I bought this brush and now my badger is out of work, best airbrush I have ever used, very easy to use and does lines and full sprays without having to change the needle, I am in heaven.[:D] Thanks all on this forum for recommending this fine airbrush
HP-CW? [%-)]
Mike
mike, i think he meant to hit the “s” key and instead hit the “w” by accident. anyway, congratulations my friend, im a new iwata user myself and my omni 5000 is collecting dust ever since ive had it. i broke out the omni last night because it looked pitiful lying over there on the edge of my workbench. filled it with paint, began spraying, and it just reminds me that the iwata is well worth the extra money. 6 months ago, i thought i had purchased the airbrush for me, but since purchasing the iwata, ive seen the light. my airbrushing experience (while limited) with the iwata have been phenomenal. i would recommend the iwata to the beginner as myself, or the master. happy airbrushing my friend. later.
Chris,
Send that poor Omni 5000 over here and I’ll show you that it can hold it’s own against any Japanese airbrush. [:p] [;)]
Mike
probably so mike, probably so. LOL. i just prefer the iwata because it is easier for me to achieve the results im looking for and it feels better in my hand. i seem to be able to do that unexplainable little extra umph with the iwata that i couldnt quite achieve with the omni. i know that that is operator error most likely. i am well aware that a half way decent airbrusher could airbrush circles around me with him using an omni and me using an iwata. i know the quality of an airbrush is only as good as the experience of the user. im not saying the omni is subpar at all. im just testifying as to what saltydog as experienced in my very limited experience. but to answer your question, im not really comfortable with giving up my first love quite yet.[:D] later.[;)]
Whatever works for you is the best one to use my friend. [:D][;)]
Mike
anyway mike, havent you been given ENOUGH airbrushes already!!![:D][:D][:P]
You can never be too old, too rich, or have too many airbrushes. [(-D] [;)]
Mike
amen to that brother!!![swg]
or have too many gf’s (wifes dont count [;)])
im thinking of that… airbrush budget shot up to $70 now
Good man! He ahs seen the light! Although really like my recently purchased Omni 6000 too. But by far Iwata takes the cake.
I’m with you all the way on the HP-CS. Got mine last June and I haven’t looked back.
I know, MikeV, I haven’t tried the omni, but right now I don’t see a need to. Maybe just for the heck of it, I’ll have to buy one and try it. Or is it just a “Buy America” thing?
Anyway, Mike, we all appreciate your point of view, and thank you for it.!
I’ll let you know when I get my Omni.
stinger
No problem Stinger. What works for you is the airbrush to use my friend. [;)]
Being American made is a big plus to me but Badger’s customer service is what makes their products shine.
I appreciate the kind words Stinger. Thanks.
I also appreciate the input I hear from all of you fellow modelers. I have learned a lot from all of you on this forum and hope to learn even more. [;)]
You do that. [:D]
Mike
As well, we appreciate your’s! [:)]
Long live this forum!!
i like the hp-bs more and also the hp-bh (highline)
Airbrushes, in general, will all do the same thing and that is to lay a coat of liquid material on an object. Most airbrushes properly maintained do this well.
Spray cans and airbrushes do the same thing; they spray paint. But an airbrush can spray finer, nicer, and easier with more refinement than a clumsy spray can.
Airbrushes quality and feel is subjective and is a learning experience. Some people prefer Chevy over Ford and some like Hondas and Toyotas. Some people like all-meat versus combo pizzas. People can and do argue the virtues of owning a Nikon or Canon camera. And some people like an Iwata over Badger or Thayer & Chandler. It is all subjective with no concrete answer.
It is all debatable but in order to debate the best airbrush argument shouldn’t a debater try all airbrushes in question before arguing the merits of airbrushes?
