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First Airbrush.


bigcheed

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Hello gents, im looking at buying my first airbrush. Ive done a little reading and have a general idea of what i need. Im thinking of investing in the Iwata for neo kit. At £171 thats stretching my budget( the wifes limit), and i wondered if you wise airbrush gurus would recomend this kit. My modeling focus is in 1/48 armour, 1/72 aircraft, and bolt action wargames minis. any advice would be most appreciated.

                                                    

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I would point you to the Harder & Steenbeck Ultra (german made rather than chinese made brush). Easier to strip & clean and more flexible.

And a compressor slightly higher up the Sparmax range.  With all the bits and pieces £200

 

http://www.modellingtools.co.uk/airbrushing-set-br--harder-and-steenbeck-ultra-solo-02mm-nozzle---2ml-paint-cup-12693-p.asp

 

For £20 more you can get the two in one version  of the Ultra which has an area and detail nozzle sets as well as a 2ml and 5ml paint cup.

 

The standard 0.2mm nozzle set will paint down to about 1mm and up to 13mm, the 0.4mm nozzle set that is the addiriobal one supplied with the 2in1 set ia an area 0.4mm nozzle set, great for priming and area work

 

Also, we have demo kit that you can try out at shows..

 

Paul

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

I know a lot of people get on well with the Neo but I didn't, if fact I had no end of trouble with it and had a better time with a £15 cheep thing from ebay. I have since got myself a H&S silverline from Paul and haven't looked back since and if fact have just bought a secondhand H&S Ultra that is surprising good. I intend to get the 0.4 needle for it and use if for spraying Halfords car primer (Halfords primer it great stuff ).

 

I have had the silverline for about 10 months and I really treat it quite badly.I spray all sort of paint a thinner through it, from cellulose to the kids water colors .I only ever give it quick flush through after use. I think I have only properly cleaned it once but it has never performed badly, it will probably need a new seal kit soon but that to be expected. 

 

Just my thoughts and feel free to ignore them.

 

Brian.

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Push for a proper Iwata,  consitant results each time you spray, spares are easy to get and it's a quality item. I've had experience of the Neo's and it wasn't great TBH 

so if you can afford it go for an Iwata Revolution.

I've never used a H&S but I've heard first hand from friends who invested in them that they can be temperamental and failed to be consistent all the time.

 

I have used badger and Iwata, I started on a Badger 200 and moved to a 150, nothing wrong with them at all but they are a little agricultural in comparison to a Iwata, again I've not used the latest Badgers so can't comment on them.

 I now use a Iwata TR1 and a CMC for all my work and I'll recommend the brand to anyone :) 

 

 

https://www.air-craft.net/acatalog/Iwata-Revolution-BR.html?gclid=COeu88_Z79ECFc6d7Qod60IBTA

 

Speak to Longshanks about the Neo range, he can fill you in :) 

 

 

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Cheap and cheerful for me, spares are cheap and available.

 

Look at this on eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/262104720030

 

Look at this on eBay http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/310809786577

 

Pretty much what I have as a set up, I bought a .2mm needle and nozzle off ebay for fine work and it works well with Humbrol enamels, Zero paints and Alclad.

Forgiving, adjustable and reliable.

Here are a few of my builds using this set up.

 

20160228_110444_zpsomtk7som.jpg

 

20140331_223840_zps3yldvqqx.jpg

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Had a Neo.............. hated it!! One day great the next.......... Gave it to two experienced airbrushers they couldn't get it to work consistently.

 

Bought Iwata Revolution CR........... Happy Days.

Sprayed Humbrol, Vallejo and Citadel with no problems. Quick flush at the end of each session. Had it six months plus and have cleaned/soaked nozzle twice, once when I left the paint in overnight.

 

Great buy IMHO

 

Kev

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I have both 0.5mm and 0.3mm needles on the Iwata and both perform beautifully.

People seem to moan about cleaning this type of brush, but I don't find it difficult or taxing at all.

Takes just a couple of minutes after every use. 

Seal up the threads with a little beeswax and tighten everything up by finger pressure. 

I never use the little spanner as I find it isn't needed.

 

Rick.

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17 hours ago, Dads203 said:

Push for a proper Iwata,  consitant results each time you spray, spares are easy to get and it's a quality item. I've had experience of the Neo's and it wasn't great TBH 

so if you can afford it go for an Iwata Revolution.

I've never used a H&S but I've heard first hand from friends who invested in them that they can be temperamental and failed to be consistent all the time.

 

I have used badger and Iwata, I started on a Badger 200 and moved to a 150, nothing wrong with them at all but they are a little agricultural in comparison to a Iwata, again I've not used the latest Badgers so can't comment on them.

