I need air brush advice.
- Thread starter mis
- Start date
similar position to me two years ago. Didn't want to blow more than £100 in case I didn't get on with it.
I bought an AB130A airbrush and an iwata compressor from ebay for a total of around £120.
I WISH I'd gone straight for a better airbrush though, the AB was for me an unenjoyable and frustrating tol. I've just upgraded to an Iwata for about £140 and the difference is incredible.
rev
I bought an AB130A airbrush and an iwata compressor from ebay for a total of around £120.
I WISH I'd gone straight for a better airbrush though, the AB was for me an unenjoyable and frustrating tol. I've just upgraded to an Iwata for about £140 and the difference is incredible.
rev
airhead
Coffin Dodger / Keymaster
What do you want to do with the airbrush?
Blend large areas on armor and terrain?
Do highlights and fleshtones on minis?
That is generally two different guns there.
"I need an airbrush" is kinda like "I need a car". What are you going to haul? How many people?
You need a mini-cooper or a 12 passenger van or a 4 door pickup?
Blend large areas on armor and terrain?
Do highlights and fleshtones on minis?
That is generally two different guns there.
"I need an airbrush" is kinda like "I need a car". What are you going to haul? How many people?
You need a mini-cooper or a 12 passenger van or a 4 door pickup?
Without knowing your exact requirements it is difficult to give in depth advice. I will say this though. As long as you're going to use it to paint more than a couple of models in your lifetime, spend more than £100. You don't have to I guess, but as soon as you get into it you'll probably find a deep desire for better quality equipment that will offer you more versatility building up.
Einion
New member
The compressor is going to be your hardest thing here - do a search, lots of info in past threads including some specific recommendations for brands and models.
You can get one or two decent name-brand airbrushes for around £30 if you hunt around, so obviously you're left with less than £70 for the compressor (unless you're buying locally you have to factor in shipping).
Einion
You can get one or two decent name-brand airbrushes for around £30 if you hunt around, so obviously you're left with less than £70 for the compressor (unless you're buying locally you have to factor in shipping).
Einion
Drey Foos
New member
Presently this place doing some for your budget range. I can't vouch for the quality and it might be a bit noisy, but if you don't want to waste money on something you might not get on with then it's worth a stab:
http://www.airbrushcompressorshop.c...r-kits/airbrush-compressor-kit-i-all-purpose/
http://www.airbrushcompressorshop.c...r-kits/airbrush-compressor-kit-i-all-purpose/
DangerousBrian
New member
I have had one of those, and in my opinion, are a great way to throw money down the toilet, and the larger one they show was just as bad, both had poor airflow and/or broke after little use.
you get what you pay for with airbrush set-ups ( and most things ), you dont see jenson button trying to win races in a clapped out fiesta. a cheap set-up will just give you a really bad impression of airbrushing.
"buy cheap, buy twice" really fits here.
if possible, find someoen local who is willing to let you have a play on their Iwata, this will give you a true example of what can be achived.
I also have the details of a guy doing 10% off iwata set-ups if u want them, its where i got mine from.
DB.
RuneBrush
New member
Throwing my five-penneth in - I've got one of those compressors with the reservoir on it and not had a problem at all - I've happily sat there and done 3 or 4 hour long sessions before I had to stop (it was getting rather warm
) My brother has the same compressor and again not had an issue with it so far. It is a bit noisy when the actual compressor is filling the reservoir up thats not too often providing you don't have any air leaks.Airbrush wise I started off with a Badger single action from Hobbycraft which I upgraded to a Iwata HP-C Plus which is fantastic - but did set me back £100.
airhead
Coffin Dodger / Keymaster
http://www.airbrushcompressorshop.c...or-kits/airbrush-compressor-kit-iii-advanced/
I like the air tanked compressor much better than the tankless models.
The airbrush looks like a rebranded badger. If it is, it would be a good starter kit.
That or an Aztec.
I like the air tanked compressor much better than the tankless models.
