NEVA NUFF "IWATA'S!!!

[Shultzie]

While surfin' for airbrush parts... www.iwata-medea.com/index.html is alway a great place to go that unfortunatly I no longer have my Boeing overhead budget ta' buy these great little toys...and although they are some really nice inexpensive and very adaquate kitty-copy airbrushes such as VEGA.
Still nothing feeeeeeeeeeeeeels quite as nice and seems to follow your 'MINDS EYE-BALLS as friendly as IWATA...the real thang'.

I found some interesting products on the Iwata link:  check out their list of creative paint & building goodies...especially their moldable plastic-like sheets that I used to mold small parts for display models. However it would appear that the material that we used....doesn't seem to be the same or  is even listed.
www.alsacorp.com

[Mark Scarborough]

Shultzie,,
as for airbrushes, I really really like my Thayer Chandler Vega 2000, I got it in Scottsdale when I went to an airbrush screenprinting seminar back in somthing like 93? sheesh time flies. It was one of the preproduction models. The needle and tips are as I recall interchangable with a Paashe which was the standard at that time for textile airbrush artists,, as in tshirt blasters. We got a chance to buy one at a price, seems it was around 100 bucks or so. Still have it, still use it, still love it. Of course never have played with an Iwata though I have used a lot of their full size guns and like them. Keeping in mind my Airbrush sees mostly drop shadows, feathering, shading and the like on graphics not illustration work. My only complaint, I want a cup with a lid, seems I always manage to get a drip out the top of the cup at some point! if that wont ruin your day!Sure wish I could pick your brain about techniques and such with the magic air powered pencil,, lol
now you have me lusting a better airbrush again, sheesh thanks

[Randy Powell]

Yea, I use a midline Paasche. A V model. Not in the Iwata class. But then, I don't have the talent for airbrush illustration. I use it much like Mark does.

[Shultzie]

Actually the Vega you have and the one shown...are virtually the same...plus the extra larger cup sizes allow for more volumn of fluids.
 That said....however having the attached cup on the top of the cup will give a tad more consistant,continuous & instant paint flow. Unless one is very very careful to make certain that teenie little hole in the cap of the cup remains open. Even the slightest amount of paint (unless it is very very thin...will easily plug that breather hole.
 This of course will cause an inconsistant amount of paint fluid passing through the gun and out the tip, however for most trim paint and touch up...this isn't usually a noticable problem.

Once you start working with an airbrush for very small details etc...it will be hard to even imagine why you'd ever use another  airbrush that must use those troublesome paint-time waisting  pushie'  in (fall out bottom cups)
BUT AGAIN...
It is soooooooooo nice to have all types available....when possible, huh?

[Howard Rush]

The Iwata importer is our pal and F2A flyer Will Naemura of Portland.

[Steve Fitton]

I'm embarrassed to admit I own no Iwata brush, just a lowly Aztec double action brush.  I'm not worthy.

[Mark Scarborough]

Shultzie those nasty drop off push in , fall of at the worst times cups are the dread of me everytime I use my brush,, but, well I wanna Iwata, but not in the budget yet, however my Sata minijet, now that was a must have,,, hen the time comes I will have to do some research on which one to buy, but I know I want a toploader with a cap! to be sure!!!!!
One of the  really cool things about the Vega is thecutouts on the handle, when spraying textile acrylics, you get a lot of tip clogs, high pressure, heavy viscosity material. and the cutouts let you clear the needle and tip without taking the thing apart, really really nice

[Shultzie]

Shultzie those nasty drop off push in , fall of at the worst times cups are the dread of me everytime I use my brush,, but, well I wanna Iwata, but not in the budget yet, however my Sata minijet, now that was a must have,,, hen the time comes I will have to do some research on which one to buy, but I know I want a toploader with a cap! to be sure!!!!!
One of the  really cool things about the Vega is thecutouts on the handle, when spraying textile acrylics, you get a lot of tip clogs, high pressure, heavy viscosity material. and the cutouts let you clear the needle and tip without taking the thing apart, really really nice

Yes! that cut out on the Vegas are a good feature...however often I leave the purty little chrome cover off my two Iwata's for that same reason on laq. based paints...however when spraying the usual water based acrylics, thankfully, this clogging doesn't happen too often.

Bye the way.... both the Aztex and especially the Vega's are priced right and spray right.
When doing illustrations...
If one can afford it...its great to have a bunch of airbrushes all hooked up on line with various colors.
I have one Vega that I use only white or light opaque colors.and the others are mostly used for transparent colors. 
Less time spent cleaning and needless taking apart of those tiny AT RISK OF DAMAGE airbrush parts.
99% of all damage occurs during the cleaning operations...
WHY DO I LOVE IWATA'S....check out my attachment photo...

