GHQ Models Forums

My brush collection is to the point I can no longer coax any more out of my 20/0 & 30/0 brushes.

I was buying them from ASEL art supply store but they are no longer carrying them. I have never seen them in the mainstream art supply houses.

Anyone know of a good supply source?

I have bought 20/0 at Michaels. Did you look on Micro-Mark's website? They seem to carry a lot of specialized and odd sized brushes.

i've got my 20/0 from michels, but thats not the number on them. the problem, with michels and ac moore, at least in my area, is the paint brush section is a mess. i complained at both stores about the ruined brushes. i have to spend alot moor time going through them, because they are nearly all f'ed up by idiots.

Micro-mark has several types of 20 "0s" and three different lengths of 30 "0". I use several 20 "0" "spotter" brushes and a few others each year. I did try a #6 30 "0" brush several months ago. The bristles spayed out after a few uses, & it hasn't been usable since.

I've also ordered from Art Supply Warehouse before (aswexpress on the web).

Thanks for all the replies. Sounds like the next time I'm in Hobby Lobby I should actually ask for help!

I looked at the Micro Mark site. Interesting stuff. I found the brushes there not sure I liked the ball design. I tend to use chopsticks to guide the paint brush for some things.

Still looking through the Art Supply Warehouse. I went on the site just before work but couldn't spend too much time there.

Keep the suggestion coming tho.

Thanks to all who have replied.

And if anyone has suggestions on extending the life of brushes, that would be welcome. I use the White Ensign oil paints, and Testor brush cleaner, but I am lucky if one of these 10/0 or 18/0 brushes lasts for 6 or 8 ships before splaying out into an unusable mess.

To extend the life of my small brushes I only use them for fine detail stuff. I use the larger brushes for pushing paint into grooves and things of that nature. I try to use 18/0 or larger for those jobs that just tear up brushes.

I also keep the protetive tubes if the brush comes with one. After I finish usung a brush i wet it and slide that tube back over it. That keeps the brush from being damaged during storage.

I have had some luck with hairspray on my brushes. It will give some extended life to them but there is a point (where I'm at now) that the brush is toast.

I typically get 1.5 to 2 years out of my little brushes and 6 months to a year out of my general larger ones.

I use BJ's "The Masters" brush cleaner and preserver available from Blick and other hobby or art supply stores. It is a little pricey but it beats replacing brushes so often. Works fon brushes used for both acrylic and oil based paints.