Looking to buy an airbrush kit

[Kolgrim DeathHowl]

Hey all I'm pretty new to using an airbrush I never have used one. But painting marines I think I should get on the bandwagon. Was thinking for Christmas I would buy myself one. Looking for suggestions on what I should get. I did a little research last night about it and I found this one. Wanted to get you're views if this is a good one or if there are any other better ones.

 

https://www.amazon.com/Master-Airbrush-Compressor-Professional-Airbrushing/dp/B001ATALCW/ref=sm_n_se_dkp_US_pr_sea_0_0?adId=B00EKT30JK&creativeASIN=B00EKT30JK&linkId=4957a62af65a9b8f6d3b66f91f4c42e8&tag=fauxhammer0f-20&linkCode=w71&ref-refURL=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.fauxhammer.com%2Ffeatured%2Fbest-beginner-airbrush-for-miniatures%2F&slotNum=3&imprToken=m6Rx1Rjl1WJhd0VAdbOh3g&adType=smart&adMode=search&adFormat=strip&impressionTimestamp=1576146197023&th=1

[thewarriorhunter]

I've been air brushing for about a year and generally only base coat at this time so take what I'm saying in that context: I'd stay away from Master airbrushes because you get what you pay for. I know several guys who are VERY good with airbrushes, one made a living commission painting and they all said that Masters, while a value, is generally very poorly made and can be very frustrating to work with and leave a sour taste in your mouth.

 

I've got a Badger 105 and it's been good so far and I'd recommend starting there. I bought mine off the commission painter's recommendation as it was his work horse that did 90% of the air brushing. You can also buy a Fine Needle kit for it to get more detail out of it if you want.

 

I paired my brush with a generic compressor that is very similar to the one in your link. As long as the compressor has a tank and pressure regulator you should be fine. It's worth it to also get a water trap depending on where you live (I think a lot of the pressure regulators have that built in).

 

Most regular paints can be thinned down for use in an air brush so you don't always have to go out and buy the 'air' version of your color. I have to thin down my base coat because I can't get it in an air version. I've thinned with water and Vallejo Air Brush thinner and tend to have better results with the Vallejo thinner.

 

You're going to want some type of cleaner to run through when you're done. Don't let paint sit in the brush! Also it will be frustrating when you start. You will fail, you'll spill paint, you'll mess up, paint will run, paint will be too thick, etc. Remember it's a technique that you're going to have to learn. Each time I break out my brush to base coat I get a little better and faster.

[Magos Takatus]

Excellent advice

I agree entirely. I purchased a similar compressor and airbrush set and I got two airbrushes. One was a single action with a 0.5 needle and a dual action with a 0.2 needle. I clogged up the latter in record time. I followed good advice and sought a better quality airbrush. I got an Iwata model, an HP-CS with a 0.35 needle. The brush can be dismantled by hand without needing the tool required by some cheap airbrushes so it's a lot less hassle to take apart and clean. I'm probably a bit of a klutz with my airbrush but it's treated me well and does most tasks well. I also only use mine for basic tasks rather than extreme detail but putting some money aside for a good workhorse brush will make your life as an airbrush painter a lot easier.

[MegaVolt87]

Could have sworn there was a sticky thread about airbrushes in here. I am looking myself, don't mind paying for a good one that lasts/ won't trash my mini's.

 

Edit-

 

https://www.iwata-airbrush.com/iwata-deluxe-intro-set.html

 

Is that good for the cash ?

Edited December 18, 2019 by MegaVolt87

[Imren]

Could have sworn there was a sticky thread about airbrushes in here. I am looking myself, don't mind paying for a good one that lasts/ won't trash my mini's.

 

Edit-

 

https://www.iwata-airbrush.com/iwata-deluxe-intro-set.html

 

Is that good for the cash ?

 

For that amount of money? No, way too much money for a tankless compressor and airbrush, the books and literature will give you information that you can easily find for free on youtube, for airbrushing, seeing people do things on youtube is far superior for your learning compared to some books/leaflets.