HEY! IF THEY ARE GOOD ENOUGH OF OLD "HEF!" WELL BYE "CRACKY!" they are good enough for me...

[Shultzie]

I'm embarrassed to admit I own no Iwata brush, just a lowly Aztec double action brush.  I'm not worthy.

Steve...
If I am not mistaken...  www.michael-leonhard.com/index.html used a gaggle of Aztec, Vega and other cheapie airbrushes to do his art. HE TOO HATED CHANGING CUPS AND CONSTANT CLEANING WHILE WORKING.
bottom line...(speaking of bottoms....check out the latest issue of AIRBRUSH ACTION'S COVER SHOT!...PLUS AN ARTICLE OF DRU BLAIRS AMAZING WORK!) A GOTTA HAVE ISSUE.

[Shultzie]

The Iwata importer is our pal and F2A flyer Will Naemura of Portland.

WOW!....WHAT A POWER TRIP IT MUST BE...TO HAVE SUCH A BEAUTIFUL PRODUCT TO SELL!
Howard...any chance for suckin-up to Naemura-man for freebeeeeee samples? 
speaking of powaaaaaa'

[Mark Scarborough]

Shultzie, your bein greedy now, I would be happy with a discount,,

lol
pretty much the closest I got to illustration was doing my exwives portrait on a tshirt,, was pretty cool sadly she ended up with that shirt and several others I did, I wonder if I have pictures still? I kind of liked having the time to clean the gun , it gave me time to plan the next move, ,of course except when I needed just a touch of one color to clean up an edge of soemthing,

[Shultzie]

In the good ol' daze...
a Boeing B-17 being sprayed with beautiful metal-etch greeeeen primer.
I wonder if he had "COLOR-CO ORDINATED LUNGS-LIVER-SPLEEN-KIDNEYS-N BLADDER GREEN?
Check out his lack lusta' paint mask and purty paint co-ordinated protective clothing...that he no doubt took home to anoint his wife kids and house with the same GRABBA-GREEN.

LOOK AT THAT PAINT GUN...HUMMMM? For the early 40's until only a few years ago....we were still painting all our models at Boeing with similar equipment...

HEY! As everyone can plainly see from reading all my posts....that breathing all those funny-fumes hasn't hert-hurteee my brain cells at all?

[Mark Scarborough]

Ty,
I guess its kinda like engines. a good one will last forever,, and give less problems,, but requires a huge investment on the front end. a cheaper one can be made to work but sometimes takes a lot of fidgeting and fussing to make it do what you want.
I wouldnt trade my SATA minijet for 12 sprayguns of any other make. YOu simply cant spray clear better on a model, but of course, its rather pricey. On the other hand, my Vega does me good but I lust after a really nice Iwata, just like I lust after a PA Merlin ultralite RE .40 , someday,,

[Randy Powell]

Shultzie,

Wow, you have brain cells? Mine have been gone for years.

[Steve Fitton]

This is the sort of work I do with the Aztec.  Model Master acrylic.  I've never tried dope through an airbrush.....yet.

BTW, that magazine cover is great!

[Shultzie]

That is ONE BEAUTIFUL SCALE MODEL....FANTESTICALLY FANNYTASKTICAL quality work...Fitzee! Am I ENVUS OR WHUT? 
Airbrushin' can only get ya so far....but without the talent and lots of hard work and practice.....EVEN THE MOST EXPENSIVE AIRBRUSH...is just folly, huh?

 One of the best airbrush artists at Boeing IN THE GOOD OLD DAZE...used a bunch of old cheapie Badgers because their art groups were soooo under budgeted...

Our windtunnel R&D bunch always seemed to glean just about what we wanted...with such little effort. (I hear that isn't true today however....with the new GLOBAL-GOBBLE BOYS!

(I felt almost guiltiy and was always loaning him both our beautiful old DeVilbus touch up guns and beat up and abused Iwatas and Pasche's(but  beautifully reconditioned by small tool repair)
After he would return them...SADLY...but with a purpose!!!
they would all be so plugged up with dried paint.

After that we never asked for them back.

HEY MARK....THAT SATA MINI JET...MUST BE A KEEPER...although now since retirement...I have to even wait under the 1st before I can even buy toilet paper...little lone' a new SATA.

Thanks for the tip...I check that gun out anyhooo?
Randy....our brain cells are still there...but mine are deadern'a-doorknocka'