and would cut vinyl and rubber for signage. You'll have to let me know how the plotter stenciling goes!

 

[DaveG]

I too had to deal with the new digital age taking over the art process in a different industry, silkscreen printing. I wish I had the knowledge of using computer that I have been slowly learning back then. I have a Graphtec 24 inch vinyl cut plotter that I am planning to use for cutting airbrush stencils. If I was only 30 now instead of 75......

I worked in the silkscreen industry throughout the 80's and most of the 90's, but I am only in my 60's . i also worked with a Cameo Silhouette plotter for a bit - it was not for me with the kind of work I do, but I certainly could see uses for it - I thought it was quite cool. If I did any sort of lettering (or anything like that) on a regular basis, I would jump all over one.

 

[huskystafford]

120 bucks
https://www.ebay.com/itm/305254654857?hash=item4712986389:g:xFwAAOSwY21lMjms&amdata=enc:AQAIAAAAwM5ADHzdGmwEtuEbFI0k7Ep7oo3Ad5NKUdc55aehnxXJqS4kbby3whHjuoDAdUvgfvzubcnZlelH8VSBBQ8kSSJWX4psx1DjtuyaH3C+dYDTfQQlv1g8P0AlUhAGdAYywL2o4BhN0TVnjzUDWmjobPa3cyt81mgfiVMw2OcsPZm5ZsqIbXktCwfL3LUfO+tQxpsWeVHgOzq8ZjyobC82839rcl7qzqLZCqh17CYtA2K0Hw68isy6TwJecwEXm1o90w==|tkp:Bk9SR96Jr436Yg

190 bucks looks like you get more stuff including with original seals
https://www.ebay.com/itm/305256230672?hash=item4712b06f10:g:qowAAOSw5jFlSfsH&amdata=enc:AQAIAAAA8DJ+T0WGarZma06A8pK3EffO3hmovGwd1d4lCJxn67KechfwQPD9HG+FxHl24ylcwscY31QRC/coWqlUnqayPAjCHGzSFJ4E5IzqAGyGzaTbaeKtFhSLfrIZNeyOumlwkFZ0wI4bGKmDOROM80NNsZky7DLGq/gHegwl09wIfau6Dj/o4dqvwb7fmzy2P7KYJOoSbmpVmzAsoK0EGdKOrZMFQYXkG8d11TtvRAn8a3syPacLQjqYzJeGw66E3RyXXKeoZZPPlXyL4NsE1E8s879ZFP/M9NgPSk3ntd5pEzMQ5/ZAh6BEjxFQah015KTFNg==|tkp:Bk9SR-CJr436Yg

190 bucks with spare hose and some weird looking stuff
https://www.ebay.com/itm/3052562071...mNg4hCBfq4yTyqvPP6JlzbtZQ=|tkp:Bk9SR-CJr436Yg

looks like you get something different from each seller...

 

[rockanon]

These are great, thanks for the link! It kinda dawned on me I don't have any way to repair one of these brushes should I buy one.

Maybe this isn't a good investment for someone in my position if it arrives in bad shape. I do like the one with the extra seals option though. Might be lower on the risk scale.

 

[DaveG]

Devils advocate, and a word of caution - the lower priced brush advertised as NOS is actually missing the color cup- so there is no provision supplied to actually paint with. If these brushes are not complete, they can be very difficult to make whole.

 

[huskystafford]

Devils advocate, and a word of caution - the lower priced brush advertised as NOS is actually missing the color cup- so there is no provision supplied to actually paint with. If these brushes are not complete, they can be very difficult to make whole.

on my end there is
Rotring Airbrush 80th West Germany-

Which is for 120 Euros. The first link. And I just noticed one is gravity feed and one is side feed if I am not mistaken