 

I strongly advice to get a tank equipped setup. get a compressor with a 2.5-3 liter tank. A tank gives you much smoother air supply than a compressor only and also runs whenever your tank pressure falls under a compressor start value. A tankless compressor runs continuously, and the noise can be quite annoying (especially when priming and base coating an army for hours).

 

If you feel comfortable spending that amount of money, you get he best value for your $$ if you get a Sparmax TC610 compressor setup.

 

When it comes to airbrushes, consider the following:

 

If you want to highlight, shade, airbrush details (flames effects, OSL etc) then you want ta detail airbrush that has:

• Shorter distance between nozzle and trigger mechanism that gives better control for small finer work
• Smaller cup size that obstructs less the aiming/line of sight.
• Around 0.2-0.3 mm needle which is an optimal tradeoff between reduced clogging risk and cone size if spray pattern for detail airbrushing.

Good detail airbrushes are Sotar 2020, Iwata custom micron CMB and harder steenbeck cult of paint signature airbrush.

 

If you're looking at using your airbrush for priming and basecoating only, then you rather have a larger paint cup and larger needle (0.5-0.7 mm), in that instance I recommend Iwata HPCS, Badger 105.

 

Harder & Steenbeck sells these 2 in 1 airbrushes for their infinity and evolution line, where you get a small and a large diameter nozzle and needle set, they also have detachable cups and comes with a small and a large cup. So I highly recommend these for versatily of use. Also I find they have a smarter nozzle and needle protector design that makes dissasembly and maintenance much easier than the Iwatas (custom micron is very sensitive and fiddly to disassemble and maintain).

 

When it comes to ergonomy and comfort of use, I find the Sotar 2020 be better than the others, it has a comfy plastic shround around the air valve column that makes gripping comfy for long hours and also the short distance between trigger and nozzle a feeling of better control.

 

I have tried all the airbrushes mentioned above and own some of them, and if I had to choose one of them I'd either go for the Sotar 2020 (purely for ergonomics and comfort of use) or the Harder & Steenbeck evolution (or infinity) 2 in 1 set for versatility and smart nozzle design.

Edited December 18, 2019 by Imren

[Axineton]

I asked a similar question last year and one of the replies was to watch this video as well. It’s a great vid for noobs like us mate: https://youtu.be/tsW-vN0_lHw?t=1s

[MegaVolt87]

 

Could have sworn there was a sticky thread about airbrushes in here. I am looking myself, don't mind paying for a good one that lasts/ won't trash my mini's.

 

Edit-

 

https://www.iwata-airbrush.com/iwata-deluxe-intro-set.html

 

Is that good for the cash ?

 

For that amount of money? No, way too much money for a tankless compressor and airbrush, the books and literature will give you information that you can easily find for free on youtube, for airbrushing, seeing people do things on youtube is far superior for your learning compared to some books/leaflets.

 

I strongly advice to get a tank equipped setup. get a compressor with a 2.5-3 liter tank. A tank gives you much smoother air supply than a compressor only and also runs whenever your tank pressure falls under a compressor start value. A tankless compressor runs continuously, and the noise can be quite annoying (especially when priming and base coating an army for hours).

 

If you feel comfortable spending that amount of money, you get he best value for your $$ if you get a Sparmax TC610 compressor setup.

 

When it comes to airbrushes, consider the following:

 

If you want to highlight, shade, airbrush details (flames effects, OSL etc) then you want ta detail airbrush that has:

• Shorter distance between nozzle and trigger mechanism that gives better control for small finer work
• Smaller cup size that obstructs less the aiming/line of sight.
• Around 0.2-0.3 mm needle which is an optimal tradeoff between reduced clogging risk and cone size if spray pattern for detail airbrushing.

Good detail airbrushes are Sotar 2020, Iwata custom micron CMB and harder steenbeck cult of paint signature airbrush.

 

If you're looking at using your airbrush for priming and basecoating only, then you rather have a larger paint cup and larger needle (0.5-0.7 mm), in that instance I recommend Iwata HPCS, Badger 105.

