Airbrush machines: Basics & Beyond

[David J.]

Who did you get the splatter from & can you give more info on it?

I bought it along with the cup cap from Coast Airbrush (http://www.coastairbrush.com/) and it is Item code: Badger 50-0374.

The tip is just a small collar that replaces the very tip of the airbrush. It apparently works by leaving the needle exposed such that the airflow is turbulent around it.

The Spatter tip is the short one on the left next to the normal tip.

The normal tip completely encloses the needle.

The spatter tip leaves the needle exposed so you need to be carefull handling it.

[Truffle Guy]

David,

What is the PSI of your compressor? I have the large one from Chef Rubber and it really does help keep the cocoa butter flowing. I actually just use a hair dryer on the tip of the airbrush to "melt" any hardened cocoa butter. The extra PSI makes a big difference and really gives you the power to move quickly. I painted over 2000 pieces yesterday and it just makes a big difference from using a smaller compressor.

A suggestion for drawing lines, if you want them solid, is to use painters tape on the molds leaving a small line. You can also fill a pastry bag with white chocolate and colored cocoa butter and pipe the lines.

I'm always looking for more ideas and the "splatter tip" looks interesting, I'd love to see some pictures of the end results.

Also, the toothbrush works great for small dots but when I want larger droplets, I use an art brush with long, soft bristles and make sure it is warm by hitting it with a hair dryer then dipping into the cocoa butter and then strike the back of the brush with a heavier brush and it gives a nice "splatter". It will be messy so you want to angle the brush to reduce any backsplash or put inside a cardboard box.

Also...a paint sprayer works well for multiple molds of splatters with the same color. Good luck and I'd love to see how the splatter tip works for you.

[David J.]

My compressor will run at 100psi, but the whole point of what I am after is to run at the lowest pressure I can and still sustain a good flow of color. That way I get the least blowback and waste and greatest control. The gravity feed in this brush lets me run as low as 15-20psi, however the drawback of the internal mix is that the air passes over the tube around the needle which cools the color causing it to thicken and the flow diminishes. I could temporarily increase the pressure, but eventually it would sieze up entirely and in the meantime I get more waste as the pressure blows the color out of the mold.

Did you mean to place the painters tape across the top of the mold cavities? That's in interesting idea. I have used the piped/smeared colored white chocolate technique on several pieces when I wanted high contrast and it works really well.

Exactly what size/type of art brush do you use for your larger splatters?

[prairiegirl]

David, Do you have an update on how the splatter tip is working?

[Kerry Beal]

I've been playing with the Badger 100LG medium today. I've found airbrushing quite frustrating. Lots of mess, little success - but today things went a little better.

After going to a lot of online sites about airbrushing I realized that I need quite high pressures (50 PSI) if I'm going to actually get the coloured cocoa butter to come through the brush. It does mean a fair amount of atomized cocoa butter in the air. I brought home a mask and a big cardboard box from work. Couldn't see out of my glasses when I was done - I suspect the slight tint I see in my hair is cocoa butter related too.

I bought the splatter tip - couldn't get it to work worth a damn! Got better splattering just by taking the guard off the needle, but that's not very consistent either. I suspect that splattering is going to have to continue to be done the old fashioned way.

[David J.]

I've been playing with the Badger 100LG medium today.  I've found airbrushing quite frustrating.  Lots of mess, little success - but today things went a little better.

After going to a lot of online sites about airbrushing I realized that I need quite high pressures (50 PSI) if I'm going to actually get the coloured cocoa butter to come through the brush.  It does mean a fair amount of atomized cocoa butter in the air.  I brought home a mask and a big cardboard box from work.  Couldn't see out of my glasses when I was done - I suspect the slight tint I see in my hair is cocoa butter related too.

I bought the splatter tip - couldn't get it to work worth a damn!  Got better splattering just by taking the guard off the needle, but that's not very consistent either.  I suspect that splattering is going to have to continue to be done the old fashioned way.

←

I use as low as 15psi and manage to get good color movement with the normal tip. That's what I like about the 100LG med over the 250. I lost the trigger lever cleaning the brush after the color splatters so had to use the old 250 to back it with white and ended up breathing a lot more color.

Just last weekend I finally got around to trying out the new tip (been too busy for chocolate or egullet for a while). I also had initial trouble using it, but found that if I held the brush vertical and flipped the trigger that it would produce some nice effects. I posted the result on the Showroom Finish thread. You might want to try it again with a low pressure and that technique. A requirement for this brush (and probably any internal mix brush) is that you have to heat the tip fairly frequently as the air cools the tube and thickens the color enough that it doesn't want to flow. I would get some nice spatter, but it would thicken just enough that flipping the trigger was required.

[carol lang]

I am looking to buy a compressor for my Badger250 airbrush.

I have narrowed it down to the Badger Cyclone - a diaphram type and the Iwata Smart Jet- a piston type. Is there a benefit of piston over diaphram when airbrushing cocoa butter?

I have a 50% off coupon for Michaels on the Badger but would be willing to spend more for the Smart Jet if there is a difference in quality of the work. I would appreciate any advice from the experience of others.

[Kerry Beal]

I am looking to buy a compressor for my Badger250 airbrush.

I have narrowed it down to the Badger Cyclone - a diaphram type and the Iwata Smart Jet- a piston type. Is there a benefit of piston over diaphram when airbrushing cocoa butter?

I have a 50% off coupon for Michaels on the Badger but would be willing to spend more for the Smart Jet if there is a difference in quality of the work. I would appreciate any advice from the experience of others.

Here is a discussion.

[carol lang]

Thanks Kerry

It will help in making my decision.

[Chris Hennes]

I don't suppose anyone has any photos of their airbrush work they would be willing to share with us... ?

[Nicole1288]

On 3/3/2010 at 3:35 PM, carol lang said:

I am looking to buy a compressor for my Badger250 airbrush.

I have narrowed it down to the Badger Cyclone - a diaphram type and the Iwata Smart Jet- a piston type. Is there a benefit of piston over diaphram when airbrushing cocoa butter?

I have a 50% off coupon for Michaels on the Badger but would be willing to spend more for the Smart Jet if there is a difference in quality of the work. I would appreciate any advice from the experience of others.

 

I have a KopyKake and I only use it for spraying chocolate molds with cocoa butter. I warm the airbrush with a heat gun before using it, and then occasionally while spraying to keep it fluid. 
I also have the cheap Badger 250 spray gun I use with it. I've found its a little more messy to work with since it works off a siphon, tends to want to keep leaking.