Opinions on airbrushes/spray guns

I use an air brush set-up from Harbor Freight. It includes a nifty air compressor that can be used for a vaiety of purposes beside painting.

I've even used it to rebuild motorcycle carburetors for example. Combined with the legendary Hoppes #9 solvent it blows out clogged fuel passages just fine.

SD

When I was building stunt ships and used dope I'd brush it on to apply covering and filler, then final finished coats were sprayed using a cheep touch-up gun from Harbor Freight, worked great.

But if I built with Monokote covered wings and all I needed to paint is the fuselage and tail feathers, I'd look at Rustoleum spray paint, it work just fine.

I haven't bought dope in ten years but I gotta think its not gonna be cheep.

Brodak
http://brodak.com/painting-products.html
Sig
http://www.sigmfg.com/cgi-bin/dpsmart.exe/ThumbsV7.html?L+Sig+xkso0274+_Ddp_5fSearch1_02a46PaintSigRetard_01Search_02Index_01Menu_02CatProd_01SubMenu_02NONE_01Thumb_02Dope_01Manu_02SIG_01
Of course tower only has clear
http://www3.towerhobbies.com/cgi-bin/wti0095p?FVPROFIL=&FVSEARCH=dope&search=Go
but you can get through Midwest
http://www.midwestproducts.com/store/products/d420fc6a-3968-47ae-b009-d8714bac3206/1/Aero-Gloss_Paint.aspx
purchasing in quantities for full scale aircraft and tinting in the shop is another option.
http://www.aircraftspruce.com/menus/cs/index.html

Then there is shipping, since this is hazardous.

Phil

You shouldn't have to worry about shipping if you get the dope in quarts or smaller. And unless you are going for the sport car mirror finish, it doesn't cost that much for a dope finish.

Airbrushes - I have always avoided them because the subject of choosing one is complex - needle size, gravity feed ........????????

However, a very expert modeller pal of mine who has many airbrushes for detailing mainly plastic models - cars, tanks, ships aeroplanes ......He also does landscapes and dioramas, just seconded me to get him a couple of airbrushes for him while I am in Chicago.

They are a Grex Genesis XGI and a XSI. I don't know what they are about but they are horrifically expensive! The pair cost $420!!!!!!!

http://www.grexusa.com/grexairbrush/prod_type.php5?prod_type=Airbrushes

His work is genius level but $420 for a cople of sticks that blow stuff!!! I thought I was bonkers!

duke.johnson wrote:You shouldn't have to worry about shipping if you get the dope in quarts or smaller. And unless you are going for the sport car mirror finish, it doesn't cost that much for a dope finish.

You can get a really nice finish without a clearcoat, using 1000-1200 sandpaper and rubbing compound....but if you're gonna sand it and buff you might as well go clear.

I just checked the Brodak site, a 16oz of clear is $17, about what a roll of monokote costs, add your thinner, color dope, brushes, tape, etc. plus shipping and i'd think 2-3 times?

It's just one of those things, if you like the look, you use it.  I don't like the look of momokote as much as dope, so I use dope when the weather is nice.  I have a Yates Dragon kit that I want to build, but I would never think of putting film covering on it.  I do know guys who can cover with film and it looks amazing though.  We have a great hobby and just like anything else, we have more than one way of doing things.  Anything that is going to be beat on gets mono and anything I want to be "pretty" gets dope.  And you can buy small jars of dope from Brodak and mix smaller amounts.  You don't have to buy 16oz cans and have a quart of every thing sitting on the shelf.  I have some colors like white and clear, that I mix in 1/2 gallon jars. And others that I mix 4oz jar of colr to 4-5oz of thinner.  And if you have a real airplane store around an airport handy, you can find dope cheaper some times.  It can be pretty cheap to dope 1/2A planes, but the cost can get up there if you are going for the high dollor finish on a larger plane that you want to have around for a long time.  But if you are going for that look, do it!

vugearhead- I hope you try it, PLEASE post your pictures and tell us how you like it. Sorry I foregot the model numbers on my sprayers last night.

yep, I guess it kinda depends on what you're doing. A 1/2a slab wing, paint it for sure. Btw, I would never try to cover a profile fuselage with monokote, I think there's just to many issues for oil seepage. But for built up wings it tuff to beat.

