My new Olympos MP200-C

I have to say that I'm starting to love my Olympos MP200-C.

I don't even mind the large cup although I'm having to change the position of my finger on the trigger slightly because the cup is a tiny bit too close for comfort in my normal stance.

It really is amazing the fine detail it can do and the only problem I have is with the paint and getting the right reduction to lessen the tip dry, but I will get there.

The other problem is my unsteady hands but that will also improve with practise. I've been able to paint 4 days in a row and I can tell the difference already.

It is so easy to clean compared to my Iwata side feeds. All I have to do after flushing cleaning fluid through it and cleaning the cup, is take off the back and chuck nut, pull the needle back slightly, unscrew the complete head, take off the crown cap and push the needle out the front of the airbrush. Using my artists paint brush dipped in cleaning fluid I clean out the cup and front of the airbrush, brush the crown cap, use a few bristles to push into the Head to clean it through to the nozzle, dip a cloth in cleaning fluid to wipe the needle, reassemble and I'm done!!

Changing colour is also easy, I put paint and reducer in the cup and back flush to mix. I do tend to waste a bit more paint as I have to throw it away, unlike the side feed where I can take the cup off with paint still in it but it's not a big deal.

All in all I'm very happy with it. I'm pretty sure the needle tip was bent when I got it which is why I was initially disappointed but with the new straight needle it works great.
Cheers Mel
 
Youre welcome! Nice to help another Olympos fan. And good to hear that you are coming to grips with your new airbrush. They sure are wonderful airbrushes. I have several, and if it wasn't that I'm going back to school, I wouldn't sell any of the ones I have.
 
Youre welcome! Nice to help another Olympos fan. And good to hear that you are coming to grips with your new airbrush. They sure are wonderful airbrushes. I have several, and if it wasn't that I'm going back to school, I wouldn't sell any of the ones I have.

I can imagine you don't really want to sell them. To be honest my heart was in my mouth when I ordered this Olympos Micron from the Japanese website where I couldn't even read anything except for the head lines and for so much money but it turned out very well indeed. I'm very glad I ordered 2 spare needles as I needed one straight away :) but I got a spare Head Unit which I wasn't expecting so that's a fair trade in my book.

I was wondering what needles you use as replacements? Do you get Olympos needles or do you use Iwata's? Which Iwata Micron 0.23 needle would fit the Olympos MP200-C, the CM-C or CM-C+ 0.23mm or are they the same?

Nice one about going back to school, I'd love to do that. I hope you are going to study something you will enjoy.
Cheers Mel
 
I havn't had to replace any needle of my Olympos Microns. :)
But when the time comes, and if I'm out of Olympos replacement needles (I have one extra for each of my microns), Iwata will have to do.
For replacing the needle of your 200C, there are a couple of alternatives. The CM-C will be the easiest. The CM-C+-needle is a bit longer, but it might work as is, or you'll have to shorten it. The needle for the Olympos SP-C will also work. And I'm pretty sure there are a couple of other Japanese brands and models that would work. I have had a couple of Gunze Mr Procon Boy and Tamiya airbrushes, and some of them use the same diameter and taper needles as the Microns.
A bit of topic, but those airbrushes are manufactured by Japanese brand BB Rich, and are of excellent quality. A bit sad that is so hard to get spares outside of Japan, though.

Returning to the University at my age (44) feels a bit awkward. But after being an unemployed IT-tech (server and data base admin) for more than two years, it feels like my last chance at getting back on the work market. And at least I'm going to study subjects I really enjoy, history, and possibly a bit of political science, so I believe I will be better off than attending the stupefying and completely worthless employment coaching program's they make unemployed attend here....
 
I havn't had to replace any needle of my Olympos Microns. :)
But when the time comes, and if I'm out of Olympos replacement needles (I have one extra for each of my microns), Iwata will have to do.
For replacing the needle of your 200C, there are a couple of alternatives. The CM-C will be the easiest. The CM-C+-needle is a bit longer, but it might work as is, or you'll have to shorten it. The needle for the Olympos SP-C will also work. And I'm pretty sure there are a couple of other Japanese brands and models that would work. I have had a couple of Gunze Mr Procon Boy and Tamiya airbrushes, and some of them use the same diameter and taper needles as the Microns.
A bit of topic, but those airbrushes are manufactured by Japanese brand BB Rich, and are of excellent quality. A bit sad that is so hard to get spares outside of Japan, though.

Returning to the University at my age (44) feels a bit awkward. But after being an unemployed IT-tech (server and data base admin) for more than two years, it feels like my last chance at getting back on the work market. And at least I'm going to study subjects I really enjoy, history, and possibly a bit of political science, so I believe I will be better off than attending the stupefying and completely worthless employment coaching program's they make unemployed attend here....

Just go and have fun, I'm sure there will be other mature students to hang out with and if you love history then it should be really interesting. Like you said it's gotta be better than the employment coaching!! Been there!! Ugh!!!
Thanks for the info, sounds like the CM-C is my best bet for future replacement needles. I don't like using the crown cap on this airbrush so I have a feeling I'm going to need them :)
cheers Mel
 
I haven't had to replace the needle in my MP200-C yet, either, but I would imagine a CM-C needle would be you second best bet I you can't get an Olympos needle. In my HP-100B I've used Iwata CM-B needles, HP-B needles, and Grex XN needles. The only real noticeable difference is in the durability. The Grex needles are made of a noticeably softer metal, which means they polish up really nice, and they're easy to fix if they get bent. But, they don't hold the polishing for very long, and tend to wear out. The Iwata needles are better, and the Olympos needles seem to be made of recycled Samuri swords or something. lol.
 
