Does Anybody Use Airbrushes At All? Want Some Advice Please

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Cletus Van Damme

Previously known as Cheesney Hawks
Basically I bought some used decent speakers, I never looked at new ones and the bass drivers have all faded with sunlight. The speaker woofer front is anodised aluminium, it was coloured black. All 4 of mine are like a gold/beige colour. One of the drivers has failed and the replacement is black. So I could either use the grills, that look naff, or paint them. I don't buy all this about it changing the sound a lot, but I think a really thin layer of primer and paint would be better. I've got the knackered one to practice on. I've never had this with speakers before. But in the manual it recommends to keep out of direct sunlight so I believe...

I just wondered can use a regular small garage compressor, with the air pressure regulated down? Can an additive be added to the paint, such as a plasticiser to give it a bit of flex.

I seem to get better advice off here than most forums, and I noticed that there was a model thread, so possibly somebody used airbrush's..

Thanks for any advice. I'd assume I need a moisture trap possibly.
 
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Mark Grant

Acting Captain of The St Annes Jombulance.
Location
Hanworth, Middx.
I use a small compressor for my airbrush, it works fine, and if you already have an airbrush you'd probably just need a step down adaptor to fit the airbrush hose.

If you haven't already got an airbrush I'd think about one of these instead.

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/tg2-professional-touch-up-gun/

A lot cheaper than a half decent airbrush. I've had a few of these they're great for small jobs. I use them for car parts, bike frames etc.
You can adjust the fan size and paint delivery.
 

raleighnut

Legendary Member
Basically I bought some used decent speakers, I never looked at new ones and the bass drivers have all faded with sunlight. The speaker woofer front is anodised aluminium, it was coloured black. All 4 of mine are like a gold/beige colour. One of the drivers has failed and the replacement is black. So I could either use the grills, that look naff, or paint them. I don't buy all this about it changing the sound a lot, but I think a really thin layer of primer and paint would be better. I've got the knackered one to practice on. I've never had this with speakers before. But in the manual it recommends to keep out of direct sunlight so I believe...

I just wondered can use a regular small garage compressor, with the air pressure regulated down? Can an additive be added to the paint, such as a plasticiser to give it a bit of flex.

I seem to get better advice off here than most forums, and I noticed that there was a model thread, so possibly somebody used airbrush's..

Thanks for any advice. I'd assume I need a moisture trap possibly.
I wouldn't paint em, why not get 2 new drivers and switch out one on each speaker so they match.
 
OP
OP
Cletus Van Damme

Cletus Van Damme

Previously known as Cheesney Hawks
I wouldn't paint em, why not get 2 new drivers and switch out one on each speaker so they match.

Because the speakers have 2 woofers each, so that's 4. Sorry I should've said. The drivers are £125 each, so that's £500. The speakers are discontinued, but you can get them for £899 now. It's pretty crap what's happened to them but I bought them used. The manufacturer reckons they should be kept out of direct sunlight for long periods. I've never had this at all speakers. I'll be changing brand next ones I buy.

I read your post again, I have a feeling that may look odd with 2 lower or upper drivers black.
 
OP
OP
Cletus Van Damme

Cletus Van Damme

Previously known as Cheesney Hawks
I use a small compressor for my airbrush, it works fine, and if you already have an airbrush you'd probably just need a step down adaptor to fit the airbrush hose.

If you haven't already got an airbrush I'd think about one of these instead.

https://www.machinemart.co.uk/p/tg2-professional-touch-up-gun/

A lot cheaper than a half decent airbrush. I've had a few of these they're great for small jobs. I use them for car parts, bike frames etc.
You can adjust the fan size and paint delivery.

Cheers I haven't got an airbrush yet.
 

Mark Grant

Acting Captain of The St Annes Jombulance.
Location
Hanworth, Middx.
The spray gun recommended by @Mark Grant is meant for car spraying isn't it? Might put out too much paint and pattern will be wide.
This simple Badger brush might be better for the job at the same price.
https://airbrushes.com/product_info.php?products_id=1238
Acrylic paint should provide sufficient flex.

Those airbrushes are absolute pants!

As I said the paint flow and spray fan size is adjustable on the Clarke gun. I've never painted a speaker with one but done some small car parts.

This would be a better option.

https://airbrushes.com/product_info.php?cPath=400_403_1_16&products_id=1236
 

raleighnut

Legendary Member
Because the speakers have 2 woofers each, so that's 4. Sorry I should've said. The drivers are £125 each, so that's £500. The speakers are discontinued, but you can get them for £899 now. It's pretty crap what's happened to them but I bought them used. The manufacturer reckons they should be kept out of direct sunlight for long periods. I've never had this at all speakers. I'll be changing brand next ones I buy.

I read your post again, I have a feeling that may look odd with 2 lower or upper drivers black.
Quite common to see different coloured speakers in one box,
Floorstanding-Speakers-TAVES.jpg
 

Profpointy

Legendary Member
I really really would not try and paint the actual loudspeaker cones - doubly so given the ones you describe are high end.
There's quite a lot of thought and engineering goes into these, which you've paid a fair bit of money for. A layer of paint is quite likely to change the speaker's charecteristics, or even disolve some key part of their make up
 

MontyVeda

a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
Those airbrushes are absolute pants!

As I said the paint flow and spray fan size is adjustable on the Clarke gun. I've never painted a speaker with one but done some small car parts.

This would be a better option.

https://airbrushes.com/product_info.php?cPath=400_403_1_16&products_id=1236
I have a slightly more 'up-market' Badger brush (twice that price twenty years ago)... it's inconsistent and a right royal pain in the arse to use.

[edit]... i think the badger brush you recommend is the one I've got ...I wouldn't recommend it but I would say you'd need a lot of experience with that particular brush ...don't expect a good result first time, or second, third or fourth... it's all in the button, you don't just press it, it's not that simple.
 
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Mark Grant

Acting Captain of The St Annes Jombulance.
Location
Hanworth, Middx.
I have a slightly more 'up-market' Badger brush (twice that price twenty years ago)... it's inconsistent and a right royal pain in the arse to use.

[edit]... i think the badger brush you recommend is the one I've got ...I wouldn't recommend it but I would say you'd need a lot of experience with that particular brush ...don't expect a good result first time, or second, third or fourth... it's all in the button, you don't just press it, it's not that simple.

The Badger 200 is single action. The trigger controls the air, the paint is adjusted manually via the paint needle.

Dual action airbrushes are a lot trickier to control well.
 

MontyVeda

a short-tempered ill-controlled small-minded troll
The Badger 200 is single action. The trigger controls the air, the paint is adjusted manually via the paint needle.

Dual action airbrushes are a lot trickier to control well.
Not entirely sure which model I've got (or where it is), but I found it pretty tricky to control... just pressing the trigger doesn't produce the same results time after time. I started to get the hang of it when I'd hold say, the 'north-west' side of the button and not press it all the way down, but by that time I'd lost interest in airbrushing and reverted to proper brushes.

Either way, just trying to explain to the OP that they're not that straight forward. :smile:
 
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