Need a New Airbrush.

[Tankcommander]

My badgers are over 30 years old, my Testors one works on the large areas just fine. But as I get further advanced it just won't do the thin lines. I'm getting into more complex camoflage schemes.

So Whats the best Air brush I can get for around $150 US. I guess I want double action internal mix,and I use CO2 with a regulator.

Does Azetec make any tips smaller then fine?

I was painting the modern 3 color Nato scheme and the over spray was bad. It has a soft edge so masking really wasn't an option especially over the complex surfaces. Plus I want to get into more Luftwaffe camo.

TC

[Jack-Swiss]

Look dude, I'll put it simple....of course Iwata would be awesome but it costs...

I have a Tamiya superfine HG 0.2 mm and works fantastic but has no MAC (the air valve on it) so basically or you have the compressor near you to set the air or would suck pretty much...

I recommend Tamiya since I've found myself very good with its a/b...

I have also an A470 from aztec but abandoned it because I use nitro (cellulose thinner?!?or laquer?I don't know the exact name) to clean it and thus would have eat the plastic possibly....then with a metallic body is simpler to clean and stuff. Furthermore you used for 30+ years a metal a/b so I recommend you another of those.

Then I recently bought and still waiting my second "workable" a/b which is a Gunze Sangyo Mr. hobby Procon boy Platinum 0.3 mm with 7.5 ml cap gravity feed Linky

and heard maaaaany good words about it!

Overall you can find it on luckymodel.com for about 110 dollars so a real bargain since around the net you'll find it for circa 200 dollars...

You pick it in the end but I would consider this affair!!!

PS: ohhh to note that both tamy and gunze's airbrushes are made from the same manufacturer, which is Richpen, so basically thay are comparable!!!

another thing...there is also the 0.2 mm model of the procon platinum which would be what you would like to use to do the things you said in your post....aztec tip is 0.3 and believe me you see the difference between the two....so I'm gonna have a 0.3 cause the 0.2 is annoying for larger areas but you can use it....0.3 is much better for larger areas.

for mottling I'll still use lifetime my tamiya since can made lines sooooo fine!!!

Cheers and hope it helped!

Edited March 27, 2009 by Jack-Swiss

[TXCajun]

TC, Lemme throw out to things to consider:

If you have a Hobby Lobby near you, wait until the 40% off anything coupon comes out (check the website weekly) and use it to buy an Iwata HP-CS. I did the same and I love the Iwata. Great airbrush, but needs regular cleaning due to tight tolerances. I pull the needle and the head and clean it after every use. Don't clean it and it gunks up fast and doesn't work worth a darn.

Now...having said that, a good old Badger is hard to be beat. Good solid airbrush with a good warranty and support right here in the good old USofA.

Of course, if you want to really save money, I can honestly tell you that a guy in my club uses a plain old Paache Single-Action External-mix airbrush and I have personally seen him get a pencil-thin line with it. It's a good, solid, easy-to-clean airbrush.

Just my two cents.

Stew

[Joseph Osborn]

You can send your Badger airbrushes back to Badger and they will make them good as new for no charge. You can drop a lot of money on a new airbrush, but why not get the Badgers rebuilt and see it they can do what you need?

[ALPH]

Hi,

i'm completely agree with Jackswiss, you never regret buying an Iwata. For 150$ you can have an HP-C+ with the 0.3 mm nozzle, it's an excellent "allround" airbrush, even the nozzle is larger than 0.2mm or 0.15 mm on some other airbrushes, you can spray very fine lines with an incredible control, of course you can spray larger zone. If you must choose only one try these one.

I also use Mr Hobby airbrushes and I love them (procon boy platinum ps-270 and 269, 0.2 and 0.3). These guns are exellent. For me, comparable to Iwata HP-C but cheaper. For exemple, I've only used the PS-269 for my FW-190 whitout masking for the camo.

Of course, if you want the best : IWATA MICRON, very expensive but i never found a better airbrush (exept, may be, Olympos "micron").

In Europe, we have Harder & steenbeck, who make good airbrushes to. I have an Evolution, an Infinity and a Grafo (with 0.15, 0.2, 0.3 and 0.4 nozzle), very good brushes, very easy to clean, but when spraying, I prefere the japanese airbrushes. May be difficult to find In USA.

It's just my opinion. Hope it helped.

Regards

PS : JackSwiss, the name of the company who make Tamiya airbrushes is not "Richpen" but "BB RICH" (prononce BB RICHI or BB RICHSUCHI), richpen is another "trade mark".

[Steve Filak]

I have also an A470 from aztec but abandoned it because I use nitro (cellulose thinner?!?or laquer?I don't know the exact name) to clean it and thus would have eat the plastic possibly....then with a metallic body is simpler to clean and stuff.

Jack,

I've been cleaning my Aztek with lacquer thinner for ten years now with no ill effects. In fact, I've never had to send it back to Testors, either. That being said, the Aztek isn't for everyone; I love mine and get great results with it (as do many other people), but it's an 'either love it or hate it' kind of thing. In contrast, I heard a lot of great stuff about the Badger 155 Anthem when it came out....everyone was raving about it, so I got one. Guess what? I absolutely hate it. For me, it's given me the most consistent bad results of any airbrush I've ever owned. Just goes to show you that what works for one person might not necessarily work for another.

Over the past year, I've also been using a pair of Thayer and Chandler Omni airbrushes: the 4000 gravity feed and the 6000 side feed. Both of these brushes have worked flawlessly for me, and I can't recommend them highly enough. Maybe they're not Iwata Microns, but they're a great value for the money.

[Chuck1945]

You will get many opinions regarding 'the best airbrush I should buy'. Truth is there are many good choices in (or even below) your price range. In most cases it is the way the brush is used or not used, that determines the results, not the brand or model.

