Devil Made Me Do It

S

splatterking

Guest
So, I am a noob at this airbrushing thing. I have done a bit before, but never with decent stuff and always with terrible results. (Thus the handle)

The other day I got myself an HP-CS and I have played a bit and I like it a lot.

Today, I was in an artists supply store and low and behold, there was an HP-AH on clear-out as they aren't going to keep the higher end brushes in stock any more. They will be carrying the CS and the equivalent siphon model.

So ... I need to know if there are any hints, tips, special diet, or just anything I should really know about this AH. It has a MAC valve which I assume can set a limit on the air going through the gun, and it has another twiddly thing (I know ... technical terms) on the handle end that I assume can limit the paint going through the gun. With the .2 needle I suppose that this gun should be good for gnats eyelashes and the like. I have a Bearded Dragon that I have many close up pics of that one day I would like to be able to paint.

Now, just sayin, both these guns are way over my current pay grade, but I look at them as investments as well as in reality, I should not have to upgrade for a long time.

Have I done a dumb thing with this one?

Tom
 
It's a great brush... the only "problem" would be if the needle diameter is the same as your other brush... not really a problem as such. The mac valve is handy but with mixed reception. I wanted the mac valve at first but couldn't afford the brush so went with a gmax valve on the quick connect, mush happier with that arrangement looking at other comments. They are a great brush, what you are experiencing is AAD or Airbrush Acquisition Disorder... no known cure... So the devil didn't in fact make you do it, rather this particular decision was pre determined by a complex set of equations in your head that we in this group not only understand but embrace with passion... welcome home... :)
 
So, I am a noob at this airbrushing thing. I have done a bit before, but never with decent stuff and always with terrible results. (Thus the handle)

The other day I got myself an HP-CS and I have played a bit and I like it a lot.

Today, I was in an artists supply store and low and behold, there was an HP-AH on clear-out as they aren't going to keep the higher end brushes in stock any more. They will be carrying the CS and the equivalent siphon model.

So ... I need to know if there are any hints, tips, special diet, or just anything I should really know about this AH. It has a MAC valve which I assume can set a limit on the air going through the gun, and it has another twiddly thing (I know ... technical terms) on the handle end that I assume can limit the paint going through the gun. With the .2 needle I suppose that this gun should be good for gnats eyelashes and the like. I have a Bearded Dragon that I have many close up pics of that one day I would like to be able to paint.

Now, just sayin, both these guns are way over my current pay grade, but I look at them as investments as well as in reality, I should not have to upgrade for a long time.

Have I done a dumb thing with this one?

Tom

What you have is the HP-BA+ the plus refers to the addition of the open handle with "needle distance limiter" or twiddly thing as you so eloquently put it, lol, I have the HP-BH+ which is exactly the same brush but with a cup, other than then the cup everything else is the same, you definitely haven't made a boo boo and once you get to grips with airbrush control this will be a handy tool for the smaller items such as eyes and eyelashes although if you want to do gnat's eye lashes you may want to blow up the image first, lol.

So you made great purchase and if was in a clearance sale, even better, got take these opportunities whenever they crop up:thumbsup: you don't have to say but I'm curious as to what you paid for it;)

As mentioned, the built in MAC which stand for Micro Air Control, can be a bugger if you are not careful, depending on how yo hold your brush it is very easy to nudge it open by accident giving you an unwanted blast when you least need it, I now keep mine fully open and use the external version instead, at least if I do nudge it, I'll nudge it closed which is better than open, don't get too used to the needle restricter, it will make you lazy to learn ultimate control, you want to get used controlling paint with your trigger finger since this will change constantly depending on how far from or close to the paper you work.


If you had waited deliberately until the sale was over and then paid the full retail price, the it's DUMB lol
 
Let the madness begin!!
I think it's to late ! I think it's already begun lollol

I have a HP-A+ and it very handy when you only need a couple of drops of paint (gnats eyelashes for example) the bonus is that there is no cup/side up/siphon bottle to get in the way.
I did notice at my regular supplier that the "A" version is no longer stocked, maybe I'll clean mine out, polish it up and store it away... It may be worth some cash in the future.
I agree with @markjthomson, I wouldn't buy a Mac valve brush, I've got the GREX Mac/quick connect on my airline so now I've got Mac capability on any brush I use :)AAD SNEAKS UP ON YOU, You have been warned
 
Thanks for all the comments and explanations.