The airbrush looks like a rebranded badger. If it is, it would be a good starter kit.
That or an Aztec.
DangerousBrian
New member
ahh, well guess you were luckier than me then, heh, had mine 2 months with little use before i had to take it back.
Ha! I'm reviving this! I've got a question as well and I can't really find any satisfying answers in the threads I've dug up. So, since this thread is fairly new and had a proper title I'm asking here.
How much of a 'real' difference is there between a noname cheapo brand and the 'proper' stuff when it comes to anything other than say, durability? I know it's hard to answer since it varies from brand to brand and model to model so I'll just share what data I've found about it.
It's a dual action piece
it's got a 0,3mm needle that's adjustable(though just how adjustable I'm not quite sure)
top fed (9ml integrated cup)
15-30 L/min air usage
The body looks like it's steel and the overall design looks solid, haven't been able to actually hold it in my hand though so I don't know if it feels rickety or not when used though...
This would cost roughly £41.
Judging from this, how does the initial impression feel?
How much of a 'real' difference is there between a noname cheapo brand and the 'proper' stuff when it comes to anything other than say, durability? I know it's hard to answer since it varies from brand to brand and model to model so I'll just share what data I've found about it.
It's a dual action piece
it's got a 0,3mm needle that's adjustable(though just how adjustable I'm not quite sure)
top fed (9ml integrated cup)
15-30 L/min air usage
The body looks like it's steel and the overall design looks solid, haven't been able to actually hold it in my hand though so I don't know if it feels rickety or not when used though...
This would cost roughly £41.
Judging from this, how does the initial impression feel?
DangerousBrian
New member
Ha! I'm reviving this! I've got a question as well and I can't really find any satisfying answers in the threads I've dug up. So, since this thread is fairly new and had a proper title I'm asking here.
How much of a 'real' difference is there between a noname cheapo brand and the 'proper' stuff when it comes to anything other than say, durability? I know it's hard to answer since it varies from brand to brand and model to model so I'll just share what data I've found about it.
It's a dual action piece
it's got a 0,3mm needle that's adjustable(though just how adjustable I'm not quite sure)
top fed (9ml integrated cup)
15-30 L/min air usage
The body looks like it's steel and the overall design looks solid, haven't been able to actually hold it in my hand though so I don't know if it feels rickety or not when used though...
This would cost roughly £41.
......
Things to think about are;
1, can u get parts easilly? at some point you will accidentally damage the needle, and/or nozzel, loose your lid or needle cap etc. if you cant, you'll end up buying another brush, and so would have been better getting a good one to start with.
2, parts on the cheaper ones are going to be poorer quality. I had a cheaper one to start with, and it seemed the needle was made of cheese, as it bent super easily
3, in my experience, the cheaper ones dont perform as well, some are better than others, but even at an adverage skill level, they wont perform as well as a decent one.
4, some cheaper do feel very, as u say, rickety, due to poor fitting parts that are mass produced with poor tolerances, resulting in less controle.
DB.
1, I'm fairly sure I won't be able to buy parts for it, they didn't even have spare needles close by. There might have been one in the package since I didn't see everything in it due to there being a label over half the lid of the box.
2, I'm expecting that, since it's being so cheap, everything beyond the entire piece 'being made out of cheese' would be win I think, hence my asking about differences beyond durability.
Did it bend super easy as in from the force you had to use to clean it or as in faceplant half an inch from the table?
3, This is more in the ways of what I'm after, would it be likely that it is precise enough to make me decide that I like airbrushing and feel it worthwhile to expand my hobby interests or would it be more likely that it is just plain frustrating from day one?
4, That right there would be my main concern at the moment since I wasn't able to actually hold it other than in its package.
2, I'm expecting that, since it's being so cheap, everything beyond the entire piece 'being made out of cheese' would be win I think, hence my asking about differences beyond durability.
Did it bend super easy as in from the force you had to use to clean it or as in faceplant half an inch from the table?