If you are getting a lot of overspray, have you tried thinning the paint heavily (70-75% thinner) cranking the airpressure down to less than 10 psi and spraying from 1/4 - 1/2 inch from the surface?

The new Paasche talon has gained some favorable comments, the Badger Sotar, Iwatas, and the Iwata clones are all possibilities if you want a new brush. I would suggest that you seriously consider a gravity feed model (same results at lower air pressures and better able to do a job that only requires 2-3 drops of paint. If at all possible hold the different brushes to see which ones feel more natural to you. When Testors first introduced the Aztek brush in the USA 15 or so years ago, I thought is was neat looking and got one. I only used it 2-3 times, it felt too ackward to me, never felt 'right' in my hand.

[Jack-Swiss]

I love mine and get great results with it (as do many other people), but it's an 'either love it or hate it' kind of thing.

Yeahhh steve, you got exactly the point and I absolutely agree with you!

You'd probably never change the Aztec....I won't ever say it's a worse airbrush but it's well-known around that there are some airbrushes that are, let's say, more "user-friendly"....for sure I cannot recommend an Iwata as first a/b for sure but there are a/b's which are easiest, cheaper and always great to use....I would pick up all the gunze's range if I had money to spend away like that...now,seriously!

user-friendly,metal body....plus you got the add value that they're used by thousands,perhaps million LOL LOL, of japanese-asian geek-superb modellers!!!!

Now, ok sorry for this superbial citation and words....LOL LOL...

but yes, that reflects mostly my thoughts...I began with a metal a/b and aztec together....metal ones win, easier,abssolutely but of course that's my experience and my personal thought, of course!!!

Cheers Steve!!!

[Jack-Swiss]

You will get many opinions regarding 'the best airbrush I should buy'. Truth is there are many good choices in (or even below) your price range. In most cases it is the way the brush is used or not used, that determines the results, not the brand or model.

If you are getting a lot of overspray, have you tried thinning the paint heavily (70-75% thinner) cranking the airpressure down to less than 10 psi and spraying from 1/4 - 1/2 inch from the surface?

The new Paasche talon has gained some favorable comments, the Badger Sotar, Iwatas, and the Iwata clones are all possibilities if you want a new brush. I would suggest that you seriously consider a gravity feed model (same results at lower air pressures and better able to do a job that only requires 2-3 drops of paint. If at all possible hold the different brushes to see which ones feel more natural to you. When Testors first introduced the Aztek brush in the USA 15 or so years ago, I thought is was neat looking and got one. I only used it 2-3 times, it felt too ackward to me, never felt 'right' in my hand.

Yeaaaah many good thoughts here as well....

Of course it is also the modeller that makes it great...I've seen many modellers,fantastic modellers, using old a/b's or "not so good" ones with superb results!

But for sure there are many shrewdness which can make your life easier.

One is like chuck said the gravity feed....that's a whoole lot easier to use,clean and such!

Great thread this one....sharing our thoughts on a/b's....awesome!

Cheers mates

[Tankcommander]

Yeaaaah many good thoughts here as well....

Of course it is also the modeller that makes it great...I've seen many modellers,fantastic modellers, using old a/b's or "not so good" ones with superb results!

But for sure there are many shrewdness which can make your life easier.

One is like chuck said the gravity feed....that's a whoole lot easier to use,clean and such!

Great thread this one....sharing our thoughts on a/b's....awesome!

Cheers mates

Thanks for the replies it has given me a lot to consider. I will have to start shopping around now.

do you recommend on line or store purchase? No hobby Lobby but I have Michaels and Pearl.

TC

[hornet200]

go to michels and get a 50% off coupon and get a Iwata for 75 buckd you cant go wrong

cheers

Dan

[Jack-Swiss]

Thanks for the replies it has given me a lot to consider. I will have to start shopping around now.

do you recommend on line or store purchase? No hobby Lobby but I have Michaels and Pearl.

TC

I personally order the main stuff online since in this heck of a place we don't have great hobby shops....but I have only one in Milan veeeeery great and I think one of the best but prices cannot be compared to the online hobby shops in the far east!!!

so I end always up to order from luckymodel or HLJ or such....great places, awesome prices, fast shipping...what else do you want?!?

Cheers dude

PS: sorry I don't know Michaels and Pearl but from what Hornet200 says it seems a pretty darn great place and if you can get an iwata for even 100 bucks so go for it!!!!

Edited March 28, 2009 by Jack-Swiss

[Chuck1945]

do you recommend on line or store purchase? No hobby Lobby but I have Michaels and Pearl.

Store purchase gives you the ability to actually hold a potential brush and Michaels usually has 40% off coupons on an almost weekly basis. Unfortunately I dont think there is usually much choice. On line will usually get a better price across a much wider range of makes and models, but no 'hands on'.

Dixie Art and BearAir are the two on line airbrush dealers I see recommended most often. I have purchased from Dixie Art and can recommend them if you decide to go the online route. http://www.dixieart.com/Dixie_Art_Supplies..._Main_Page.html

[Huey Gunner]

Store purchase gives you the ability to actually hold a potential brush and Michaels usually has 40% off coupons on an almost weekly basis. Unfortunately I dont think there is usually much choice. On line will usually get a better price across a much wider range of makes and models, but no 'hands on'.

Dixie Art and BearAir are the two on line airbrush dealers I see recommended most often. I have purchased from Dixie Art and can recommend them if you decide to go the online route. http://www.dixieart.com/Dixie_Art_Supplies..._Main_Page.html

Them and GMW. I own three different Iwata's and thoroughly enjoy them.

[panthergreen]

harder and steenbeck is another choice

[Alex.B]

What about an Olympos?

I have a gravity feeding HP-100C and is fantastic!

Precise, reliable, simple cleaning...