Hello all,

As the topic title suggests, my question is whether anyone has any suggestions as to a decent air brush and compressor that's less than $300, if this is even possible. I am not new to modelling, but have never used an air brush before.

Thanks!

Hi Mate,
I would suggest the Neo Trn1 for Iwata. It's quality enough to wear the Iwata name, but isn't as expensive as a top end Iwata. There are several reviews for it on Youtube.

Connected to that I run a hose that fits the Airbrush and a shop compressor which is 9 feet long.

A shop compressor fitted with a watertrap, quick-couples to the nine foot hose. The shop compressor will hold a lot of air and doesn't putt-putt trying to keep you in air. The shop compressor will be noisier while it's filling up, but once it's full, you'll be spraying for a long time. A good hobby compressor will be more expensive than any shop compressor and won't fill a flat tire like a shop compressor will.

Good luck,

Gary

You can easily get an Iwata HP-CS and a Compressor w/ Tank system from TCP global for around 250USD

Would anyone happen to have any links to the air brushes and compressors? This field is completely new to me and I am also unsure as to how to be able to tell whether a certain brush and compressor would be compatible with each other.

Here's a start

Iwata HP-CS
http://www.tcpglobal.com/Airbrushing-Supplies/HP-CS-4207/

Compressor without Tank
http://www.tcpglobal.com/ABD-TC-20_2.html#.Vi5RTjaheUk

Compressor with tank (recommended)
http://www.tcpglobal.com/ABD-TC-20T.html#.Vi5RTzaheUk

or you could go for the system with the hose here
http://www.tcpglobal.com/ABD-KIT-4207-T.html?sc=113&category=2675179#.Vi5RjjaheUk

What I don't understand is why the package with the compressor-tank combo turns out cheaper than the one without the tank

Thank you! After you mentioned TCP global, I was looking at the Paasche air brush sets on their site. Any thoughts on the Paasche sets for modelling?

Whatever brand you buy, make sure you buy a gravity feed, not a siphon feed airbrush. Gravity feed operates at lower air pressures, allowing more detailed work.

I'm not familiar with paasche and H&S since the most accessible airbrush I could get are Iwata, Badger, and Gunze Sangyo (which is technically iwata). Perhaps someone would chime in regarding your question.

I agree that gravity fed airbrushes will provide better overall performance but I also use a lot of siphon fed brushes. Usually I use the Badger 350, 150, and Mr. Hobby Pro-spray mainly because these are faster and easier to clean especially for the quick basecoat and top coat jobs where precision isn't a priority.

I ended up ordering

http://www.tcpglobal.com/ABD-KIT-4207-T.html?sc=113&category=2675179#.Vi5RjjaheUk

Thank you guys for the help!

This is a useful thread as I am also looking for a second air brush and a compressor. I have been using a Badger 250 siphon feed airbrush for years with aerosol cans for air supply. All my modelling subjects had only single colour paint schemes. But now I have kits of 1/48 Fw190s, Bf 109s and 1/35 WW2 German panzers. I want an airbrush that can enable me to paint free hand patterns.

The original poster asked about airbrush compatibility. Will the TCB brand compressor be compatible with a Badger 250 airbrush? If not, how & where will one find an adapter?

In the several days I took to research air brushes, most people seemed to say that badger ABs require adapters. But take this with a grain of salt.

So far I've fully hand painted my models. Wasn't too horrible, earned me two silver medals at a contest. Looking forward to getting into air brushing.

Krupp

I build for personal enjoyment. But personally I find there is a BIG difference in the finish between airbrushed and hand painted models.

I have been away from model building for about 10 years. I am returning to the hobby and decide to spend money on tools. The airbrush was the only "luxury" item you could say. I would spray paint outdoors but now I am shopping for a spray booth. You may want to consider buying a booth too. Besides, spraying I plan to use it for gluing my resin kits as the CA fumes are intense.

I plan to keep my Badger 250 as I foresee it will remain the main AB that I will use since most of the subjects that I build have single colour paint schemes. This is why I was asking about adapters for the Badger and the compressor.