3, This is more in the ways of what I'm after, would it be likely that it is precise enough to make me decide that I like airbrushing and feel it worthwhile to expand my hobby interests or would it be more likely that it is just plain frustrating from day one?
4, That right there would be my main concern at the moment since I wasn't able to actually hold it other than in its package.
airhead
Coffin Dodger / Keymaster
Chrome, you are asking a question with no easy answer.
I use several Vega 2000 guns. They started out fairly cheap (around $40 for a gun only). But I knew the guy that designed them and the company that made them - all top notch. These were designed by a airbrush T-shirt artist for other T-shirt shooters. Easy to maintain, good parts availability.
I've had some no-name guns for about the same price. They were junk. They would not shoot a decent pattern, they spattered, you could not get replacement parts, etc. etc. If a newb got one of these to learn on, he'd quickly give up on the hobby.
This is part of why I recommend Iwata. I know they are a bit on the pricey side, but their quality is top notch and parts are available.
I use several Vega 2000 guns. They started out fairly cheap (around $40 for a gun only). But I knew the guy that designed them and the company that made them - all top notch. These were designed by a airbrush T-shirt artist for other T-shirt shooters. Easy to maintain, good parts availability.
I've had some no-name guns for about the same price. They were junk. They would not shoot a decent pattern, they spattered, you could not get replacement parts, etc. etc. If a newb got one of these to learn on, he'd quickly give up on the hobby.
This is part of why I recommend Iwata. I know they are a bit on the pricey side, but their quality is top notch and parts are available.
Einion
New member
This:
Chrome, if you bought this already sorry to say but you got boned. For about the same money - less if you got lucky on price - you could have gotten a Premi-Air.
Einion
This is the reason to buy a name-brand piece for some assurance that it'll perform well (and not put you off spraying permanently)!airhead said:
Chrome, if you bought this already sorry to say but you got boned. For about the same money - less if you got lucky on price - you could have gotten a Premi-Air.
Einion
Ruleslawyer
New member
I have a vega 2000 that is about 15 years old and there are still parts for it if that says anything.
airhead
Coffin Dodger / Keymaster
I set up and shoot with a dozen of them.
Didn't want to buy it before speaking to you guys, besides, I really want a good compressor before going there anyway, tried the can approach, all that did was leave me wanting more.
DangerousBrian
New member
1, I'm fairly sure I won't be able to buy parts for it, they didn't even have spare needles close by. There might have been one in the package since I didn't see everything in it due to there being a label over half the lid of the box.
At some point you will want parts, maybe not today, maybe not tomorrow....but sometime...
2, I'm expecting that, since it's being so cheap, everything beyond the entire piece 'being made out of cheese' would be win I think, hence my asking about differences beyond durability.
Did it bend super easy as in from the force you had to use to clean it or as in faceplant half an inch from the table?
I had been on a course where we were using iwatas, when i got home and cleaned by own brush, i bent the needle with very little force while cleaning in the exact same way i did the iwata on the course.
3, This is more in the ways of what I'm after, would it be likely that it is precise enough to make me decide that I like airbrushing and feel it worthwhile to expand my hobby interests or would it be more likely that it is just plain frustrating from day one?
This is the biggy, and also the hardest to answer, there are so many cheap brushes out there, we have little chance of giving you good info without knowing the model and having used it ourselves. i bought a very cheap set of airbrush and compressor which was completely useless, and almost put me off airbrushing entirly, i then bought another set-up about a year later (was £150 ish i think for brush and compressor) the brush was OK, but after going on my course and using iwatas, i went out and bought one and the old brush never gets a look in unless i'm shooting some random old crappy paint i dont want to risk clogging up my iwata with, as to me the old brush is pretty disposable now. the compressor with that set-up ( as said above ) broke within 3 months with little use.
if you are the sort of person who gets frustrated easilly, you really should at least try it out on a decent brush first, that way if you do end up buying a lemon, you at least know its not airbrushing in general thats letting you down.
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see the answers in bold
