As I’ve now had my air brushing gear for a couple of weeks now and I have used it all a fair few times, I feel like I can now write a reasonable review on the gear.
Compressor:
The compressor I purchased is a AS186, which is a fairly basic compressor and available in many outlets, online, etc and has a 3L tank.
You can set the pressure manually, and it has an auto pressure relief valve, and you can release the pressure yourself after use and also has a drain plug in the bottom of the tank to drain any moisture.
It did not come with a hose, so I had to buy one separately. I went for a longer hose which just gives more flexibility when using the compressor/air brush. I have also bought a set of quick release connectors to use, which just makes things quicker/easier.
Having used the compressor many times now and for short sessions and for longer sessions, it has never shown any signs of running out of puff. The compressor kicks in when the working pressure drops, usually just for a few seconds, then shuts itself off again once the tank is pressurised again, until the next time its needed. The 3L tank therefore gives plenty of volume of air at pressure and therefore negates the need for the compressor to stay on running constantly, so it is kinder and has less wear on the compressor. I have noticed that the body of the compressor gets hot, but not dangerously so. The unit is quite small and compact and light, so can easily be moved around. All in all it seems to be well made and does the job just fine.
Air Brush:
After a little bit of research I went for the newer Gaahleri version of their air brush, the Seeker mk2 Advanced.
A dual action, fairly simple airbrush. I did not want dirt cheap, but also did not want mega expensive, so this air brush sits nicely in the mid range area. It comes with a .3 and a .5 needle as well as spare O rings and a quick release adaptor.
It breaks down easily for cleaning, and requires only one tool, small spanner for one component, eg: to remove the main internal body/trigger spring, etc.
Cleaning is a breeze and I have had minimal blockages so far.
The AB has a rear trigger/needle adjustment to reduce or increase paint flow.
The AB comes with only one front cap, fully shrouded, so I have since purchased a few extra nozzles, open types, etc.
I can now paint fairly small areas and produce thin lines, small dots, etc after only a few sessions, so its an easy to use AB. If a ham fisted chimp like me can use one, then anyone else can too.
Spray Booth with external vent:
The spray booth I purchased is basically a rebadged AB510 Expo Tools one, but it’s a rebadged one, so presumably made in the same factory in Chine, just a bit cheaper.
Set-up was a breeze, unfold the sides, clip them in place, attach the ducting for the external vent, away you go, easy peasy. The room I use has a window so the vent easily reaches it (its about 1.8m in length) and I only need the window to be open about 2” as the vent terminal is a flat type.
This is a twin fan version, so just about the only negative is that it’s a tad noisy, but TBH it does not bother me. The booth includes three led strip lights, one up top and two side ones and they work well with lots of illumination in the main area. The unit is operated via two switches, one to turn on the lights and one to turn on the fans (2 speeds).
I went for a slightly larger version, as I wanted lots of space to work/spray, etc, its approx. 50cm wide, whereas a lot of spray booths are only 40 to 45cm in width, some even smaller! It has a carrying handle on the top and is easy to move around.
It actually has a great working space, and I have had several items in the booth at the same time and not once ran out of space or thought that I did not have enough room, so for me it was worth going,”big”, so to speak.
Extraction is via standard size two part filters, multi packs aesialy available online, etc. It seems to have a pretty good "suck", Oo-er missus! with no fumes, smells or overspary coming back into the room, even after long ish sessions.
Final thoughts:
As this air brushing lark is all new to me, so likewise the gear is also new. However, the gear I am using will serve me well for a good few years I am sure, so I think they are a worthwhile investment.
Is there “better” gear out there, yes, I’m sure there is, but the above will get you going for not a huge amount of money, so offers good value IMHO.
Compressor:
The compressor I purchased is a AS186, which is a fairly basic compressor and available in many outlets, online, etc and has a 3L tank.
You can set the pressure manually, and it has an auto pressure relief valve, and you can release the pressure yourself after use and also has a drain plug in the bottom of the tank to drain any moisture.
It did not come with a hose, so I had to buy one separately. I went for a longer hose which just gives more flexibility when using the compressor/air brush. I have also bought a set of quick release connectors to use, which just makes things quicker/easier.
Having used the compressor many times now and for short sessions and for longer sessions, it has never shown any signs of running out of puff. The compressor kicks in when the working pressure drops, usually just for a few seconds, then shuts itself off again once the tank is pressurised again, until the next time its needed. The 3L tank therefore gives plenty of volume of air at pressure and therefore negates the need for the compressor to stay on running constantly, so it is kinder and has less wear on the compressor. I have noticed that the body of the compressor gets hot, but not dangerously so. The unit is quite small and compact and light, so can easily be moved around. All in all it seems to be well made and does the job just fine.
Air Brush:
After a little bit of research I went for the newer Gaahleri version of their air brush, the Seeker mk2 Advanced.
A dual action, fairly simple airbrush. I did not want dirt cheap, but also did not want mega expensive, so this air brush sits nicely in the mid range area. It comes with a .3 and a .5 needle as well as spare O rings and a quick release adaptor.
It breaks down easily for cleaning, and requires only one tool, small spanner for one component, eg: to remove the main internal body/trigger spring, etc.
Cleaning is a breeze and I have had minimal blockages so far.
The AB has a rear trigger/needle adjustment to reduce or increase paint flow.
The AB comes with only one front cap, fully shrouded, so I have since purchased a few extra nozzles, open types, etc.
I can now paint fairly small areas and produce thin lines, small dots, etc after only a few sessions, so its an easy to use AB. If a ham fisted chimp like me can use one, then anyone else can too.
Spray Booth with external vent:
The spray booth I purchased is basically a rebadged AB510 Expo Tools one, but it’s a rebadged one, so presumably made in the same factory in Chine, just a bit cheaper.
Set-up was a breeze, unfold the sides, clip them in place, attach the ducting for the external vent, away you go, easy peasy. The room I use has a window so the vent easily reaches it (its about 1.8m in length) and I only need the window to be open about 2” as the vent terminal is a flat type.
This is a twin fan version, so just about the only negative is that it’s a tad noisy, but TBH it does not bother me. The booth includes three led strip lights, one up top and two side ones and they work well with lots of illumination in the main area. The unit is operated via two switches, one to turn on the lights and one to turn on the fans (2 speeds).
I went for a slightly larger version, as I wanted lots of space to work/spray, etc, its approx. 50cm wide, whereas a lot of spray booths are only 40 to 45cm in width, some even smaller! It has a carrying handle on the top and is easy to move around.
It actually has a great working space, and I have had several items in the booth at the same time and not once ran out of space or thought that I did not have enough room, so for me it was worth going,”big”, so to speak.
Extraction is via standard size two part filters, multi packs aesialy available online, etc. It seems to have a pretty good "suck", Oo-er missus! with no fumes, smells or overspary coming back into the room, even after long ish sessions.
Final thoughts:
As this air brushing lark is all new to me, so likewise the gear is also new. However, the gear I am using will serve me well for a good few years I am sure, so I think they are a worthwhile investment.
Is there “better” gear out there, yes, I’m sure there is, but the above will get you going for not a huge amount of money, so offers good value IMHO.