discussion Which Airbrush For a Beginner

[Supabuild]

Hello everyone, thanks for letting me join your forum.

I am a newbie to model building and will be looking for lots of advice please.I have just pulled out from my cupboard a 1/72 Acadamu B17-G Flying fortress that sat there for nearly 22 years now. I'm bitten by the bug and want to get going again.

Can someone suggest a suitable airbrush and compressor for a beginner like me please. I have a budget of around £175. Can this be achieved?

Once again thanks for everything and take care.

 

[Steven000]

Hi and welcome,
I'll let the others members make sugestions, but just for now it might be a good idea to start looking at 2nd hand compressors, will save you some money.

The airbrush itself you better buy brand new. :thumb2:
Cheers,

 

[Gern]

You could do a lot worse than looking at the Scale Model Shop run by our boss John. He has a range of airbrush/compressor deals which are well within your budget.

 

[Jim R]

Hi John
A warm welcome to this very friendly forum. A range of genres covered and modellers of all different experience. Ask as many questions as you like - you're guaranteed constructive, polite answers. Do check on the forum that your query has not already been answered.
As for the airbrush. Definitely you can get set up within your price range. Perhaps an Iwata Neo with a 0.35mm nozzle (about £70) or the Harder and Steenbeck Evolution (about £100). Both quality guns. THIS compressor is used by lots of us - available under a few different labels.
Agree with Dave above regarding the shop. As a supporter you get a discount :thumb2:
Jim

 

[Guest]

Welcome John.

Agree with what's been said by Dave and Jim, I'd just go to the shop or ring John and ask.

 

[Supabuild]

Any comments on Badger airbrushes?

 

[Guest]

Never even thought about them John. Don't know whey are like to clean either, that was always an important thing for me.

 

[Jim R]

Hi John
I have no experience of Badger airbrushes. I think they are well thought of generally. They do quite a range reflected in widely varying prices.
In my opinion you need to go for a top feed, double action brush with a 0.3mm nozzle. That nozzle size is the best compromise between coverage and detail work. Also it is less prone to blocking up than smaller nozzles. Another consideration is if you want to spray lacquers or enamels check that the seals in the airbrush are solvent resistant. Cheap Chinese copies have seals which will not last long with anything other than acrylics.
Jim

 

[Supabuild]

Thanks Jim,I'm soaking all this up.

 

[Guest]

Don't know whey are like to clean either, that was always an important thing for me.

Same for me, that’s why I bought an Aztek to replace the Badger I used to use — they were advertised/reviewed to be very easy to clean because of the plastic construction, and so far (over 20 years on, though it didn’t see much use for about half that time) I think that was not a lie.

 

[Supabuild]

Hi everyone, I've gone ahead and bought a NEO IWATA airbrush.Should be here this week sometime.

Now I need your help in choosing a compressor please. I have a budget of £120 for it.Any pointers are well appreciated.Thanks again.

 

[Steven000]

I use a 6L compressor from the DIY store (oil free), but Jim recommended a nice one too ;

... THIS compressor is used by lots of us - available under a few different labels.
Agree with Dave above regarding the shop. As a supporter you get a discount :thumb2:
Jim

Cheers, Steven

 

[Bortig the Viking]

I like many others use the AS-186S Airbrush Compressor, not sure about the price as I got mine via a weird route, a couple we knew were splitting up, she kicked him out, and she gave away all his stuff and I got the compressor, did I feel guilty, hell no he was a waste of good air.

 

[Jim R]

Hi John
Compressor should have a tank as in the AS-186 recommended by Mark above. A tank will stabilise the pressure. Air is pumped into the tank and then released at the set pressure. The tank pressure will be higher than the set pressure and the compressor will only kick in again when the tank pressure drops below a certain level. Without the tank the compressor will fire up every time you use the airbrush. You will need a water trap and a pressure gauge.



This is the AS-186 from the SMS shop, well within your price range. The tank is below the compressor and the combined water trap/pressure gauge/pressure set knob is on the left.

Jim

 

[Supabuild]

Can anybody compare the compressor noise to anything they can think of so I can get an idea please.Thanks guys.

 

[Guest]

I have a small fan heater running in my shed, I can only just hear my (almost identical) compressor start up over the sound of it. Both are underneath my bench.

When I took it to work I couldn't hear my compressor running at all over the general workshop background noise, I had to put my hand on it to feel if it was going.

So - pretty quiet!

 

[BattleshipBob]

I bought a Iwata sprint jet, only problem no tank so always on, got as a package with the Iwata eclispe. Been very good and easy to use

 

[Bortig the Viking]

Mine is as noisy as my wifes hair dryer, but only when its keeping the air pressure up otherwise its silent great when you stop airbrushing in between coats etc.

 

[Steven000]

Can anybody compare the compressor noise to anything they can think of so I can get an idea please.Thanks guys.

Search on youtube for a review of this compressor, then you can hear it running :thumb2:

 

[Supabuild]

Thanks guys,like the youtrube idea. Have a good idea now what my wife is in for!!