For 50 years I’ve been a brush painter intimidated by airbrushing. That is now over. This is my last build of 2025, the ProModeler SB2C-4 in 1/48. I’m sold on airbrushing and it’s opened a whole new level for me. Thanks for looking.
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Welcome to the 21st Century!
Nice job!
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Nice work. You are off too a good start with your new air tool! Just remember not to breath in that atomized paint and thinner. Wear, gloves, respirator and have good ventilation. Happy Modeling!
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Looks good,simple patterns will gsin you confidence
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Great job on the build. Congratulations on overcoming your fear!
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Nicely done! I just started building models again after 50 years, and along with all the changes and new techniques available now, I decided since I wanted an airbrush years ago and couldn’t afford one, I’m going to get one now. I, like you am amazed at what I was missing.
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Nice! Welcome to the club. It only gets easier from here, especially the cleaning part that took me forever initially and now it is fast!
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That is an impressive first effort, what airbrush did you use? I’m in the same boat, have always used a brush along with the occasional rattler. But I definitely see plenty of uses for an airbrush.
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I didn’t want to spend a bunch of money on something I wasn’t sure I was going to enjoy, so my wife for my birthday bought a compressor and airbrush from Harbor Freight. I use almost exclusively enamel paints and as you can see, I think it came out pretty well.
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Thanks, that’s great to hear - I too picked up an inexpensive one (for the same reason) from harbor freight a few years ago but haven’t gotten round to using it yet. I also only use enamel paints and now have a followup question. The biggest single reason I haven’t tried mine yet is I’m worried that if used it in the basement, the smell would tick off my wife. I’ve never even used a rattler in the house for that reason. Did you find that the thinned enamel paints used caused any odder issues?
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Same thing happened with me! A friend gave me his old airbrush compressor when i got back into it earlier this year, and just doing a regular double color paintjob on a 1/48 B-17 was huge for me. Total game changer. Using acrylics really cuts down on the odor, and it means i can spray all year round in the basement workshop instead of having to go out to the shed to use rattle cans.
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Yep I’m 100% acrylic paint now and though they have their limitations, I can live with them and I would never go back to enamel or lacquer paint.
Plus acrylics keep getting better and better.
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Congratulations on the switch over. You did a fantastic job. The more that you use it, the more things you will learn, (Sometimes by accident, in a good way). I’m excited for you.
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For a first try you have amazing tight diffusion lines between colors…and now I’m officially jealous, it took me years to freehand overspray that tight.
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Which kit is that? It looks great.
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That is a great looking phantom!
What is the 6 for in your name? It is a great one.
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Beginners luck I guess. I hope not, but I’ll see.
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I was in the civil air patrol with my son for about ten years and when on a practice search mission there had to be an “on scene commander” and the call sign was always “6 actual” usually a colonel although I was only a captain but I was still in charge.
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Love to hear more about your set up and such. I ventured into airbrush about six months ago and still find it baffling. I have yet been able to get a consistent finish.
BC in Boston
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My set up was a gift from my wife. I’ve debated for years about airbrushing and had never pulled the trigger, so to speak. So for my birthday last year my wife went to Harbor freight and bought a compressor kit and their six airbrush kit off the shelf. I figured fine for me to learn on and set the rig up and off I went. Watched a few UTube videos and read some how to’s and with little practice and zero experience this was my first attempt. I never knew what was missing. The airbrushes may not be the best on the market, but neither am I. The rig works great for what I do. Some will look down their noses at the brand and say I should have don’t this or that, don’t matter to me. It was a gift from my wife and best friend
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