 

Harder & Steenbeck sells these 2 in 1 airbrushes for their infinity and evolution line, where you get a small and a large diameter nozzle and needle set, they also have detachable cups and comes with a small and a large cup. So I highly recommend these for versatily of use. Also I find they have a smarter nozzle and needle protector design that makes dissasembly and maintenance much easier than the Iwatas (custom micron is very sensitive and fiddly to disassemble and maintain).

 

When it comes to ergonomy and comfort of use, I find the Sotar 2020 be better than the others, it has a comfy plastic shround around the air valve column that makes gripping comfy for long hours and also the short distance between trigger and nozzle a feeling of better control.

 

I have tried all the airbrushes mentioned above and own some of them, and if I had to choose one of them I'd either go for the Sotar 2020 (purely for ergonomics and comfort of use) or the Harder & Steenbeck evolution (or infinity) 2 in 1 set for versatility and smart nozzle design.

 

 

Thank you so much. That's very helpful, OSL etc that I bolded in your quote is exactly what I wanted it for. I'll look more into what you suggested. So, do I need air cans or something for a tankless/ tank compressor? I have no idea. 

[infyrana]

I'd recommend putting the effort into getting a decent compressor with tank etc if you are able to afford it.  I had a cheap one, fixed the leaks constantly, but the pump kept overheating creating massive pressure dips and inconsistent air resulting in bad results (I realise I could have had a bad one of course).  I forked out eventually for a good Sparmax and the H&S CRPlus 2-1, a great investment and setup for all that I could ever want and the only issues I get are from my own lack of skills.

 

Haven't used air cans since I had a hand-me-down badger in the 80's, still have the glass paint pots and their metal lids for that :D

[Laughingman]

In terms of a airbrush, I like badger patriot 105 they seem to work well enough for me and have a airbrush nozzle you are less likely to loose (its not microscopic like some other models) In terms of a compressor I hit up your local classifieds, generally somebodies selling an old compressor that will push plenty of PSI and have a decent size tank so you don't have it going off all the time. 

[Bung]

For a compressor look for a Fengda AS 186 they are rather cheap, sturdy, reliable and easy to fix.

Fengda is a known airbrush brand.

Its a great starter compressor for doing your first steps and will last long, i have recommended it to a few people that wanted to start and all of them are rather happy with it.

You can get one here for around 80 € so should be around 90 US$

 

If you want to invest more, when you now what you need Sparmaxx is a good brand for maintanence free compressors.

 

Personly i switched to a Werther Silair 20a, which is an oil cooled build. Its realy silent with 30dzb (oil free compressors are at least by 50dzb) so its something to consider if you have small children or other family members with a light sleep. But its rather heavy (around 17 kg) and can only be transported standing or oil will leaking.

[Firedrake Cordova]

Don't know if this is "in time" or not, but hopefully what I found out when looking to buy my airbrush is of help to someone ...

 

With regard to the compressor, if you have space to store it and can afford it, get one with an air tank and moisture trap.  This means that the compressor only needs to run to top the tank up to a set pressure, and isn't running all the time you're drawing air through the airbrush - this is good for your head (no annoying noise all the time), and also makes it less likely that the compressor will overheat (meaning you can't use it for a while) or cause moisture to get into the airline (via condensation).  Follow the instructions and drain the air tank after use with the plug underside to let any condensation out (to prevent rusting).  

 

With regard to the airbrush, they all basically spray "about the same" - the biggest difference is the skill of the user, which largely comes down to practice.  There's a few things I'd say to bear in mind:

• Airbrushes clog and need to be cleaned.  Whilst this can frequently be rectified by running water/airbrush cleaner through the airbrush, sometimes a more thorough strip-down is needed.  Also, keeping an airbrush clean tends to stave off clogs.  Having one that's easy/quick to clean means less time spent cleaning, means less time getting frustrated at cleaning it yet again, and more time spent painting.
• Parts availability and cost - needles, seals, and nozzles are all consumables and will need to be replaced with use.  Try to look for a brand where the replacements aren't too expensive, and are also available with little lead time.  Depending on where you live, pricing and availability varies - Badger are more expensive and harder to find in the UK than they are in the US, and Harder & Steenbeck are cheaper in Europe than they are in the US.
• Match the nozzle size to the medium (paint).  Whilst it may seem logical that "a smaller nozzle/needle means a finer line", this isn't actually the case - other factors come into play in determining the minimum line width that can be produced (e.g. needle taper, air cap design).  Generally, for acrylic paints, you want something around 0.3mm.  Whilst it's possible to spray acrylic paints with a smaller needle, you're more likely to experience clogging, and other issues if you don't get the paint dilution exactly right (e.g. I can spray Daler Rowney FW ink undiluted with my 0.4mm needle, but it will clog in my 0.2mm needle unless I add flow improver).

