Problem with my new Apex Airbrush

[Joe]

...or it could just be me.

Gentlemen,

I was using two very cheap airbrushes for the last two years so, I was very excited to receive my brand new ISM Apex airbrush. The Apex superior in every way except for one... I can't get fine lines out of it especially for pre shading. I have used Tamiya, Model Master and Vallejo paints and their respective thinners and varied the ratio of paint to thinner with the same result (see image below). I have varied the psi from around 10 and up to 30 psi and same problem. I have varied the distance of the brush tip from almost touching the model to several inches away and the best I can get what you see below.

Is the brush I'm using not designed for this kind of detail, or am I doing something wrong here? Please advise. I would really like to do this right because I am convinced it produces a more realistic paint job.

Thank you kind sirs! (BTW- I am working in 1/72 scale)

[Lysus]

Are you pulling all the way back on the trigger? Low pressure and close on my .35 HP-CS works fine and I think that's the roughly the same needle spec. Just don't pull all the way on the trigger, only as far as you need to get some paint.

[Joe]

No...I'm pulling back only to the "breaking point" when the paint first stats coming out so I'm not pulling back far. I can occasionally get a fine line but I immediately get a dry tip. I then use a brush to clean off the tip and try again. I have used additional thinner and even flow improver to avoid dry tip but then I get those messy lines.

Joe

[Paul]

Too much paint and pressure, lower your pressure and try again. Airbrushing isn't something you get good at overnight it take time and patience

[Joe]

What you saw in the pic was done at approximately 10-12 psi with the trigger pulled back only to the biting point when it just starts spraying...

[Avgas]

Looks to me like the paint is thinned too much, that's what usually causes those spatter lines. I know it can be frustrating, it's just a matter of fannying around with mixes, pressures etc. Even the same mix and pressure can produce different results on different days depending on air temperature and humidity.

[Goose]

Hello,

At that scale and for pre-shading i think i'd lower my PSi to 7-8 and then play with thinning ratios