I recently brought a very cheap airbrush - an expo tools starter airbrush. It’s a bottom fed, external mix, single action airbrush. So, first of all, I connected the airbrush to my can of propellant which came with it, and tested the airflow. It was fine, and I assumed everything else would be working OK. So I got my paint, thinned it down to about 50/50 and put it in the color cup thingy. I turned on the propellant and tried to spray onto an peice of paper, but only air came out. I then tried the propellant at different pressure and tried spraying water but still only air came out. Does anyone know what the problem is and how to resolve it?
Alex,
Is this the AB650, the kind that the bottle connects directly to the airbrush, like this Badger?
If it is, then you can look at (and save!) the instructions for that airbrush here. Many of the functions will be the same. Note how you have to adjust the paint tip for more or less paint. Also, these kinds of airbrushes require quite a high air pressure in order to operate. Make sure that you set your air supply for maximum pressure and adjust down as required.
Thanks for the reply. The interesting thing is that these instructions are word perfect to the ones that came with my airbrush. Maybe my expo tools airbrush is a rip-off of a badger airbrush. Anyway, thanks for finding this, as they are much more detailed than my set of instruction.
LOL! I suspect that it is a rip of the Badger. Hope you get it working!
Though I fear it will only cause you to rethink using an airbrush. Aerosol cans can be frustrating and difficult to maintain pressure as they freeze up, and end up being quite expensive as they don’t last very long. Warming then in warm, NOT hot, water helps.
That kind of airbrush is really only suitable for flood coats, and are only slightly better than a rattle can.
However, a good airbrush is going to start around $75 and a good compressor will be twice that, so it’s a considerable expense. I usually tell people to be prepared to spend $200 - $250 for a good setup which includes airbrush, compressor, regulator, hose and fittings.
Harbor Freight has some inexpensive compressors around the $80 mark, which would probably be okay, but I’ve not used them. The prices are attractive, but I guess that’s the idea, huh? Beware their airbrushes as they aren’t very good!
bgrigg: I looked at the pic in your post I could’nt tell for sure but it looked like your siphon tube was against the bottom of bottle, could be why your not getting any paint through the brush. Hopes this helps. Aceses5[bgr][blns]
Um, not my airbrush, and not my problem.
I posted that image to see if that was the same kind of airbrush that Alex Shaw (OP) had.
But that’s a sharp Mark I Eyeball you have! [;)]
On closer inspection of my airbrush, i found that the paint nozzle was bent slightly. So I’ve sent it back and am paying a little bit more to get a badger like the one you posted a picture of. Hopefully, I’ll get a better, more expensive airbrush when i get some more money!