I haven't had to replace the needle in my MP200-C yet, either, but I would imagine a CM-C needle would be you second best bet I you can't get an Olympos needle. In my HP-100B I've used Iwata CM-B needles, HP-B needles, and Grex XN needles. The only real noticeable difference is in the durability. The Grex needles are made of a noticeably softer metal, which means they polish up really nice, and they're easy to fix if they get bent. But, they don't hold the polishing for very long, and tend to wear out. The Iwata needles are better, and the Olympos needles seem to be made of recycled Samuri swords or something. lol.

Ha Ha recycled Samurai swords, nice one :)

denstore and HCP,
I have been wondering about the needles I got because the one that came in the Airbrush (which was bent) is different to the 2 spare needles I ordered that came in a nice plastic case with the Olympos company name moulded into the plastic. However it would be easy to put other needles into the Olympos case as it wasn't sealed.

Needle in Airbrush: is shorter, has no markings on it and the metal has a mottled look to it under the microscope.

Spare needles: are about 1mm longer so have a longer taper, have 2 stripes at back end of the needle and has a smoother look to the metal.

The colour of both types looks about the same.

What do your Olympos MP200-C needles look like compared to my descriptions?
cheers Mel
 
Havn't studied them that close, but they have an almost blued, or hardened look to them. Don't think mine have any markings on them. They have a slight difference in lenght though.
 
I'll check mine when I go up to the shop this afternoon. But, as far as I remember, there are no markings on the needle. It's possible that the seller gave you some other needles, but it's also possible that the spare needles are either older or newer than the airbrush, and that Olympos altered them slightly at some point. That is one of the difficulties of having to deal with a foreign supplier. I've contacted them a few times, and someone there does know English, although not exactly what I would call fluently. Reading their responses takes a bit of creativity, to say the least. lol. But, I would contact them directly and check it out. Maybe also contact one of the European distributors, too, and see what they say (trust, but verify). That seller has had a good reputation, as far as I'm aware. But, so did Bearair at one point...
 
Havn't studied them that close, but they have an almost blued, or hardened look to them. Don't think mine have any markings on them. They have a slight difference in lenght though.

Thanks denstore. The marks are two thin black lines that go round the needle at the back end. My Iwata HP-SB+ and HP-SBS needles have the same thin black line but it's a single line. Just made me wonder if the spares I bought from Japan are actually Iwata CM-C needles and not Olympos, presuming that the needle that came in the Olympos airbrush is an Olympos needle.

I'll check mine when I go up to the shop this afternoon. But, as far as I remember, there are no markings on the needle. It's possible that the seller gave you some other needles, but it's also possible that the spare needles are either older or newer than the airbrush, and that Olympos altered them slightly at some point. That is one of the difficulties of having to deal with a foreign supplier. I've contacted them a few times, and someone there does know English, although not exactly what I would call fluently. Reading their responses takes a bit of creativity, to say the least. lol. But, I would contact them directly and check it out. Maybe also contact one of the European distributors, too, and see what they say (trust, but verify). That seller has had a good reputation, as far as I'm aware. But, so did Bearair at one point...

Hi HCP did you get chance to look at your Olympos MP200-C needle/s yet?
It's a good suggestion to ask another seller what they think, there is an Olympos MP seller "Art by Vision" in the UK so I'm gonna email them and ask about their needles. I can also email Toshiya in Japan and see what he says.
I just don't want to end up re-ordering more Olympos needles from Japan if they are actually Iwata needles that I can order in Holland.
cheers Mel
 
When I have some spare time this week I will take an look if the iwata parts fits the Olympos MP200-C, I have an Olympos MP200-C and of course a lot of Iwata parts.
 
When I have some spare time this week I will take an look if the iwata parts fits the Olympos MP200-C, I have an Olympos MP200-C and of course a lot of Iwata parts.

Hey, Hi Lion, that would be great thanks. From what I gather the CM-C 0.23mm needle is the best fit.

Do you know which needles have 2 thin black lines at the end?

Cheers Mel
 
Finally got a chance to take a look at mine. No markings at all, but, as denstore noted, it has a bit of a blued/hardened look to it. I've seen Badger and H&S needles with the "ring" markings to denote what size the needle is, but haven't seen the markings on my Olympos's at all. But, all of my Olympos's are what you'd probably call "vintage", so it could be a marking they started putting on their needles at a later date. I am curious to find out what the story is, though. Hopefully everything turns out legit
 
It could be a shop marking. Something they do themselves. I've been thinking about marking up my own needles, much because they are a bit hard keep apart.
 
Finally got a chance to take a look at mine. No markings at all, but, as denstore noted, it has a bit of a blued/hardened look to it. I've seen Badger and H&S needles with the "ring" markings to denote what size the needle is, but haven't seen the markings on my Olympos's at all. But, all of my Olympos's are what you'd probably call "vintage", so it could be a marking they started putting on their needles at a later date. I am curious to find out what the story is, though. Hopefully everything turns out legit

It could be a shop marking. Something they do themselves. I've been thinking about marking up my own needles, much because they are a bit hard keep apart.

True denstore but the spare needles were also longer and had a longer taper than the unmarked one in the airbrush so the markings are not the only difference.

Thanks guys, I'll try and find out what I can and I'll let you know if something turns up. At the moment this just remains a mystery.
Cheers Mel
 
Frank Artale seems to be the top US sales rep for Olympos mp 200c in particular. After purchasing two I made a number of inquiries on the Japanese Olympos website because I had issues understanding their site and received a reply from Olympos to send request/questions to Frank . If I'm not mistaken, Frank also has or can get replacement needles and parts
 
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