Paint Options

[Dweller]

I use regular Createx paints. I have used different pressure settings, different needles, strained the paints I am still getting over spray with some colors especially on the small baits. I did buy an iawata it did help a lot. Well worth the money. It has an .035 needle. I think it is the paint. I need some help from you guys do these paints over spray as bad Smith, Wasco, Auto Air? Can I shot these paints through a smaller needle? I had a Paashe and the paint would not shot through a #1 consistently even with blackjack thinner. What is the difference between the wildlife life tones & the poly paints? I have a buddy that shoots model paints it seems like he can shot a finer line with less over spray. I don't really want to go that route but I got to be something. Thanks for the help!

[bassmaster1974]

I have been using Createx for years and I also use Paasche guns.I know what you mean about those #1 needles....just doesnt like the heavier paint like pearls and opaque.I dont have any problems with the #3 though.That is what I have a stock pile of since I use those for almost everything.I am not sure why you had trouble after thinning.Usually a couple of drops of water mixed in the little cup works great for me.

Do tell about the new airbrush???I have been looking at Iawata guns and I have no idea which one I might want to try.

[BobP]

Have you tried thining the paint and shooting it at a lower pressure? All patterns are conical, how fine a line you get depends on how near the surface you can hold the brush. Shoot at an acute angle to to minimize overspray where you don't want it. For instance, when doing the shoulder of the bait, hold the brush at an up angle so it doesn't bounce paint off the side and down the belly of the bait. I end up shooting MOST of the paint over the top of the lure, but that's OK. Even with fine ground pigment paint (e.g. Createx black ) and using low pressure on an Iwata HP, I still use stencils for most fine line detail, so I can be sure both sides of the bait turn out the same.

[Dweller]

Bassmaster1974 I just bought an Iawata Eclipse it is the low end brush around $120 to $150. I love it. If one of the more expensive iawata shoot any better I would invest in one. I am looking at a gravity feed as my next purchase for detail work. I have Paasche for sale. LOL

[BobP]

No one on TU has owned and used all brands and models of airbrush so what you get is opinions about airbrushes they own. I think the size of the tip defines how much detail an airbrush is capable of producing. Iwata HP series brushes come standard with a .02 mm tip. It's a high quality factory tuned brush (i.e., the needle and tip are hand adjusted at the factory for spray pattern). But .02 mm is small enough for pigment particle size and viscosity to be an issue, and a HP will clog faster than a larger tip brush if you feed it crappy paint. You want an airbrush that balances ability to do detail versus likelyood of clogging. And that is particular to the user; how you use your airbrush and what paints you use. I like my HP-B. It's a pleasure to use and easy to clean. It's 1/16th oz gravity feed cup is sized perfect for crankbaits and holds plenty of paint. You can drip 2-3 drops of paint in the cup and shoot accents instantly; no waiting for a syphon to suck up a bunch of paint and route it to the mixing chamber (and no wasted paint either). Clean up for the next color? Shoot some water or Windex into the cup and out the brush and you're ready to go in a few seconds. But I still use my Paasche VL or Badger 175 when I need to shoot alot of paint, like for color basecoating. There are plenty of guys on TU who do beautiful work with large tip airbrushes. It's a blend of the airbrush and the skill/experience of the guy who's holding it. No airbrush will make a poor painter into Picasso (I'm an example!). But a better airbrush can make learning to paint a little easier and faster.