discussion Which Airbrush For a Beginner

[Peter Gillson]

A couple of years ago /i y one of these on ebay for my daughter when she was into painting her nails. it was around £15

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Gravity-...354111?hash=item2ad5d8613f:g:dA4AAOSwHLFdkW80

I was surprised by the quality, not as good as my Badger but for £15 I think its a good starter twin action airbrush.

Peter

 

[Guest]

AS-186 a very reliable compressor.

Unless you are prepared to pay 3 times the amount all compressors are around 50 decibels.

If you go for a Bambi which has a deep freeze type compressor very quiet it will cost about £300
Also about 4 times the size of the ABS. My ABS is now 7 years old.

There are a lot more expensive. If you look closely they all have very identical parts to the ABS just
re-badged & cost more. You get the same air from an ABS to the more expensive.

The ABS comes fitted with a moisture trap & pressure gauge..

They are all noisy (except a Bambi). I created an MDF box with vents at the rear. & a door on the front.
Lined this with acoustic foam (Ebay) & cut the noise to just a very light rumble. About £25

The Neo by the way is not an Iwata manufactured Airbrush it is Chinese made & bought in by Iwata.

Laurie

 

[Guest]

Hello John,
Welcome to the forum, I agree with your choice of airbrush and with care should last until you have saved up and gained experience to go further. The 186 is well reccomended and should suit you. Noise from these moden compressors is well down the scale, gone are the days of wearing ear defenders and watching it dance across the floor.
Please ask away if you have more questions and there should be an answer come back to you.
Cheers,
Mike.

 

[Supabuild]

Hi guys,sorry for the delay in answering. I've been scouting around for the AS 186 compressor on AMAZON but have become rather confused with all the 186 out there. I need to get it from Amazon as I have a gift voucher for there.Could somebody be kind enough to provide me with the correct link to this compressor.It would help me a lot. Thanks again .

 

[Jim F]

Hi Johm,
Trry this
https://smile.amazon.co.uk/Airbrush...=1579992030&sprefix=airbrush+,aps,149&sr=8-33
regards Jim

 

[Jim R]

Hi John
That deal Jim found looks good. If you don't need the airbrushes then THIS would suit you.
Jim

 

[Guest]

I think that Switzer one is the same kit I bought. When you take it apart it has Royalmax cast inside it, as I guess most of them do, since they all just seem to get re-branded.

 

[Guest]

Reading all this I’m surprised at the noise feedback from the recommended compressor.
I’m using an old Micon compressor that I inherited and it’s LOUD, I naturally assumed all compressors were loud.

It’s always surprising where useful info pops up on these forums.

 

[Guest]

Also, regards feedback on badgers.
I do have a badger 200 series I’ve had for 20 years. It’s a siphon feed single action with the needle adjustable manually via a rear mounted thread.
It works reliably, not the easiest to clean though. You can remove the needle and the nozzles but that’s it. Everything else is one piece.
They also use a 1/4” hose connector, which I find odd.

 

[Guest]

Reading all this I’m surprised at the noise feedback from the recommended compressor.
I’m using an old Micon compressor that I inherited and it’s LOUD, I naturally assumed all compressors were loud.

It’s always surprising where useful info pops up on these forums.

All the piston jobs are noisy around 60 plus decibels.
Get a Bambi which uses a refrigerator compressor & all you hear is as your fridge compressor.

Run a group to ensure that a building project does not exceed noise levels set. For that I have
a decibel counter which has been calibrated as accurate.

Just checked my AS compressor. With the compressor in my noise insulated cupd door closed
the decibel rating is 48 decibels.

With the door open on the cupd (still insulated sides & rear) the decibel rating is over 60 decibels.
The readings taken as if sitting with the compressor under the work top. 60 is loud. Our TV which
we have at a good level as we are old is about 50 decibels.

Laurie

 

[Guest]

I should have added that noise levels & measurement are complex.

You would expect 25 db to be half of 50db.

Reality is that 60DB (cupd door open) is more than twice the level of that of 48DB (cupd door closed)
& television sound.

Laurie

 

[Guest]

I downloaded an app which reported ~75db, measured next to it.

The only measure that mattered was when I asked my wife if it’s annoying, and she said it was fine!

 

[Guest]

I downloaded an app which reported ~75db, measured next to it.

The only measure that mattered was when I asked my wife if it’s annoying, and she said it was fine!

Good wife. Mine would be running around jumping up & down, television volume up to 100db at
3 feet distance & refuse to cook dinner if I let my compressor loose in her vicinity.

Actually the decibel rating is meaningless unless the distance from the object is given. The manufacturer
of the compressors give the db rating but never the distance that it is taken at. In effect the information
is completely worthless.

Laurie