Hi
Im looking at buying an airbrush. I will be mainly spraying enamel and will paint everything from 1:12 scale bikes to cars boats and planes of differing sizes with detail like very fine camo. I will be using a compressor. I definitely want a Badger as I have been using a very basic 250-2 for big coverage and have had good results with it, but am wanting something I can have for many years. Price is not a problem, I have been looking at the 155-7 and the 360-7. The 360 appeals to me as it has gravity feed which apparently gives slightly better finish. I know it only has a small gravity cup with no cap which may be a pain. I looked at the chart on their website and there does not be many gravity guns for spraying enamel that give a fine finish (number 1’s all the way along the chart). Any suggestions and recommendations would be much appreciated! I am looking at getting something very soon. TIA.
First of all there is no “best” in airbrushes, only what works best for you.
As far as my opinion of the highest quality Badger airbrushes for your needs, the Renegade Velocity would be your best choice followed by the Badger 100LG for a gravity feed airbrush, which I prefer for modeling.
Both will do anything you could ever want in modeling.
I would use the medium needle/tip most of the time in the 100LG and have a fine needle/tip combo on hand to use at times if needed. I can paint anything I need in modeling with the medium tip and don’t find the fine tip is needed often as it is hard to spray enamels and acrylics reliably through the fine tip. Now if you want to paint your model bikes and cars with paints like urethanes then you can definitely use the fine tip as these paints have very fine pigments that flow nicely through the airbrush.
While I understand you have a Badger in mind, test out a Harder Steenbeck, if you can find them:
http://www.harder-airbrush.de/english/evolution_05.html
They get very good reviews.
One problem to watch out for is adapters between this thing with screw threads in metric, and existsing imperial compressors and hoses. Adapters are said to exist, but may be hard to find.
Doc
Yes HS makes good airbrushes but I prefer to buy American and you won’t find better customer service than Badger…period!
Im an air gun novice so don’t know a lot. I looked at the 100LG but from their website and chart It only gets 2’s and 3’s . Is this chart pretty useless for picking a gun. The chart is all I really have to go by and thats why I looked at the 155 and 360 as they seem to get very good ratings… Thanks for the replies so far.
All so the renegade looks good but Im not sure how universal it will be i.e for painting entire car bodies. looks like more of an artists brush and may not cover bigger areas as well?
I never went by those charts as I have 13 different Badgers and know how they perform by hands on use. The 100LG will work great and in fact I tend to use my Omni 4000 more than the 100LG although both are very good.
How big of an area are you talking about? If you want to just blast out the paint as wide as possible the best airbrush for that would be the 175 Crescendo as it puts out a lot of paint, as does the 155 Anthem. None of the airbrushes will put out like a spray can or spray gun will though as they were not designed for that volume of paint. You can get maybe a 2" or so width with most of these airbrush with the trigger all the way back. If you hold away even farther the pattern gets a little larger but the paint is drying before it hits the model in most cases.
Ok I have decided I don’t need bottom feed. The 360 still seems good but am worried the cup is to small. What about the omni 5000 V the 100g? These have a decent size cup but not to big to it will get in the way.
Also the vega 1000 looks good. SOOOO confusing! LOL
I have Badgers, Iwatas and Harder & Steenbecks. My preference is with the H&S brushes. The 2 in 1 combo has both a .15 and .40 needle/nozzle set; the quality is as good as any brush made (better IMO than the Iwatas and for less money) and parts are easy enough to come by.
Regardless of what brand you buy, get a double action, gravity feed. If the brush comes with one needle, get something in the .30 mm range +/- a fraction of a mm. .40 dumps a lot of paint quickly and .15 doesn’t.
Ok. I think I have narrowed it down to these, the 100LG and the 100G as Im guessing only difference is cup size? The omni 4000, 5000 as Im guessing the only difference is cup size and lid? the vega 1000 and 2000 and the 360. I have dismissed the renegade as It only sprays to 1 inch. The 360 sounds good because it has single nozzle/needle which sounds nice and easy, but I probably would not use the bottom feed and I think it needs a bigger cup maybe with a lid. I guess what Im trying to say is out of these guns what will give the finest pencil finish and be easy to use?? TIA.
In my humble opinion you are looking for the “Holy Grail” of airbrushes and guess what? There is none! It is all about what you decide to use and that’s it! There are people that can use any airbrush and paint things better than some of us can regardless, so it all boils down to ability to use an airbrush and that is the bottom line…period!
As I said earlier the Omni 4000 is what I use most.
Anyone got any links to good sites to buy Badger air brushes at a good price as it seems to very a ALOT! Been looking on ebay but the selection is limited. TIA.
The Ebay has good selection of Badger airbrushes, but, yes, the prices on Ebay varies a lot. Do your homework before buying on Ebay. You can find Badger airbrushes at Michael’s Hobby Store locally, but the choice are limited. It is usually a good deal using their Sunday Paper 50% off coupon.
DixieArt, BearAir, Chicago Airbrush Supply, Coast Airbrush, and Airbrush-Depot (TCP Global) are some of the internet dealers with good Badger selections. Add shipping to your total cost when shopping for best price.
The Badger 250 bears no relationship to other Badger double action, internal mix airbrushes. IMHO, you need not limit youself to Badger.
You mentioned “cover the whole car body” earlier. Don’t you need a spray guy for that?
Right, I have narrowed it down to the 100LG and the omni 4000. What is the main difference between these guns please? Also from what I can see these guns do not come with hoses like the 360-7 does. Do you need to buy the hose separate? Thanks.
Im gona buy the 100LG medium head. If anyone has a link to one of these on ebay I would appreciate it as I can find every model but the one i want! LOL.
Why not call David at Coast Airbrush?
He has the 100LG with the medium tip/needle for $60.95
http://www.coastairbrush.com/products.asp?cat=103
Hoses are generally sold seperately unless it is a kit as was mentioned by Phil below.
Usually, that will depend if you’re buying the airbrush on its own or in a kit. If it is packaged as a kit, it will usually come with the vinyl air hose, but it is well worthwhile to buy the braided airhose. You may also require the 1/8th to 1/4 inch compressor adaptor.
Hi Im in New Zealand. so it would be easier to deal with someone through ebay. Thanks.