Hi all,
Stumbled across this website in my search for an Aztek A4709 airbrush set, so thought it was worth a to post a question.
Anybody know of shops that sell Aztek stuff in the Malaysia/Singapore region?
Ya mean you stumbled across this website and yet you’re STILL looking for an Aztek???
You probably need to go back and read some more posts on the subject before you lay out your hard-earned cash on one of these things.
Although there are many who swear by them, there seem to be a lot more who swear at them.
Research…research…research…then buy something other than an Aztek.
I concur. I wish that I’d done more research before I’d purchased my Aztek. I feel like it was almost a total waste of money. Live and learn though.
I have a very good brush now.
madda
hey madda
Are you still loving that new Revolution?..
Which model did you get?
Merlin
Yep, I love it enough that I’ve been trying to find stuff to paint, even if it might not be ready yet. I got the cr model, gravity fed, 1/3 ounce cup. I thought at first that it might be too much cup, but turns out, it’s just about right.
I think the revolution can’t spray quite as fine a line as the micron, but it does spray pretty fine. I’ve been playing around with it and got it down to about 1/16 of an inch or so. I may be able to do a bit better with practice, but I’ve only had it a couple of days now. I don’t really need to paint that fine a line really, so I didn’t go with the micron, if you do want a very very fine line, the micron or the eclipse might be it. My thinking was that they don’t spray that much finer a line, and they cost a good deal more (I paid 59 bucks at DixieArt online) so I made the right decision.
I had gotten to where I was using a pretty elaborate cleaning procedure for my Aztek, what with taking apart the tip and cleaning the needle and all those parts,and cleaning out the plastic inside as best I could, it was somewhat of a pain. The Iwata is actually easier to clean, just wipe out the cup, spray a couple of cups of thinner through it, and wipe the tip and needle with paper towels. It doesn’t take long at all really, I was pleasantly surprised.
madda
I agree with the others.
Forget the Aztek and buy a Thayer & Chandler Omni, Thayer & Chandler Vega, Badger Anthem, or Iwata Eclipse and you will have an airbrush that will not let you down. The Revolution that maddafinga mentioned are also good airbrushes and are manufactured by Iwata as a cheaper alternative to the more expensive Iwata types.
Mike
Do NOT buy a Micron for model building. They were designed for ultra-precision work with thin mediums like urethane and water color paints. Just a new nozzle assembly for the Micron will set you back $150 and they HAVE to be bought as a set because they are a machined unit for precision. Very much overkill for model painting.
Mike
[:D] Whoops… well, I am a newbie when it comes to airbrushes afterall… What model/brand is generally accepted as the best?
<<Do NOT buy a Micron for model building. They were designed for ultra-precision work with thin mediums like urethane and water color paints. Just a new nozzle assembly for the Micron will set you back $150 and they HAVE to be bought as a set because they are a machined unit for precision. Very much overkill for model painting.<<
ah good advise, I’m a pen and pencil artist anyway, so I’d lean towards the micron if I didn’t also build models. I did get the revolution though, and can paint a pretty fine line with it, the consistancy of the lines is getting better also, so I’ll have a good regular painting brush soon as I get completely adjusted to using it. How thin a line does the eclipse put down?
madda
DiT,
There is no “best” airbrush, but there are several good ones that I mentioned in the post above.
Mike
All of the airbrushes I mentioned above are designed almost the same in terms of their use and they will all spray about the same thickness of a line as your Revolution or maybe a tad smaller as I am not familiar with the exact specs of that model.
People think that the smaller needles on airbrushes make them spray a finer a line but actually the reason for the smaller needle is because a thinner viscosity medium is being used. When us T-shirt artists spray our water-based acrylics we use a needle that is more designed for mediums that are a little thicker than what we use for airbushing models with enamels and thin acrylics. Although the newer airbrushes are using a one needle does it all design you will still get a thinner line with a thinner viscosity medium.
Mike
Thanks for the feedback, madda and Mike
Right now my choices are narrowed down to 3 candidates.-The Omni5000, Iwata Revolution CR and Iwata Eclipse BS.
MikeV, is there enough of a difference between the 2 Iwatas to pop the extra 30 bucks for? I’m trying to keep the cash outlay to a minimum but I don’t want to have any regrets either. I don’t think my wife’s going to let me buy another airbrush any too soon!
