What airbrush and compressor.

Ifor · January 26, 2015, 11:28:22 AM

Could anyone recommend a medium priced airbrush and compressor. I'm not an accomplished modeller by any stretch of the imagine, so I don't want to spend hundreds of pounds. Any advice gratefully appreciated.

Dork the kit slayer · January 26, 2015, 11:37:15 AM

For my two pen'arth. Buy a decent compressor set up and try ebay or various modelling sites for a used airbrush. Lots of modellers up grade and sell off a used(well looked after) airbrush.

My take is always go for the best you can afford. Your modelling/painting skills will soon outpace a cheapo rig.

Wardukw · January 26, 2015, 07:13:18 PM

Simple thing is this ..if ya want good to great results get a good compressor like this one ..this cost me $160 NZ brand new .

Having a tank gives you a much better flow of air where as a non tanked one will not as air is supplied with every stroke of the piston so it comes in spurts and not smooth continuous air like a tanked compressor does .
As for the air brush ...gravity feed is the way to go ..like this one ..

Now that is a Iwata ..not cheap but there is plenty much cheaper ones out there ,,,seen good gravity feed brushes for less than $50 NZ ..thats about 25 pounds .

Hope this helps ya out a bit

Phill

Ifor · January 27, 2015, 12:13:55 AM

Phil and Dork, appreciated, thank you.
Ifor

zenrat · January 27, 2015, 12:38:51 AM

Make sure your compressor has a moisture trap on it (the one in the pic does - it's the clear chamber below the black thing with the red ring).
I was advised to buy a single action brush to start with as there is less to get used to and so less chance of screwing up ones first attempts to use it.
Mine is a Paasche model H.

Suction feed and so the option to use nice big jars to avoid having to keep filling a tiny cup with more paint.

Wardukw · January 27, 2015, 01:22:05 AM

Zenrat nice pickup on that ,,should have mentioned that

Another thing also which is a really good idea is a pressure control valve ..nothing better than being able to control the flow of air and with the many different types of airbrushing i do ,,its brilliant .
I started with a Badger 150 air brush which did me fine for yrs and i added nine other brushes to the pile over time but the day i got my first gravity feed brush like got super good ..the main reason is i can get super close to my work now without the bottle hitting the model and it works at nearly any angle ..i now use only that brush for everything and the pot size matters a lot .
Zenrat is very right about a pot or cup which is to small so if you go for a gravity feed get one with a med to large cup ..i can spray a entire tank twice without needing to refill

Fact get one of each ..then best of both worlds

Phill

Dork the kit slayer · January 27, 2015, 06:09:19 AM

guys ,sorry, but I just cant go with the "get a big jar" idea. Unless your doing your own auto paint schemes(1.1) There is much more control for modelling with a gravity feed. Personally I have no problem having to refill. The paint is supposed to be misted and the finish built up. Just how big a model do you guys build?

As for the Iwata HP-CH (shown) thats a £350 airbrush with a 2mm head. I use one and love it but its not a general purpose brush.

There are some good brushes available I would suggest a good coat of looking at on many of the airbrush vendors web sites.

That said, its a question of personal taste/needs.......horses for courses

Captain Canada · January 27, 2015, 10:02:30 AM

I've got a Campell something or other and an Aztec. Works good enough for me. But I rarely can be arsed using it.

scooter · January 27, 2015, 10:21:22 AM

I've got a 20yo tankless Paasche 1/10hp and a Badger. I plan, at some point, on replacing both.

Wardukw · January 27, 2015, 07:29:40 PM

I have to admit when it comes to control nothing beats a gravity feed ,,mine is a Delta Precision Dual Action ,,this one in fact .
http://www.bnamodelworld.com/delta/dl81008 and it may be in Aussie but you can see from the price ..its nothing expensive but god it works good .
To answer your question Dork the kit slayer

..love that nick by the way

i work with everything from 1/35,,1/32,,1/24 and 1/16th scales so i need the control and even tho the pot only holds 7ml's its is hardly refilled .
Freckin love this brush .

Phill

Old Wombat · January 27, 2015, 08:17:00 PM

OK, I've bookmarked the Delta.

Add that to the airbrush stash.

zenrat · January 28, 2015, 01:24:18 AM

When painting a large 1/25 car or a van body i can easilly use half a large jar full of paint. Especially if i'm going for the "dipped in treacle" look some people seem to like.
But it's horses for courses and as with everything model related there is no one right way. It's all preferences.

What might be useful would be the details of any air brushes or compressors NOT to buy.

scooter · January 28, 2015, 05:16:24 AM

Quote from: Old Wombat on January 27, 2015, 08:17:00 PM
OK, I've bookmarked the Delta.

Add that to the airbrush stash.

Same here.

Quote from: zenrat on January 28, 2015, 01:24:18 AM
What might be useful would be the details of any air brushes or compressors NOT to buy.

I don't know about anyone else, but I'd stay away from external mix brushes.

Ifor · January 28, 2015, 09:09:04 AM

As an after thought, are specialist airbrush paints better than diy?

scooter · January 28, 2015, 03:24:51 PM

Quote from: Ifor on January 28, 2015, 09:09:04 AM
As an after thought, are specialist airbrush paints better than diy?

I usually spray right from the bottle with whatever particular paint (Tamiya, Modelmaster, etc.) I'm working with. The key, though, to airbrush use is "Maintenance, maintenance, maintenance!" No matter what I'm shooting, before changing paints, I always shoot lacquer thinner through it until its clear to clean out the previous paint, then break it down to give it a proper scrub down before letting it dry and putting it away.