Busy in the process of replacing my airbrush setup, new set will consist of:
1.) Tamiya Spraybooth
2.) Wave Compressor 217(would like their 517)
3.) Wave Super Airbrush Advance (0.3mm nozzle)
4.) Wave Super Airbrush Advance 02 (0.2mm nozzle)
Which means that my old setup goes out the window:
1.) Wave Super Spray-booth
2.) Mini Light compressor (similar to the 217)
3.) Wave Airbrush (0.3mm)
4.) Tamiya Airbrush (0.3mm)
5.) Tamiya Single action plastic airbrush
I am slowly but surely changing a lot of my tools over to Wave, as they are locally produced and their HQ/Shop is very close to my Apartment. Exception being the Spraybooth, the Wave is a nice one but I want a slightly sturdier setup with a thinner venting pipe.
I already replaced my Router(Proxxon) with the Wave one.
Not that I have complains with my old tools and they are still in good condition.
Boy, that sure is a pretty airbrush. The main body seriously reminds me of an Iwata Revolution HP-CR. The air input looks right, the bowl angle is correct and the control lever is dead on. The nose piece is right and it looks like an Iwata crown cap would fit. The paint cap on the Wave is a dead ringer for an HP-CR Iwata cap. I wouldn’t be surprised if it said Japan on the left side of the brush. Does it come with a 0.5 mm needle/nozzle like the HP-CR does?
I am pretty sure that Wave gets their airbrushes manufactured at the Factory, same thing with Tamiya and Gunze Airbrushes. [;)]
Wave is a japanese Model/Garage-kit company that also sell their own range of tools, resins, etc.
Nozzles are 0.3mm for the “Advance” and 0.2mm for the “Advance 02”, most airbrushes I have seen over here use either a 0.3m or a 0.2mm
Iwata just came out with their High Performance “Plus” line that looks just like these Wave brushes, right down to the Micro Air Control under the color cup. I’m almost certain these are Wave’s Iwata equivelents. I like the Waves curves alot better though!
At the moment not much at all, too busy to really get stuck into anything seriously.
When I got time I prefer to build Motorbike Models, Anime Resin Kits, Robot Models
but will build anything that strikes my fancy too (Tanks, Planes, Cars, Shios, Scratchbuild, etc).
Got a move to the new Apartment coming up in a few months and trying to sort out all the current rubbish, decide on new furniture, etc new place will have a dedicated modelling corner(using dining table now) as well as a roof terrace for larger projects.
Limited shelf space means I build but don’t keep most of what I build (not a collector anyway).
After the move I will finish the Website and uplaod some images of my finished work there.
OK, here goes:
A good ol’ Tamiya Revo!
It rocks!
No water filter…no regulator…no nothing. Completely no-frills!
And I love it! It does absolutely everything I ask it to do. I’ve checked out some of the other new-fangled top-notch puffers with all the bells and whistles, but until the day my li’l Revo can’t muster for roll call, I’m staying with it.
How’s the Wave 217? I see some good prices for it in Hobby Japan.
I guess you got the mains adapter for it, not a bad compressor at all. I use their single action airbrush for priming. My Tamiya airbrush is the same as yours sans the trigger & Grip.
Best price I have seen for it down here is 17.800Yen - 10% shop discount.
Only got the Advance airbrush today(getting the Advance 02 later/ 5000Yen discount voucher will be used), but talked to the guy a lot about airbrushes and compressors. For me he does not recommend the 217 (too underpowered only pushes 17l per minute and max usage time of 15 min/overheating) same as the Iwata one which I think it is a copy of.
The 217 also is a very similar to the compresor I got now(nearly identical) and I want to get a better one.
Had a look at their Air-tex for 25.000Yen. and another compressor for 57.000Yen.
But I think I am sold on the Wave 517 (85.000Yen) which looks like a Junair copy. [:D]
As for the Wave Advance:
A world of difference to my current Wave AB better balanced, nicer weight, easier to adjust. Comes with a lined plastic case, 2 needle covers, teflon o-ring and a small but comprehensive leaflet on usage and cleaning.
Haven’t used it yet, but just by handling it you can feel the difference.
Wave/Be-J are working on getting their international mail order website up and going.
When I went to pick up the Advance I met a friend of mine who produces garage-kits, he was busy lugging 2 17ltr cans (A+B component) of resin for casting to the till.
[:D]
Nope, I have no adapter of any kind. The Revo is ready to go right out of the box.
The cheaper Spray-Work compressor is powered by a 7.2 volt nicad rechargeable battery and uses a separate AC adaptor. Is that what you’re thinking about?
I got the trigger ‘n’ grip version of the Tamiya AB due to my large hands! The HG Trigger is a very comfortable handpiece for me.
And thanks for the equipment reviews!
PS: Saw the Wave 217 compressor going for 12,000 yen in a few ads in HJ.
I do like those compressors with the roll bar cages! That’s a sweet one, for sure.
I’m curious; why did your friends advise against the Tamiya HG Trigger? Just the geometry of it? I find it very comfortable and very easy to use, especially for extended sessions (just like the Tamiya adverts say!).
Mostly for accuracy and similar, they like me do a lot of large scale figures and think that trigger airbrushes are not as accurate for small detail as the standard ones for painting small detail.
I am sure that once you are used to the Trigger you could achieve very similar results, but I do think that the leraning curve with a Trigger AB would be a bit steeper.
