I know I am probably going to open a can of worms with this question, but I want some thoughts from the members.
I am just getting back into model building after a long hiatus(like 20 years) I have got a old single action badger 200 (about circa 1980) and am thinking about spending the bucks for a Iwata. First, is it worth it and if so what model would be better? I am leaning towards a gravity fed brush as I used to hate washing the badger paint jar and siphon tube. I generally plan on building 1/48scale aircraft and want something that I can use to paint the whole plane and still allow for nice fine detail work.
I am open to a Badger as well since my old one was pretty reliable. Any suggestions would be very helpful- as I have a Accurate miniature TBF 1C jus waiting on the shelf in the basement. Thanks Everyone.[:)]
One suggestion is to not worry about broad coverage. If your Badger 200 still is working well, you can use it for overall coats. Even if it is not providing as fine of detail as you desire, it will lay down nice, smooth coat of paint. If you open the needle on it it will put out as much paint as you like. Since I doubt you would ever need to go from wide coverage to pencil lines with the same paint and the same session, using two different AB’s fro broad and fine detail really wouldn’t double your cleaning.
To make cleanup easier, you might cosider getting a color cup for your 200. The Badger siphon feed color cup is a fits somewhat awkwardly (one of my periodic rants) because of its straight pickup tube. If you’re semi-handy with a torch and solder you can put a bend in the pipe so that the cup sits level with respect to the airbrush body. Anyway, the advantage of using a color cup compared to the siphon bottle is that you can mix up less paint and there is a lot less cleaning and wasted paint.
I recently purchased an Iwata Revolution. It was recomended to me by a friend that also happens to be a world-class fish taxidermist. Though I have no experience with another airbrush, I can’t imagine that any other could be any better. The Revolution feels very comfortable and well balanced in my hand and it’s smooth double action gives me excellent control over the size and consistency of my spray. The gravity feed makes for little to no wasted paint and a very responsive airbrush. IMO, the Iwata is well worth the $$$.
I love my Iwata HP-C, which was a replacement for an Aztec. I’ve had a few issues with it, but that’s due to me, not the airbrush. However, the Iwata helpline is really really good, helpful and free (I should really write to them, and thank them). All I’d say is, from what I’ve read and heard, most airbrushes are pretty good, so it boils down to taste and budget. The key things, as I’ve learnt (see the thread ‘Iwata Gremlins’) is to maintain and clean your airbrush. However, I went for an Iwata because I’ve heard that they were the best, and for the little extra, I like the reassurance of having the best product (apparently).
This can’t be stressed enough. It’s better to clean often than to have a clog in the middle of your spraying. It’s only happened to me once with my Iwata, but that was the first and last time. I’ve been diligent to it clean since and it’s been problem free.
I’ll stick with my Badgers. I started out with one and never looked back.
Absolutely no argument from me in that respect. That is the key to keeping one working right.
The “Best” airbrush is whatever one a person happens to prefer. I prefer Badger, others prefer Iwata. The bulk of an airbrush’s abilities come from the hand holding it.
yeah there seems to be too many options, but all of those different gravity airbrushes are all quite similar. I used an Iwata Eclipse for a little while. Now I’ve got an Omni 5000, and I don’t miss the Iwata at all.
I switched from Badger and Paasche to Iwata about 5 years ago and I’ve never gone back. I first got their HP-BCS, which is about the same as the Badger 150, but I noticed immediately that the control was better, there were no splatters or spiders, and the flow seemed better.
I liked it so much that I when I had an opportunity to pick up an HP- BH, which has a smaller nozzle. This brush has the built in paint cup and is gravity fed, unlike the BCS which is bottom feed with a cup (like the Badger). I finally decided to take the leap and went out and bought a Micron CM-B, which is at the high end of their line.
Some might say I’m crazy, but my models have gotten considerably better since I switched. Since I’m stubborn and set in my ways, I haven’t done anything revolutionary in my building techniques in the last few years, aside from using Future as my clearcoat.
El badger 100 Lg es muy bueno para modelismo, algunos kits de este aerografo inluyenen manguera y posiblidad de diferentes anchos de aguja, el Iwata es bueno pero todo hay que comprarlo por separado.
El badger 100 viene con boquilla en forma de corona standar, en el Iwata hay que comprar aparte este accesorio.
Saludos
Iván
En resultados los dos son practicamente iguales, todo depende de quien maneje el aerografo.
He said the Badger 100LG is a good brush for all types of modeling, with kits available including the air hose and needles and nozzles of different sizes. While the Iwata is a good brush, you have to buy all these things separately.
(I believe this is what he meant in the second paragraph) The badger comes with a standard head (“crown” was the exact translation…am assuming he meant head), but with the Iwata you also have to buy as a separate piece.
My Iwata refers to the covering of the nozzle as a ‘crown’, when it’s cut back, crown like. In normal mode it’s a ‘cap’. All these terms for the same thing!
No habla means " he does not speak " ; you must say " no hablo "
As for crown caps, they are options on HiLine (HP CH and friends ) and standard on Custom Micron ( CM C Plus, …) maybe I am goof, but I can’t see a colossal difference in the behaviour of Iwata airbrushes, with or without it, though I can appreciate the MAC air valve which is no gadget in my humble opinion; by the way, Sotar has also a choice of caps; I can’t speak for other Badgers.
ahhh see I dont have an Iwata yet… I see now and know what you are talking about… the crown is supposed to allow you in closer to the subject I believe… (correct me if I am wrong)
Nope you’re right. It doesn’t have to be an Iwata though. My Badger 100 came with one and somewhere along the line I wound up with one on my old Badger 200.
You can sort of see it in this picture of the front end of my 100lg:
