Airbrush Survey

Post by **TER-OR** » Tue Dec 02, 2003 1:49 pm

It seems all those are single-action.

Don't write until we see next month's installment, which should be double-action, and should have a whole lot of airbrushes.

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Tue Dec 02, 2003 3:26 pm

Yeah, I missed that little "Single Action" bit under the title. My appologies to FSM, shouldn't have dissed'em so early.

NCC1701-D · Post by **NCC1701-D** » Wed Dec 03, 2003 3:36 am

Thanks a lot Ter-OR your doing a great job

bullitt3980 · Post by **bullitt3980** » Wed Dec 24, 2003 3:01 pm

I know this is a little late but for my sci-fi painting I have an old Tamiya Spray Works with its own compressor. The compressor runs on a RC type battery and the air brush is like a modern automotive spray gun(HVLP) Since the cup is gravity feed every bit of paint that is put in the cup gets used. I really only use it for matt finishes-I dont think it will do well with gloss paint.

Post by **TER-OR** » Sat Dec 27, 2003 12:02 am

http://m2reviews.cnsi.net/others/featur ... survey.htm

Scott posted his copy of the survey. I think John's been even busier than Scott the past several weeks.

Enjoy

whopper · Post by **whopper** » Sun Dec 28, 2003 10:07 am

That's one hell of an article Terry!

I think the cross comparisons are the best. A kid could taste that cheapo-trans fatty chocolate for the first time and think he's in heaven. He'll never know the difference until he tries a Godiva or a Lindt.

Post by **TER-OR** » Sun Dec 28, 2003 10:52 pm

It's good to see the comparisons. Clyde "En'til'Zog" Jones, Erin Lantz and Mark Yungblut all have several reviews. It's interesting to see how they rate different airbrushes. Some guys have LOTS of airbrushes.

I'm glad so many people responded, it's also why it took so long to build up a large enough article to be worthwhile.

Lonewolf · Post by **Lonewolf** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 10:28 am

As much as I hate to admit it, you might want to take a look at the two most recent issues of FSM.

They did a fairly comprehensive two-part article on airbrushes. The January issue had the single-action ones, while the February issue focused on double-action ones. They were broken down by manufacturer.

If you're interested in the article, drop me an e-mail. I can scan the pics into a PowerPoint presentation and ship it to whoever wants it.

justcrash · Post by **justcrash** » Mon Jan 19, 2004 10:33 am

Lonewolf wrote:As much as I hate to admit it, you might want to take a look at the two most recent issues of FSM.

They did a fairly comprehensive two-part article on airbrushes. The January issue had the single-action ones, while the February issue focused on double-action ones. They were broken down by manufacturer.

If you're interested in the article, drop me an e-mail. I can scan the pics into a PowerPoint presentation and ship it to whoever wants it.

OH OH OH! I wanna see!

fenristhewolfgod · Post by **fenristhewolfgod** » Sat Feb 21, 2004 12:49 pm

Lonewolf send them on over here to me would ya?

Post by **TER-OR** » Sat Feb 21, 2004 2:09 pm

It was a good listing of the models available, and some of their features. I want to keep a listing of peoples' experience with various models, what they use them for etc. It was nice to see the roundup in the magazine, and well overdue, I think. FSM does a good job at these things.

Jediguy · Post by **Jediguy** » Sat Mar 20, 2004 9:12 pm

Manufacturer and Model of Airbrush: Tamiya Sprayworks
Cost of Airbrush: not sure about greenback but it costs like 200 singapore dollars
Type (single, double): single
Is it more suitable for fine lines or broad coverage?
: Definitely broad coverage
Paint head (internal or external mix):
Body construction (plastic, chrome plated brass, other): Plastic
Internal construction (plastic, chrome plated brass, other): Plastic, , metal head and needle,and brass pieces.
Fitting type (Badger, Paashe, or proprietary): Proprietary
Optional parts: color cups, multiple nozzles/tips, trigger pads etc.: not very sure about that
Ease of breakdown and cleaning (easy, moderate, difficult): easy to clean , not so easy to break.
Durability of parts such as needle, tip etc: Needle is kinda soft but i have had no problems with it.
Cost and availability of replacement parts (specific or broad idea): Replacements can be ordered but can be pricey.
Ease of use: Very easy.( i'm a beginner)
Performance with acrylics, lacquer, enamel: Great
Do you find the design easy hold, and comfortable to use? The grip looks like a gun so it's very easy to use
"Cool" features not generally available (left or right hand interchangeable color cup, etc): hmmm it has it's own special compressor that can use rechargeadble tamiya batteries so it can be portable.
Why did you choose this airbrush? : i was recommended this model by a senior modeler and hey i got it for a 100 sing dollars so how can i complain. thats just a fraction of the cost of a badger airbrush with the compressor.
How long have you used this model?
:few months
What type of work do you do with it?
: Painting? detailing.
Would you recommend it to others, and why?
: i would recommend it to beginners due to its low cost and ease of use.

