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First off, for an air brush, I don't recommend starting with an inexpensive one. Neither do I recommend going for an expensive one. Shop around for good prices. Spraygunner.com has already been recommended. I can also recommend merriartist.com and airbrushingwood.com. "The only tool you can afford is the best tool you can find." About two years ago I bought a GREX airbrush, and since then my Thayer & Chandler has been gathering dust. Easy to use, very easy to clean.

Paints: I hate Model Master, always have. I'm a retired materials scientist who has worked in the paint industry. They are inferior to many of the newer paint lines. For metallic paints, I've only found one real competitor (so far) for Alclad II—great paint, but you absolutely need a spray booth (and a decent air brush). The other metallic line that has impressed me is Vallejo, and I use their other model paints almost exclusively, but that's my preference. Tamiya paints are also very good, though they are alcohol solvent based and require a spray booth for airbrushing. If you go with Tamiya, be sure to get their paint retarder, even for brush application.

Clear coat: For gloss: Holloway House® Quick Shine® Multi-surface Floor Finish. Yes, I'm serious. I've tried most of the other scale modeling ones, and this produces a finish as good as any, and is often easier to use. Surprise! You don't need an airbrush for this one! Just use a quality broad artist's brush. It levels beautifully.

Gap filling: There are almost as many preferred ones as there are scale modelers. Medium viscosity cyanoacrylate glue (commonly called CA among modelers, "super glue" more commonly) is very useful, especially with an accelerator. I prefer Mercury Adhesives, but there are very many others. Research the technique online.

Some use automotive body filler (Spray booth!) If you try it, get the fine finish coat type.

For minor defects and thin seams, I use Mr. Surfacer® 500 and 1000. (Spray booth!).

White glue, particularly Micro-Crystal Clear®l is occasionally useful, especially for attaching clear parts. Crystal clear can also be used to fill small windows.

Spray booth: I cannot recommend a commercial one. I bought the best one I could find, then had to re-engineer it. I'd have been better off (and spent less money) building it from scratch. Either build it to fit in a convenient window, or vent it through a removable window panel. Aluminum sheet and angle, sheet metal screws, and a blower motor suitable for flammable exhaust are all you need. Be sure to design in good lighting.

I've one more recommendation: Get some small, cheap kits that you won't care about to practice on, "get your hand back in," and learn new materials and techniques. Do this before building a kit of something you really love. I'm sure a lot of people here are looking forward to seeing your XB-70. I certainly am. Fantastic aircraft. I built the Revell kit in 1972 (long lost, alas) so if the Italeri kit isn't a dog, I may get one.

And welcome to one of the nicest places on the interwebs!

<blockquote data-quote="Littlemarten" data-source="post: 246369" data-attributes="member: 22256">First off, for an air brush, I don&#039;t recommend starting with an inexpensive one. Neither do I recommend going for an expensive one. Shop around for good prices. Spraygunner.com has already been recommended. I can also recommend <a href="http://www.merriartist.com" target="_blank">merriartist.com</a> and <a href="http://www.airbrushingwood.com" target="_blank">airbrushingwood.com</a>. &quot;The only tool you can afford is the best tool you can find.&quot; About two years ago I bought a GREX airbrush, and since then my Thayer &amp; Chandler has been gathering dust. Easy to use, very easy to clean.Paints: I hate Model Master, always have. I&#039;m a retired materials scientist who has worked in the paint industry. They are inferior to many of the newer paint lines. For metallic paints, I&#039;ve only found one real competitor (so far) for Alclad II—great paint, but you absolutely need a spray booth (and a decent air brush). The other metallic line that has impressed me is Vallejo, and I use their other model paints almost exclusively, but that&#039;s my preference. Tamiya paints are also very good, though they are alcohol solvent based and require a spray booth for airbrushing. If you go with Tamiya, be sure to get their paint retarder, even for brush application.Clear coat: For gloss: Holloway House® Quick Shine® Multi-surface Floor Finish. Yes, I&#039;m serious. I&#039;ve tried most of the other scale modeling ones, and this produces a finish as good as any, and is often easier to use. Surprise! You don&#039;t need an airbrush for this one! Just use a quality broad artist&#039;s brush. It levels beautifully.Gap filling: There are almost as many preferred ones as there are scale modelers. Medium viscosity cyanoacrylate glue (commonly called CA among modelers, &quot;super glue&quot; more commonly) is very useful, especially with an accelerator. I prefer Mercury Adhesives, but there are very many others. Research the technique online.Some use automotive body filler (Spray booth!) If you try it, get the fine finish coat type.For minor defects and thin seams, I use Mr. Surfacer® 500 and 1000. (Spray booth!).White glue, particularly Micro-Crystal Clear®l is occasionally useful, especially for attaching clear parts. Crystal clear can also be used to fill small windows.Spray booth: I cannot recommend a commercial one. I bought the best one I could find, then had to re-engineer it. I&#039;d have been better off (and spent less money) building it from scratch. Either build it to fit in a convenient window, or vent it through a removable window panel. Aluminum sheet and angle, sheet metal screws, and a blower motor suitable for flammable exhaust are all you need. Be sure to design in good lighting.I&#039;ve one more recommendation: Get some small, cheap kits that you won&#039;t care about to practice on, &quot;get your hand back in,&quot; and learn new materials and techniques. Do this before building a kit of something you really love. I&#039;m sure a lot of people here are looking forward to seeing your XB-70. I certainly am. Fantastic aircraft. I built the Revell kit in 1972 (long lost, alas) so if the Italeri kit isn&#039;t a dog, I may get one.And welcome to one of the nicest places on the interwebs!</blockquote>

