197 replies to this topic

[Edward J]

I suspect I'll be buying an airbrush in the near future, Christmas, if I play my cards right--this information had been very helpful.

I have been "guilty" of using the PCB aerosol cans of coloured cocoa butter--I know! $31.00 CDN per can. That stopped when my partner found out how expensive they really are.....

I've always "made" my own coloured butters with dry powders (just the three primary colours) and the cheapest c. butter I could find (Kessko, around $12.00/kg here), and in the bottom of one of my toolboxes I found a tool I had bought a loooong time ago and had forgotten about.

It's a very simple tool, usually used to apply nougat laquer in the days before aerosol cans. All it is is two little tubes, a fat one, and a thinner one. You fold the tubes so they meet at a 90 degree angle, immerse the thin tube into whatever you want to "paint", and blow on the fat tube. Cave-man technology, but it works Ok., takes a bit of effort though. Can't tell the difference between that and the PCB when I use it on my gemoteric domes.

[prairiegirl]

But there are airbrushes they sell with heated heads for working with chocolate as seen here.   So I suspect that as long as it doesn't blow air that is too warm it won't be a huge problem.

Kerry mentioned this heated head airbrush some time ago and I wrote for info but didn't get a response (what's with these companies not answering requests to purchase their products???!!!)
Has anyone else followed up on it? Any luck? I'd love more info and PRICING!
Here's the link:
http://www.aerographe.com/page7e.htm

I called them in France and English was an issue! They told me to send an email and I did and "no response". I might get my colleague, a french pastry chef to call for me to get the info I want.

[mostlylana]

I called them in France and English was an issue!  They told me to send an email and I did and "no response". I might get my colleague, a french pastry chef to call for me to get the info I want.

I just sent another email today. Let me know if you get any results through your pastry chef colleague. I'll keep you posted if they write back...

[chocochoco]

I have 4 airbrushes/sprayguns for chocolate - the Badger 250, another Badger I can't recall the number of (that I bought because it could splatter - theoretically) and Iwata (never worked worth a shit with chocolate) and now the Fuji.

The Fuji is the only one I suspect I'll ever use again.

Hi Kerry,

Do you still think the Fuji is the best option for chocolate/colored cocoa butter spraying?
Are you still happy with it?

Thanks,
Omar

Edited by chocochoco, 13 September 2011 - 03:23 PM.

[Kerry Beal]

I have 4 airbrushes/sprayguns for chocolate - the Badger 250, another Badger I can't recall the number of (that I bought because it could splatter - theoretically) and Iwata (never worked worth a shit with chocolate) and now the Fuji.

The Fuji is the only one I suspect I'll ever use again.

Hi Kerry,

Do you still think the Fuji is the best option for chocolate/colored cocoa butter spraying?
Are you still happy with it?

Thanks,
Omar

Yup - still loving it. Have learned more over time about keeping it from blocking up which is great.

[chocochoco]

I have 4 airbrushes/sprayguns for chocolate - the Badger 250, another Badger I can't recall the number of (that I bought because it could splatter - theoretically) and Iwata (never worked worth a shit with chocolate) and now the Fuji.

The Fuji is the only one I suspect I'll ever use again.

Hi Kerry,

Do you still think the Fuji is the best option for chocolate/colored cocoa butter spraying?
Are you still happy with it?

Thanks,
Omar

Yup - still loving it. Have learned more over time about keeping it from blocking up which is great.

Is the Fuji an external (like Badger 250) or internal-mix spray gun?
Do you have any tips you could share to avoid blocking?

Thanks a lot,
Omar

Edited by chocochoco, 13 September 2011 - 03:49 PM.

[Kerry Beal]

I have 4 airbrushes/sprayguns for chocolate - the Badger 250, another Badger I can't recall the number of (that I bought because it could splatter - theoretically) and Iwata (never worked worth a shit with chocolate) and now the Fuji.

The Fuji is the only one I suspect I'll ever use again.

Hi Kerry,

Do you still think the Fuji is the best option for chocolate/colored cocoa butter spraying?
Are you still happy with it?

Thanks,
Omar

Yup - still loving it. Have learned more over time about keeping it from blocking up which is great.

Is the Fuji an external (like Badger 250) or internal-mix spray gun?
Do you have any tips you could share to avoid blocking?