Quantum · Post by **Quantum** » Fri Jun 11, 2004 9:13 am

I bought mine in the late 80s and have been happy with it since. Very easy to use and clean; no need to worry about fiddling with compressor settings and moisture trap. I think I saw that the new model comes with more tips for a wider range of applications, which I'll be buying soon.

[][][] · Post by **[][][]** » Thu Feb 24, 2005 3:41 pm

Can anyone write a review of the Iwata Revolution (BCR if at all possible, cause thats the one I want to get). Really, the only place I saw that had a good review was from a T-shirt airbrush forum, but it didnt mention too much about the a/b itself, and nothing about models. Also, for the puropuses of modeling, which is better, Gravity feed or siphon feed? Also, what is fixed nozzel...im kind of confused about that

.

Post by **TER-OR** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 8:37 am

Gravity feed will allow you to paint smaller details. You need less air pressure to feed paint with the assistance of gravity than with the venturi effect for a siphon. Siphon feed will allow you to paint more area, as the cup is typically larger. There are large gravity feed brushes out there, like a version of the Omni. I see a version of the HP with a side-feed, which is a compromise setup.

http://www.dixieart.com/IwataHPA_B_SB.html

Other fine-detail brushes similar to the Iwata HP are the Badger Sotar 20/20 and T&C Omni Nail-Air.

I believe a fixed nozzle refers to it not being adjustable. You don't need an adjustable nozzle with a double-action brush, the adjustment is all with the needle.

The Iwata HP are meant for fine detail work. You won't use them for broad area coverage. I have a Sotar, which operates with similar function. One reason not to use it for large coverage is the small color cup, and use range meant for fine lines. The cost of components is also very high compared with a broad use brush.

I know a lot of figure modelers use the Iwata HPs. You might want to scoot over and ask the same question at Cult TV site.

Jonas Calhoun · Post by **Jonas Calhoun** » Fri Feb 25, 2005 2:51 pm

I've got an Iwata Eclipse side bottle setup. I really like the side bottle because I can have it spray gravity or siphon--different paints seem to like different setups.

Just another data point. I don't see many people use the side setup--also look at the Badger 360 -- it can also operate in both modes.

Dan

android · Post by **android** » Mon May 22, 2006 5:00 pm

[][][] wrote:Can anyone write a review of the Iwata Revolution (BCR if at all possible, cause thats the one I want to get).

I just bought one of these a few weeks ago. I also own an Eclipse C and an HP-B. Based on my satisfaction with those, I bought the Revolution. So far I've sprayed Polyscale acrylic, Future and Model Master flat enamels through it. It works great and I cant really see any difference in the build quality between the Revolution and the Eclipse. I've mostly used it for full coverage, but I did a few tests and I can get it down to a pretty fine line.

I bought the Revolution because I wanted an airbrush with a slightly larger nozzle than the Eclipse. So I am now set with:

HP-B: .20mm (fine lines and details)
Eclipse: .35mm (spot colors and medium details)
Revo: .50mm (full coverage primer or color)

I could have bought a .50 nozzle for the Eclipse, but I'd rather not fool around with changing nozzles. There's more of a chance to break something.

As a point of reference, I've also owned a Pasche VL and and an Aztek and I was about to give up on airbrushing until I bought the Iwatas. The Iwatas are a delight to use.

didihno · Post by **didihno** » Mon May 22, 2006 5:44 pm

***********************************************************
Manufacturer and Model of Airbrush: Iwata Revolution
Cost of Airbrush: $75ish
Type (single, double): Double
Is it more suitable for fine lines or broad coverage? It says 1/16" to 1-1/2"
Paint head (internal or external mix): Int
Body construction (plastic, chrome plated brass, other): chrome plated brass
Internal construction (plastic, chrome plated brass, other): chrome plated brass
Fitting type (Badger, Paashe, or proprietary): ?
Optional parts: color cups, multiple nozzles/tips, trigger pads etc.: Nope
Ease of breakdown and cleaning (easy, moderate, difficult): Easy
Durability of parts such as needle, tip etc: Seems good.
Cost and availability of replacement parts (specific or broad idea): Not great
Ease of use: Easy as pie
Performance with acrylics, lacquer, enamel: Airbrush ready stuff is best, but you can thin your own, just make sure its thin enough.
Do you find the design easy hold, and comfortable to use? Yeah
"Cool" features not generally available (left or right hand interchangeable color cup, etc): Nope
Why did you choose this airbrush? Price vs reputation
How long have you used this model? 6 months
What type of work do you do with it? Eh? Models of course!
Would you recommend it to others, and why? Sure. It looks good, feels good, and easy to maintain. My skill is coming on slowly but shes fairly forgiving. I love my Iwata!!!

