I used to make model car kits as a kid, but I was always horrible (used brushes exclusively, never sanded off casting lines, etc). I’ve recently bought one to try now that I’m older, but I am on a tight budget for this, plus I’d hate to spend a lot of money on something that I might not get into. All I plan on using the air brushes for is paiting the body and the interior of the car. So what is a recommended cheap way to air brush? Somthing under $75…even better under $50. Or am I out in left field thinking it’s possible? Thanks in advance.
If you only want a way to paint without spending a lot of money, use rattle cans. No need to invest in tools that you’ll never use if you decide you don’t want to pursue the hobby.
Well, the thing is, I want to do very specific exterior and interior colors.
Would something like this http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0001p?&I=LXGUZ4&P=W work, or would it only frustrate me?
You can get an airbrush and compressor at Harbor Freight for about $69 with the 20% coupon thet have online or in magazines.
http://www.harborfreight.com/1-5-hp-58-psi-compressor-and-airbrush-kit-95630.html
If you’re going to be building cars, you probably will be doing single colour schemes. Just get a basic, external mix airbrush, and mix paints. Either way, I hope yo stay with this hobby![:D]
So, tbhalomaster, are you saying the harbor freight thing linked to is what I need or is more than what I need? I’d really like to stay under $50 for now. Just finished grad school, so…well you know the rest.
Oh, and how loud would a compressor like that be? I live in an apartment and would like to do this at night.
That type of airbrush would work fine if it’s of decent quality. It’s a copy of the Badger 350. A lot of car guys use the Paasche H. You can get it at Coast Airbrush complete with hose, bottles and cup for $46. There are reviews of the 350 and the Paasche H on my web site. The Harbor Freight brush has a smaller nozzle and coverage area and would require thinning the paint more.
Don
Nice website. After reading a bit on there, I think I’m going to go wit the Paasce H kit and use air cans. A bit over budget from what I wanted, but not by much.
Don’t use air cans. use an air canister/tank you can refill at the gas station. A spare tire is a better choice than the cans.
E
Either way a air flow regulator of some type(even a screw or ball valve)that fits your air lines is something you will need.
Good luck and have fun.
Dr
Hmmm…the spare tire from my car does live in my apartment (dead weight = no thanks)…does the air hose that comes with these have a schrader valve?
I don’t know about your dead weight. But the can fitting (the badger type in the old days)used to be a schrader valve fitting with a screw type regulator for air flow. That’s how I started, a spare tire. then moved up to a air tank 2 paydays later.
Dr
With all the needed accessories (regulator, and I imagine a gauge or the regulator doesn’t have much use), this quickly became too expensive. I guess I’ll just leave the body the grey plastic color it comes as and try to have a very skilled hand for the interior.
You can get am adaptor to make the air can “regulator” fit a tyre valve. It shouldn’t be more than a few dollars. Downside is that the air that comes out of the spare tyre smells like cat pee… [:XX]
Iknew I should of stoped when someone mentioned “rattle can”.[:#]
Do I really need a regulator? Can’t I just set the 205/70 tire to 20psi and keep a pretty stable pressure that way? I figure the tire provides so much more air than I need that it is more or less its own regulator, no?
Well, Dr. Faust, I am unemployed until my job starts in 2 months, so money is what it is. I have friends who rattle can real cars (obviously beater cars), and if I could find the exact color in a rattle can I’d have no problem with that.
This airbrush will be just fine to do the airbrushing your planning on doing.
It works the on the same principle as a Paasce H which dates back to the 1930s The Badger 350 uses this same nozzle type to. The Hobbico appears to be a sort of clone of a Badger 350. I paid $39 in 1977 for a Badger 350 with similar accessories and I still use it often because it is so simple to clean and set aside.
As for using cans of propellant, that will expensive and as well as frustrating, since you asked about a compressor in an apartment its obvious you know cheapest air source for the Hobbico Airbrush. As the others mentioned an automotive air tank, a 5 gallon tank filled to the maximum recommend pressure. The cheapest air pressure regulator I can find is TRF- 2000 for $19.95 at the top of this web page
http://www.tcpglobal.com/airbrushdepot/abfilter.aspx
Since you said you won’t be starting your job for another 2 months it might be best to be patient and persistent for now. Holding off on spending your cash on anything that is not a necessity until your getting regular pay checks??
Welcome to this form.
Stick with the rattle cans. At this point you’ll have to find an air brush then learn how to use it. DONT practice on your model. You can find a huge slection of spray can colors at hobby shops, Michaels, Home Depot and Pep Boys. If youre not sure about the hobby and costs, keep it simple. IMHO. If you go with canned air and an air brush, you’ll need to keep the can in warm water while spraying, otherwise it will freeze up on you, due to some phenamenon of physics that I slept thru in 10th grade.