Thanks a lot,
Omar

It's internal.

The blocking problem comes from the coloured cocoa butter that's left in the gun after use. I used to have to do a whole lot of heating over and over to try and get it going. Now I do this - put finger on outlet and push trigger - contents regurgitate into the cup allowing you to wipe them out of the cup. Heat and repeat until clean.

[chocochoco]

I have 4 airbrushes/sprayguns for chocolate - the Badger 250, another Badger I can't recall the number of (that I bought because it could splatter - theoretically) and Iwata (never worked worth a shit with chocolate) and now the Fuji.

The Fuji is the only one I suspect I'll ever use again.

Hi Kerry,

Do you still think the Fuji is the best option for chocolate/colored cocoa butter spraying?
Are you still happy with it?

Thanks,
Omar

Yup - still loving it. Have learned more over time about keeping it from blocking up which is great.

Is the Fuji an external (like Badger 250) or internal-mix spray gun?
Do you have any tips you could share to avoid blocking?

Thanks a lot,
Omar

It's internal.

The blocking problem comes from the coloured cocoa butter that's left in the gun after use. I used to have to do a whole lot of heating over and over to try and get it going. Now I do this - put finger on outlet and push trigger - contents regurgitate into the cup allowing you to wipe them out of the cup. Heat and repeat until clean.

Hi Kerry,

Do you temper/cristalize the coloured cocoa butter or just melt it at 40C/100F before spraying it on molds?
If I want to smear coloured cocoa butter on molds, it will have to be cristilized before, won't it?

Thanks,
Omar

[Kerry Beal]

I just melt it so that there is still some unmelted coloured cocoa butter in the bottle.

[chocochoco]

What nozzle size do you like or prefer to use?

Thanks,
Omar

[Kerry Beal]

What nozzle size do you like or prefer to use?

Thanks,
Omar

I use the red nozzle - I seem to recall it's a size 6.

[chocochoco]

What nozzle size do you like or prefer to use?

Thanks,
Omar

I use the red nozzle - I seem to recall it's a size 6.

The Fuji comes with the yellow nozzle, set #4 (1.4mmm). The red one, as you said, is set #6 (2.2mm).
Did you try the yellow nozzle? Why do you prefer the red one to spray coloured cocoa butter?

Edited by chocochoco, 23 September 2011 - 04:29 PM.

[Kerry Beal]

What nozzle size do you like or prefer to use?

Thanks,
Omar

I use the red nozzle - I seem to recall it's a size 6.

The Fuji comes with the yellow nozzle, set #4 (1.4mmm). The red one, as you said, is set #6 (2.2mm).
Did you try the yellow nozzle? Why do you prefer the red one to spray coloured cocoa butter?

I think I decided that was the one I needed when I bought it - don't recall exactly why - think it had to do with the viscosity. Haven't tried any other nozzles.

[chocochoco]

Do you think using the smaller nozzle would give too much blocking nozzle problems while in use?

[Kerry Beal]

Do you think using the smaller nozzle would give too much blocking nozzle problems while in use?

That would be my concern.

[chocochoco]

Hi Kerry,

When spraying molds that are going to be shelled with dark chocolate, we have to spray a layer of white cocoa butter after spraying the other coloured cocoa butters and before filling with dark chocolate for the colours to show.
Have you shelled with white (ivory) chocolate instead of dark? Is it the same procedure? Or is the white cocoa butter layer not needed?

Thanks,
Omar

[Kerry Beal]

Hi Kerry,

When spraying molds that are going to be shelled with dark chocolate, we have to spray a layer of white cocoa butter after spraying the other coloured cocoa butters and before filling with dark chocolate for the colours to show.
Have you shelled with white (ivory) chocolate instead of dark? Is it the same procedure? Or is the white cocoa butter layer not needed?

Thanks,
Omar

To get the contrast with white chocolate you don't need to spray with white - however keep in mind that white chocolate is kind of yellow - so you may end up deciding to spray anyway to get the colours you are accustomed to.

[Chocolot]

Second day using Fuji HVLP gun. Can I tell you I LOVE IT!!!! Very little overspray, no atomizing (or very little). It doesn't clog. I dialed it back a bit and it doesn't use as much color as the first time. I have tightened down all knobs and it works great. Thanks Kerry for experimenting on this for all our benefit.