 I now use a Iwata TR1 and a CMC for all my work and I'll recommend the brand to anyone :) 

 

 

https://www.air-craft.net/acatalog/Iwata-Revolution-BR.html?gclid=COeu88_Z79ECFc6d7Qod60IBTA

 

Speak to Longshanks about the Neo range, he can fill you in :) 

 

 

....hi.....isn't correct to compare an old Badger 150 or 200 (came from 80'....) with news Iwata.....CMC is a very expensive airbrush......another thing to count is the spare parts cost:to replace needle and paint nozzle of Iwata HP-CS you spent about 45 euro....for CMC needs 70-80.......The new Badger velocity Krome and new 105 Patriot extreme have a very good price compared with their performance.......Ciao from Italy!

P.s.....the Velocity Krome is equipped with the same nozzle paint and needle of the Sotar 20/20.......that was the reference airbrush for several years....;)

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8 minutes ago, Enrywar67 said:

....hi.....isn't correct to compare an old Badger 150 or 200 (came from 80'....) with news Iwata.....CMC is a very expensive airbrush......another thing to count is the spare parts cost:to replace needle and paint nozzle of Iwata HP-CS you spent about 45 euro....for CMC needs 70-80.......The new Badger velocity Krome and new 105 Patriot extreme have a very good price compared with their performance.......Ciao from Italy!

P.s.....the Velocity Krome is equipped with the same nozzle paint and needle of the Sotar 20/20.......that was the reference airbrush for several years....;)

 

To be fair I didn't compare the old Badger brushes with the newer Iwata brushes, just merely pointed out that I started out using them, I also said that i have not used the new Badger airbrushes and I wouldn't pass comment on them. 

They could be truely amazing bits of kit just something I have not tried and therefore an unknown to me.

 

I mentioned the brushes that I use today just as reference for the OP. I also stated that the Iwata Revolution range would be a great starter brush as I have used one, several forum users have bought one on my recommendation and have said nothing but great things about them. Spares are cheap for them in the U.K. Granted the CM-C is different, cost is very high and spares are very very expensive plus it is not the easiest brush to use.

 

These items are all about personal preferrance and what's good for one person might not be right for another, it's all subjective and I was just trying to help the original poster using my own experience, I've only been airbrushing since 1989 :) 

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Just to confirm that a Neo is not produced by Iwata. It is produced in China and marketed by Iwata.

 

Many use the Neo and have no problems at all. Equally there are those who have had a miserable experience.

 

Having used both Iwata and H & S my experience is. Iwata better engineered but for a beginner the very devil

Difficult to clean and use.

 

As a beginner any of the H & S are perfect. Easy to clean easy to use.

 

Once you have had sussed out airbrushing then go for an Iwata and keep the H & S for priming and varnishing.

 

To reiterate H & S is perfect to start and gain experience. Iwata for effects work. Great results with both brushes.

 

Laurie

 

 

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6 minutes ago, LaurieS said:

 

 

Having used both Iwata and H & S my experience is. Iwata better engineered but for a beginner the very devil

Difficult to clean and use.

 

 

Laurie

 

 

I just don't get why you say that, I can honestly say I've never had any problems with the cleaning of any of my Iwatas be it my Revolution or Custom Micron and the others in between.

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36 minutes ago, tank152 said:

I just don't get why you say that, I can honestly say I've never had any problems with the cleaning of any of my Iwatas be it my Revolution or Custom Micron and the others in between.

 

Well Tank152 I also have a Micron, HPBH, and an HPBS. Also started with airbrushing with two H & S Evolutions. Still use the H & S for priming and Varnish as they are so easy to clean.

 

Iwata compared to an  H & S is a pain. But I like them.

 

As a start with airbrushing there are going to be more clog ups until experience tells you how and what to do.

 

With an H & S I can completely dismantle & pop the nozzle into a little cup of Vallejo Cleaner. Clean the rest of the

brush top to bottom. Oil he trigger area. Put together in less than 4 mins. All with out a spanner used to  unscrew

the minute nozzle on an Iwata. Then struggle to screw it back in. The H & S just slots in. Try and clear a clogged

Iwata nozzle compared to an H & S. Great boon is the H & S cup is removable which makes cleaning the cup and

the needle duct so much easier.

 

No axe to grind have both. Combine the best of both brushes and that will be nearing perfection.

I use Iwata mostly but I only took to them after a few years of mastering at least the rudiments.

 

Laurie

 

 

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I very rarely taken the nozzle off any of my brushes, something you shouldn't do any way with you Micron as you should know. The only time I remove the nozzle in my other brushes is probably once every couple of months when I put one in my ultra sonic cleaner.

