Whats goin on? Trying to move up in the world of painting surfboards… Will this work for someone who shapes about 7 boards a year?
http://www.harborfreight.com/1-5-hp-58-psi-compressor-and-airbrush-kit-95630.html
Any Input would be great
Thanks Sways Crew!
Hi Swanny,
I sell airbrushes so hopefully my advise can help.
First, what sort of painting do you want to do?
If you mainly want to do rail fades, broad graphics and larger painted features and whole board sprays you might be better off with a normal spray gun (typically .7 to 1.2mm tips, large compressor(2hp min)).
For smaller graphics but still being able to do rail fades etc a small gravity fed or smaller ‘touch up’ type spray gun. (.5-1.0mm tips, medium to large compressor)
For intricate graphics and detailed art work then an airbrush is what you need. (.15 to .6mm tips typically, small to medium compressor).
Basically you want a tip size that is suitable for the painting area to be covered.
As with all things, quality counts. The airbrush shown looks to be a cheap knock off of a Badger airbrush, I’ve found with the cheap knock offs that the needle/tip quality is poor (softer steel, bad wear characteristics, bending easily etc.).
Buy the best you can afford, any of the more popular brands are good value.
With compressors, again quality and size both count. The bigger the compressor, the less it has to work. What also happens is smaller compressors are always running and condensing water in the air which ends up straight in your air line rather than having a chance to settle in the tank like larger compressors. Piston size and compression etc make a difference here as well. Basically, bigger is better and you wont have as many water issues.
If you buy a bigger compressor you can also buy some air tools but be warned you need a decent, high volume compressor.
hth,
Mick.
Thanks for the Information… I’m just looking to do whole board sprays and rail fades… Nothing too crazy, but I am definately going to try and save up and get something with a little better quality.
Ok, sounds like you need a typical spray gun or HLVP (high volume/low pressure - gravity feed).
You can get away with a cheaper set up in that case, here in Australia you can pick up a 1hp compressor with air tool kit (with spray guns etc.) for around 100 bucks, pretty good value.
Good luck.
I tried their “high-end” one and it’s crap. The critical part with any airbrush is taking it apart and cleaning it, which you have to do each time you use it so they have to be a simple design and sturdy. Forget the airbrush compressor, they’re a waste of money. The tank (if any) is so small that it’s running all the time. Just get a normal compressor, even the cheap HF ones are OK. I prefer a Bager 350 single action brush due to the simplicity and because they last; I use a medium tip for everything and have done whole LB’s. I also use a Badger 155 double action for more complicated/detailed stuff. There are many other brands that are also very good, just get a braided hose and holder so it ain’t falling on the floor. I use acrylic craft paints in the small bottles, thin with Future floor polish, then strain before spraying. The guys that know airbrushes are the ones who build models planes and such. Check the web on this subject and you’ll see a lot about airbrushes and technique.
Howzit Swanny, Mick D has it down and knows airbrushes and the main thing is to get a big compressor. I have just about every spray rig avaiable and my air brush is an Iwata which is like a Chevy 2 when it comes to cleaning and maintainig it,very simple to work on. Cheap air brushes are just what was said and it is really easy to bend the tips and then you have to toss it an get a new one,my Iwata tips are very strong and never bent one yet. I had a friend wh had one of those compressors and it just didn't work well enough for the air brush to work and had to hook the airbrush up to my big compressor. Aloha,Kokua
I spray boards for a living. I average around 1000 boards painted a year. For what your wanting to do: whole board sprays and rail fades etc, I’ve been very happy using a bunch of these $30 guns from HF for the past couple of years.
I don’t bother with expensive guns anymore. It’s not like I’m spraying clear coats on cars or furniture.
I don’t have the time to waste taking apart, cleaning an re-assembling the things. At that price, when the guns get trashed, I toss them and replace them.
Save your money for a good sized compressor that can pump over 9 CFMs @ 90 PSI.
I'll second what both MickD and atomised say, with a couple of additions.
Those cheap airbrushes with the little glass bottles underneath are crap. The jammed-in metal connector will wear out and you will find the bottle falling off - either splatting your work or denting the foam!
I prefer gravity-feed sprayguns. They use every last skerrick of paint before needing topping up. This means less waste and less of the colour you want needs mixing because you don't have a puddle of it in the bottom of the jar that can't be sucked out.
They're also easier to clean.
I also don't bother with the absolute high-end guns anymore.
These are a great mid-priced gun. They were originally a rip-off of Iwata but have come into their own over the years. - http://www.airless.com.au/Star%20New%20Century%20General%20Spray%20Guns.htm
(The link is not American - google Star spray equipment to find a US supplier.)
