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Best airbrush & compressor for £200


andyh

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So as the title suggests I am looking for an airbrush and compressor, and I have a budget of £200.

 

I've never used one before and have just stuck to rattle cans and paintbrushes.

 

Any advice greatly appreciated 

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Hi Andy, It depends what subjects you are painting.

 

I'll have our airbrushes and compressors at the Shuttleworth Collection on Sunday for people to try out if you are going.

 

If you aren't going, we are in Olney, and can set up a demo here if you want to try some airbrushes.

 

Modellingtools Airbrush & Compressor sets.

 

Thanks,

Paul Firzmaurice

 

 

 

 

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Hi Paul, thanks for your reply. I will predominately building model cars.

I won't be at Shuttleworth, but I'm only in Northampton so not far from you, I will have to pop over and see you.

I do fancy one of the H & S Airbrush as they do look good 

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  • 3 weeks later...

I got a H&S ultra 2 in 1 and a compressor, hose, quick change thing, stand for about 170 from everythingairbrush.

It was my first one so nothing to compare against but I put paint in the top,  press/pull the trigger and paint comes out, so works for me, 😀

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If I had £200 I’d spend £60 on one of the generic eBay compressors with tank, regulator, moisture trap, absolutely nothing wrong with them and £140 on an airbrush of your choice, H&S or Iwata for example.

 

In my opinion there is a huge difference between chinese genric airbrushes and branded ones.  But not such a marked difference between chinese generic compressors and branded ones.

 

Best to spend your money on the brush - you’ll enjoy better results that way.

 

Example of eBay compressor

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AIRBRUSH-COMPRESSOR-AIR-BRUSH-COMPRESSOR/292930745664?hash=item4434087540:g:Es8AAOSwQItUInvU

 

Whoops, my mistake - that one doesn’t have a tank.  Quick look, here is one but it is a little more at £72.50.  But if you spend some time looking you will be able to pick one up for £60 or less.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RDG-AIRBRUSH-COMPRESSOR-WITH-TANK-ONLY-ART-CRAFTS-PAINT-SPRAYING-MODEL-MAKING/352136711218?epid=2169292697&hash=item51fcfbcc32:g:lo8AAOSw689Zixut

 

 

There are plenty more on bids so you might get even cheaper.  Also sometimes it is cheaper to pick one up in a package with a knock-off airbrush - put it to one side or use it for primer or clear coat where precision doesn’t matter.

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel

 

 

Edited by nheather
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On 12/02/2019 at 10:22, andyh said:

I will predominately building model cars.

Hi Andy

not an answer to your question, but  as a car builder, (don't know how long you have been perhaps 'lurking' here,)  but if you have not seen it this a well worth a read

I have found it interesting because it so clearly explained and illustrated, and I've never built a model car.... but appreciate good craftsmanship

I'll add a @cmatthewbacon  as he may have some hints on what may work better for car purposes.

 

HTH

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For 60 pounds you won't get a new tank compressor. The ones you'll find for those money don't have the tank and run non-stop for the whole duration of the painting process. You need to up the amount to around 100 pounds for the compressor which is still ok cause you can pick up a decent airbrush for around 100 pounds (maybe an Ultra 2 in 1 with an optional Infinity style nozzle cap and a quick release air valve).

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2 hours ago, bmwh548 said:

For 60 pounds you won't get a new tank compressor. The ones you'll find for those money don't have the tank and run non-stop for the whole duration of the painting process. You need to up the amount to around 100 pounds for the compressor which is still ok cause you can pick up a decent airbrush for around 100 pounds (maybe an Ultra 2 in 1 with an optional Infinity style nozzle cap and a quick release air valve).

Just spotted that the one I linked didn’t have a tank.  I have had another quick look and found one with a tank for £72.50. I maintain that if you spend a little time looking you will find them for £60.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/RDG-AIRBRUSH-COMPRESSOR-WITH-TANK-ONLY-ART-CRAFTS-PAINT-SPRAYING-MODEL-MAKING/352136711218?epid=2169292697&hash=item51fcfbcc32:g:lo8AAOSw689Zixut

 

Or one with £74 with a reasonable hose and a cheapy airbrush that you could use for spraying thicky or grainy stuff that you don’t want to put through your nice brush.

 

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Double-Action-Airbrush-Kit-Compressor-With-Tank-AF186-Paint-Nail-Tatoo-Hose/273719670124?hash=item3fbaf6b56c:g:tP8AAOSwxPJcbnF8

 

Or if you prefer to buy from Amazon and get it delivered tomorrow with Prime, you can get one for £82

 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Airbrush-compressor-reservoir-Fengda-AS-186/dp/B019CKXBOU/ref=sr_1_9?crid=2YPOP2UCK2A0V&keywords=airbrush+compressor+with+tank&qid=1552253915&s=gateway&sprefix=Airbrush+compressor+%2Caps%2C143&sr=8-9

 

So compressor, hose, cheapy generic airbrush for rough stuff and an H&S Evolution 2in1 for £206 - okay £6 over budget.

 

Cheers,

 

Nigel

 

 

 

 

Edited by nheather
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Personally I'd spend more on a decent compressor and less on the airbrush. You don't need something that sprays fine lines for car modelling. No need to buy a cheapo Chinese knock off brush either. For around £40 you can buy a Gunze Procon Boy 0.4mm which will spray car body parts beautifully. I bought one a few years ago and it really is a great brush and has an excellent build quality at any price point.

 

https://www.1999.co.jp/eng/10062174

 

 

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40 minutes ago, Steve Noble said:

For around £40 you can buy a Gunze Procon Boy 0.4mm which will spray car body parts beautifully.

I’d second that — it’s a great piece of kit. I’ve used mine for both base coats and 2K clear on car models. The only drawback I’ve found is that the nozzle is tiny, and screwed in, which makes it a little harder to put it through my normal deep clean following spraying the 2K... which you REALLY don’t want to set in the nozzle. I wouldn’t get bent out of shape about your compressor having a tank. I’ve been using a SimAir compressor with no tank for 15 years, and have had zero problems with noise or pulsing airflow. It takes up about the same space on the bench as a standard US car model box, and is quieter than the extractor fan in my spray booth...

best,

M.

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A tank-less SimAir compressor is almost his entire budget from what I can see. You can't really compare the build quality against the Chinese ones which get hot, properly hot during long spraying sessions. I sprayed a 1:24 car model today for almost three hours (not joking - chameleon paint, very slowly building up the layers for the proper visual effect) stopping every now and then to top up the paint cup and to do some needle tip cleaning. A Chinese tank-less compressor would have shut down for thermal reasons after about an hour from what I remember (been a very long time since I've had my hands on one). 

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True... my main point was to agree with Steve that £40 on a brush and £160 on a decent quality compressor was the right balance... A little-jet from modellingtools.co.uk is £135 and will be a lot better built and supported than a no name Chinese compressor from eBay.

 

Edit: Amazon has the SimAir AC100 for £170

best,

M.

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1 hour ago, cmatthewbacon said:

True... my main point was to agree with Steve that £40 on a brush..

It's true. That brush I recommended is a good buy. Everyone recommends Iwata and Harder and Steenbeck, but they are expensive. I've got an Iwata. The Revolution CR and I find it uncomfortable to hold and use. There's nothing I can't do with my little Gunze brush on car and bike models. You don't need a £100 airbrush that sprays mm thick pencil lines for auto modelling. I think it's better to have a decent air source (compressor) I'd always put my money into the compressor, but that said the Gunze brush is not a compromise, it's just a damn good, quality brush..

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