Airbrush setups/bits and pieces.

[groo12]

I have just started using my new airbrush and I would like to see pics of how others use thiers and what sort of things you use to hold different sized model bit, especially small bits and pieces.

[MikeMc]

Get comfy, grab a drink and go over to Crankys

You will get all you need....and Virgil is a great guy!

[groo12]

I've watched his vids and bought his book.

I can't remember seeing specifically holders for small stuff.

Plus it's always good to see what different people use.

I'll have another look, when I get home. For some reason I.T. block Youtube, wonder why.........

[VooDooCC]

I'm sure others have better methods, but for small parts I typically just lay out some blue painters tape, sticky side up, tack down the ends of it in some cardboard to hold it in place and call it good.

[Dr. Cranky]

Ray, I use chopstix I got from a friend who runs a sushi restaurant and double sided tape to hold smaller parts. You can also use a flat piece of cardboard (sturdy) and tape to hold down your parts.

Or you can use blue tack and toothpics . . . or alligator clips.

I use all these things to hold down small parts.

For car bodies, I use the chopstix with double-sided tape method.

Everyone has a different method. You'll end up using what feels right to you.

Cheers, DC

[groo12]

Thanks for the replies.

I'll try those things.

[mr cheap]

if its to big for the timia stand // i use a dragon clip... hook to a long pice of wire ... drill a whole in the table stick wire in the table ... if its still to small stick it to the back side of some tape

[Tom Setzer]

I use most of the nethods Dr Cranky posted! For Bodies I use 1" cast Iron Pipe connecters, and ICB Root Beer Bottles with blue painters tape fixed across one end of the pipe connecters, and the mouth of the ICB bottles with the stickie side out. Just fold it across and then rap a piece of tape around the pipe connecter or bottle to hold it on. The nice thing about these is they are easy to place in my drying cabinet, they are stable enough not to fall over if i accidently bump the cabinet.

CHEERS

Tom

[Dr. Cranky]

Tom, not to mention that if they get too grungy you can throw them out and start clean with another one. It's the beauty of using recycleable products.

[groo12]

Tried using the blue painters tape and it works brilliantly to hold lots of tiny bits and pieces.

Thanks guys for the advice.

I am sure I'll have more questions as time goes by.

Looking forward to posting my finished model.

[Dr. Cranky]

Bring it on, buddy, that's what it's all about. Producing eye candy and sharing it here. It's part of the "addiction!"

[walt francis]

What I use to hold the small parts for painting is just aligator clips attached to toothpics and stuck in foam board as you can see in the pic, I use the blue tape alot but the best thing I have been shown to use for holding parts is blue tack, this stuff is awesome for holding parts and pre assemble. You can see the blue tack in the pic too holding parts

[Dr. Cranky]

Walt, that's a great picture. Yes, Blu Tack is wonderful for holding up smaller parts . . . .

[Erik Smith]

Including the techniques above, I also use sprue/styrene rod with a dab of superglue on the part and a drop of accelerator on the sprue/rod. I find this is helpful for small parts that you need to paint all sides. After you paint, you can just snap the sprue/rod off.

Here is a pulley - I just attached the sprue to the end of the mounting peg:

[Dr. Cranky]

Good trick too. Sometimes we worry about a part's surface with paint when it might not even be seen, but then again many of us try to be pretty neat and clean about the painting process.

[VooDooCC]

I think I may have to pick up some of the blue tack, what department would I find that in?

[Bobdude]

Any Staples or office supply store,look in the area near the scotch tape.

[Dr. Cranky]

I think Wal-Mart, Target, and yes Office Depot.

[Dave Ambrose]

Bamboo barbeque skewers have been one of my handier parts holders. you can wedge the pointed end into holes in the part. The skewer also fits snugly into a Radio Shack alligator clip.

[fatkidd]

There are some great ideas floating along here...

I'll try and add something.

It is a homemade body holder. It is made up of 2 paint stir sticks, a round object (a Bic lighter is what i use, a AA battery works, basically some sort of cylindrical shape), rubber bands, and 2 pieces of masking tape.

Take the stir sticks and place them together, with the lighter between them at one end.

Wrap a rubber band around the stir sticks on both sides of the lighter...add a second rubber band for added certainty.

Place a piece of tape on the "open end" on one of the sticks with approx 1/2" over hang.

Fold the tape over so that it sticks to the "tab" that you left as an overhang and wrap the tape backwards so that to sticky side is out.

Place body over the sticks and adjust the rubber bands and round object as needed to securely hold the body.

This is the method that I use when painting a body. If I am doing multiple colors or graphics, I will take the body off and I can reallign where it held the body previously.

I have not had any issues with this method. It allows me to turn the body to all sorts of different angles and make sure that I have full coverage. I use it for every stage of the paint process...from primer to clear. I may change the tape between stages, depending on how the adhesive is holding up (I do change the tape from the previous body just before I put the next one on it).

wow, i'm longwinded at explaining stuff. Sorry about that.

Thanks for listening

[Mike Kucaba]

Sometimes I use a length of sprue just long enough to fit the width of the body inside and use CA glue to hold it,then use the real long hemostat to hold/grip it. Also on REALLY tiny parts a hole drilled into the part where it won't show and a pin or fine wire glued into the hole for something to grip.

[groo12]

That's a cool idea, I'll add that to thelist to try.

[Dr. Cranky]

The excellent ideas continue. Thank you.