Generally, the ones recommended as a very good "my first airbrush" are:

• Badger Patriot 105
• Harder & Steenbeck Evolution
• Iwata Eclipse (HP-CS)

From what I've heard, Tamiya and Mr Hobby airbrushes are made by the same company that makes the Iwata airbrushes (Richpen), and have models available that are clones of Iwata models (and are excellent), so might be worth a look.

 

One thing I will say, is that once you've got your airbrush, it is very much a learning curve.  It's probably a good idea to get some cheap paint (e.g. a 60ml bottle of Vallejo primer), and do the basic exercises (lines, dots) to get some trigger control muscle memory and also some experience with dilution - the inside of empty cereal boxes are great for this (being free, and also slightly absorbent - this helps prevent "spidering" if you over-thin or over-apply the paint).  Once you're happy, start with priming models, but don't "just prime them" - try to undercoat each part one by one to build up your control (yes, this means it'll take longer to prime a model, but you're practising for doing more detailed work later).  And remember, if all else fails, IPA (or airbrush cleaner) are great paint strippers!

 

PS For what it's worth, I went with a Harder & Steenbeck Evolution CR Plus (0.2mm and 0.4mm kit), and couldn't be happier.

[Brother-serpent Tylydox]

Is it even feasible to buy an air tank, charge it at the tire inflation station and use it with just an air brush that connects to a pressure regulated connector?

[Firedrake Cordova]

Is it even feasible to buy an air tank, charge it at the tire inflation station and use it with just an air brush that connects to a pressure regulated connector?

 

That would depend on the size of the tank, really.  My compressor has a ~2.5l tank which gets charged to 60psi, and that doesn't last for very long when continuously drawing air with a 0.4mm needle (~30s or so before the tank pressure drops to 40psi, with the regulator set at 30psi - longer at lower draw pressures, obviously). 

 

For that to be feasible, you'd need a large (industrial) air tank and/or charged to a rather high pressure.

[MegaVolt87]

 

Is it even feasible to buy an air tank, charge it at the tire inflation station and use it with just an air brush that connects to a pressure regulated connector?

 

That would depend on the size of the tank, really.  My compressor has a ~2.5l tank which gets charged to 60psi, and that doesn't last for very long when continuously drawing air with a 0.4mm needle (~30s or so before the tank pressure drops to 40psi, with the regulator set at 30psi - longer at lower draw pressures, obviously). 

 

For that to be feasible, you'd need a large (industrial) air tank and/or charged to a rather high pressure.

 

 

Interesting. I had thought about that as well. I was worried about the safety of storage of pressurized air, but with a compressor I could just empty it completely after use, re-fill it. 

[Warhead01]

I have owned an  Iwata Eclipse HP-CS and a Badger Khrome for about 10 years now. They have been very reliable and I found an upgrade kit on line to fit the Eclipse to a larger needle which I found to be much better for primer and base coating with non airbrush paints. Each has it's roll. The Iwata I use for base coats sealer and more detailed work with the badger.
As far as a compressor I use a large 5 gallon tank compressor I got for about $100.00 from Big Lots of all placed but want to one day move up to a larger size for longer painting between refills. If you have a Hobby Lobby near you you can use their weekly 40% off coupon to get an airbrush, I recall that's how I bought my Iwate. remember to look for a proper sized hose to match you airbrush I know there are at least two sizes just double check. There also hose adapters, which I needed to match all of my brushes to the same hose.  
If you have a Harbor Freight near by you might find a tankless air compressor for less than 100.00 and they also have lots of coupons. 
I prefer a compressor with an air tank, maintaining air pressure is very important as is the psi you are using for each paint some paint, and sealers I run at a high psi where thinner air brush paint I push at a lower psi. for a flush I turn the psi back up. But constant air pressure is key. Tankless compressors are a little different but I gave mine away as a gift before I really ever used it so I don't have much XP under my belt with those. 



