hi,guys

planning to buy an airbrush system (i allready have a compressor).I've been handpainting my things for toooo long

k
my question.

Wich airbrush shall i buy?
thx. Q.

I've tried both and my favorite goes to Azteck !

You're gonna have tons of different opinions. I Started with a Paasche H then on to a VL now i use a Iwata HP-C (it's a Great Gravity feed gun)

Other Q guy, lol, I suggest you check out Bearair.com and do some comparison shopping. They carry a wide array of brushes. Whatever brush you decide on, make sure that maintining it is your top priority after using it or it will not last long. I have a Paasche VL double Action brush that is still being used after almost 30 years!! Good luck in choosing one. "Q"

Aztek work well and are not too expensive.
capnjock

Quinten, it would do you good to shop around, another place to look is Dixie Art Supplies, they have a good many to choose from, and real good prices, with free delivery in the states, with an order over 45 dollars.

There was a guy that ordered from there, from over seas, and he said with the air freight, and everything, he got his brush the same week, for a lot less then he could of over there.

Kerry

i'd use a Hansa 581 it's a very good quality gun..

Grtz Hibert

Check out these

http://www.obeeliks.com/

They are in Antwerp, you can pick up stuff there if you like, saves you the shipping.

I have a H&S evolution for a year now and it is fantastic. I also own a 15 year old Badger Cresendo and still doing its job, but I figured I deserved a new one last christmas.

Kris

k...total noob speaking

a home i have an airbrush it's not a modellers compressor!
Does it matter?

k what do i need next after i've got an airbrush pen.


cheerz Q.

*correction ; i mean i have a compressor at home but it isn't a modeller's compressor.

Crossbow ..... this could be my post .. almost. I started out with a cheap badger copy ... and bought the H&S evolution as well. Great brush and with a local dealer extras can be bought. It comes with a 2mm and 4mm needle and nozzles, and 2 sizes of gravity feed cups. Both are useful, depending on the area size. Good for general coverage and for fine work. I used to use the badger copy for general work and only use the evolution for detail work, but as the evolution is so easy to clean, i tend to use ít nearly all the time.
Now you can also buy a 1.5mm needle and nozzle extra, for even finer work. There is also a clamp device, for limiting the amount of paint used, for the trigger, to attain even better consistency. Recommended.
Compressor size doesnt matter ... in fact a garage compressor has its adavntages. As long as it has a good pressure regulator and water trap, there should be no problems if you can live with the noise level!

Well i highly recomend bearair.com they have GREAT prices, i just bought an Aztek A4709 set off of there for around $110 (including shipping) i haven't got to use it yet, but i'll get back to you on it,

: Cheers!

Airbrushes are like women.....
some like blondes, some redheads, others brunettes.
I like them all, except Aztec....I never could get use to the light weight, and gave both that I bought away.
I uses Badgers, and Iwatas, for me both have nice weight and balance.
Just remember that it's 90% practice.... practice... practice.
We all reach a point when we get comfortable using it, and eventually find what works for us.
I personally learned airbrushing using inks, so I prefer thinning my paints a lot more than most modellers would ever consider thinning, and I spray at a much lower pressure than most modellers would consider sparying at. But it's what I've been doing since the 70's.
Two suggestions::::: 1> keep the airbrush clean.
2> keep practicing and experimenting until you get use to using the chosen airbrush, and different air pressures.

I also Hate Aztek.. they're not consistant... don't clean easily.. you'll see another thread on here talking about pulling the needle (even though Aztek tells you not to)..

My first brush was a badger single action.. that was a great beginner brush...

my second an Aztek 4709.. hated it.. hated airbrushing when I owned it.. now that brush is used for junk work like powders or future..

I know have a Paasche VL.. and I love it.. now I enjoy airbrushing again..

I think with the Aztek you will see 50% people like em.. the other 50% hate em...

I don't think you see that with other airbrushes...

Good luck in your purchase!

Ditto on Dixie Art http://www.dixieart.com/FineArts/FineArtMain.html That is where I get all my airbrush hardware.

Cody

Quinten, it doesn't haft to be a modelers compressor to work, but the things you haft to worry about is water, and oil getting thru.

See I'm in the same boat almost, I got a big commercial grade compressor, with a monster tank, that would last a month or more without turning on, if it didn't leak anywhere else.

The problem I got it is in my basement, and it is wet down there, so it draws moist air all the time, so I got to figuring, and it would cost me more to keep the water out, plus worry about oil, that the cost factor brings it to be cheaper to go CO2.

Now if your compressor doesn't throw oil then your OK, all you haft to do is get your water filters. Now there is some compressors, that have oil , some don't. That might be the wrong way to say it, but, I know mine in the basement has an oil case to make it last a lot longer, and it has cause it is 40 years old now, and still runs good, just has a little oil every now and then.

I'm no expert, I just know that some are wet ,and some are dry on the oil.

Hope this helps Kerry

make sure you have an oil filter and moister trap and all that.. just in cas,e iono what kind of compressor you have, but i would take a chance...

ive had an aztek. and gos i hated hte nozzle... i also hate the plastic touch, its so fragile :S. ive had a bad experience were even after cleaning the nozzle a million times it wouldnt spray... until not long ago, but it doesnt spray well and its sprays towards the right :S iono whats wrong with it lol

thats why i got the 150 from badger... i lvoe it! and when i asked guys if they liked it... some guy posted a pic of his 30 yr old 150 still in good shape!!!

Frank

I love my Iwatas. I have an HP-B and and an Eclipse CS. I've used a Paasche VSR90 and an old aztek, and I've found the Iwatas to be far superior. Better atomization, more consistent paintflow with fewer problems, and much easier to keep clean. Wouldn't trade 'em for any brushes in the world (well, maybe a custom micron). Add the pre-set handle and a detail crown, and the Eclipse CS would be a great brush to learn with and grow into. Very versatile and easy to maintain.
All that said, there are many great airbrushes, and people swear by particular brands/models. Badger, Paasche, Iwata, and others make great airbrushes. So, instead of focusing on a specific brand, think about the performance characteristics you want: Do you need/want the ability to spray very tight lines and patterns? If so, look for a double action model with a needle/nozzle size of .35 or less. Or, do you just want a brush to learn the basics? In that case, a single action brush with a needle/nozzle size of .5 would suffice. How important is ease of cleaning to you? If that rates highly, then I would suggest a gravity feed airbrush. Conversely, how important is the ability to 'hot-swap,' or switch colors quickly? If that is a concern, a suction feed (bottle), or a side feed, may be better options for you. Lots of options, but I recommend thinking about what you want in terms of performance/characteristics before selecting a brand. After you figure that out, think about what you want to spend and go from there. Personally, I prefer a gravity feed brush because of the ease of cleaning/maintenance and the fact that I can dial down the airpressure more effectively than with suction or side feeds. And I've been impressed with Iwatas because they seem to be built to higher tolerances than other brushes I've used or examined. In my experience, this has translated to more consistent performance and ease of maintenance. They are a little more costly than most, so you do pay a small premium.

Just thought I'd add...

Get something that's got a good balance, not one of those half metal half plastic brushes. When it comes time to airbrush, you don't want a brush that constanly feels like it's going to topple out of your hands.

Cougar

I am the new owner of an Aztek 4709. I got it off of eBay (new) for $84 including shipping.

This is my first airbrush, so i can't compare against others, but I do like it and it is serving my needs well. Was easy for me to learn with, get good results, great price.

Have anybody tried the Tamiya HG airbrushes?
I'm thinking about buying one. Probably the 0.2 mm nossle type.