I have recently bought an AIRBRUSH kit para sa pag customize ng Gundam. Siyempre adik eh. Just want to share with you guys, lalo na sa mga interested bumili kung ano ang mga dapat tandaan sa pagbili ng airbrush especially dito sa Philippines.

Before we start I just want to show to you guys the kit I bought from Lil’s Hobby Shop at SM Megamall. It cost me almost 6,000 pesos. Bago mo sabihin “ang mahal naman!”, “yaman!” or “wow”, try to listen first.

Almost one week din akong nagbabasa sa internet at kung anu-anong forum na rin binasa ko. Then finally nakapag-decide na ako based on the following factors:

1. Brand
2. Availability of parts
3. Experience Level
4. Difficulty of setting up
5. Maintenance
6. of course, PRICE

Brand
2 brands lang popular sa Philippines when it comes to airbrush kits for Gundam. BADGER at TAMIYA. Badger is an international seller of high quality airbrush kits. And Tamiya is one of the leading model kit companies in Japan pero more on cars and theme nila (syempre alam mo na si tamiya hehe).

Badger website: http://www.badgerairbrush.com/
Tamiya link on airbrush: http://www.tamiya.com/english/products/list/airbrush/kit74501.htm

 

Availability of parts

Badger – according sa Badger website “M.Enriquez Art Supplies, Inc.” here is their contact number 7115161,7115160. I think it is around Quiapo or Recto.

Tamiya – Lil’s Hobby Shop ang major distributor ng Tamiya airbrush kit and parts. Meron sa Megamal, Trinoma, at Makati. check this link for more info: http://www.ipmsmanila.com/Hobbyshops.htm

 

Experience Level + Difficulty of setting up + Maintenance

Lahat ng nakausap ko about starting with airbrush magsimula lang daw muna ako sa BASIC. Because it takes time daw para gumaling ka sa paggamit nito. Although I use spray paints like Bosny, naniniwala ako na mahirap talaga mag airbrush. I watched several videos about cleaning your airbrush kit. Ang pinakamadali i-maintain ay ung tinatawag na SINGLE ACTION airbrush kits gaya ng nabili ko.

Also sa pag setup nito, marami ka kailangan i-consider. And one of them is ung COMPRESSOR. Ito ung buhay ng airbrush, bukod sa pintura. Marami ka iisipin like water trap (para walang mag condense na tubig sa hangin galing sa tanke), valves, adapters at kung anu-anong bagay na mahihilo pati estudyante.

Basic na guide about sa klase ng airbrush

AIRBRUSH 101 GUIDE

INTERNAL MIX indicates that air and paint mix inside the airbrush, producing a thoroughly atomized “fine dot” spray pattern.

EXTERNAL MIX indicates that air and paint mix outside the airbrush producing a larger, coarser spray pattern than internal mix airbrushes.

DUAL ACTION refers to airbrushes on which the trigger controls both air and color (down for air, back for color). This style airbrush allows for varying line widths while spraying.

SINGLE ACTION refers to airbrushes on which the trigger controls only the air flow. The amount of fluid is regulated by turning the needle adjustment screw. When the trigger is depressed, a pre-set amount of fluid is sprayed.

GRAVITY FEED refers to airbrushes with top-mounted color cups in which gravity draws paint into the airbrush. Less air pressure (as low as 8-16 PSI) is required to operate this type of airbrush.

BOTTOM FEED refers to airbrushes on which paint enters through a siphon tube or color cup attached to the bottom of the airbrush. This type of airbrush requires at least 20-30 PSI to operate properly.

SIDE FEED refers to airbrushes on which a small color cup fits into the side of the airbrush. This type of airbrush requires at least 20 PSI to operate.

Airbrushes are available in varying needle/nozzle configurations accommodating a range of sprayable materials.

Fine: Best suited to spray thinner materials such as water colors, inks, dyes, food coloring and gouache.
Medium: The most popular choice; will spray airbrush ready paints, such as Badger’s Air-Opaque, Air-Tex, Modelflex, Freakflex, Nail Flair, Spectra-Tex, and other properly reduced acrylics.
Heavy: Ideal for heavily pigmented and/or higher viscosity materials such as enamels, lacquers, reduced glazes, gesso, and varnish.

Courtesy of www.badgerairbrush.com

 

Para mas maintindihan ninyo watch the videos about types of paint, airbrush samples at maintenance, meron sa forum section or click here.