Lonewolf · Post by **Lonewolf** » Sun Mar 04, 2007 8:48 pm

Well, this response is coming a while after the previous ones, but I just got my airbrush about three months ago, and I don't see it on this list, so here goes.

Manufacturer and Model of Airbrush: Paasche H set

Cost of Airbrush: $80 at my local hobby store

Type (single, double): Single

Is it more suitable for fine lines or broad coverage? Depends on the needle set you're using. It came with 1, 3 and 5-size needles.

Paint head (internal or external mix): External

Body construction (plastic, chrome plated brass, other): Chrome plated brass for the forward section, plastic for the rear.

Internal construction (plastic, chrome plated brass, other): Chrome plated brass

Fitting type (Badger, Paashe, or proprietary): Paasche

Optional parts: color cups, multiple nozzles/tips, trigger pads etc.: In addition to the three needle sets, the H "set" came with a 1/4 oz color cup, a 1 oz mixing jar, a 1 oz spray jar, a 3 oz spray jar, a small Allen wrench, a 6-foot long 1/8 inch air hose with wrench, and a holder that can be attached to my workbench.

Ease of breakdown and cleaning (easy, moderate, difficult): Easy

Durability of parts such as needle, tip etc: Seems good so far.

Cost and availability of replacement parts (specific or broad idea): Haven't had to deal with replacement parts yet, but my local hobby store has them.

Ease of use: Well, this was the first kit that I have ever used an airbrush on. I took the brush out of the box, mixed up some paint, figured "what the heck", and pressed the trigger.

Performance with acrylics, lacquer, enamel: I've been using a 50/50 mix of Tamiya acrylic/70% isopropyl alcohol on my current project, and it's going on satin-smooth. Haven't used too many enamels yet, but those I have (Model Master) are nice and smooth.

Do you find the design easy hold, and comfortable to use? Yes

"Cool" features not generally available (left or right hand interchangeable color cup, etc): Nyet

Why did you choose this airbrush? Recommendation from several SSM members when I was researching airbrushes in 2006.

How long have you used this model? 3 months

What type of work do you do with it? So far 1 Robotech Defenders kit, and the first of my two WonderFest entries for this year.

Would you recommend it to others, and why? Yes, definitely, and Cydonia is already addicted to the one he bought after he saw the results I got from mine.

It's easy to use, has quick clean-up, and doesn't feel like a toy when you're holding it.

MillenniumFalsehood · Post by **MillenniumFalsehood** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 6:31 pm

I'm thinking of buying a Badger 360. Is there anything someone whose had it would say it's not good for? I mainly do starships. Or is there a better option than that for starships and weathering?

Post by **TER-OR** » Tue Jun 05, 2007 9:08 pm

It's a good all-around brush. the only thing it won't do is super-fine work, like on miniatures and figures.

Peagis · Post by **Peagis** » Wed Jun 06, 2007 8:12 am

I was just given a Paasche H and I like it works pretty good

jafo · Post by **jafo** » Fri Jun 08, 2007 9:57 pm

i have a 360 and love it. its not the greatest for acrylics but sprays enamels great!. very very easy to clean and its very comfortable. the little rubber finger pad that goes over the button/lever comes off way to easy. i leave it off. ive had paasche, and badger a 470 and like the 360 much better. i just got a HP-ch for detail work but have heard great things about iwata.

have a brand new paasche H , never used if somone wants it. any reasonable offer.....

Keptin Barnes · Post by **Keptin Barnes** » Sat Jun 16, 2007 1:54 pm

Manufacturer and Model of Airbrush: Testors Aztek

Cost of Airbrush: $120 for the wood box collection at my local hobby store

Type (single, double): Double

Is it more suitable for fine lines or broad coverage? Depends on the tips you use. You can buy interchangeable ones. For myself, mostly medium to wide coverage.

Paint head (internal or external mix): Internal

Body construction (plastic, chrome plated brass, other): Plastic. With a few internal component exceptions (See below)

Internal construction (plastic, chrome plated brass, other): Other. The spring, the tip opening to screw different brush nozzles on to, and the point that opens and closes the brush tip. Actually, the Acrylic paint nozzles have a plastic tip, while the Enamels have a metal tip.

Fitting type (Badger, Paashe, or proprietary):

I don't know. I'm assuming Proprietary.