The Badger 250 is really nice and simple to clean and operate. I have never used any other kind of air brush before. The Iwata being a double action air brush is going to be a learning challenge for me.

I am going to write to TCP Global to ask about adapters. That USD244 package of the Iwata AB with the compressor with tank and hose combo looks pretty good. Shipping that to a US border mail box will cut down on the cost.

I make my models in an apartment and a booth wouldn't have access to a window for exhaust. My only options at the moment are a filtered mask (charcoal) and a closed booth.

I build for personal enjoyment as well, I only took my models to a contest once to see how they would rank. There is a difference between hand and air brush finishes, but if you're patient enough you can do it without leaving brush marks. Oil paints recreate color variations on surfaces and pigments add dusting and weathering.

My iwata kit was shipped to Canada, so I ended up paying quite a bit in shipping and exchange rate. But I had to bite the bullet this time and finally get one.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sUTy824G3mo

This portable booth seems to be popular. I plan to buy one from Amazon.CA It has a hose attachment that you can direct the end to window. Your apartment unit must have a window? The end of the exhaust hose is a flat nozzel, you just slid open the window a bit and wedge the nozzle in the window opening. Otherwise, I think you can buy a longer hose from Home Depot. I think I will need a piece of cardboard to plug up the gaps to the open window when it gets colder.

Well my problem is a little greater than initially stated. My bedroom is very small and cramped, so the booth is not an option there. I will be air brushing in the living room, and the nearest window is 7-8 meters away, across the living room.

Also, if you plan to get a booth such as the one in the link, make sure that the extractor fan is strong enough for that surface area of filter. I think organic vapors are a much greater worry than acrylic dust, although both require protection.

I've worked in laboratory fume hoods before, and even there you could smell solvent fumes if the sash was raised.

With regards to the question of badger and adapters. Badger uses an M5 connection whereas most compressors for airbrushes use a 1/8 connector. You will have to get an adapter. I would HIGHLY recommend a quick connect adapter so that you can run with multiple airbrushes easily.

A 1/8 quick connect set I think can be had for around 10usd and there are badger quick connect adapters for the same amount. I remember getting mine from coast airbrush.

Thank you Jomark

Chicago Airbrush http://www.chicagoairbrushsupply.com beats everyone in the US for supply, price and service. If you call them, you'll get a human. I'm not sure about Badger, but Paasche uses different size fittings (maybe just inches vs centimeters). Chicago has a bucket of adapters and it's usually pretty clear what fits what. I have a Paasche Talon and a VLS (I have two different places) for utility work and with adapters they work fine on hoses made for Harder Steenbeck, Iwata which are my standard brushes.

If you're buying a compressor anything that functions will do the job and some of the single cylinder types are available cheap. (You do want a moisture gizmo - that might not be on some low end models - but anything would have a pressure gauge. But you get what you pay for. Reliability does vary, and good build will supply a very even pressure. Noise is the major category where quality compressors are good at. Some cheapo cylinder style compressors are really loud. That may or may not be an issue. (If you want to stay "in house" Badger's entry level compressor is available at Chicago for $165 and comes with two hose adapters.)
If you're clever with adapters I'd look at a good commercial air compressor aimed at the tool market. (Model products of any kind see a big mark-up.) I had a Senco 1hp that had a one gallon air tank that went about $120 on Amazon. One fitting failed after two years which I think was my fault. Anyway, you do have to get the right adapter for many hoses. But it was trumps in performance. Reasonably quiet - only on when filling the air tank - and perfect air-flow which you only find on a compressor with a tank attached.

Good luck - anything will beat a can.
Eric

Thanks for the help, guys!

Post #5 helped greatly for the order I ended up placing and the other posts supported what post 5 said. The set-up is an iwata dual action AB with a 0.3 mm tip and the compressor is a single piston with a moisture trap and auto shut-off. I've also seen YouTube reviews on those products specifically which praise them. Now I'm just waiting for the item to arrive here (being shipped from San Francisco to Toronto).