[QUOTE="Littlemarten, post: 246369, member: 22256"] [B]First off, for an air brush[/B], I [B][I][SIZE=5]don't[/SIZE][/I][/B] recommend starting with an inexpensive one. Neither do I recommend going for an expensive one. Shop around for good prices. Spraygunner.com has already been recommended. I can also recommend [URL='http://www.merriartist.com']merriartist.com[/URL] and [URL='http://www.airbrushingwood.com']airbrushingwood.com[/URL]. "The only tool you can afford is the best tool you can find." About two years ago I bought a GREX airbrush, and since then my Thayer & Chandler has been gathering dust. Easy to use, very easy to clean. [B]Paints[/B]: I hate Model Master, always have. I'm a retired materials scientist who has worked in the paint industry. They are inferior to many of the newer paint lines. For metallic paints, I've only found one real competitor (so far) for Alclad II—great paint, but you absolutely need a spray booth (and a decent air brush). The other metallic line that has impressed me is Vallejo, and I use their other model paints almost exclusively, but that's my preference. Tamiya paints are also very good, though they are alcohol solvent based and require a spray booth for airbrushing. If you go with Tamiya, be sure to get their paint retarder, even for brush application. [B]Clear coat[/B]: For gloss: Holloway House® Quick Shine® Multi-surface Floor Finish. Yes, I'm serious. I've tried most of the other scale modeling ones, and this produces a finish as good as any, and is often easier to use. Surprise! You don't need an airbrush for this one! Just use a quality broad artist's brush. It levels beautifully. [B]Gap filling[/B]: There are almost as many preferred ones as there are scale modelers. Medium viscosity cyanoacrylate glue (commonly called CA among modelers, "super glue" more commonly) is very useful, especially with an accelerator. I prefer Mercury Adhesives, but there are very many others. [U]Research the technique online.[/U] Some use automotive body filler (Spray booth!) If you try it, get the fine finish coat type. For minor defects and thin seams, I use Mr. Surfacer® 500 and 1000. (Spray booth!). White glue, particularly Micro-Crystal Clear®l is occasionally useful, especially for attaching clear parts. Crystal clear can also be used to fill small windows. [B]Spray booth[/B]: I cannot recommend a commercial one. I bought the best one I could find, then had to re-engineer it. I'd have been better off (and spent less money) building it from scratch. Either build it to fit in a convenient window, or vent it through a removable window panel. Aluminum sheet and angle, sheet metal screws, and a blower motor suitable for flammable exhaust are all you need. Be sure to design in good lighting. I've one more recommendation: Get some small, cheap kits that you won't care about to practice on, "get your hand back in," and learn new materials and techniques. Do this before building a kit of something you really love. I'm sure a lot of people here are looking forward to seeing your XB-70. I certainly am. Fantastic aircraft. I built the Revell kit in 1972 (long lost, alas) so if the Italeri kit isn't a dog, I may get one. And welcome to one of the nicest places on the interwebs! [/QUOTE]

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