looking for recommendations for airbrushes, i use an aztec a470 and it works fine, was looking into something thats easy and a good deal.
You’re about to get 60 different opinions from 50 different people. For me I love the Badger 155 Anthem for double action and the tried and true 200 for single.
i know the diffrence between double and single, do you use one more than the other?
Welcome to the forum.
I had an Aztec A470 for about a month, got rid of it and got an Iwata Eclipse HP-CS at a lot less in price in 2008. I never look back. I have purchsed another 6 airbrushes after the Iwata, which still is the best all round purpose airbrush in modeling on my book.
Spend the time to read up a little more of older posts, you will find many helpful information. But there are emotional and confusing opinions too. You may also want to check out Don Wheeler’s website. A lot of useful information there.
why did you get rid of the aztec? i also have his website bookmarked,
- I found out that I cannot hold the Aztec the way Brett Green does his.
- I found the multiple size nozzles and required change very inconvenient.
- Most importantly, the plastic body leaked shortly after I got mine. I sent it in and got a replacement under warranty. I promptly put the new replacement on Ebay.
Don Wheeler’s website was linked in my earlier reply. Just click on it.
If the Aztec is working fine, why are you looking for a new airbrush? Not that you shouldn’t, but probably there’s some area that you are less satisfied with, since you are thinking of upgrading.
I have friends that are very happy with their plastic fantastic airbrushes. I didn’t have much success with them though.
ah all good reasons,
its more of wanting to have a plan just in case it decides to crap the bed, though it did sit for a few years unloved while i was in outward bound and college, after which it worked well.
id say the lion share of my work is done on the 155. I use the 200 when I am doing large areas.
Curious which Badger 155 and 200 you get? The Badger 155 has pretty large nozzle and the needle makes it very easy to paint large area. You barely touch the trigger, paint comes out like a floodgate. The Badger 200NH has the same characteristic. The 200 old style (the original) has the Badger 100 series nozzle/needle set and should be better for general purpose or finer detail work.
Badger has the 3155 model which is the Badger 155 body with a “fine” needle. I once had this fine nozzle/needle set (0.5 mm) on a Badger 105F Patriot. It still have the quick paint release type character and is good for painting larger models. I did not keep the 105F for long because I am more used to linear, gentle trigger action of the Iwatas. You can get the linear trigger action from the Badger Krome or Renagate Velocity models if you like it.
As I said in earlier post, the choice of airbrush is very personal. Modeler has different perferrence and must test it out himself.
I grew up on the 200. Then set it aside for some time while I tried the Aztek and Omni gravity feed options. When strolling through a Michaels one day they had their Badgers on an unbelievable clearance (200 for $19.99 and 155 for 29.99-that I flirted down to $19.99) I cleared the shelves of both, keeping one of each for myself and eBaying the rest (Yay capitalism!). SInce then it’s been Badger all the way. I mainly do 1/48 aircraft, though I am dipping my toes in armor lately. I love the 200 for primer and base coats where I want an even spray. I have a tendancy with a double action to lay paint on a little thick when doing large areas. The 200 keeps things nice and light. The 155 comes out for pre/post shading, interior work and detail painting. I did swap out the medium needle and tip with the fine versions for this work and have never had any issues.