Hello:

I sat down to paint tonight and I discovered my Aztek wasn't working. When I depress the trigger and pull back for paint, all I get is air. I checked to make sure my tip/nozzle and paint jar were not plugged, and they weren't. After a few expletives, I noticed that my trigger was not returning to the front so to speak. In other words, you can move the trigger back and forth and wherever you move it to, it just stays there. After several more expletives, and an unsuccessful search for my receipt, I have some questions.

First, is this something I need to submit to Testors, and if so, since the airbursh comes with a lifetime warranty, are the required repairs going to be covered? Does it matter if i cannot locate my receipt? What kind of turnaround time can I expect?

Second, although I am new to modelling, and have probably only airbrushed around 10-15 models, I have never been impressed with my Aztek. Although I have beginner skills, I have just never likeed the brush, and have always had difficulty with certain uses (i.e. fine lines etc.). Therefore, if I decide to go a different route, I know opinions are varied, but can anyone recommend an airbrush brand and model? I typically model German Armor (99%) so would be looking for something that can handle the fine lines etc for their various camouflage patterns.

Also, at the present time, I use a Campbell Hausfield compressor, with a moisture trap, so if you can recommend a new airbrush, would you also be able to let me know what else I may need for compressor connections (everything I needed before was included with the 4709)? Thank you for any and all assistance!!

Randy

Randy:

I had the same thing happen to me when I had my Aztek.. Sounds like the trigger linkage in the body has come apart or broken. You can try to fix it on your own, but if you pry the body apart the warrentee will be null and void according to them.

Now you can send the brush back to testors w/o the receipt and they will either fix it or send you a new one.. This will take about 6-8 weeks if they have one if not it can take longer.. You must include a note of what is wrong with it as well when you send it back.

There is another option that you can do.. I went to Michaels arts and crafts store and bought a Bager Anthem 155 when they were having their 40% off sale and spent about 65-70 bucks and bought a new A/B while I was waiting for a replacement.. Now that one is all I use and the Aztek was given away to another modeler that didn't have an A/B..

I run the same compressor you have and all I needed to buy with the badger was the bager hose that fit the A/B and away I went that very day.

Hope this helps and good luck

Paul

I have/had the same problem with my Aztek as well, I contacted Testors and they said basically what Paul said, to send it back, and they would either repair or replace it. Now I haven't had the same problems using the Aztek as you, and in fact have had some of the best times with it, having no problems laying down fine lines and such.....alot of it has to do with the consistancy of the paint, as well as your air pressure.

IE: Low airpressure...like no more than 10lbs...less if your compressor will do it. And as far as thinning you paint, with Tamiya I found that about 70/30 thinner to paint is best. Again, alot of trial and error is involved, so practise on some old kit, or scrap plastic.

Micheal's has 40% off sales!!!! I have never seen them have anything like that for sales here, mind you I am dealing with a Canadian version of Micheal's as well....so maybe they don't put on the sales like they do in the US. How is their selection of models??? All they carry here is the generic auto and aircraft models from Revell/Monogram and AMT, pretty much what any large department stores carry.

But are you really sure the nozzle isn't stuck?? I had similar problems, but noticed the needle was not really in place. Testors tells you explicitly **not** to open the tips, but I have done so, as with many others here, and cleaned the tip thuroughly. Another time the push-lever seemed to be stuck, but I thuroughly cleaned all I could get at, and it helped. I also noticed a problem when a son tightened the single/double-action wheel on the end of the handle of the a/b too hard. After **lightly** tapping the head of the handle on my workbench, it clicked out.

I say this only because I was in the same predicament and was in phase to send it away, when I did what I explained above and never have had any problems since.

Cheers and good luck!

Scott:

I would think Micheals would be pretty much the same anywhere.. They run the ads in the Sunday papers around here and the coupon is on the flyer in the paper. Sometimes you can get the flyer at the store itself around here. If you log onto their website you wil see that they are having a 50% off sale on selcted items.. Although maybe not on the stuff you and I would be interested in at the moment..

As fo rtheir model selection.. It is pretty much the same around here as well.. Very select few of Revell and AMT Kits.. That is where I picked up my 1/48 F-15E though for like $15.

Brian does have a point you could try cleaning the nozzels out first and adjusting the wheel.

Since you mentioned the trigger was not returning though. One other thing you could see is.

If you look in the front of the brush. There is a "plunger" that sits behind the nozzel when it is on the brush. If you pull the trigger back and that "plunger" doesn't move you will only get air and the trigger will not go back. Either the plunger is caked with paint or the linkage is broken. Now you can try cleaning out the front cavity with paint thinner or gently tapping the tip to free it.. I know on mine I actually had to take the back of a paintbrush handle and with the trigger pushed back push on the "plunger" to free it. Although Testors says no paint get there it does and I didn't think to clean that part...

Needles to say not matter how well I cleaned it and gentle I was it eventually broke the linkage and I had to replace it after about a month or so after the "plunger" started sticking.

Sorry I didn't think of the "plunger" part in the first post. It took Brians response to jog that memory out of this old brain bucket of mine..

Good luck and let us know what you come up with....

Paul

Thanks for the advice on Micheal's, I will have to look at their website....our city doesn't have one yet, so we don't get their flyer in the paper as of yet, and the closest one is about an hr away. They tell us next spring it will open, but they have yet to break ground, so I will believe it when I see it.

The plunger in mine is completly stuck forward.....and when you work the trigger back and forth you can feel it grinding on something....althought he plunger is all the way forward....it doesn't shoot any air, unless I push down on the trigger, so it may be in fact that there is too much paint on the plunger....maybe I will take it apart and for go any warranty, as I am in the market for a better airbrush anyway.

Lucky Model has an Iwata HP-C clone for $98, which isn't too bad, considering that the true Iwata one is about $150....I may just have to check in the US when I am down on vacation, maybe I can find something on special somewhere.

Anyone have any luck at a place called Hobbytown USA???? There are a couple on my route, and I am just wondering if they are worth stopping in at.