Airbrush Safety

Airbrushing is a cost effective way to get amazing painting results on your models and miniatures and gain more control over your painting process.

However, it is also potentially dangerous if not done safely and responsibly with the correct PPE. You are going to be working with hazardous chemicals. If you don’t like this idea, then unfortunately airbrushing may not be for you. However, it is very easy to arm yourself with the right know-how and materials to keep the discerning hobbyist painting, which is what this guide aims to do!

Below we will cover some safety materials and PPE that are designed to help you stay safe while using your airbrush.

Firstly, and most importantly, these paints are toxic. While different types of paint (acrylic, enamel, lacquer) have different toxicity levels, it is a moot point if you are inhaling them.

Airbrushed atomize paint into tiny particles that, if not properly vented and guarded against with PPE, will coat your lungs. For instance, airbrushing with acrylic paint will result in filling your workspace with microscopic polyurethane particles... which, I'm sure you can understand, isn't good for you! Thinners are also toxic, and the fumes released when sprayed are also harmful. Remember to be considerate. If you have pets and other people living with you, you’ll want to protect them from unnecessary health risks.

You may be asking, "how does anyone do this safely?" and the answer is: very carefully! It is important to wear PPE when painting at all times. We'll outline PPE below.

A proper dual cartridge respirator is essential to your airbrushing process. Dual cartridge respirators are designed to filter out both fumes and particulates, which are both produced when airbrushing.

Ensure replacement cartridges are available for your respirator! Common hardware store respirators often come in and out of stock, and you can be left with a respirator with spent cartridges. It is recommended to buy two sets of cartridges, one for use now and another later, unless you've been reassured that your cartridges will be there in store when you need them to be. A respirator with spent cartridges is about as useful as holding your hand over your mouth and nose, which obviously isn't an effective way of maintaining safety.

Replace these cartridges as needed depending on how much painting you do.

Do not assume that any face mask will be up to the task of protecting your health!

A wise band called The Offspring once sung "You gotta keep it ventilated." At least, we're pretty sure that's what they said. Anyways, now that we're talking about it, this is a great time to mention how important ventilation is to airbrushing.

So you've got your dual cartridge respirator. That's great! You're well on your way to airbrushing safely, but there is one other critical component. If you guessed "ventilation," then we'll know you read the previous paragraph. The idea is to suck up the fumes and particulates that will float around you while you paint and spit them outside. You know, away from your lungs. Most often, this is done with a spray booth. Spray booths can be purchased or built DIY-style if you know the requirements. The spray booth we offer is a self-contained unit by Paasche (a well respected North American airbrush brand) that comes with:

• Integrated rear-mounted 110CFM fan
• Retractile power cable.
• A fibre fabric paint filter. Replacement filters are also available.
• Clouded plastic sides (for light diffusion) that can be folded under the unit if desired.
• A rotating painting base.