Hi All
I am returning to modelling after a substantive break and am thinking of trying my hand at airbrushing rather than using brushes.
Does anyone have suggestions for a good starter kit or the basic needs for a kit?
Cheers
Stephen
Have a look at some of the starter kits at [www.bearair.com] there excellent and I highly recommend the Vega 2000 kit its super and excellent quality!
Stephen - congrats on making the move to airbrushing!
the basics are covered in this article by Music City - http://www.craigcentral.com/models/ab.asp
the Vega is a nice brush… the Badger 155 is very similar and that’s what I use and it is also very nice. At www.dixieart.com you can browse all types of airbrushes and they have free shipping on any order over $45.00! You will notice the sell both the brush, and the brush as a kit on most brands there… if you buy the kit it will have everything you need except an air source. (brush, hose, bottles etc…)
Good luck to you! come back if you have any questions, we’d be happy to help you!
For a good starter kit, the Paasche H Set is excellent. The Paasche H is an easy use, highly capable single action AB. Aside from the airbrush, you get 3 different size tips, a color cup, small and large siphon bottles, an extra small bottle, and a good quality braided hose.
As for the basic needs of a kit, regardless of airbrush type selected, see if the kit has a “complimentary” can of Propel. Since you’ll really want to have a compressor with a regulator and moisture trap, any kits including a can of propel are charging you for something you really don’t need.
Another thing to look for and avoid is a lightweight, thin, vinyl hose. My experience with the cheapie hose on my Badger 200 led me to quickly purchase a heavy duty braided hose, so if a kit has one, you’re really paying for something you don’t ultimately need. Ironically, the thin vinyl hose never annoyed me too much with my Aztek, presumable because the Aztek’s hose coonection is at the end to the airbrush body, so the hose would be behind my hand and arm and out of the way.
Depending on the AB selected, does the kit come with a color cup? Although Badger’s design for their color cup leaves a bit to be desired, I still find a color cup instead of a siphon bottle to be more convenient 90% of the time, so if the kit includes one, that is something that you won’t need to buy separately.
Dixie Art does have really good prices, and in my one dealing with them, the order was promptly shipped. Like tho9900 says, free shipping for orders over $45.00, which can amount to a big discount in an of itself.
another side note if you use acrylics (actually works great with all paint including enamels) I recommend getting a bottle of needle lube, it is a silicone luble you put on your needle that helps keep paint from sticking. it makes for a lot easier clean up, as well as keeping your spray patter uniform as dried paint doesn’t alter the flow of air throuigh the body and over the needle. it’s about $4.50 for a bottle of Badger Regdab needle lube and the bottle I bought 6 months ago doesn’t look like I have used any out of it yet… lasts forever!!!