Heidi Ho neighbor! Haha. [(-D]
Am I “Wilson” now? [swg]
Mike
It’s interesting how people like different tensions on the trigger. [:D]
I have an Omni 3000 “Scooter Shooter” which is a “Hot-rodded” version of the Omni 3000 with a stiffer spring for faster needle return for getting cleaner dagger strokes.
I like it that way and may “Hot-rod” some other’s also with a different spring. [;)]
Mike
I have a badger Crescendo that I use mostly, also a Paasche single action airbrush. I bought a Sotar 20/20 from Dixie arts online but haven used it yet. I tried a friend’s out but didn’t get the expected results. Probably my inexperience with it…
Regards, Dan
It could also be that this airbrush is total overkill for modeling and performs no better with model paints than does your Crescendo. [;)]
Mike
thats the guys name, wilson! i havent watched that show in 10 yrs so i couldnt think of it. well, im off to bed friends and “neighbors”. good nite and God bless.
[zzz]
Mike’s right about the sotar. Model paints don’t go through it well. I use mine for inks only and to be honest, for fine lines my iwata performs better. My new omni and my iwata can both atomize ink better than my sotar! Shocked me.
A question for you Karl:
Did you use the Omni with the tip protected in this test or did you reverse the aircap exposing the needle? With the needle exposed you can get closer and an even finer line.
Mike
the sotar doesn’t have one and i took off the iwata and omni protectors just for that reason. That was still the best I could do after some practice. I had never tried to do lines like that with the Iwata, that was first try. I was surprised by how well it did. I’m not sure if you can tell but the quality of the atomization for the iwata and omni were better than the sotar, another shock.
That is interesting that the Sotar didn’t beat them both with inks especially.
They claim the Sotar can spray as fine or more fine than an Iwata Micron.
Mike
This is a great thread. How is the price on a Sotar compared to an Eclipse? The idea of getting an illustrating airbrush has begun to pick at my brain until I’ll have to do it before too long. I’m interested to do some artwork with one. Getting that down will probably help my overall painting skills too, and that can’t be bad.
Josh,
I have seen the Sotar as low as $159 and the Eclipse runs around $105.
I would like to have one too just to play with, but then again I want one of every model made to play with. [:D][;)]
Mike
I bought my sotar for $129 from bear air. It was a special. I paid $89 for my iwata either from dixie art or bear air (I can’t remember). The HP-CS has shot up since and is now $105 from both bear air and dixie art. If I was recommending one of the two, I’d go with the Iwata, It sprays better, is easier to clean, can easily spray enamels and still costs less. It seems that it’s the only one I need.
Hmm, I should get my tax refund back in the next couple of months also… I feel a new airbrush coming on, maybe I’ll pick up a CS to compare, to my revolution, maybe I’ll grab an Omni 5k so see how it stacks up as well, and maybe a Custom Micron to start some artwork with. Of course, maybe I’m getting out of hand here. I have a couple of knotworks that would look great painted. I’m thinking about painting one with model enamels, lightly sanding it, then clearcoating it with Future. I have a feeling that it would come out looking pretty neat. I don’t really want to paint with model enamels much really though.
Are you making fun of me? Yeah, I bought way too many brushes, just because I didn’t like any of them till the Iwata. I’m lazy and the thought of cleaning my old brushes kept me from using them.
Nah, I was just going airbrush crazy for a minute, but I’m feeling much better now. I wouldn’t mind doing a test myself to see how they compare directly though. I could do the test, then sell the one I like the least on ebay and make a nice profit. They seem to go for more on ebay than they do from dixie or bear.
I would like to have a CS though, it might make cammo jobs on 72 scale a bit easier, and I do want a custom micron for some artwork. I can feel myself slipping a bit again though, gotta reign this in some.
Have you done any more work with your comarison? I’m pretty interested to see how it’s coming along. You will probably influence my decision (MikeV is doing so as well) in the long run, but no pressure. [:)]
I do mostly 1/72 aircraft and the Iwata made the painting my favorite part! Will be doing more tests. Yesterday I was pre-shading panel lines on a 1/72 Hase F-14 with the iwata. That test I did is what drove me to try it.
SO…
in conclusion, i can safely say this
-
iwata is among the best built, has tighter tolerences, more reliable, but when it breaks, it needs factory reconditioning. however, the eclipse (i think) is a copy of a t&c airbrush
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Thayer and Chandler airbrushes are not built as well, however, it works almost the same as iwata. almost.
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The sotar is not as good as the Micron
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Aztec is not as recommended as some other brands ie iwata
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Therefore, the recommended: Iwata, T&C, Badger. the neutral: paasche(not enough info). not recommended: Aztec/testors(also not enough info)
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have a nice day.
No, Iwata’s are not more reliable. Yes, the Eclipse is a copy of T&C’s Vega and Omni.
They are built just as well as an Iwata, they are just not as closely machined and therefore are less expensive, but that in no way means they are not of very high quality.
That is not true either. They are both high quality, precision airbrushes for illustration work.
Some people love the Aztec’s and others hate them, but of course you will find that with any brand and model.
All of those companies produce good airbrushes, it is just a personal thing as to which one people like.
You too. [;)]
Mike
Side by side the iwata is definitely made better than an omni. (unless my omni is an unusual dud) The iwata is only superficially a copy. To me a copy implies near identical design. the iwata’s machining, mechanism and color cup are very different, much more refined. The mechanism is smoother and the color cup is designed to make cleaning shamelessly easy. My badger 150LG could pass for an omni were it not for the lack of access to the needle chuck. So far my only real complaint about the Omni is that it’s a pain to get the paint resevoir clean, other that that it workes great. The omni easily sprays better than my VL or Aztek.
As MikeV says, some people have good luck with Azteks. I was one. I preferred it (hands down) to my pasche VL, H and badger 350.
My current recommendation (for what it’s worth) is based mostly on budget. If you want to do great quality work and are on a budget, and don’t want to spend money later to upgrade, get an T&C omni or Badger 100LG, anthem etc. If you’ve got money (prices were high and they’ve gone up) and need near perfection ( I know I’m gonna get it for using that word but I don’t use it lightly), get an iwata HP-CS. Iwata’s revolution CR may be a good comprimise. If you can get an Aztek for free, then by all means use that, with practice and compulsive cleaning you can get great results. I hated my pasches so I’ll just keep my mouth shut there because I know people have great luck with them.
Karl,
What is so hard about cleaning the cup in the Omni 4000?
I wipe it out with a paper towel the best I can then I put some thinner in it, get a good flat paint brush and put it inside the cup and rub it all around. Then I spray the thinner out, put some more thinner in and spray it out. That is usually good enough to clean it.
I think the Iwata cup has spoiled you. [;)]
Mike