I realize this must have been asked before, but I can’t seem to find the answers I’m looking for. I have built model kits in the past, as a child and am starting again as an adult. Just love the feeling of opening up a new kit’s box!
I would like to purchase a good solid high quality airbrush that won’t need to be replaced soon, as well as an affordable yet sufficient, quiet compressor. Any tips or suggestions would be highly appreciated. Looking forward to lots of fun modeling discussions on this forum.
In my personal opinion, the Badger Patriot meets your criteria for an airbrush. It’s sturdy, very easy to clean and maintain, will paint from fine lines to medium coverage, and Badger has excellent support. There is a review on my website.
I would recomend an Iwata on the grounds that you mentioned “you did not want to replace it real soon”. These airbrushes have a lifetime warrenty. Another name to look at is GREX, they offer a whole line of high quality, inovative products.
As for the compressor, Harbor Freight is currently selling a Central Pneumatics, 3 Gallon - 100 psi , oilless pancake compressor for $39.99 - reg. price $74.99. I don’t think you will find something you can use any less expensive than this. This set up would benefit from a moisture trap but this will not break the bank.
I friend has purchased this compressor and it is working well for him. He is an excellent modeller and a serious critic so his trial with this compressor holds some weight.
I hope this is helpfull. Let me know if I can help in any other way.
I have an Iwata Eclipse HC-CS paired with an Iwata Silver Jet compessor. I haven’t been able to use it too much since I bought it, but so far I’ve been very satisfied. The compressor is really quiet and so far has given me all the power I need. The airbrush itself is easy to clean and well made. Should last for many years. I got mine from Coast Airbrush Products and their customer service and delivery time were first rate. I’d do business with them again for sure.
Thanks everyone! I have spoked to Coast who actually recommended the Iwata HP-CS with the SmartJet. The SmartJet’s a bit expensive though. The cheapie from Harbor Freight seems to get recommended a lot, but can one adjust the pressure with that one? And does one need a tank with it? How about noise on that one?
That is not true. All airbrushes are the same and I do not recommend breaking them down each time you clean them. Some people disassemble every time they clean them and that is fine if you want to do that, but doing so is really unnecessary and increases the chance of damaging the needle and tip. A thorough cleaning and back flushing works on all of them and I only disassemble mine every 5th or 6th time I paint with them to clean them more thorough.
You can physically get at every part of the Patriot that touches paint just by removing the head. And, it’s finger tight. The head itself doesn’t need cleaning except maybe a brush with thinner on the front to remove back splash. The tip falls out and can be wiped out with a piece of paper towel. A rolled piece of towel will also fit in the channel from the front to the cup. The needle pulls out the back without any dis-assembly. I do this routine every time because I’m a clean freak with my brushes, and it takes less than 5 minutes. But, the Badger 105 manual says you don’t need to. I seriously doubt that there is an internal mix airbrush that is easier to clean.
I have the Badger 105F (F for fine needle) and the Iwata Eclipse HP-CS. They both have the drop-in self-centered type nozzle which makes them easy to clean. I don’t see one over the other in this regard. The information you got is NOT true.
The difference is in the feel and control of the airbrush. The Iwata is quite a bit heavier. The biggest difference is the control of the trigger. Iwata has a long taper needle which gives the control a long and gentle stroke. The Badger has a short taper and double cone needle which allows quick release of paint to cover a larger area quicker. The badger is also more tolerant of paint thinning due to the larger nozzle tip. With the Iwata, you will have to thin the paint more and use light, misty spray in multiple layer to get the same solid coating.
Personally, I prefer the Iwata type control and feel. Besides, I can get replacement parts for the Iwata locally at Hobby Lobby at very good price.
But I also know some modeler on this forum prefer the Badger type trigger control.
The Harbor Freight compressor is so much cheaper, it may be worth a gamble. But make sure to get their highest powered airbrush compressor which should give you enough pressure for the Iwata. It has been reported here as being very quiet. However, the long term durability is a big unknown.
You may also want to look into the BearAir 1000 or 2000 compressor. Cheaper than the Iwata, but has solid reputation and tested by FSM.
Thanks again for all the suggestions. I was just about ready to order the Iwata Eclipse HP-CS today when I read about the Harder Steenbeck Infinity… A much more expensive brush but also no negative comments anywhere. Someone who reviewed it said he had endless trouble with an Iwata Eclipse. Now what to make if that? Is the H&S Infinity overkill for an occasional modeler?
For an occasional modeler I’d probably stick with the Badger Patriot 105. For the price, you really can’t go wrong. The airbrush has a solid feel, and excellent spray characteristics. Coupled with the fact that you don’t really even need to disassemble it to clean it, spells win-win to me. I’ve been using mine for about 4-5 short to long painting sessions thus far, and the brush is consistent, with no issues whatsoever. I think the next time I will actually take it apart to clean it, but I already did it once just to familiarize myself with the brush, and honestly, it took 10 minutes on a first try, to take it apart, and put it back together again, all of it done with no requirement of any additional tools except your hand.
If you are a bit more anal and wish to remove the needle each time, you can do so without taking the brush apart, clean it, and slide it back in, in about a minute flat.
I’ve got a 30-year-old Badger 350 that is still going strong. It’s easy to use and easy to clean. I’ve got both medium and fine nozzles that can handle most situations.
I started off using canned air (expensive) and a spare tire (inconvenient) as air sources, but soon purchased a Badger reciprocating compressor that still works well after 30 years.
I bought a internal mix Badger 150 about a year ago, but really haven’t used it much yet.