Global Scale Modeller

I just recently got a compressor and as I have never used one before, what's the best pressure to use while airbrushing.

There are variables including size of needle/nozzle, type and thickness of spraying medium, desired effect and dexterity with the tool. For example, for an all over coat using tamiya acrylics thinned 50/50 with their thinner, through a 0.2 needle set around 15-20psi does it for me. For close in small stuff, I might thin the paint a bit more and go with around 10-12 psi. With Vallejo primer I use a slightly bigger needle set and spray unthinned at around 25-30 psi. Lots of experimenting on scrap is the way to go!

.2 mm needle acrylics all sprayed at 25 psi unless its real close work and ill drop the pressure a bit.

.3 needle for alclad sprayed at 12 psi, its only a .3 needle as its in my iwata revolution.

Jan01 wrote:I just recently got a compressor and as I have never used one before, what's the best pressure to use while airbrushing.

That's kind of like asking what is your favorite ice cream flavor! It depends really and everyone will have something a little different that works for them. It also has a lot to do with the working pressure of your airbrush. When I use my Badger Patriot I spray at 10-12 psi with Vallejo and Tamiya acrylics. My Tamiya airbrushes (Made by B.B. Rich a.k.a. Iwata) I spray at 15-20 psi with the same paints. When going for fine detail you have to thin the paint a bit more and lower the pressure a tad say around 8-10 psi.

20-22psi for me on everything except alclads, which I shoot at 15psi

Thanks guys for the quick responses.

As an 'advanced beginner' modeler, I just always do about 15psi but I'll lower it sometimes a bit to about 10psi for a fine camo but then I'll be using a different needle/nozzle setup.

Like most things in this hobby, "it depends", so experiment on the backs on kit boxes till you find what's right for you, for your paint, and for your airbrush

apparently 10 psi for the best finish with gloss paints

Thanks guys.