Southern Pacific's Jefferson Branch

[ratled]

I got a new toy!!!!!!

It’s a Iwata-Medea NEO TRN 1 Trigger Airbrush





I have been seeing/reading/hearing lately that a lot of folks with hand issues have been switching to trigger style airbrushes.  Being one of
those guys with these issues I was intrigued.   Now I have a hand full of airbrushes - Passche H & a VL, a Badger and a cheap DA import. 
I didn’t want a cheap import this time around and they aren’t that cheap anymore!  I also didn’t want to spend several hundred dollars on a premium one either.

I went with the TRN1 instead of the TRN 2.  The TRN2 is essentially the same except it’s a side feed.  Looking at it that seemed this setup
could be harder to clean.  There are lots of good reviews and videos out there if you are interested in either.

These are listed as a dual action airbrush but they are more of a cross over.  You can only control the air through the incoming air.  It has a
2 stage trigger and once you “take up” the trigger to the second stage you start to get paint flow. With a 3.5mm needle it is a good all around
airbrush though I hear you can get larger or smaller needles if you want.

Of course now that it is finally here I just HAD TO paint something.   Before I did anything with it I ran a bowl full of thinner thought it, followed by one
of windex and finally a bowl of 91% alcohol just to be sure it was good and clean.   The only thing that was close to being ready to be painted were a
couple of fuel tanks and trucks from some GP40’s. These got Atlas replacement bodies but the lower ends were still just plain black.

I also wanted to test out a few SP “gray” colors.   Here is what I was trying out.......



The biggest issue here is what I see on the layout, what I see on my screen and what you see on yours are not the same so please bear with me.  
The winner is the Tamiya XF 63.   I was glad to see it as I really like the way the Tamiya paint goes on and how easy the cleanup is.    I mixed up a batch
of about 50/50 paint to the XF-20 lacquer thinner (it makes the paint harder when it dries) and favored the thinner just a little bit.  I painted a few
squiggles on a paper towel and then went onto some plastic pieces from a milk carton just to test it out.   Once I got a feel for  this airbrush I went
ahead and painted just the fuel tanks.  The paint flowed well and the brush behaved nicely at just under 20 psi.   Same paint, painted at the same time
and the light really plays on these tanks in terms of colors!



Nice light and even coats is the key and the TRN1 does it well.  I can still blow just air out if I want to make the fresh paint skin over a little.

It’s hard to tell but the color is very close but just a little light to be a perfect match.  If I was doing a whole engine it would be perfect.  Even so,
it’s WAY better than the black plastic.



I did the trucks to tie it all in.  I think it will be just fine with a little weathering but until then I don’t think the casual eye will catch it.  Everything
got a quick shot of dull coat to seal it all in.   Looks much better now!



The loco on the left is all factory and the one on there right is has a factory paint body and the trucks and fuel tank is my work.



I did do up a test piece also while I was at it so that I could to try a nice oil filter on it to see how that works out to change up the tone.  The Tamiya is
so dead flat it makes it stand out even more.  Even the quick coat of dull coat gave it a bit of a shine and, hopefully, the oil filter will take it the rest of the way.

Overall I am really happy with the new TRN1.   I can use my middle finger to work the trigger and my pointer finger helps stabilize the airbrush.  
I just need to get use to controlling the trigger with the middle finger now for paint flow.  It cleaned up very easily.  Using the Tamiya I can
use 91% alcohol at only $2 a bottle and save the expensive Tamiya thinner for mixing paint.   I want to start playing with spraying some cheap craft paints next.