I know everyones dislike of the aztek systems, Ihave defended them in this forum because their customer service is A+. Now, here is my latest experience with aztek.
Yesterday had a nice painting session with my a320, one color,
MMacryl US armor desert sand. Cleaned my brush with the usual procedure and put it away. Today I prepared to spray the same color with the same brush, filled my color cup and got ready to go, when I pushed the button the air went not thru the nozzle but into the cup. The result: 1/4 oz. paint explodes onto my shirt, my eyes and the wall behind me!!! What the…???.. any ideas?? clue me in before I weaken and become a hater of the aztek system.
I feel your pain, except I didn’t have the same problem. With mine I don’t get it. I can spray water through it, but the moment I spray paint, it won’t come out. [:(!] I thinned it very well. I ended up ditching it for a Badger. I love it. Sprays effortlessly and evenly. Also, it cleans up with little effort. Many people don’t seem to like the Aztek. I prefer the Badger even when the Aztek worked. Hopefully, someone can help you.
“It is well that war is so terrible, lest we grow too fond of it.”-R.E.Lee
I can fix it! Replace these three little parts and your in business. 1)Replace the Aztec supplied body with the brass body of a double action Paasche. 2)Next install a chrome brass or plastic handle unit. 3)Your almost there, insert the correct size color cup for your needs. 4)Hook the airhose up and start painting! If you make these slight upgrades you should be good to go for the next 20-30 years. Just kidding[:p][:D]
Woody:
Thanks for the tip. I am going to see if my MHO (modeling Health org.) will pay for the procedure. As it is not an elective surgery I dont’ forsee any problems… Maybe a new IWATA, I’ve heard so many good things…
Thanks also to tigerman and Merlin . Its always good to hear from fellow sufferers. Anyone interested in forming an Aztek users support network??[8D]
i had the same problem with mine as tigerman, with paint in it, it seemd the air went in, but went out somewhere else, still havent figured out where. Even if I had a paint/thinner mix of 1/20 it still owuldnt work! But with water in it, it sparayed like a charm. I now have a Badger Sotar 20/20, works just perfect.
Small world monsterarmor, I thought I was hullicinating form the paint fumes. [xx(] Sadly, there must be others in our plight. I even tried new tips, still didn’t work. [:0] [:(!]. Oh well, its nothing a new Badger couldn’t fix.
“It is well that war is so terrible, lest we grow too fond of it.”-R.E.Lee
I’m in the market for a new airbrush, but don’t have a ton of money to spend. I’m thinking like nothing over $100 right now, i just need something that will do the job. any thoughts…i was thinking of either a badger or aztek, because my local AC MOORE has a 50% off coupon and they actually have a good stock there. I made a list of the models available there, but i don’t have it with me. Anyways, any help would be appreciated.
I bought a Sotar and found that enamels didn’t flow through it very well. Then I bought the Iwata HP-CS. The Iwata is just too easy to use and clean. Paint flows great, cleans like a dream. Near perfecdt results first try, virtually no learning curve if you’ve used double action before. I’m still shocked at how much better a brush it is for modelling then all the others I’ve bought. …and less than $100 from bear-air or dixie-art.
18co,
the other night, my Aztek was blowing bubbles.
(but not explosively!)
i unscrewed the nozzle and saw that it (the punger on the back) was jammed in.
flicking it w/ my finger popped it free on the spring.
now i check it begore i start.
not sure how or why it got that way, but it was an easy fix.
good luck.
ed.
(the only other Aztek user on the forum, it seems!)
Mike V Re: I build alot of large scale figures, thats where the 20/20 is best. And I only use acrylics, which work perfect if thinned correctly. So, if anyones looking for an airbrush that can paint a fine thin line, thats the one. Just watch out for what people are charging, the retail is around $350, but Ive seen a few places that had it for around $175, I just got lucky and won mine on Ebay for $120, otherwise, I wouldve went the Iwata route.
I’ve owned them all and without a doubt, the Iwata Eclipse series airbrushes are a true modelers dream to use. I did however have some excellent moments with the Aztek A470. I would mainly spray enamels through it with no problems, except when the airbrush would eventually fail! When I sprayed acrylics such as MM Acryl or Polly scale, I would not only get the dreaded back-blast paint explosion, but lots of ruined paint nozzles due to hyper-drying acrylic paint. I still use acrylic accassionally, but I have switched to Tamiya and Gunze. These clean up extremely well with 91% ISO Alcohol, Windex and water. My Aztek is now framed as a relic, while my Iwata Revolution has had free reign.
Getting paint in the eye ain’t a fun experience. I got enamel paint right in one of my eyes when I was a kid[B)] Since then I’ve always airbrushed with safety goggles.[8D] AND a respirator with windows open, fans blowin’.
Waltz, check out this site: http://www.bearair.com
Prices for airbrushes are good, customer service is excellent!
I had a similar problem with my first Aztek (or should I say modelmaster) air brush many years ago, traced the fault to a fibre washer that is inserted into the body that mates with the base of nozzle. This washer is extremely hard to see. The one in mine had fallen apart, couldn’t find a replacement here in aussie, so I replaced the brush with a new model Aztek. Have had no problems with the new brush.
(WildWilliam you are not alone - but by the looks of it we are an endangered species)
i just can’t figure out why i don’t have the problems so many others do.
(not that i am complaining!)
i was going to say that “i can’t figure out why they have so many problems”, but that sounds like i am ‘blaming the user’.
i shoot mostly Tamiya acrylics thinned w/ Tamiya thinner. (tan nozzle)
and Future (black nozzle)
i clean w/ tap water (run thru until no color comes out)
between colors.
and then when i call it a night,
lacquer thinner (small color cup full, shot into filtered jar)
i soak the nozzle in lacquer thinner for a few minutes as well.
hey Mike, no I havent compared it with other a/b’s , but then again, I havent had the extra money to do that. I was fed up with my aztek-nical difficluties and I found the Sotar at a great deal , and have read many reviews about it in Amazing figure Modeler , so I snagged it up. why do you ask, I really havent had any experiance with the Iwata, but Ive heard many good things about it. I am needed a good general purpose a/b though. When I have the moolah , I was thinking of getting an Iwata, and save the sotar for those really detailed a/b projects, like 1/35th camos and my large scale female figures …I’ll post a pic of a 1/35 German figure I a/b on here for an example…