Madbrush, I paid $170.00 Canadian dollars for it, which seems to be 50 or 60 off of the normal Canadian retail price. It still wasn't cheap, but with some practice, it should do what I want.

I had a tiny play last night to make sure it worked ... and it does. I was in a hurry so my paint wasn't mixed just right, but I was able to get some pretty fine lines without the spiders and spatter I usually get.

Like Madbrush said, I don't want to get too used to the needle restricter, but it is nice to know it is there if I need it.

I tried the MAC valve a bit and it is easier to turn than I thought it might be. The jury is out on that part at the moment.

All in all, I think it will work for me once I learn how to properly use it.

Thanks Again for the help and hopefully I can post a pic or two of my progress. If I run into any serious snags, I know where to look for help.

Cheers

Tom
 
I think you have been wise young padawan. You felt the force. So it's not the devil, it's mid-chlorians. Sorry - my geek just escaped.

I always recommend the HP-CS, it's such an awesome all rounder, great to learn on, and will evolve along with you. The other brush is a more dedicated detail brush (I think), so will give you the option to refine those fine skills. The hp-cs can do them too with practice, with the bonus of being ideal for slightly larger areas too. With this combo you should be covered. Although seeing as the AAD seems to have taken hold already, you may add to the collection anyway lol!
 
We all know what's coming next....which Micron should I buylollol.God I love the airbrush addiction...
 
Err ... would you be referring to the CM-SB that I had dreams about about last night ... Nope, don't need one, can't have one ... what would I do with one? Knats whiskers and all that. Hmmmm

Can it be THAT much different from what I have now?
 
OK ... So, I have had the two new Iwata guns for a couple of weeks now. I have played with them some and at first I was less than thrilled. OOOOOOPS ... what have I done and all that.

Then, I got some proper paint. Golden Liquid acrylics and their HiFlow, as well as a few of the FW inks. Then I played again.

It turns out that the Paasche Millenium that I was replacing is every bit as good as the two Iwata's. I can lay down the same fine line with all three, just the air pressure has to change for the Paasche as it is a siphon feed. It is still a pain in the butt to clean, but it is now very much a keeper.

As for the two Iwatas, they do live up to their reputation, and I have no complaints that I have them, but for somebody starting out, they are likely massive overkill.

What I have found for sure is that there is no substitute for proper ab paint. Yes, you can get the other stuff to work ... I did it. But...it is way easier and much more rewarding to use the better stuff. It will allow someone to spend less money on ab's (I know ... they ARE addictive for anyone that loves the feel of quality) and more time using what you have.

Tom
 
It comes more down to practice. With he AH+ you might match this but not with the Eclipse and definately not the Millenium.

IMG_5890.JPG
 
OK ... So, I have had the two new Iwata guns for a couple of weeks now. I have played with them some and at first I was less than thrilled. OOOOOOPS ... what have I done and all that.

Then, I got some proper paint. Golden Liquid acrylics and their HiFlow, as well as a few of the FW inks. Then I played again.

It turns out that the Paasche Millenium that I was replacing is every bit as good as the two Iwata's. I can lay down the same fine line with all three, just the air pressure has to change for the Paasche as it is a siphon feed. It is still a pain in the butt to clean, but it is now very much a keeper.

As for the two Iwatas, they do live up to their reputation, and I have no complaints that I have them, but for somebody starting out, they are likely massive overkill.

What I have found for sure is that there is no substitute for proper ab paint. Yes, you can get the other stuff to work ... I did it. But...it is way easier and much more rewarding to use the better stuff. It will allow someone to spend less money on ab's (I know ... they ARE addictive for anyone that loves the feel of quality) and more time using what you have.

Tom

They are definitely not massive overkill, they are just things you will appreciate better later when you too get better;)
 
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