Hot rod Iwatta airbrush

[Tim Marlow]

The recent talk of airbrushes led me to thinking about mine. I have had it for a number of years and actually forgot i had modded it….it is an Iwatta Eclipse SBS because I personally don’t like top feed brushes, they are too clumsy for me…..but…..

I replaced the tail that came with it with this….


It is an Iwatta triple action handle. It replaces the original cut away handle and holds the needle slightly differently.

It enables me to go from that….…..to this…..

In well under 15 seconds……yes, I was sad enough to time it and I certainly wasn’t rushing
Everything that needs cleaning is accessible here. The paint path in the body is totally clear and can be bottle brushed. The nozzle, cap, paint container, and needle protector can be dropped straight into cleaning agent, and the needle can be safely wiped with a fold of tissue moistened with cleaner. This brush has no easily lost seals either….
Assembly is simply a reversal of disassembly and takes about the same time…and the nozzle is big enough to see if the carpet monsters make an appearance….
In addition to this, the handle can be set to give a preset paint delivery for things like mottle camouflage and the needle tail can be pulled clear to give a maximum quick flush while changing colours.
Ah, but how does it spray they cry…..well, it’s an Iwatta, so flawlessly is the answer…..

Here is the pack the new handle came in if anyone is interested….

Any questions, ask away as usual….

 

[Jim R]

Hi Tim
Now that looks very useful. I love Iwata airbrushes and this handle would update one of my older models - Revolution BR.
Jim

Edit - a lot of places are out of stock and prices vary a lot but I will treat myself

 

[Tim Marlow]

Just noticed I spelt iwata wrong right through that posting….Doh!

 

[Jakko]

Edit the post and correct it?

This looks like a good idea, though. I might look into getting one for my HP, as I’m not all that enamoured by the cut-away rear. It seems good in theory, but if you use the set screw on the back you can’t pull the needle back to blow the brush through — which, I find, is often necessary exactly when painting things that benefit from the needle being limited in movement.

 

[dalej2014]

Looks good Tim. Iwata one (I'll get my coat...)

 

[Magneto]

The recent talk of airbrushes led me to thinking about mine. I have had it for a number of years and actually forgot i had modded it….it is an Iwatta Eclipse SBS because I personally don’t like top feed brushes, they are too clumsy for me…..but…..

I replaced the tail that came with it with this….

View attachment 430956
It is an Iwatta triple action handle. It replaces the original cut away handle and holds the needle slightly differently.

It enables me to go from that….…..to this…..
View attachment 430957
In well under 15 seconds……yes, I was sad enough to time it and I certainly wasn’t rushing
Everything that needs cleaning is accessible here. The paint path in the body is totally clear and can be bottle brushed. The nozzle, cap, paint container, and needle protector can be dropped straight into cleaning agent, and the needle can be safely wiped with a fold of tissue moistened with cleaner. This brush has no easily lost seals either….
Assembly is simply a reversal of disassembly and takes about the same time…and the nozzle is big enough to see if the carpet monsters make an appearance….
In addition to this, the handle can be set to give a preset paint delivery for things like mottle camouflage and the needle tail can be pulled clear to give a maximum quick flush while changing colours.
Ah, but how does it spray they cry…..well, it’s an Iwatta, so flawlessly is the answer…..

Here is the pack the new handle came in if anyone is interested….
View attachment 430958
Any questions, ask away as usual….

This looks very useful!

 

[Magneto]

The recent talk of airbrushes led me to thinking about mine. I have had it for a number of years and actually forgot i had modded it….it is an Iwatta Eclipse SBS because I personally don’t like top feed brushes, they are too clumsy for me…..but…..

I replaced the tail that came with it with this….

View attachment 430956
It is an Iwatta triple action handle. It replaces the original cut away handle and holds the needle slightly differently.

It enables me to go from that….…..to this…..
View attachment 430957
In well under 15 seconds……yes, I was sad enough to time it and I certainly wasn’t rushing
Everything that needs cleaning is accessible here. The paint path in the body is totally clear and can be bottle brushed. The nozzle, cap, paint container, and needle protector can be dropped straight into cleaning agent, and the needle can be safely wiped with a fold of tissue moistened with cleaner. This brush has no easily lost seals either….
Assembly is simply a reversal of disassembly and takes about the same time…and the nozzle is big enough to see if the carpet monsters make an appearance….
In addition to this, the handle can be set to give a preset paint delivery for things like mottle camouflage and the needle tail can be pulled clear to give a maximum quick flush while changing colours.
Ah, but how does it spray they cry…..well, it’s an Iwatta, so flawlessly is the answer…..

Here is the pack the new handle came in if anyone is interested….
View attachment 430958
Any questions, ask away as usual….

do you pull the needle through front?

 

[Miko]

It's a work of art isn't it?

I have to manage with a Fengdu Chinese copy

Miko (Iwata wannabe)

 

[Tim Marlow]

do you pull the needle through front?

