Iwata HP-C Plus vs. Iwata HP-CS

Tools, Techniques, and Reference Materials Painting and airbrushing
1

Hello everyone!

First time posting here! Pretty happy to have just created an account. I created this account because I’ve been in a pickle about my new airbrush purchase, and everywhere else, no one seems to give me a good answer.

I’m a long time vet of the airbrush. Started off as a kid airbrushing Graffiti on walls (I’m sorry, but it was the good artsy graffiti and not just tags). I have two airbrushes that I use for my scale models. I have one for priming and heavy duty paints, another for base coats. What I’m missing is a detail brush.

I only build 1/72. That’s it. I never, and refuse to, build any smaller or any larger. And I only use acrylic paints. So I need a detail airbrush to help me free hand camo schemes, and the like.

So, I found many airbrushes like the Badger Sotar, Krome, and so forth, but now I’m here. I’d like to get either the Iwata HP-C Plus or the Iwata HP-CS.

The question is this; which one is better for detail? By logic, the HP-C is better since it has a 0.3mm needle… but the HP-CS has a 0.35mm; which is just 5mm of needle more. Is that really worth $15 more for the HP-C+?

Now, I was about to just buy the HP-C Plus, but I stumbled across this table. It shows that the HP-CS is more for modeling than the HP-C Plus. I’ve also heard more about the HP-CS than the HP-C Plus.

Anyway, hope to get a good response. I really want to just free hand my camo, and I hope one of these airbrushes can do it well.

I’d really appreciate some good answers. If you haven’t tried at least one of the airbrushes, then I don’t want a recommendation. I’m sorry if that came off as rude, but it’s been stressing me out the hundreds of times I ask which is better and someone says to get the Paasche VL since they have it (but not any of these Iwatas).

2

Well, I have the -CS, and its a beautiful brush. I only build in 1/48, and it does some pretty fine detail work. I’d say though for 1/72 you might want to consider a brush with a .2mm nozzle, especially if you do alot of freehand camo work or post shading. That would involve getting into the Iwata Custom Micron series and they are spendy. But other brands with .2mm are more affordable.

As far as that chart, I wouldn’t put any stock in it. It wasn’t made by modelers and its pretty generic. Only a modeler will know what brushes are best suited for model paints and detail work. I also can’t imagine any noticeable difference in a .05mm needle size??!!

3

HP-CS is really designed for paint. It would be my choice over the two, especially if you are using acrylics. It isn’t just a matter of needle and nozzle size. The HP-CS has a very different nozzle type which allows for detail as well as high volume.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X2_YEoGunu0

Paul

4

More than just a few times, I’ve heard and read that the needle size has less to do with the spray area dimension, than about the thickness and type of fluid that the needle/nozzle combo will allow to flow through. For what it may be worth, (not an Iwata answer,) if the paint thinning ratio and PSI is correct for the job I’m doing, I can lay down a line as clean and thin with a .33 needle, as I can with a .25.

To me, it seems that the correct amount of thinning, PSI and distance from the surface will dictate the detail performance, not so much the mechanical’s and sizes. Good luck with your search, hope you get what works best for you.

Patrick

5

When I got back to modeling 3 years ago, I chose the HP-CS over the HP-C+ because the HP-CS has a self-centering nozzle, which makes disassembling and assembling the airbrush a BREEZE whereas the HP-C+ has a traditional screw-in nozzle.

I ended up with also buying a HP-B+, which has a .2 mm nozzle, excellent for a microscopic work.

My recommendation is to buy a HP-CS and when you have extra money, buy a HP-B+.

6

If it’s specifically a detail brush that you are looking for I would lean towards the HP-C+, or even the HP-B+.

The Eclipse is a very versatile & capable airbrush mainly thanks to it’s dual taper needle, this provides good detail in the early portion of trigger travel & then opens up for coverage work as the trigger is pulled further back. The Eclipse can also handle heavier paint (metallic, auto, textile…) as it allow air to flow quite well.

The HP-C+ uses a standard single / linear taper needle as most airbrushes do & will perform better at the detail end of the spectrum than the Eclipse as it’s designed to do so (better atomisation at lower pressures). The HP-B+ may be worth considering, it’s got an 0.2mm nozzle so may require additional paint thinning, but it’s also got a shorter nose & smaller cup than the HP-C+ which some users prefer for getting up close.

7

Are you sure the HP-CS is a dual taper? That would be like a Badger, and my Hp-CS operates nothing like it. It sure seems to function like a nice, single taper needle.

8

Yes, it’s dual taper, but the taper change is nowhere near as pronounced as on some Badger needles.

9

Could you please cite the source? I’m just curious because I always thought the HP-CS used a single taper needle. Like Nathan, I find my HP-CS to function just like a single taper needle.

10

Just a thought even though you didn’t ask! Badger (Sotar) and Iwata (HPCS,C+or other) are fine airbrushes - I have the Sotar. Have a look at the H&S line. Either the Evolution or Infinity with 0.2 or 0.15mm needle/nozzle will likely do everything you want and more,. And, I’m not a fanboy - I Have Iwata,H&S, Grex. Paasche HF and others and they all work fine. For me the Evolution with 0.2mm needle nozzle is always attached to my Sparmax compressor. Fine lines, dots easy, putting them where I want, the problem is ME!

11

No, as it isn’t explicitly detailed on Iwata’s site or in it’s paraphernalia, all that’s mentioned is a “unique” needle & nozzle combination. If you look at a new Eclipse needle (not so prominent on a worn one) you will see a fine dark ring around the needle about 2/3mm from the tip where the taper change occurs. It nowhere near as pronounced or obvious as on some of the Badgers.

There is a 3rd party “how to” page somewhere on the Iwata site that mentions the double taper, but the site is down at the moment…

12

I just looked at my spare HP-CS needle. Indeed, there IS a dark ring around the .35mm needle. Thanks for the information.