Second airbrush advice

[SkimaskMohawk]

I'm looking at getting my second airbrush and considering the h&s infinity crplus 2 in 1, but heard they can be a bit fragile. Does any one have more information or equivalent airbrushes to consider?

 

My current one is an iwata eclipse hp-cs.

[infyrana]

I own the Infinity you mentioned, I wouldn't say it was fragile, I've used it a reasonable amount and cleaned it just as often.  Of course as with anything you don't want to be scraping away the surface finish, messing with the washers or threading the brass threads and otherwise ramming metal handled brushes carelessly to clean it out.  But if you take good care of it and treat it well like nay precision type instrument, it'll be good to go.

 

So far the brush has been excellent, it's the user that lets it down hehe, I'd definitely recommend it if you're good to your tools.

[SkimaskMohawk]

I could definitely be more diligent with maintenance. Unless I'm doing a heavily blended transition I tend to rinse and Windex between colours and disassemble and clean after sessions. I'll do a simple green dunk about once a month, but I could do it more often and do lubrication at all lol.

[Firedrake Cordova]

I wouldn't call the H&S airbrushes fragile (I have an Evolution, which is fundamentally the same as the Infinity [mostly the same parts, just a different rear end piece and no adjustable spring tension]).  I suppose the impression could stem one or more of the following things:

1. There's the option to fit a 0.15mm needle.  Obviously, that's going to be more delicate than a 0.4mm needle
2. The seals and nozzles aren't supposed to  last as long as the Iwata ones, but are significantly cheaper (about 1/2 the price).
3. The non-CR Plus range of airbrushes are nickel plated, rather than chrome, which is more likely to wear
4. The non-CR Plus range of airbrushes have rubber seals (the CR Plus ones have PTFE ones anywhere fluids can get)

Also, just in case you're not aware, there are two 2-in-1 sets - one with a 0.15mm and one with a 0.2mm needle (both sets have the 0.4mm needle as well).

 

One thing: if the Windex you're using contains ammonia, don't use it to clean your airbrush (according to H&S and Badger it can damage the finish).

 

++EDIT: The H&S airbrushes seem to be a lot more expensive in North America than in Europe (over here, an Infinity is the same price as an Iwata HP-B/HP-C - going by the prices on Delta Art, there's a 20% difference in Canada), so you might find better value in the Badger or Iwata lines.

Edited June 15, 2020 by Firedrake Cordova

[SkimaskMohawk]

I wouldn't call the H&S airbrushes fragile (I have an Evolution, which is fundamentally the same as the Infinity [mostly the same parts, just a different rear end piece and no adjustable spring tension]). I suppose the impression could stem one or more of the following things:

• There's the option to fit a 0.15mm needle. Obviously, that's going to be more delicate than a 0.4mm needle
• The seals and nozzles aren't supposed to last as long as the Iwata ones, but are significantly cheaper (about 1/2 the price).
• The non-CR Plus range of airbrushes are nickel plated, rather than chrome, which is more likely to wear
• The non-CR Plus range of airbrushes have rubber seals (the CR Plus ones have PTFE ones anywhere fluids can get)

Also, just in case you're not aware, there are two 2-in-1 sets - one with a 0.15mm and one with a 0.2mm needle (both sets have the 0.4mm needle as well).

 

One thing: if the Windex you're using contains ammonia, don't use it to clean your airbrush (according to H&S and Badger it can damage the finish).

 

++EDIT: The H&S airbrushes seem to be a lot more expensive in North America than in Europe (over here, an Infinity is the same price as an Iwata HP-B/HP-C - going by the prices on Delta Art, there's a 20% difference in Canada), so you might find better value in the Badger or Iwata lines.

I ended up ordering a 2 in 1 through delta art, and after some waiting I just got it in yesterday. I gotta say the amount of information in the instruction pamphlet blew me away; components, parts that will need to be replaced, trouble shooting, painting first steps. Some great stuff.

 

I was able to get some great results with the .15mm needle and am super excited to get more practice in with it. The only part I'm not sure about is the quick fIx paint adjustment. It wasn't really explained well in the instructions.

[Firedrake Cordova]

I ended up ordering a 2 in 1 through delta art, and after some waiting I just got it in yesterday. I gotta say the amount of information in the instruction pamphlet blew me away; components, parts that will need to be replaced, trouble shooting, painting first steps. Some great stuff.

Yeah, they do supply you with a good guide.   The expanded parts diagram is interesting as well.  Did you get a DVD with yours, too?

 

I was able to get some great results with the .15mm needle and am super excited to get more practice in with it. The only part I'm not sure about is the quick fIx paint adjustment. It wasn't really explained well in the instructions.

Glad you're happy with it.

 

The quick fix is fairly simple:

• pull back to disengage it (will not limit flow)
• push in to engage (will limit flow)
• turn it to adjust (clockwise is less paint, but you should be able to work it out as it stops the trigger being pulled back when it's fully limiting)
• it doesn't matter if it's engaged or not when you adjust it (obviously, if it's not engaged, adjusting it won't have any immediate effect).

 

EDIT: To YouTube! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oxnC3-cCF1o

Edited June 25, 2020 by Firedrake Cordova

[Arkhanist]

The infinity is a lovely brush, I'm sure you'll get many years out of it! The quick fix is mainly for painting lines or dots - you dial it in to a certain trigger pull back point, then maybe with the distance cap (looks a bit like an open cone) to fix your distance from the paper, you've got a guaranteed restricted trigger pull to 'draw' with. Less useful for model painting if you have decent trigger control already, but when you're doing delicate work it can be useful to stop you overspraying paint by accident.

Edited June 25, 2020 by Arkhanist

[SkimaskMohawk]

Ok so my problem was not realizing it needed to be screwed instead of just twisted to a number lol. We'll call that being overly cautious with the new toy. It's actually going to come in handy since I can set it to do some quick and easy chevrons for an iron warriors commission and then tighten them up by hand after.

 

Now I have to learn about the different psi settings and thinner/flow improved to paints to really leverage the .15 needle. All of my previous airbrushing was with my eclipse's .35 and whatever default psi my smartjet runs on.

 

Also sadly no DVD :(

Edited June 25, 2020 by SkimaskMohawk

[Firedrake Cordova]

We'll call that being overly cautious with the new toy.

Well, it's better than the alternative of being ham-fisted and breaking it!

 

Also sadly no DVD 

That's disappointing, but I don't think you're missing much - from memory, it's mostly aimed at beginners, and I think is a rehash of the manual, with some bits on how to use stencils as well (they have some stencil videos on their site/YouTube channel).

 

 

Less useful for model painting if you have decent trigger control already

It can help if you have "brain-off" moments.  Sometimes, I'm not always thinking, and rather than recognise a slow-building clog, I'll think that I've released the trigger slightly, and pull back a bit more.  The end result is that eventually there's enough pressure that the clog shoots off, and the model gets flooded with paint.  Setting the paint limiter tends to make me realise that this has happened before it's a problem.  (or is it just me?  :lol:)

Edited June 26, 2020 by Firedrake Cordova

[SkimaskMohawk]

 

 

We'll call that being overly cautious with the new toy.

Well, it's better than the alternative of being ham-fisted and breaking it!

Also sadly no DVD

That's disappointing, but I don't think you're missing much - from memory, it's mostly aimed at beginners, and I think is a rehash of the manual, with some bits on how to use stencils as well (they have some stencil videos on their site/YouTube channel).

 

Less useful for model painting if you have decent trigger control already

It can help if you have "brain-off" moments. Sometimes, I'm not always thinking, and rather than recognise a slow-building clog, I'll think that I've released the trigger slightly, and pull back a bit more. The end result is that eventually there's enough pressure that the clog shoots off, and the model gets flooded with paint. Setting the paint limiter tends to make me realise that this has happened before it's a problem. (or is it just me? :lol:)

Oh man, the slow clog into the over spray. The amount of times that happened yesterday with my first attempt with averland sunset through the infinity.

[Arkhanist]

 

 

We'll call that being overly cautious with the new toy.

Well, it's better than the alternative of being ham-fisted and breaking it!

Also sadly no DVD

That's disappointing, but I don't think you're missing much - from memory, it's mostly aimed at beginners, and I think is a rehash of the manual, with some bits on how to use stencils as well (they have some stencil videos on their site/YouTube channel).

 

Less useful for model painting if you have decent trigger control already

It can help if you have "brain-off" moments. Sometimes, I'm not always thinking, and rather than recognise a slow-building clog, I'll think that I've released the trigger slightly, and pull back a bit more. The end result is that eventually there's enough pressure that the clog shoots off, and the model gets flooded with paint. Setting the paint limiter tends to make me realise that this has happened before it's a problem. (or is it just me? )

Oh man, the slow clog into the over spray. The amount of times that happened yesterday with my first attempt with averland sunset through the infinity.

 

 

Heh, I tend to have the other problem where I overthin it and get spiders!

 

Handy tip with the handle cutout is you can pull back on the needle grip to open up further than the trigger allows - handy for 'blast' clearing a small clog onto scrap paper or in your pot. I do tend to use the 0.4 needle most of the time though, I can still get a hair-thin line with it given the taper. The 0.15mm is great for fine work with the small cone, but it's more intended for inks than standard acrylics.

[Bung]

@Arkhanist

 

If you get spiders reduce pressure and increase disance between gun and model.

 

To be honest get the 0.2 combo instead of the 0.15 set. You wont Motive a difference in miniature painting but it shouldnt clog that much.