That said I will add I prefer the Iwata over Badgers and Thayer & Chandler airbrushes. I’m from reverse learning. I started with and bought one of the first Iwata airbrushes in this country in 1983 when all the artists used Paasche airbrushes. I still use that Iwata HP-C. Now I use, along with the HP-C, an HP-A and HP-CR. I also have a Badger 100sg, Thayer & Chandler Vega Nailaire and Omni 4000 to play with. I tried the other brands because I wanted to see what if they were better for me. I really tried and I finally went back to the Iwata airbrush because of the extra quality the company gives.
The Iwata airbrush feel is subjective but this is my opinion. The finish on it is of higher quality. The chrome plating is nice and heavy, and is slicker than the others. They have less slack and tighter manufacturing control for a more reassuring feel to the operating mechanism. It is simply smoother operating. The paint cups are smoother and easier to wipe clean. The balance feels better and I don’t mind handling it all day. The parts, while initially more expensive, are of better quality and do not wear out as my 21 year old HP-C will verify. As an example people complain about an Iwata needle costing more but they do not realize that the needle is made from a far more durable and costlier to make stainless steel. If you have to replace a less durable needle in another company’s airbrush then in the long run the cheaper airbrush part costs more. The Iwata will last and perform longer and better for a longer time. I’ve never had to replace a part on my ancient HP-C and I’ve sprayed gallons of everything except pesticide through it.
It reminds me of people driving cars. You can buy American quality with less durable, cheaper and more frequently replaced parts or buy foreign parts that cost more, perform better and last longer. I prefer long lasting performance rather than mediocre airbrushes. What do you want to drive? A Lumina, Taurus or Camry? Cars might have the advantage in that you can test drive them before you pay money. People cannot “test drive” airbrushes before they buy them.
Let me reverse a declaration on this thread: Send that poor Iwata over here and I’ll show you that it can hold it’s own against any American airbrush.
i agree whole heartedly with you billy. well said. later.
That is very true and I would agree.
We weren’t arguing what the “best airbrush” was. I was asked why I liked the Omni and I answered. Beyond that, even if you could try every airbrush made then your opinion is still going to be subjective as you already stated. [;)]
What about tips? A tip for your HP-C from Dixie Art is $25.95 compared to the tip for an Omni 4000 which is $2.79. I can buy almost ten tips for the price of one Iwata and I guarantee those ten will outlast one Iwata. [:D]
I think that’s a bad analogy and is not really true.
I think a better analogy would be that Badger’s are like MAC tools and Iwata’s are like Snap-On.
Both are equally adapt at doing what they were intended for but one just has prettier chrome. [(-D]
If you feel that Badger airbrushes are “mediocre” you are entitled to that opinion, it doesn’t bother me.
While that is true, a test drive does not tell you the longevity of the product so first impressions mean very little. I have never said that Iwata was not a good airbrush, in fact I have posted on this in the past and said they were excellent.
Who said it couldn’t? For the price it better hold it’s own against American made airbrushes. [;)]
What does all of this prove? Only that airbrushes are a personal thing and everyone has their favorites. I am sure Iwata as well as H&S, Olympos, Sata and others are all awesome instruments and may be even better than a Badger, but customer service and loyalty to it’s customers is something that these others will probably never be able to compete with Badger on. [;)]
Mike
Hey!! I drive a Lumina LTZ and it’s a great, great car. Before this one I had a Taurus and the transmission completely died at 90 thousand miles. That was when I bought the Lumina. It’s as fast as my Camaro was, bigger and more comfy than my Taurus was (and my mom’s Camry is for that matter) and the only problem I’ve had with it in 3 years and 110 thousand miles is an alternator replacement. I have to say I love this car more than any other car I’ve owned. It’s been more trouble free than my mom’s Toyota has been. Just a little plug for Chevy here [:)]There aren’t really any absolutes.
I haven’t used an Omni fwiw, though I’d like to.
im a chevy man myself josh, i have the Z-71 as its just the “contractor” thing to drive![;)] ive thought about buying a ford f-350 but my eyeball keeps going back to the chevy 2500 HD. i used to be an omni man, but now im an iwata man. its just a good, quality brush period. later.