I am thinking about getting myslef a decent airbrush. I need one that is good for doing very small jobs, and fine lines. What Airbrush would be the best for small camo patterns, specificly for WWII German Stuff. I was thinking about the Aztek ones, or are they beter suited for other stuff.
p.s. where is the airbrush forum?
-thanks
Everyone has their favorite brands, that’s for sure. I use an Iwata HP-C. It’s a double action brush that can create some fairly small lines. I use acrylics in it only. I also use a Badger 350 single action for spraying more exotic stuff like the lacquer clear that I use.
I would argue that this is not the time to go ‘cheap’. What I mean by that is you will be using your airbrush most likely on every kit you build. So it’s quality will impact how your finishes will come out. So find one that will suit your needs. In my case I use two airbrushes all the time. Works for me.
Glenn
Check this link out:
http://www.craigcentral.com/models/ab.asp
Hah, nobody’s asked that question before!
Here is a good place to start doing research, by our very own MusicCity:
http://www.craigcentral.com/models/ab.asp
Hunt around MusicCity’s site, he has lots of airbrush and painting info.
I would recommend a double action gravity fed brush. Right now I’m using a Badger 150 siphon feed, which works pretty good, but gravity fed brushes just work better for small finicky stuff. I’ve got my eye on a Badger 100G with the fine needle/head assembly for stuff like squiggle camo.
I don’t have any personal experience with an Aztec. Some people swear by them, some people swear at them. My preference would be for a non-plastic brush.
Good Luck!
edit Aaaah! Scooped by Vinny! What are you doing out of bed so early? /edit
I used the Aztek for about a year. I was pleased with it at first, but after awhile it just wore out. I just recently purchased the Paasche VSR-90#1. It works great. I must admit, I’ve got to get use to it. But for the price, it’s a steal. Metal versus plastic. It come with 2 needles, fine & medium. And from what I’ve seen & used the fine works real well. Clean up wasn’t that bad, for the first time. If you’re looking for something under a $100, this is worth a look. You can find it at: www.dixieart.com
Thats a good point by Glenn.
The aztec brushes are fun. They have all kinds of tips and settings to adjust. For people who like them they work excellent. I like the more traditional style brush. Internal mix gravity feed. Badger 100G Fine tip would be good for what you want, mine is ok above 10psi but unreliable under 10psi.
Any of the iwata brushes are finely tooled pieces of equipment and work excellent right down to 3psi (In my experience). I’m an airbrush collector so all other things being equal, the atomization of paint from an iwata is just finer and more uniform. For the iwatas, if you want to go cheap get a Revolution CR4500 (.5mm tip) (excellent for model paints) or more expensive HP-CS (.35mm tip).
If you would have posted this in the airbrush forum you will hear from the H&S fans also. I haven’t used one so I can’t comment.
Same here my first good brush is a Badger 175 cressendo double action i picked it up at dixieart for 65 bucks free shipping and it came with the heavy needle meadum needle and the fine needle, with all the tips and airhose all i had to do was get a compresor and that was it i realy like the brush and dont think i would buy another cheap one ever again its kinda like buying a used car runs great for about a week and then breaks down.Dont want that to happen when your panting a model though but when it comes down to it its about what works good for you.
There was a thread many moons ago about frustration with the Aztek. It seemed as many members had problems, me included. I’ve owned 2 Badgers, and more than likely will never buy another brand. I currently have the 200, which is a hybrid. It works like a single-action airbrush, but has a paint adjuster on the end that controls the flow of the paint. Works real well and I have no need for a double-action AB, because it pretty much achieves the same effects, but is easier to operate in MHO. They are quite affordable too.
[#ditto] Tigerman’s comments. My Aztek A430 broke after a very short service life, and inspite of me having followed all cleaning and care instructions. Although Testor’s replaced it per their warranty, I was still without the use of it during the 3 week turnaround. I too really like my Badger 200NH. The first time I used it on a model I did a free hand camo on a 1/72 Tiger tank and got decently close to what I was striving for. Although there are airbrushes that are theoretically better, I think ease of use is a valuable consideration. No matter how good an airbrush supoosedly performs, if you don’t have the skill to use it to its limits, you won’t see a difference.
Andy
That is a very important point.
I had a Badger 200 for years, wore it out and sent it off and had it rebuilt. It comes with 3 different tips and 3 different needles. A great airbrush. I now use an Iwata HP-C and I really like it but it is more expensive than the badger. About as important is the regulator and air source. To get the performance from your airbrush you want, you need a good source of air and a way to finely control the pressure. I use a 20 lb cylinder of CO2 with a good regulator. Greg