Optional parts: Side mount paint cups, various brush nozzles for acrylic or enamel paints, mixing bottles, siphon feed bottles.

Ease of breakdown and cleaning (easy, moderate, difficult): Easy

Durability of parts such as needle, tip etc: The a/b itself is pretty durable. The nozzle tips are a little delicate. They can bend pretty easily. I've done it a number of times even after I have been certain not to touch it or bump it. Still not certain how I do it.

Cost and availability of replacement parts (specific or broad idea): The nozzles themselves cost about $10 a piece. I have not had to pay for a replacement brush itself. Testors warranties them for life. If something goes wrong with it, they replace it. No cost. I have had two replaced over the course of about 10 years. Most recently, I needed my only one replaced just before WF '07 and they sent me 2.

Ease of use: Pretty easy. I still get a little fligged when it comes to getting the right paint consistency. But, it is pretty easy to use. Get the tip you want, screw it into the brush, mix your paint, pour it into the side cup and pull the trigger.

Performance with acrylics, lacquer, enamel: I have used Testor Model Master Enamels and I am mostly not thrilled with blowing those thru my a/b. Mainly due to the cleanup aspects of them. I blow Acrylics through my Aztek and have not had a problem (overall) cleanup is pretty easy. I just shoot denatured alcohol through it after I have used a cotton swap to get the left over paint from out of the cup.

Do you find the design easy hold, and comfortable to use? Yes

"Cool" features not generally available (left or right hand interchangeable color cup, etc): The Aztek does have a opening to place the side mount cup on either the Left or Right side. Being right-handed I have never taken the nub off of the Left side. But it's there.

Why did you choose this airbrush? I had read/been told that only "real" model builders use an a/b to paint their work. Only kids and newbies use rattle cans (I know the truth now, but I was impressionable then. ). So I went to my LHS to see what they had, and the only thing I could afford was the Aztek if I got the compressor at the same time. It seemed like a good deal to me. The wooden box came with 3 tips, two siphon feed bottles, and 2 side gravity cups, plus the little wrench to tighten the tips on, as well as the brush itself. And a Lifetime Warranty. Seemed good to me.

How long have you used this model? 10 years.

What type of work do you do with it? I have painted many a sci-fi vehicle with it. It's very good for area coverage. Not too bad for some small area details. I haven't been able to get too fine a line with it. Though I generally don't need to anyway.

Would you recommend it to others, and why? Actually, yes. I think it's a good brush, and pretty competent. I also think it's a good start for anyone just getting into airbrushing. It is very easy to clean, and you don't need to take it all apart and worry about damaging the tip or losing any of the components.
After using it for a while one gets comfortable using it and moving to another brand that is a bit more involved and "advanced" shouldn't be too difficult.

I also bought a Sotar 20/20 at WF '07. But I haven't used it yet.
But, hey, a $453 a/b for $100, and then $20 for the proper hose with moisture capture on it. I said, hell yeah I'll pick it up. Besides it was also Heartily recommended by Modelguy when I was there.

MillenniumFalsehood · Thu Jul 05, 2007 11:07 am

At my hobby shop there are two airbrush types: Iwata Eclipse and a Paasche H, I think. The Paasche is cheaper, but is it as good as the Iwata Evolution? The Iwata one looks really nice, but it's $150.

Kylwell · Post by **Kylwell** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 11:10 am

Go with the Iwata. Like most things, you get what's you pay for.

jafo · Post by **jafo** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 11:18 am

yeah go for the Iwata

Peagis · Post by **Peagis** » Thu Jul 05, 2007 11:38 am

I have the Paasche H, and I love it easy to clean and work with I've found course I've not used anything else.

obertc · Post by **obertc** » Mon Oct 08, 2007 7:39 pm

Got a couple of airbrushes from Airbrush City. One gravity and one siphon (along with a compressor w/moisture trap). Being new to airbrushing and after reading numerous articles (before I discovered this forum) I used the gravity first. Pretty good I guess, but after taking it apart to clean, one of the nuts (very small) snapped. Switched over the the siphon and have nothing but problems. My starships now have a grainy, almost sandpaper feel to them. Airbrushing too far away? I use the MM Acryl's.

Anyway, to the point of this group ... Airbrush City a/b's seem good, well constructed and the company is very responsive to inquires.

Does anyone else have any of these a/b's?

Thanks...OB

Post by **TER-OR** » Tue Oct 09, 2007 9:29 pm

Grainy and sandpaper mean the paint was too thick, and your pressure may have been low. Typical airbrush pressure is around 15-20. You will also be able to run thinner paint through a gravity-feed, though it's rare you thin quite so much.

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