Looking for airbrush recommendations

[Mattxjs]

Hi everybody, I was looking for some recommendations on a good airbrush and compressor bundle, preferably dual action. Looking for one less than 150 quid ish. I don't really have any brand preferences I'm just looking for something which someone on here has possibly had experience with which is both cheap ish but reliable and good quality. Cheers

[Izzy]

I recently got the Expo tools AB602 airbrush set simply for the compressor, to use with my Iwata Neo, but also found the dual action brush supplied to be almost as good as the Neo. Nice and quiet to use as well. Cost £100 from a local dealer.

 

Izzy

[RexAshton]

Can't help you with a compressor but I swear by my trusty Badger 200 airbrush.

[Redkiterail]

Sparmax Max 4 is pretty good for a beginner. I got the set with the compressor which is the asrmi mini is quieter and very portable.

Edited September 1, 2017 by Redkiterail

[Mick Bonwick]

You haven't mentioned the use to which you'll put the airbrush - respraying O Gauge diesels or weathering N Gauge coal wagons? There are many things which govern the right answers, for you, to the questions about price, reliability and quality. Cheap and good quality are often mutually exclusive.

You don't mention whether you are a beginner, either. This will have a bearing on what is suitable for you.

You will get many answers to your questions on here, and a lot of them will contradict what others say. You might like to consider talking to a professional retailer to see what they recommend if, at the end of the day, you still can't get a clear idea of what to choose.

[Torper]

Try and get a compressor with a tank.  These are often called something like an AS186 and can be had on ebay, and through some suppliers, for round about £85 or so.  I've got one and I'm very happy with it.

 

Mine came with two cheap dual action airbrushes (it might well have been this one: http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RDG-AIRBRUSH-TANK-COMPRESSOR-KIT-280K-ART-CRAFTS-PAINT-SPRAYING-MODEL-MAKING-/292209144673?hash=item440905b361:g:px0AAOSwcYxZix5U  ) One of the brushes is adequate, the other performs surprisingly well.

 

Also, what sort of airbrush do you want?  I personally prefer a trigger operated one, as I find that easier than the more conventional top-button operation, and so I bought a Sparmax GP-50 (currently about £90) which I like very much.  However, in your situation and with your budget you could do a lot worse than get one of these kits that include a tank compressor and couple of airbrushes, which would leave you with a bit of change out of £100.  The chances are that at least one of these airbrushes would work well and later, if you wanted, you could upgrade the airbrush (you wouldn't need to upgrade the compressor).

 

DT

Edited September 1, 2017 by Torper

[Mattxjs]

Thanks for you help guys. Sorry for being more specific - I hope it's not too late to say now. I am a beginner, mostly doing track and loco weather for N and 00. Honestly I don't know too much about airbrushes, but have had a read up on some websites about the different properties of them. For my situation I think it would be useful to get one with a variable nozzle (?) to suit the smaller size of N and the larger size of 00. Once again thank you for all your help, it is certainly very useful for me.

[Torper]

I'm afraid I made a slight error in my posting - the airbrush I bought was a Sparmax GP-35, with .35mm needle and nozzle, not the GP50, which has a .5mm needle/nozzle.  However, I have also bought a conversion kit which means that i can change my brush into a .5mm model when i wish, and I find that very useful. (For a rather lengthy - best start at about 6.06 - review of the Sparmax, see

)

 

DT

Edited September 2, 2017 by Torper

[Guy Rixon]

Ideally, you need:

 

- a piston-driven compressor (quieter than diaphragm compressors at the low-price end);

 

- oilless piston (less maintenance and can't spit its oil into your airbrush if it the seals get worn);

 

- an air tank (smooths out pressure variations and lets the compressor switch off to cool down when the tank is up to pressure);

 

- a pressure regulating valve with a pressure gauge (supplies air at the pressure you choose, not the tank pressure which is usually too high);

 

- a moisture trap (keeps condensate out of your paint).

 

The AS186 seems to be the cheapest compressor with these features. Many retailers sell them. I have one, it works. For occasional use I can't see any point in buying anything more expensive.

 

However, if you get an AS186, make sure that it doesn't leak air. I had one with a bad leak in the pipework. The vendor exchanged it for me. For this reason, I'd be inclined to buy from an established retailer rather than take the cheapest price on eBay: you want any warranty exchange to be handled well.

[cal.n]

I have a cheap eBay bought compressor and airbrush bundle for under £70 similar to one described above and couldn't be happier with it (for resprays and basic weathering in 4mm).

 

Maybe at some point I'll upgrade the airbrush itself but there's a long list of things to buy first...

[ianLMS]

I have the Sparmax Max 4 and AS186 Compressor abd very happy with both. I am a beginner and can honestly say they are very easy to use and work with. I think the airbrush was around £45 and Compressor around £70. Eileens Emporium was a huge help choosing the right brush. I also see BRM has an offer for subscribers for the Sparmax 4.

[Quarryscapes]

https://bartsharp.co.uk/index.php/compressors/airbrush-compressors-and-complete-kits/tc88t-airbrush-compressor-with-royal-130-and-133-airbrush.html

 

That'll get you started. Same compressor (and supplier) I use, but I use an Iwata Eclipse HP-CS airbrush which would blow the budget. The o.5mm nozzles on the airbrushes in the kit will be better to get you started at any rate,  though you won't be able to do really fine work. (I use 0.5mm for ease of spraying, 0.35mm clogs too much and below 0.3 is no good for paint) 

[Ray H]

I hope the OP won't mind me posting a semi related question on their thread.
 
I've been struggling to master the operation of a conventional airbrush, partly I think because I have long fingers. I'm struggling to adapt to the more conventional style of operation.
 
I note the reference above to the Sparmax GP-35 and wonder if I might fair better with that style of airbrush. However, I don't know whether to splash the cash on the Sparmax to start with - there's even a local seller - or to look at something a bit cheaper - like the HS116 - with a view to upgrading to something better in due course.

 

I believe that the conventional airbrush allows the user to vary both air and paint combinations by its dual action. Does the same level of flexibility exist in a trigger style airbrush?

 

Does the position of the paint cup - either above or to the side - make any significant difference e.g. cleaning?

[Torper]

Like you I didn't like the conventional press-button airbrush control which is why I went for a trigger operated model.  To me at least it seems a lot simpler.

 

Basically, you pull the trigger a litle bit back and the air starts to come through (no paint).  Pull a bit further and paint starts coming through. The more you pull the trigger, the greater the flow of paint.  You can limit the maximum amount of paint that can come through by a hand turned limiting screw on the end of the brush which hopefully helps avoid the problem of a twitchy trigger finger causing accidental overspray.  Once the paint is coming through I don't think that you can control the amount of air (but why would you want to - presumably you'll have set the compressor to deliver the pressure you want).

 

The paint cup on the HS116 is moulded onto the airbrush, whileas the cups supplied with the GP35 are easily removed by a thumb screw.  Taken off, I think they'd be much easier to clean (that's certainly what I do) than if they're attached to the brush body, and you could also interchange paint cups during a spray session.  Their position doesn't seem to make any difference to the actual painting - I probably prefer it as the cups are on the right hand side, I'm right handed, and I think I probably get a better view of what I'm spraying than if the cup was on top of the airbrush.  If you're brushing at an acute angle, incidentally, you can alter the positioning of the cups so that the paint in them remains fairly horizontal and there's no danger of it spilling out (although the lids to the cups are pretty tight fitting).

 

Reviews of the GP-35 are few and far between, but all those I have seen agree that it is a decent quality product.  It's made in Taiwan as are Iwata Neo (coincidence?)

 

I hope that this is of some help.

 

DT

[Ray H]

Thanks.

 

I hadn't noticed until after I posted above that the HS116 had an integral cup.

 

Subsequently I've been looking at the Iwata TRN1 which appears to be related to the Iwata Nero (which I have) and may have some interchangeable parts.

[Mattxjs]

Hi everybody, I decided to go for a AS186 compressor which came with an airbrush which I will probably replace in the future. Thank you all for your help as I have decided in the future I will get an airbrush with a trigger as I agree they look a lot nicer to use. Sorry for not being very clear in my initial post and thank you all once again!

[Ray H]

Thanks for starting this thread. I'll report back if I do buy a trigger style airbrush.

[ianLMS]

Good luck with the new airbrush and compressor - lots of tips on You-tube in and the press to help you use it.

 

The additional items I purchased to help were; cleaning bottle, cleaning aerosol spray, twin airbrush stand, battery paint mixer, airbrush cleaning brushes, quick release nozzle for the hose, rotating table and stand (Tamiya), spray booth (Expo tools), Tamiya masking tape, spare mixing bottles, disposable gloves and a respirator face mask.

 

The most important things to a successful airbrush job I picked up is mixing the paint thoroughly/thinning it correctly, and keeping the airbrush clean! Good ventilation helps especially if you are spraying indoors. I am now confined to the conservatory as my spraying of thinned enamel and cleaning the airbrush in the spare bedroom seriously upset the domestic authorities!!!

