What do you do when changing colors with a gravity fed airbrush? Is it more of a hassle than a siphon feed? I am thinking of going to a gravity fed airbrush like T&C Omni 4000 from a Badger 150. I’m hoping that a gravity fed brush will work better for me. But I was wondering how you clean out the brush between colors. With my 150, I simply take off the cup and use a jar filled with thinner and flush it out for the next color. But it seems like it would be a lot more work when you can’t take off the “color cup” and put on a cleaner solution. Thanks for the help.
not true my friend. changing color in any airbrush is a pain for me, but i would say that changing color in a gravity feed is a bit easier than with a color cup. for quick color changes, i squirt the appropriate thinner through and load the next color and spray just a touch as a test before i spray on the subject i’m painting. and, this want hurt, i would reccommend the iwata eclipse hp-cs for a fine gravity feed airbrush. later.
The Elipse HP-CS seems very similar to the Omni 4000. I don’t know much about either one. Is there a reason you recomend the Iwata over the Omni other than it’s what you use? Additional features? Just better? What’s the price comparison like?
i like the hp-cs over the omni 5000 that i have. i own the hp-cs, hp-c, omni 5000, badger 200G, and the paasche H. the hp-cs is the last airbrush that i’ve bought because i am totally satisfied with its performance. now, without starting up a bunch of hoopla, in saltydog’s opinion, the hp-cs is the best all around airbrush that i’ve ever used. based on my experience alone, and mind you, everybody is different, the trigger action is smoother, it atomizes paint better than any airbrush i’ve used, and it is more comfortable in my hand than anything besided the hp-c. now, badger can beat the pants off iwata when it comes to prices. the hp-cs goes for $105 at dixieart.com and the omni 4000 is $69 i believe. i paid $67 for my omni 5000. if you email MikeV, he can get you a 40%discount on an omni 4000!! you cant beat that deal. but, if i didn’t have an airbrush and was about to purchase one and i knew what i know now, i’d buy the eclipse hp-cs and be done with it. again, thats just my opinion friend. the omni 5000 is a fine airbrush and will do all you need to do in model painting. the 4000 is no different. good luck with you decision and please don’t base it on my opinion solely friend. research and see what the wallet can handle and go for it. later.
Thanks for the info Saltydog, looks like you definately have qualifications for an informed opinion since you have used that many different airbrushes. I appreciate the input. I seem to have problems with smooth airflow with my badger 150. I’m hoping a gravity feed will help out. I’m no airbrush expert, but I try my hardest to do proper cleaning and maintance. I’m wanting to try something else. Thanks.
[#ditto]
I’m with Chris, all the way!
Have the Eclipse HP-CS, SO much better than my old (siphon feed) Paasche VL. easier to change colors? YOU BET!
when you say you are having trouble with the airflow, are you using an air compressor or canned air. if an aircompressor, what type? later.
Thanks for that honest reply Chris. [;)]
I also own an Iwata HP-CS and it is as nice as the 9 Badger airbrushes that I have, but as Chris stated they are more money and to me the difference is very negligable. I think my Omni 4000 has just as smooth of a trigger as the Iwata and I think the Badger 360 and Anthem have an even smoother trigger than the HP-CS. As Chris said though it is a personal choice thing and I am loyal to Badger not only because I feel they make an excellent airbrush, but I am loyal because they treat customers like no other airbrush company.
Mike
BADGER!!!
I will have to say that several months ago someone, I believe it was Mike, gave me the email of the president (?) of Badger because I was having problems. I emailed him and he said he believed it was the washer and sent me a new one. This dude emailed me back the next day and I had the washer just a couple of days later. I was astounded. But I still have problems, and I’m not quite sure if it’s just me not knowing what I am doing. It seems like a gravity fed airbrush “might” be easier for me. I’m not one to wear out my welcome, so I don’t want to bother Ken Badger with newbie problems (if that’s the case).
I’m using a 2 gallon Cambell and Hausfeld air compressor and I try to run it anywhere from 15 to 20 psi. I tried adjusting the psi when I had air flow problems, and adjusting it didn’t solve my problems. My mother is an artist, but doesn’t airbrush. She purchased this one a while back and used it for a class. She gave it to me when I got interested in airbrushing models. It may have been messed up somehow, but I can’t imagine that she wouldn’t have taken care of it. She takes care of everything else. I cleaned the hell out of it. Oh well, I figure for $70-$100, I can find out whether it’s me or the airbrush, hehe.
Do you have a moisture trap on your compressor? If not you may be spitting some water through the line into the brush. Also check this thread:
http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=23240
Your air valve probably needs cleaning out. They tend to get sticky sometimes.
you beat me to that one scott. i forgot to mention the moisture trap. i also owned one of those compressors and had trouble with it. but as scott says, the moisture trap is a must in most cases. i hardly ever spray over 15 psi unless i’m cleaning the brush. you have to thin the paint appropriatly when spraying at lower psi. later.
I do have a moisture trap, I purchased it when I bought the air compressor. I would empty it if it filled up, but i have never noticed moisture in it. But I don’t paint much either.
Do ya’ll measure PSI buy the PSI reading while you have your airbrush spraying or while it it stopped? I notice a 3-5 PSI reduction when when I start spraying. But like I said, I tried adjusting it. My airflow does not seem to be a problem until the paint starts flowing (or even thinner) when I pull the trigger back to allow the paint to flow. It doesn’t seem to make much sense to me.
David,
I measure the psi with the airbrush at rest. Some people do it while spraying but I don’t see any reason to, as it is just a reference point anyhow. [;)]
Mike