D-i-T, I don’t think anyone in the Malaysia/Singapore region sells Azteks as I believe it’s an offense punishable by caning.[:D]
Merlin,
I would say the Eclipse HP-BS will give you a slightly finer line since it has a .35mm nozzle whereas the Revolution HP-CR has a .5mm nozzle. Not really that big of a difference for modelling though. I still like the Omni since it is the same price range as the Revolution and parts are cheaper. [:D]
If you are still unsure what to buy then I suggest you call Dave Monnig at Coast Airbrush in Anaheim, CA and ask his opinion.
Dave is one the world’s leading authorities on airbrushes and airbrush compressors and he is a nice guy to boot! [;)]
Here’s the link:
http://www.coastairbrush.com/toc.html
Mike
Mike
Yep, I like that point about the Omni parts being cheaper, alright.
The only thing about the Revolution that I wish was different is that the cup seems a little large for my liking but I guess that’s not a biggy.
I did read a review somewhere that said the Eclipse was somewhat easier to clean than the Revolution too.
I noticed that there is an adapter available for whichever one I finally choose so that I can use my old Paasche airhose. That’ll save a little dough.
I also think I’ll get some of that lube you suggested. Does it work as well with enamels as acrylics?
Ahhh…decisions, decisions
Thanks for the lead to Dave Monnig. Maybe I’ll give him a call in the a.m.
Hehe… ok… But still it doesn’t solve my problem of trying to get one in this region. I’ve tried calling several art shops around here and all they sell are Olympus(???) brushes…
I can’t imagine the eclipse being much easier to clean, but it might be. I was surpirsed that the Revolution was so much easier to clean than my Aztek had come to be, and it works better 
That is a good point about the omni parts being cheaper, but I don’t think I’ll have to buy that many parts, I don’t use the brush constantly, so I don’t see anything wearing out anytime soon. If you do use it often, that may be a real factor though.
I thought the cup would be too big at first too, but now I think it’s just right. It doesn’t interfere with my vision, or balance or anything like that, and you can put as much or as little paint as needed in there. It’s all smooth inside, right down to the hole in the bottom, so with the needle out, you can wipe the cup with your finger inside a paper towel, and the hole at the bottom is exactly the size of a cotton swab, so 20 seconds gets it done there. A swab cleans out the tips perfectly as well. I would like to get one of those small brushes for cleaning out the nozzle, but for now I’m making do with tightly rolled paper towel and soaking, still, very little time involved. I love this thing.
DIT, have you considered just ordering one over the internet? I’m sure you could find someone to ship to Singapore for not too much cost. Surely they wouldn’t cane you for that I kinda wish we had caning here for things like driving slow in the fast lane and talking on the cell phone in movie theaters and resturaunts.
madda
I’m actually in Malaysia… and I don’t mind buying over the net, it’s just that I’m a little worried about returning the goods if they’re defective and all… it’s not the same as being in the US/UK or something. But thanks for all your comments and feedback, I think I’m gonna go for an Iwata Revolution or something along that line…
The reason I was looking for an Aztek was cos a friend of mine recommended it to me. Since he already had Iwata and Badger airbrushes, I thought he knew what he was talking about… oh well… [8)]
Well, I have heard from some people on this forum who swear by their Aztek brushes. So for some people they work, but the problem with them is that they seem not to work for far more people. I wish that mine had worked out for me, I was so hapy when I purchased it originally. Unfortunately, it just didn’t really work worth a crap from the getgo. One other thing that I’ve noticed a big difference on is air pressure, my Aztek was bottom feed, my Iwate is gravity feed. The Aztek just wouldn’t spray at anything lower than 20, unless I thinned it down to unuseable levels, my new brush will spray with barely any air coming out at all. I am pretty sure this is mainly a difference between bottom feed and gravity feed however, not a function of the brand. My main bitch about my Aztek is that it just would never spray consistantly, and I really never felt like I could adequately clean it, because I couldn’t disassemble it. Ah well, do some more research and get something that you think would work for you, you’ll be much happier in the long run this way, and you’ll save money if you get what you want the first time.
madda
u can try coming dw to singapore’s far east plaza?They have a hobby shop on the 2nd level that sells badger airbrushes.
D-i-T, u can purchase Aztek at Bryan Ryan store located at Mid Valley, Megamall or at Unikorn Hobbies, Ampang… or better yet i have one that i havent use 4 quite sometime…perhaps we can make a deal…btw kau kat mana??