 

Let us know how you are getting on. As a complete beginner, I managed to spray this large model of a fuel tank with enamels. Its about 12 inches long and made from a 4" waste pipe.

[lapford34102]

 

Thanks for you help guys. Sorry for being more specific - I hope it's not too late to say now. I am a beginner,

 

Using an extractor, if not get a suitable respirator and use it. Places like Screwfix do them

Get some old cereal boxes, free newspapers, redundant models, anything in fact you don't mind ending up in the bin and practice.

Do you have a paint preference ? Most Enamels seem pretty happy with white spirit when it comes to thinning, "Acrylics" somewhat less flexible. There's a lot on here about this side of things.

Something to mix you paint in and something to mix it with. I use an ancient dremel and have some small plastic pots I got from Lord knows where. Perhaps someone has some advice on these.

You'll have disaster and accidents, we all have but persevere. Questions pop 'em on here, someone will have an idea.

HTH

Stu

[57xx]

I believe that the conventional airbrush allows the user to vary both air and paint combinations by its dual action. Does the same level of flexibility exist in a trigger style airbrush?

 

With the majority of dual action brushes, you cannot vary the amount of air, that is done with the regulator on the compressor. The dual action is you can blow air through with no paint flow by pushing down on the trigger, then by pulling back you introduce paint into the airflow and can vary the amount of paint depending on how far back you pull the trigger. On some of the more expensive brushes you can get an air regulator that fits in the brush so depending how much you push down on the trigger it will vary the airflow.

[Torper]

Which is basically just the same as the pistol-trigger type airbrush albeit involving two separate movements (pushing down and then pulling back) rather than one.

 

DT

[Ray H]

Thanks for that information.

 

Some will say I am dim - and they're probably right - but . . . . .

 

Do I understand correctly that at some point once you start to push down on the "trigger" on the more usual style airbrush air will be blown through and no matter how much further you push down, the amount of air being blown doesn't vary?

 

That's the way I understand the pistol grip style airbrush to work as well.

 

Something inside my head thinks that the larger the open aperture the more air can pass through it and so I thought that pushing down further increased the size of the open aperture. Consequently I have assumed that the pistol style only has one open aperture size whereas the more popular style can vary it. 

[Quarryscapes]

Thanks for that information.

 

Some will say I am dim - and they're probably right - but . . . . .

 

Do I understand correctly that at some point once you start to push down on the "trigger" on the more usual style airbrush air will be blown through and no matter how much further you push down, the amount of air being blown doesn't vary?

 

That's the way I understand the pistol grip style airbrush to work as well.

 

Something inside my head thinks that the larger the open aperture the more air can pass through it and so I thought that pushing down further increased the size of the open aperture. Consequently I have assumed that the pistol style only has one open aperture size whereas the more popular style can vary it. 

 

There is no opening air aperture, it's a constant hole with an on-off valve, all you can vary is how much paint is pulled through by the air, and that's the same regardless of the trigger placement or whether its a single or dual action gun. 

[57xx]

Thanks for that information.

 

Some will say I am dim - and they're probably right - but . . . . .

 

Do I understand correctly that at some point once you start to push down on the "trigger" on the more usual style airbrush air will be blown through and no matter how much further you push down, the amount of air being blown doesn't vary?

 

That's the way I understand the pistol grip style airbrush to work as well.

 

Something inside my head thinks that the larger the open aperture the more air can pass through it and so I thought that pushing down further increased the size of the open aperture. Consequently I have assumed that the pistol style only has one open aperture size whereas the more popular style can vary it. 

 

BIB: That's correct, once you have pushed down far enough to start the air flowing, pushing down further (which won't be very far) doesn't vary the air flow in any way.

 

You aren't dim though, originally I thought a dual action brush could vary airflow and was struggling to get my airbrush to do it. It was only after watching some tutorials that the penny dropped.

 

As mentioned, some top end brushes such as Harder & Steenbeck can be adapted with a flow valve such as this.

[Ray H]

Thanks chaps. My sanity is restored - which after much of the day spent in bed with my first known vertigo attack, is a blessing. Fortunately I am feeling much better this evening.

 

I bit the proverbial bullet on Sunday evening and ordered the Iwata TRN1 pistol grip airbrush from eModels (via Amazon). I was amazed when it arrived around midday today but other than open the box, have decided to leave further examination etc for another day. Hopefully that will be tomorrow.

 

I'll report back.

Edited September 5, 2017 by Ray H