Well, not yet a winner, that’s just the final round up [:D]
Badger 155 Anthem
T&C Omni 4000
Iwata Revolution CR
yes i know it… one it’s bottom feed the others are gravity…
I can’t decide… keep in mind that I’ll use the AB for cars modelling (1/20 F1 and 1/12 bikes).
All three are one needle/nozzle solution for all type of patterns; fine/wider.
The 155 attracts me for:
fast disassembling for cleaning
classic (at least for me…) layout with bottom/siphon feed, I’ll put frequent use colors (ca. 10…) in 3/4oz glass bottles and … screw in, screw out the bottle, clean the siphon tube and so on…
the Omni and the CR attracts me for the, apparently, faster and simplier;
fill in/pour out the paint from the color cup, and consequential cleaning of the AB. Plus the ability to use them with lowest air pressures.
I’ve read somewhere that Badger’s trigger is somewhat “hard”, and after a 10mins session, your finger could be a bit… tired…
Which one produces the finest patterns?
I’m a bit scared from expensive spare parts of the Iwata.
I just ordered the omni 4000. I have been told and also read that gravity feed ab can paint finer lines than siphon fed. I am also new to air brushes I used to use can paint. I do custom cars and now getting into armor. Just like when you go to purchase a car, everyone is going to tell what brand they use and like. From the research I did, all three of these are very good airbrushes.
The gravity feed brushes are capable of slightly finer lines simply because they will feed at lower pressures. I have an Omni 3000 (siphon feed) that I’ve had for a good while and while doing the camo on my F-105 I kept running into feednig problems at very low pressure (not sure how low because my pressure gauge was barely registering, but somewhere around 5-7 psi). I decided to get the Omni 4000 (gravity feed) and it does feed properly at lower pressures.
This does make sense since in a gravity feed brush the paint is already present in the brush and doesn’t have to be pulled up through the siphon tube.
The ability to switch colors by screwing one bottle off and another on is very handy, and it’s one of the reasons I like siphon feed brushes, but at the same time you can always keep your pre-mixed paint in bottles and pour a little into the paint cup of a gravity feed brush.
Charger, you’ve picked three good brushes. I can’t pick for you, and doing cars you probably won’t need the fine-line capabilities as much as those of us who do things with multiple colors. Personally, based on my limited experience, I’d go with the Omni or the Iwata. Both will give you a lifetime of service, both will do anything you want.
Check your area and see if there are any dealers for Badger or Iwata. If so you have an outlet for emergency spare parts if you should happen to break something and need a quick replacement.
That is not true. How “hard” the trigger is is dependant upon how tight the trigger spring is set and it is adjustable.
Of the ones you mentioned they are all pretty close.
Both the Omni 4000 and the Badger 155 spray about the same in terms of line width but as Scott already mentioned the Omni being a gravity-feed will allow you to spray at lower pressures which reduces overspray and allows you to control the line better.
I have never used the Revolution CR but I am assuming it is not quite as precise as it is the cheaper line of Iwatas and I don’t believe it sprays as fine as the Eclipse CS and others. Maybe someone like ‘plasticmod992’ (Greg) could tell you more as I believe he has both the Revolution CR and an Omni.
Personally I would choose the Omni 4000 but that’s just me.
The Badger 155 is a great airbrush also.
I know it is from a Badger catalog. [;)]
I don’t pay much attention to those charts because they are generalized for people with little experience with an airbrush.
The Omni 4000 was designed for illustration and automotive work and so that is why it is listed where it is but that does not mean that it won’t work very well for modeling. The catagory of “hobby” could entail using mediums much thicker than modeling paints also so that is why airbrushes like the siphon-feed models are higher rated under that category.
All I can add is that there are several people here using Omni 4000’s, myself included, and I only know of one who has had a problem with one.
I have both a 3000 and 4000 and can tell you for sure that for the mediums that we use the 4000 will flow better at lower pressures, and for doing fine detail work on models that is what you want.
I did just think of one other item that may have put the 4000 lower than the 3000. As Mike said, “Hobby Work” includes more than just building models, and the fact that the 3000 can hold a large bottle for painting larger items may be considered a plus in some instances. It seems like I have a 2oz bottle for mine (it actually came with my old Badger 200 so I can’t really remember the size).
The revolution is really really really good, its imho one of the better airbrushes I have ever used, it just can’t do AS fine lines as other ones, but its really good control
I really don’t think you could go wrong with either one. It’s all really a matter of getting used to what you have and learning to use it well. I know for a fact that my airbrushes are capable of doing far better work than I can, so I just keep trying.