If I was build a new full size stunt ship, I'd be painting, I loved the smell of lacquer thinner!

For info on Harbor Freight spraying  equipment in the US just go to their web site here in the US.

SD

Mark- I love sitting out in the garage doping a plane, it's like art and I love the smells too. Kinda sounds bad, sniffing dope in the garage.  I want to build the Pinto and really do it up nice this winter, fillets, dope and polyspan. I have the plans and most of the parts and wood ready. I just have to finish the conversion of the PT-19 fom CL to RC, build the Gentle Lady fuse, and then the PINTO. It's on my bucket list.

Dave- I tried to go to the web page to get the model number, but the server is blocking it for some reason.

  Hello Mark,

You've just given me the Best Idea I've had in Years! I really love the way you guys with years of expierence , skill & knowledge, are ready & willing to jump in to help the newbys!

Sooooo heres the deal, I have a couple of planes ready for finish and.....I 'll send them to you for painting since you " LOVE THE SMELL OF LACQUER THINNER " I'll send a couple of gallons of Paint ,Thinner, & all the the necessary supplies that you might need!

All you need to do now is POST YOUR ADDRESS, PHONE # and I'll send the package to you ASAP!
Its a Win Win situation!    RK Flyer  

RK:

Was our pal Mark soliticiting busness?     

SD

 Richard
You better throw in some time with your package. 

SuperDave wrote:RK:

Was our pal Mark soliticiting busness?     

SD

lol, absolutely not! However, there are guys that will build/paint for a fee, not cheep but what is?

I'm giving Patrick your phone number !

duke.johnson wrote:Mark- I love sitting out in the garage doping a plane, it's like art and I love the smells too.  Kinda sounds bad, sniffing dope in the garage.  I want to build the Pinto and really do it up nice this winter, fillets, dope and polyspan.  I have the plans and most of the parts and wood ready.  I just have to finish the conversion of the PT-19 fom CL to RC, build the Gentle Lady fuse, and then the PINTO.  It's on my bucket list.

Dave- I tried to go to the web page to get the model number, but the server is blocking it for some reason.

I'm with you Duke!  While I DO experiment with other coverings and paint, for me, there's nothing like the reward of peeling back some masking tape on a doped model, and seeing your work jump out at you !!!

My shop usually smells like my Uncle's "Airplane Room" from decades ago, and that's as important to me as getting anything in the air.

I've a well-used Badger Detail Gun, and several of the small airbrushes. Also, VERY important is a water trap of some kind...so that you're not inducing your OWN artificial humidity as you paint !!!

you want it cool, paint it orange...a thing of beauty!!!

That's what I like, Orange and White all the way!

Duke...... If I had "Time in a Bottle"........

Super Dave......I love your sense of HUMOR!

Kim......Thats one real nice looking plane, I am trying to get close to that but.....

RK Flyer  

I am also interested in spray equipment. I went on the Harbor Freight website. There are a lot of different models. Does anyone have Names and Model numbers for the equipment they use or recommend? Andy

I'm at home, running on Dial-Up, so it'd take me forever to do it, but if someone would post a screen-capture of Harbor Freight's page with it's painting equipment, it might help trading opinions on the gear.

I WOULD say, in my opinion, that you'll more likely need a detail gun (larger than the airbrush) to lay down an adequate amount of paint per pass over the larger areas of a flying model. The precision airbrushes work well with tiny details and on small display models.

Dopey Kim

OK, here's my air brush/compressor set up from Harbor Freight" @ $90

SD

Airbrush Kit - Save on this Airbrush and Compressor Kit

(sorry I don't know how to make in "clickabe'. "Duh?" sez my fossilized brain)

I use an airbrush like this one for detail/trim and 1/2A's.  paid about half that on ebay though. This one has a larger paint jar with it though. That is a good thing.

http://www.harborfreight.com/airbrush-kit-47791.html

And this touch up gun for bigger jobs.

http://www.harborfreight.com/touch-up-air-spray-gun-66871.html