Here's my current set-up, when it was all spanking new - Trust mne it's not that clean anymore!
JD
Thanks guys!! I really appreciate the information you guys have put forward here. With this info im thinking that I will save up and buy a good size compressor and a gravity feed spray gun.
One last question, I noticed that PeteC said he thins the acrylic paint with future floor polish. Will this work on EPS blanks? And how much should I mix in? Just enough to thin it down, so it has a cleaner spray out of the gun?
Again, thanks a lot! Now just to find somewhere to make a sweet setup like speedneedle has…
Lot of great information here. That's what keeps me coming back.
Sounds like a good set up, he’s right about the gravity feed too, no spluttering just before you run out and making your fades patchy, it just runs out 
Your best bet for eps are waterbased paints like E’tac, Auto-Air, Golden or similar.
You can try a test piece of eps though and see if it doesn’t melt it, give it a good thick coat so it will soak for a while giving it a chance to do its damage if it’s going to :). Then you need to make sure your clear coat will handle it too.
Howzit speedneedle,Fiberglass Hawaii sells the smaller one for about $35 and the bigger one for $75 and those are the asian knock offs but they work as good as the expensive ones that run close to $200. Aloha,Kokua
Back in the good old hippy airbrush days I bought a Paasche VL 3 and still have that original brush. It Still works. I use that old guy with a #5 needle and tip for larger areas and have a newer VL 1 for more detailed work. Just added to my collection a larger gravity feed touch up gun from HF now I need a bigger compressor and moisture trap set up. Now I have to get back to work on my time and space paint job.
Yes, it works with epoxy, but I recommend that you overcoat your paint job clear and then scuff it up with a green scotchbrite pad. Future floor polish is 100% clear acrylic, no wax or anything like that. It’s available at Walmart and Target, but they changed the label and name. It’s now called “Pledge Premium Floor Finish with Future”. To get good color, only thin enough to atomize out of the gun or airbrush (usually about 30%). You can also use it straight as a clearcoat over the painted foam. Like any acrylic, let it dry for at least 24 hrs at 75F, more if colder or damper before any glassing. I’ve used Future with all types of liquid acrylic craft paints, and I personally don’t like to use the tube stuff. If you’re going to mix up a big batch of paint, use about 10% purified water and a drop of dishwashing soap to cut the surface tension and allow better mixing. The water slows the drying for big jobs if using an open cup on the sprayer. Always mix thoroughly in a separate container and strain before pouring into the brush/gun. For mixing, I use a battery powered single drink mixer (99 cent store). Cleaning guns and airburshes would be need another thread.
Speedneedle, that’s a great painting station. Nobody realizes the need for holders until you trip on the hose and the sprayer goes bouncing on the floor. I did the same arrangement on a small kitchen cart so it’s mobile with all the paint and stuff on the bottom shelves.
Old thread, good info…
Have an airbrushing question of my own. I’m using poster paint (water based) and have been for quite a while. I always thin with distilled water. Ny question is: Is there some magic ratio of water to poster paint that I should adhere to?
I know that I have gone too thick and clogged the airbrush. And I know I’ve gone to thin and caused water beads. I’m a spaz with this stuff and was hoping to get beat up at Abs by having a flourecent board, bright red wetsuit and a nice thick leash… and wanted to look good doing so.
Don’t forget the helmet. Without the helmet, your outfit is incomplete.
Poster Paint or cheap hobby store Tempra, is not the best to use for airbrushing your board. Colors will fade very fast as they have little in the way of UV Protection as to thinning, mix a little water at a time You could get a viscus cup and find a table for the proper viscosity for your gun or simply do it by eye. try 70% paint to 30% water to start make sure to strain the mixure to remove any big blubs of paint.
Gath or full face motorcycle with mirrored visor ?
Thanks artz! I’ll give a scientific method a crack where I actually keep track of stuff.
I don’t thin with water, use future floor finish instead. I’ve been using the acrylic floor finish from smart-final lately, works just as well and alot cheaper. The acrylic holds the paint better so you don’t need as many coats and also dries faster than water. You can also use it straight as a clear spray over a previous color coat so the tape won’t lift paint if you’re masking over it. If you must use water, add a drop of liquid dish soap (to break the surface tension) and the paint will go thru the airbrush heavier. Tempra and the other powdered paints will fade as previously said, but I’ve even used latex cut with acrylic floor finish with success (tip from McDing). Always strain the thinned paint regardless of the type. The trick to any airbrushed blank is to make sure it’s absolutely dry before you glass it. Use the same hotbox for curing epoxy and about the same timing.
