my k33 needle does not work well with an Olympos .18 nozzle. The angle of taper is completely different, and the needle barely protrudes from an Olympos nozzle... I did not see any benefit in performance when I tried it in any of my Olympos brushes.
I already have an Olympos HP200, which uses the same needle, nozzle, chucking guide, chuck, chuck nut, auxiliary level , needle spring, and spring retainer as a Micron. The brush is quite nice, and sprays some very fine detail. Having said that - is is not a Micron, and because of the differences in air flow within the head itself, I would find it hard to call it one.
Well, the idea would be to use an Iwata CM nozzle in conjunction with the K-33 needle, rather than the Olympos nozzle. No idea how well that would work, though.
Good to know the internals and needle shaft diameter are cross-compatible though. Do the Iwata side cups also fit the Olympos SB?
Not sure how you figured roughly $150, just the brush, needle and nozzle cost over $175 plus the cost when it hits customs. Or just get a mp200-c for $200 and have an actual micron.
I'm not that interested in an MP-200C, as it's a top-feed. IF Olympos had a side feed in that line, you're right: that would be the way to go. The point of this exercise is to see if a CM-SB can be roughly approached for less. It's okay if the concept is inherently limited by the head airflow dynamics. Doesn't actually have to fully match a CM-SB's performance, just has to have a comparatively favorable performance/cost ratio. If one can get 3/4 to a CM-SB for half the cost, or even just beat an HP-SB, that's a win. Note that whenever I mention the"HP-SB", I am
not referring to the HP-SBS.
If what I was after was ANY Micron at the lowest possible cost, I'd do a DaveG-style conversion on a $20 Chinese knockoff with an Olympus MP-200 head assembly and needle (cheaper than the Iwata equivalents). I specifically want the shorter front that comes with a side feed (the knock-offs come in SF, but they have long fronts 'cause they use the same body template as the top feed versions).
Also being able to upgrade an already good brush into a near-Micron by buying parts would allow one to distribute the total cost over time. I can't do that with a CM-SB.
HP-100SB: 10800Y
HP-100 .18 needle: 2376Y
HP-100 .18 nozzle: 3500Y
MP-62 nozzle cap: 2376Y
If DaveG is correct, and the needle shaft diameter is the same as the Micron, then nothing aft of the nozzle would need to be changed. I did not include the cost of an air cap, as I always take those off when airbrushing anyway. I only use them to protect the needle tip when the brush is not in use, so if the original HP-200 cap doesn't fit on the new nozzle cap, a nub of vinyl tubing will work just as well.
Minimum total: 19052Y, or $173.55
So I did goof on my original estimate. Still comes out to around 1/3 the price of a CM-SB, and around $75 less than an HB-SB. Again: this doesn't have to completely match a Micron in performance. It just has to get "close enough" (in a side-feed) at a lower price point.
If going for the K-33: ~$285 minimum (K-33 needle + Iwata CM-SB nozzle in place of the Olympus parts above, unsure about best nozzle cap). At that price point, I'd concede a stock MP-200C is the better buy, even though I really prefer a side feed.
The big uncertianty is exactly how close or far this would be to an actual Micron. People warn that it's not a Micron because the head internal airflow is different, and I believe you, but I'm not clear on how big the difference is. If this only gets a slightly better HP-SB equivalent, then I'd just stick with my SOTAR-SF. If it's actually significantly closer to a Micron than an HP-SB (if not quite exactly there), then it's maybe worth trying.
... But also the linchpin that would make this entirely moot would be if the MP-200C has a front (trigger to tip measurement) comparable to the HP-100SB. If those are the same or within just a couple mm, then the entire of the above has no purpose (for me) regardless of how it sprays. The MP-200C would be better in every other way, so if that way is equal, there goes the premise.