out with my AZTEK! in with.. IWATA? quick list of questions.

jaekwong · Post by **jaekwong** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 5:04 pm

well, ive used my aztek a few times, and find that this airbrush feels so flimsy, cheap, and fragile. i own the a4709. I am sick of cleaning the plastic nozzle tips and using difffernet sizes for each project. so i am thinking of getting an iwata.

a few questions that need to be answered:

1) which iwata airbrush model is good for intermediate level and above? and is it metal made

2) will i need to switch nozzles with the IWATA to get different sizes of spray? for aztek, grey is for medium, brown for fine, etc etc. how do i switch spray sizes for teh IWATA?

3) cleaning the AZTEK is a project on its own. from running lacquer VERY quikcly as laquer will eat plastic, taking apart the nozzles to tiny pieces, soaking it in solutions. how about cleaning for the iwata's? anyone familiar with these processes?

4) i use enamels for painting, will this work ok with the iwata.

5) what is the pro of owning a metal airbrush besides feel?

6) known problems with iwatas?

Thanks for answering these questions for me!

k-dog · Post by **k-dog** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 5:25 pm

Just to let you know there are are tons of threads here with all this info if you look around. There is even an airbrush survey that is a lot of good info for selecting the right AB for you.

I was a diehard A470 user till my wife got me a Iwata HP-C plus and i just fell in love with it.

1) which iwata airbrush model is good for intermediate level and above? and is it metal made Yes and Yes

2) will i need to switch nozzles with the IWATA to get different sizes of spray? for aztek, grey is for medium, brown for fine, etc etc. how do i switch spray sizes for teh IWATA? No most double action ab has large ranges of paint coverage

3) cleaning the AZTEK is a project on its own. from running lacquer VERY quikcly as laquer will eat plastic, taking apart the nozzles to tiny pieces, soaking it in solutions. how about cleaning for the iwata's? anyone familiar with these processes? Depending on who you talk to it is very easy. FLush and wipe out then flush again and your goo. Some break the brush down every use

4) i use enamels for painting, will this work ok with the iwata. Yes

5) what is the pro of owning a metal airbrush besides feel? Durability longer lasting better feel in you r hand my opinion though

6) known problems with iwatas? COST

Post by **TER-OR** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 8:47 pm

Get the Eclipse, I find internal color cup is best, myself.

jaekwong · Post by **jaekwong** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 8:58 pm

is there a huge difference between hi-cplus and eclipse? besides the cup?

Joseph Osborn · Post by **Joseph Osborn** » Mon Apr 21, 2008 11:20 pm

While I cannot argue the decision to switch from Aztek to Iwata, I have to point out that you are seriously over-thinking the cleanup on your Aztek 470. Lacquer thinner will not eat the nozzles. Matter of fact, back when I used to use my Azteks with solvent paints, I kept the nozzles clean by storing them in a glass jar full of lacquer thinner! I use mostly water-based paint now, so I soak them in an acrylic paint solvent. I use Badger and Paasche all-metal airbrushes almost all the time now.

You'll really like using a gravity-feed Iwata Eclipse and they are much more useful than an Aztek.

jaekwong · Post by **jaekwong** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 1:19 am

well good thing is i wont have to take a part several nozzels, as i am using 2/3 of them

second of all, i thot lacquer thinner eats plastic as it ate some of my figures before. currently my nozzels sit in castrol super clean

id feel a lot more with an airbrush of metal make.

as well

eclipse vs. revolution vs. hp-c plus?

what model do you guys suggest, theres some price difference

and im not sure the difference between each models

Slave1 · Post by **Slave1** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 5:31 pm

I ordered an Iwata Eclipse last week from my local hobby shop. I've been using a single action POS Aztec for the last 6 years. It's going to be SOOO nice having a REAL airbrush. I'm hoping to pick it up tomorrow

Post by **TER-OR** » Tue Apr 22, 2008 9:08 pm

There's a bunch of stuff in the Airbrushing threads.

Revolution - designed to be less expensive than the Eclipse, it's also somewhat less capable. That said, it's quite a nice airbrush. I have one and use it frequently. The Eclipse has a performance envelope similar to the Badger 155 or Omni series. Some will argue the Iwata is more finely made, it's also more expensive.

The HP series are for finer detail work. Look at the Badger Renegade, too. As a general all-purpose brush, those mentioned in the above paragraph are all very nice.

Thomas E. Johnson · Post by **Thomas E. Johnson** » Wed Apr 23, 2008 3:06 am

I use an Iwata HP-C Plus now, and its the best airbrush I ever used, and I was a die-hard Aztec user for 10 years.