Detail with a Paashe VL???

[Twin88]

I'm having trouble doing detail with a Paashe VL. When using a #1 tip and needle, it spits in the middle of a line. I have thinned, raised and lowered air pressure. Nothing seems to work. (I paint helmets and motorcycles.)
I'm using Createx Auto Air Paints, some enamel and laquers.
Is this tool able to get this detail, or should I buy a Iwata Eclipes HP-C?
Thanks for the help.

 

[DDG]

The Paashe can get detail, it depends on how much you want. The spitting usually occurs from the paint not being thinned enough or too low of air pressure for mat. used.
If you go with a HP-C the Auto Air will not work too great from my expierences, too thick even when thinned.
Hope this helps
Dirt

 

[Twin88]

Dirt,
Thanks for the reply.
I'm looking to do fine lines, cracks in a skull or filling in flames with smaller free hand flames.
I'll try thinning more.
Have you ever thinned Auto Air paints with alcohol.
I'm am using a #1 tip and needle.

 

[DDG]

Yes, I've tried it but it did not mix well and looked grainy when mixed. Like it didn't blend with the alcohol well.
If you use water try distilled, it supposedly
works better.
The airbrush I used with Auto Air is an Omni 3000
The needle cap can be turned around exposing the tip of the needle so you can get very close to the work. Plus you can clean any build up off the tip with ease. There is also only one needle and tip config. so it's easy to use a multiple variety
of paints. They only run about $35. Cheap. you can get pretty good detail with this brush.
Later,
Dirt

 

[Ritz]

I have some bad news.... I started out with a VL and shot mostly enamals through it. When ever I tried to shoot acrylic paint I had the same problems you had. I finaly got fed up and talked to a distributer/artist friend of mine about the problem. She claims that the VL has alwayse had problems shooting acrylic due to the way the gun atomizes the paint.... She said that she has talked to the manufacture and has gotten the same answer from them..??.. I decided to pick up paashe VLS just to shoot acrylics through and guess what.... It shoots Createx paint like a dream... Beleive it or not I shoot at about 40 lbs and dont even thin the paint out..... I get a nice even coat every time with this brush but it is a small brush for med to small stuff..... Hope this helps a little

 

[Grashopr]

I would say skip the Paashe guns and spend the extra $$$ for a Aiwata Eclipse or a BCS. I've ran everything from laquers to Acrylic Urethanes through them and they all atomize BEAUTIFULLY. Details? If you've got the $250, get a Micron and you could spray the pubes on a gnat if you could find one to pose for reference. I have been using Thayer and Chandler Vega 2000's for years as my workhorse and then going to a BCS that I bought when I first started doing detail work, and when my last Vega died, I tried to find another one in town, but all I could find was a regular Eclipse siphon-feed. So I picked it up, and now I don't need two sets of needles for my guns, or two sets of O-rings. The Vegas did terrific for initial sketching and backgrounds/shading, and the Eclipse does as good if not better. The only problem with the Eclipse? for some reason I seem to get paint in the trigger chamber and it bogs down the air valve mechanism sometimes, causing the gun to stick "on" at times. If I cleaned it more often, this wouldn't be a problem, but I didn't have to clean that part of my Vegas at all. Anyways, my $.02

The 'hopper'

 

[Nate Hansen]

VL's are used as t-shirt guns quite a lot, so it would follow that they would shoot acrylics well, but at anywhere from 40 to 60 pounds. and hey, grasshopper, if you get a lubricant for your airbrush, like superlube from iwata, and put it on the trigger assembly, especially on the pin of the trigger, it will help the sticking immensely. Also, lube the needle, it helps with flow and also helps keep the paint from drying on it.

 

[Grashopr]

Nate...thanks for the tip on the lube, but, alas, I cannot. I shoot almost 100% urethane and laquers and I have tried many different 'lubes' for the airbrushes in order to get the 'gun' to operate better, only to cause myself fish-eyes and funny, although unwanted, attributes in my paint. The only thing that I use on my gun is Vaseline, and that is in such small amounts that it probably is blown out by the time the paint flies..it's mainly just there as a deterent to the O-rings drying out between painting. Thanks, though!

The 'hopper'

 

[Nate Hansen]

hmmm, I think the airbrush specific lube from Iwata or Badger should be ok for auto paints. I'm pretty sure the stuff doesnt contain silicone or any solvents, which I think is what causes the fisheyes, but, you could use spray gun lube, I think Sharpe has it......

 

[TWISTED]

I started out with the Paasche airbrushes and like most people upgraded to the Iwatas. Badger is supposed to have some nice guns coming out now though I have not tried them. The Createx paint is very touchy to work with, especially in the VL. I use them on most of my work and get good results with my custom micron and also with the HP-C. If you are going to be doing fine lines and detail work I would suggest investing in a gravity (top feed) airbrush. You can use a lot lower pressure.

 

[STRIPFLIER]

Twin88 let us know if you resolve the problem, I just bought a Paasche VL as my first gun and would be interested in the outcome. Mainly because I'm either to tight or to broke to buy another gun right now.