Ok, so I don’t hate airbrushing, I just can’t stand the mixing and clean up. I dislike these chores so much that I will often put a model away until i’m just in the mood to mix and clean. I was just wondering if I’m alone on this or not.
I have a nice clean P-40 sitting in my work bench now and it’s been sitting there for about 2 weeks now. I feel bad because I’m supposed to love doing this (building models), and I do I just cant stand mixing and cleaning.
Anyone else out there feel the same?[sigh]
Actually, I find mixing and cleaning don’t take that long. Mixing maybe 5-6 minutes, and cleanup maybe 5-6 minutes. Everything else is pure airbrushing.
I agree with Tanky. When I change colors I blow some thinner through and some air to clean things out. End of the day I clean a bit more thoroughly and that takes 5 to 10 minutes max. I’ll break out the airbrush to spray one part, not a big deal to me.
hey i kinda feel the same, but im only new to this… seems like i sprend alot more time mixing and cleaing that i do actually spraying!! hehehe…
but, like with anything, i know i will get better with time… ive only used it a couple of times, but im already getting better and faster at it…
yeah, i get in that mood sometimes myself. i’ll clean up a model and get it ready for paint, then it’ll sit and collect dust cause’ i’m too lazy to mix the paint and such. happens to me all the time, but its really not that big of a hassle. later.
I don’t hate it but I do have a tendency to put it off as long as possible. I will get two or 3 models built up in components until I have everything done that can possibly be done then I break out the airbrush stuff and do them all at once. If I try to do more than 5 at a time I get sloppy. I do all my airbrushing outside so set up includes the extra step of lugging everything out and taking everything back in.
Thinning is no problem, but I hate the cleanup at the end.
Part of it has been my paint selection… I haven’t had a good cleanup experience yet with Model Master Acryls, and I’ve been using Floquil Wisconsin Central Maroon for another one of my projects… that doesn’t seem to clean up too well either.
Part of it is my painting area: it’s too high and far back from the edge to work sitting down, but a bit lower than what I would consider optimum to work standing up.
And part of it has got to be sheer laziness.
hey i find that lacquer thinner helps with cleaning, as it cuts thru everyting…
hope that helps u with cleaing, as it has helped me…
yup Laquer thinner will do the job, also MM makes an acrylic cleaner that cuts through acrylics like nothing!!!
One thing you can try if you dont already is turning the pressure upwards of 40 to 50 PSI and blowing out the thinner…
Also needle lube helps keep the needle clean… and the paint flowing… just a quick spray out between colors…
I do know what you mean though… when I started airbrushing for about the first couple of months it seemed like a chore to clean… then little by little I got my system down and it takes no time at all now!
I think a lot of the “problems” with airbrushing is not setting up a “turn-key” (I hate that term!) operation…but it makes a difference. Many are not as fortunate as I am to have a 65’ x 30’ basement devoted to hobbies. But, if you stored your computer under the bed and had to drag it out everytime, you wouldn’t be on the keyboard very often. I set up a spot in the shop with my paint booth (a huge cardboard carton ) with an AC filter and muffin fan for exhaust. I bought extra bottles and keep one filled with thinner for quick swap for cleanout. I use acrylics because it’s simpler than oil base to cleanup. I purchased a $14. ultrasonic cleaner on the web for heavy-duty clean up. No work…just push a button! In other words, I made every bit of the process of airbrushing as EASY as possible. Laziness breeds creativity! Works for me.
Bud
[#ditto] Funny that this post should come up, because I was just thinking this same thing last night. It doesn’t really take that long, but some of us have convinced ourselves that it’s tedious and time consuming. I spend more time shooting than I do cleaning, and I realize that once I’m doing it…it’s the “before” that gets me.
Currently I have 3-5 kits waiting to receive some sort of airbrushing…I’d better get at it! [:D]
I sometimes am hesitant to fire up the compressor. For things such as landing gear, gear doors, etc. that are usually the same color (white on modern US stuff) I buy cheap cans of sray paint, and shoot parts that way.
I’d love to have a 65’ X 30’ area for modeling…heck, I’d like a 15 X 20…
Maybe some brushes are easier to clean than others?
Can’t say I enjoy cleaning up, but after a while it just becomes part of the painting routine & I don’t even think about it when preparing to use the AB.
Regards, Rick
I used to semi-dread using the airbrush. It was a pain to set up and I was not very skilled with it. Having improved my setup and gotten more experienced with it, I really don’t mind it too much at these days.
Like Bud said, having the thing ready to go is a big help. I have a nice paint booth setup in my garage with everything I need right there where it is convenient. Once I set that up, airbrushing was a lot less of a chore. If I can ever get around to rearranging my den and upgrading the ventilation, I could bring the setup inside where I actually build my models and would be truly set.
Andy
After some more thought on the subject, I really enjoy the actual act of air brushing, changing colors isn’t so bad. I’m just lazy when it comes to cleaning, and that by itself will make me put off yet another paint job.
you could just be like me and use brushes!!! lol
A decent artist will make it so you can’t tell if they used an airbrush or not. I have been asked many times what airbrush i use…I love brushes. Much easier to clean, and not such a hassle. The only hard part is layering, and that’s when i bust out the chalks and pastels.
I would, but I really hate all that mixing and cleaning the brushes [:D][:D][:D]
I think you need to be a bit more than decent, but your point is well taken. On another site, I’ve seen a couple of ship builders who don’t use an airbrush, and the only way you can tell is by asking.
Andy
agreed … my dad used to produce some really nice models… and never used an airbrush… I asked him one day what he used to mask his canopies way back when, because they were so crisp… after I explained to him what masking was, he hesitated and then said “I hate to say this but I hand painted them” …
but now he has seen me airbrushing when he comes over he is interested and thinking of getting back into the hobby after some 35 yrs!!
I guess in his case way back in the mid 60’s necessity bred necessity… I imagine airbrushes weren’t found at the local Michaels… (which didnt exist at least on the current scale at that time either… all there was, was Woolco’s department store to get models) of course he could have gone on the… wait the internet didnt exist either haha
hmm… has me contemplating if I am lazy for using precut masks and airbrushes now… [%-)]