I don't use Vallejo or any other of that kind of paint so never get any trouble with blockages.

My paints of choice are MrP, Gunze and Tamiya.

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I'm a total beginner so keep that in mind when reading my thoughts. 

 

I got an Iwata Neo and an AS186 compressor at Christmas time and I couldn't be happier (although I've never used another airbrush so I don't know what I might be missing out on). 

 

Ive painted two kits with the Neo and it's been totally reliable and quality (to my eyes) has been high. 

 

Having started to play about with blackbasing I can see why you might want to upgrade in the future to a more detail oriented brush but even then you'd still make use of the Neo for priming, clear coats and whatnot. 

 

At at the end of the day for me it came down to price, a no name eBay special was about $30 (Australian), an Iwata, Badger or H&S entry level brush was about $150 and the Neo was $75 with a five year guarantee, so I went Neo. 

 

To summerise; love the Neo, it does everything I (a beginner) needs but having been introduced to airbrushing I can see why you'd spend more in the future but I'm glad I got a Neo. 

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On 2/3/2017 at 7:10 PM, tank152 said:

I just don't get why you say that, I can honestly say I've never had any problems with the cleaning of any of my Iwatas be it my Revolution or Custom Micron and the others in between.

I personally have never had problems cleaning mine either.

I use all types of paint and have a cleaning routine that takes very little time.

This does include removing the nozzle, but I've never needed to use the spanner.

Finger tight is just fine, and if you seal with bees wax you don't get any blow back into the cup.

Every few months I'll take the trigger mechanism out and clean and lube with sewing machine oil.

I certainly don't use their SupaLube to oil the trigger though. Gums it up in no time!

I do use a tiny spot of Supalube, after very clean, on the needle.

I never store the brush with the needle fully home, as I believe this could split the nozzle.

Possible. Anyway, not worth the risk.

I would like a H&S at some point, just to see how it performs. I've heard good reports about them.

I'd also like a Neo as a general hack brush. Probable better than the cheaper Chinese ones.

You can't have enough airbrushes......

 

Rick.

Loving his Iwata.

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49 minutes ago, Rick Brown said:

I personally have never had problems cleaning mine either.

I use all types of paint and have a cleaning routine that takes very little time.

This does include removing the nozzle, but I've never needed to use the spanner.

Finger tight is just fine, and if you seal with bees wax you don't get any blow back into the cup.

Every few months I'll take the trigger mechanism out and clean and lube with sewing machine oil.

I certainly don't use their SupaLube to oil the trigger though. Gums it up in no time!

I do use a tiny spot of Supalube, after very clean, on the needle.

I never store the brush with the needle fully home, as I believe this could split the nozzle.

Possible. Anyway, not worth the risk.

I would like a H&S at some point, just to see how it performs. I've heard good reports about them.

I'd also like a Neo as a general hack brush. Probable better than the cheaper Chinese ones.

You can't have enough airbrushes......

 

Rick.

Loving his Iwata.

Rick,

Totally agree. There is no right or wrong way to clean an airbrush, you use a method to suit yourselves,  as long as the end result is a clean brush. The way you clean your brush more than likely stems from what you've advised by the person selling it you, I was told to only remove the nozzle at the last resort.

I like the beeswax idea 👍,will purchase some of that myself, the same with the sewing machine oil for the trigger assembly as I know exactly what you mean by the superlube clogging things up. Like yourself I only ever apply a smear of that to the needle. I also never store my airbrushes with the needle seated in the nozzle for exactly the same reason.

Tim.

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I think we've strayed off topic a little!  

Sorry Bigcheed. 

I think you get the idea though.

I think the Neo will be fine, just keep on using it and stick with it.

You'll get used to the brush and work with its "features" and make the most of them.

Different paint will work differently, but just keep playing and you'll get used to it and what's best for you.

Let's face it, it seems the users of the same paint and brush come up with different results! 

Just as a matter of interest,  I've just used mine (just a cup full of Xtracrylix dark green) and it took all of 6 minutes to strip and clean it. Granted, I didn't need to remove the trigger and air valve this time, but I think you'll see it doesn't take too long!

 

Happy airbrushing!

 

Rick.

Note. A bit of beeswax from Hobby Craft was about £3, when I bought mine, and it'll out live me and my lads modelling life !

 

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7 hours ago, LaurieS said:

Wow must watch that supalube stuff not realised the problems associated with it.

Fortunately there should be no long term problem as I have only been using it for 15 years.

 

Laurie

Oh dear, do I detect a hint of sarcasm there 😀

Well Laurie you may like to take a read through these.

Tim.

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