Hello, I'm getting back into building plastic kits and building diaramas. I was wondering if the comressor I've listed below will work well for painting plastic models and detail work on my Rc planes. I already have a nice Badger double action airbrush to use.

I'm also looking for advice on paints. I would like to buy a complete set of flats and gloss colors. What would you reccomend and where can I buy them? I want something that thins easliy for airbrush application and cleans up easily. I've used Tamiya paints before and denatured alcohol however I'm not sure where to buy those paints anymore. I've heard good things about Model Master paints as well.

Thank you for any help you can pass my way!

http://www.tcpglobal.com/itemdetail_AB.aspx?itemno=ABD+TC-22

The compressor should work fine. I highly recommend purchasing a water trap and pressure regulator. Tamiya is my paint of choice. http://www.scalehobbyist.com has the full line of Tamiya at reasonable cost. It is cheaper for me to purchase my paints online, rather than my lhs. MM acrylics are ok. If you can use a more aggressive paint, I would recommend PollyScale or MM RC line. It takes a few days to fully cure, but I achieve a very smooth finish without thinner. The easiest way to keep your airbrush clean is to run some of the appropriate thinner through it after every use. Then, run some glass cleaner through it. Windshield washer fluid works great. Finally, run some water through it. I also back the needle off, before putting my airbrush away. Hope this helps.

I wouldn't really recommend that compressor for airbrushing. It's a continuous running compact compressor. You're better off with a larger compressor that has a air tank. That way the compressor only runs when it needs to refill and or maintain tank pressure. and there is no pulsing of the air that is being feed to your airbrush. At best it produces 18 psi, which is a good general starting point. With that being said, I regularly use pressures from 12-25 psi. Most compressors with tanks come with a pressure regulator. Mine has a tank pressure gauge, and a line pressure gauge. You also ideally would want a moisture trap.

With the physical shape and size of that compressor, attaching anything would be a challenge.

You would be better off in the long run to buy the best unit you can comfortably afford, as it's the working partner to your air brush, which won't preform any better then the compressor that supplies it with a reliable source of air.

Joel

Thank you for the replies, much appreciated. I've been looking into compressors with tanks. Noise is an issue so I was hoping the smaller compressor would have worked.

Like most things with this hobby, buy quality tools in the beginning if you can at all afford it I suppose.

A decent compressor can be had at Home Depot if you cannot get into an airbrush specific compressor. For paints, depends on what you build most. If you have a hobby shop close by, buy what you need when you need it. I always keep a few colours on hand, mostly Tamiya, black, white, clear red, buff, khaki and olive drab. I have since built up a large stock of paints of all shades as I am doing both armor, aircraft and ships too. I would stay away from model master as it is a pain to airbrush (for me) and it peels easily when masked.
Experiment with a few brands and see what you like and works best for you. Find a compressor that fits you budget, but be ready to spend $50-100 easily on a basic HD compressor. Make sure you get a regulator and a moisture trap too.
Start with acrylic paints, as there are less fumes and cleans up more easily. Once you are comfortable with these then start trying enamels. Best of luck.