No Paul, it pulls out of the back. The silver collar on the end of the body loosens and tightens the chuck nut that holds the needle in place.

 

[Tim Marlow]

It's a work of art isn't it?

I have to manage with a Fengdu Chinese copy

Miko (Iwata wannabe)

Something to aspire to is always a good thing Miko

 

[Magneto]

No Paul, it pulls out of the back. The silver collar on the end of the body loosens and tightens the chuck nut that holds the needle in place.

I get it but there seems to be two views about taking out the needle. I can see how the configuration works but - that needle had to be fixed in that end piece so if you were a ‘front needle extract man’ it could still be taken out of the front.

 

[Miko]

Something to aspire to is always a good thing Miko

Definitely, a reason to get up in the morning

Miko

 

[Tim Marlow]

I get it but there seems to be two views about taking out the needle. I can see how the configuration works but - that needle had to be fixed in that end piece so if you were a ‘front needle extract man’ it could still be taken out of the front.

Not in this case Paul. The needle is fixed into the spring retainer with a grub screw. If you look closely you can see where this is fitted.

To be absolutely honest, I can’t actually see the advantage of withdrawing the needle from the front. You would have to undo the grub screw, disassemble the nozzle arrangement, with the needle in place, and then pull the needle through the body by gripping the finely machined tapered needle end. This seems like a recipe for damaging the needle taper to me and I can see no logical reason for doing it.

With the arrangement I’ve shown the needle can be safely withdrawn from the back in literally a couple of seconds. The nozzle arrangement can then be dismantled, and the paint path cleaned, with no danger to the needle.

As I stated in the review, the entire paint path can be made available for cleaning in about fifteen seconds using this upgrade. Being a side feed brush you do not even need to empty the paint cup to do this. You can pull the cup off, stand it in the bench, clean the paint path, and refit the cup extremely easily.

 

[Jakko]

At the show I was at last weekend, two people on our stand were airbrushing with an H&S, and when one of them disassembled it, he first unscrewed the needle at the back, pulled it into the airbrush body, away from the nozzle, then unscrewed the nozzle and pushed/pulled the needled out the front.

However, he then re-assembled it by pushing the needle in from the rear, which I thought negated the principal advantage of the ability to remove it from the front — namely, that you don’t run the risk of pushing the delicate tip into something solid.

I later unscrewed the nozzle of the other guy’s H&S, and was a little dismayed to discover that if you do so, the whole front of the needle is immediately exposed and in danger of being hit by the nozzle parts you’re taking out. This because unlike the Badger and Iwata airbrushes I’m used to, H&S only has a single cap on the front, and the nozzle is essentially loose inside of that. Unscrew the cap and the nozzle comes out too.

 

[Magneto]

Not in this case Paul. The needle is fixed into the spring retainer with a grub screw. If you look closely you can see where this is fitted.

To be absolutely honest, I can’t actually see the advantage of withdrawing the needle from the front. You would have to undo the grub screw, disassemble the nozzle arrangement, with the needle in place, and then pull the needle through the body by gripping the finely machined tapered needle end. This seems like a recipe for damaging the needle taper to me and I can see no logical reason for doing it.

With the arrangement I’ve shown the needle can be safely withdrawn from the back in literally a couple of seconds. The nozzle arrangement can then be dismantled, and the paint path cleaned, with no danger to the needle.

As I stated in the review, the entire paint path can be made available for cleaning in about fifteen seconds using this upgrade. Being a side feed brush you do not even need to empty the paint cup to do this. You can pull the cup off, stand it in the bench, clean the paint path, and refit the cup extremely easily.

That sounds good to me as I’m using the Eclipse now (relief). Also I can see the benefits of side cup. Damn, when I’m trying to do some detail spraying that gravity feed just gets right in the way!

 

[Magneto]

At the show I was at last weekend, two people on our stand were airbrushing with an H&S, and when one of them disassembled it, he first unscrewed the needle at the back, pulled it into the airbrush body, away from the nozzle, then unscrewed the nozzle and pushed/pulled the needled out the front.

However, he then re-assembled it by pushing the needle in from the rear, which I thought negated the principal advantage of the ability to remove it from the front — namely, that you don’t run the risk of pushing the delicate tip into something solid.

I later unscrewed the nozzle of the other guy’s H&S, and was a little dismayed to discover that if you do so, the whole front of the needle is immediately exposed and in danger of being hit by the nozzle parts you’re taking out. This because unlike the Badger and Iwata airbrushes I’m used to, H&S only has a single cap on the front, and the nozzle is essentially loose inside of that. Unscrew the cap and the nozzle comes out too.

I think all the fuss is about not dragging paint back through the chamber. It is a pain to take off the nozzle assembly everytime do you a quick clean - I just think wear and tear. But if you flush it through I guess it’s ok to just get the needle out the back. I just wanted to get both POV