 

[Firedrake Cordova]

Interesting. I had thought about that as well. I was worried about the safety of storage of pressurized air, but with a compressor I could just empty it completely after use, re-fill it. 

 

To be honest, I'd have thought that one of the cheaper "good" compressors with a tank (such as an AS186, which is perfectly serviceable) would end up being about the same price as just an air tank (e.g. AS186 with 3l tank is £90, Sparmax 2.5l tank with regulator is £70 - larger industrial models are similarly priced), and more convenient (in terms of size and utility). :)

 

As for storage of compressed air, yeah ... just try not to think of it as a small bomb. :lol:

[Son of Sacrifice]

I use a sparmax compressor without a tank and have never considered switch to a tank. I don't see it as necessary for painting minis. If it breaks down I might consider switching, but it's very well made.

[Kolgrim DeathHowl]

Ya I've been keeping up with the thread, haven't bought one yet still waiting til I do some more research.

 

Edit: Kind of indecisive but I'm kind of leaning to Badger just cause you guys said it's easier to get parts in the US which would be better for me. But thanks everyone for your feedback it has helped me alot to actually do some research and not make an irrational buy I might regret!

Edited January 3, 2020 by Kolgrim DeathHowl

[Bung]

Look for a goid airbrush shop. They tend to carry all replacement parts for the brands they sell. At least thats my experience. But considering the news i would go with a more local brand too.

[Warhead01]

Ya I've been keeping up with the thread, haven't bought one yet still waiting til I do some more research.

 

Edit: Kind of indecisive but I'm kind of leaning to Badger just cause you guys said it's easier to get parts in the US which would be better for me. But thanks everyone for your feedback it has helped me alot to actually do some research and not make an irrational buy I might regret!

Very glad to be helpful.  My second exposure to airbrushes was a class at a game shop by the guy that own Stiff Neck Studios. It was a real eye opener. 

There is a lot of information out there if the wgc (War games consortium) channel is still on youtube I think they have a lot of airbrush videos. And look for APJ Less as well he had tutorials and loads of information on his channel.  

As far as replacement parts the biggest  thing I have bought for my Badger are needles and cones the same for my Iwata. Mostly due to my own carelessness. Bent needles happen and a dropped cone that was never found.  I have several of each set aside for emergencies, new and in the package. 

If you have the space a large compressor with a tank will pull double duty, if you have other air tools or need to fill a tire or what ever. 

Other than that, remember you ventilation and lighting. I also use disposable gloves.  Airbrushing can be very frustrating at first so if and when you get started just stick with it and it should come together for you. Remember to clean your aribrish and thin your paints and check your psi. 

Which reminds me I also found an ultrasonic cleaner, there are lots of them to choose from. It's been a life saver. 

[Firedrake Cordova]

I forgot to mention, Badger have a "troubleshooting 101", which is absolutely invaluable, especially if you're a newbie. :)

 

http://www.badgerairbrush.com/PDF/Top10AirbrushTroubleshootingTips.pdf

 

http://www.badgerairbrush.com/PDF/airbrush101printfinal.pdf

[Rik Lightstar]

Also, if you're not in a rush...

 

Badger will be doing their birthday promotion again soon, any airbrush for $56 + p&p, but they do take a while to get to you. Mine took about 3 months the last two years.

 

Search them on Facebook to find out more.

 

Rik

[Kolgrim DeathHowl]

Sounds good thank you guys for the continued information!

[Axineton]

The badger offer is ready to go right now if your quick. 
 

https://www.facebook.com/136214173122949/posts/2682065455204462/

 

 

looks like it’s finished now. 

Edited January 5, 2020 by Axineton

[Axineton]

I just ordered the Badger sotar 20/20v with the birthday deal they ran on Facebook.  Cost me £71 altogether with shipping.