This question has almost certainly been asked before, but rather than pick through several hundred old posts I’d thought I’d be lazy & ask again. It’s my
birthday next month & I thought that I’d finally treat myself to a good quality double
action airbrush. If possible I’d like to keep it under $100 but I’ll go a little higher
for the real thing. I need something that will allow me to do, for example, those
intricate mottling patterns on the sides of Luftwaffe aircraft or a complex tri-color
camo pattern on a panzer. For the past year I’ve been struggling with an Aztec
P.O.S. that fights me every inch of the way & I am SICK SICK SICK of it!!! So help
me spend my birthday moolaa. What airbrush provides you with the most bang for the buck?
Go to www.dixieart.com and you will find a lot of high-quality airbrushes for under $100. Several of the Badger and all Omni brushes are under $100. Same for Paasche. The Iwatas are a little over $100.
Which one you prefer is up to you. Lots of us here are big Badger / T&C fans, but there are just as many Iwata and Paasche fans. It’s really in what you get used to and what you prefer. Just keep in mind that a good paint job is about 90% painter and 10% airbrush.
I had to come back and edit this because I Forgot one important thing. Whatever airbrush you decide on , get a double-action brush. I have both a single- and double-action brush and the level of control you get with a double-action brush is well worth the difference.
Ditto the previous post. For around $60 you can get an Iwata Revolution which will more than meet your needs.
Gravity feed
Badger 100LG ($60)
Badger 360 (around the $100)
Omni 4000($70)
Peak c5 ($89 includes hose)
Iwata Revolution CR ($59)
Iwata Eclipse CS ($105)
Siphon feed
Badger 155 anthem ($49)
Badger 150 (ask MikeV)
Badger 175 ($53)
Badger 360 (around $100)
Omni 3000 ($65 about)
Peak x5 ($80ish)
Iwata Revolution BCR ($59)
Iwata Eclipse BCS ($75)
Paasche VL ($?)
Paasche Millenium series ($?)
other (more expensive)
Tamiya hg-sf ($129)
Iwata Hp series ($129)
Tamiya hg-trigger type ($159)
Iwata Eclipses ($105)
Nice summary, 1337! Well done [tup]
I use an Aztek too, while I dont seem to have the problems of others with it,m but I am an Iwata fan. If ya don’t mind spend a little extra, it is the best airbrush in the world in my eyes. Paashe Isn’t all the good, kinda big and clumsy but Badgers are good too. Stay with a double action sprayer too. Get some scrap and practice on it.
For your compressor get on with a tank, moisture trap and regulator on it, Makes any brush a world class with that set up.[8D]
-Jeff
well i had thought about this not too long ago. the items given are much appreciated here also. thanks. good question mobydick.
joe
Thanks Music
For places to buy online, try:
Dixieart (not as much selection as coast, dirt cheap prices) www.dixieart.com
Bearair (More expensive)www.bearair.com
Coast airbrush (in between, very good selection) www.coastairbrush.com
1337,
Why did you say ask MikeV on the Badger 150 only?
I have the 150, 155 Anthem, 360, Omni 3000, Omni 4000, Vega 1000, Vega 2000, and an Iwata HP-CS. [:D]
The Sotar and 100LG should get shipped next week. [:p]
Mobydick,
If you want a Badger or Omni I can give you the number of a place to call that is direct from Badger and has a 40% off discount on any Badger product for Fine Scale Forum members. [;)]
Email me if you want the number.
Mike
Mike: That’s the only one I needed a price quote for.
Geez, 1337, you didn’t ask me anything. And I have a Iwata HP-B, HP-C, HP-CR. For Badgers I have a 100SG. I also have T&C Vega Nailaire and Omni 4000.
I figured while we were bragging I’d add my list of airbrushes.
I would have more but I don’t get them for free. [:(]
and i have the paasche H, badger 200G, omni 5000, iwata hp-c, and eclipse hp-cs. which one would i spend my money on? hp-cs most definetly. later.
Oh, sorry. [:D]
I misinterpreted your answer.
Roosterfish,
I was not bragging I was joking around.
Who said I get my airbrushes for free?
I bought five of the eight I own.
Mike
currently i 0wn an aztek 370, and my badger 100LG and peak c5 are coming soon
Hey Mike … how do you like the 360? I’m sort of interested in one. I like my siphon feed Omni (guess I’m just used to having the weight of the bottle up there!) but occasionally I’d like to have a top cup with gravity feed. I’ve got a side cup for my 3000, but that’s still basically siphon feed.
Scott,
The 360 is nice. If you need to touch-up something with a small amount of paint it is the one I usually use as the small color cup is easy to clean.
It is real small though and only holds about two eyedropper fulls of paint, but for small projects it is great. If you want a full-time gravity-feed model I would go with the Omni 4000, or the Badger 100LG if you want even finer lines.
Mike
Thanks, Mike. I was painting camo on my F-105 last weekend and was spraying at real low pressure. I was really getting irritated because my 3000 would work fine one minute and then wouldn’t pick up the paint the next minute. I know, a little more pressure or a little thinner paint, but I had everything where it was working fine most of the time. I just decided that the next time I do one I’m going to have a gravity feed brush for the edge work since I think they will feed a little better at low pressures. I was sold on the 4000 but then saw the 360 and started thinking about it.
Scott,
Since you already have a good siphon-feed model I would opt for the Omni 4000 over the 360 just for the fact that the color cup is big enough to spray just about anything you want.
A correction on my last post: The color cup on the 360 will not hold two eyedropper’s full of paint. It actually only holds less than one.
Mike
Now that would be a problem. An eyedropper of paint doesn’t go very far especially spraying 1/32 scale airplanes.
Not to mention the fact that the 4000 is significantly cheaper than the 360. I think the color cup size is going to be the deciding factor. That’s just really not enough paint, and I think I’ll probably go with the 4000.
Thanks again for the help.
My pleasure Scott.
The Omni 4000 has a 1/3 oz cup which is fairly big really.
Mike