Suggestions for first airbrush

[Baron Vaderham]

Hi guys, 

I’m looking for advice on my first airbrush. I’ve used a cheap unit that came with the compressor. I managed to use it ok, but I can feel the build quality is terrible. I can feel burrs on the needle and nozzle, and it clogs up quickly (I mixed tamiya paint with x20 1:1, pressure is about 22psi or 1.8bar). 
 

so I’m looking for something new. I’m thinking of spending around 150£ (plus or minus, I’m flexible).

I like the option of changing cup size, and I’d like to have one that mixes internally. 
The one I used thus far I think has a 0.3 nozzle, and I like that, but for large surfaces I’d like the option of something bigger, so I was thinking a combo of 0.2 and 0.5.

It shouldn’t clog up, and should be easy to maintain. 
 

any recommendations?

[dromia]

You should look at the Mr Hobby Procon range.

 

Almost Iwata quality at friendly prices.

[Evil_Toast_RSA]

Harder and Steenbeck Ultra 2-in-1? Should fit in your budget (not sure, not from Blighty). Comes with a 0.2 and 0.4 needle/nozzle set and I think 2ml & 5ml cups (are availble seperately if not). 

 

[EDIT] - These guys have one at 90 quid.

 

[EDIT 2] - With a budget of 150 English Dollarbucks, you can get a Evolution 2-in-1 for 130 quid or a Silverline 2-in-1 for 145 quid.  

Edited May 24, 2021 by Evil_Toast_RSA
Added info

[Mark Harmsworth]

I agree with @Evil_Toast_RSA about Harder and Steenbeck. For my first airbrush I bought a H&S Steenbeck Evolution and am very happy with it. 

 

Try Little Cars - I found them very helpful and he often posts here :

https://www.britmodeller.com/forums/index.php?/forum/207-modellingtoolscouk/

 

website:

https://www.modellingtools.co.uk/harder--steenbeck-airbrushes-14-c.asp

 

Good luck

Mark

[uncletommy]

And a third vote for Harder and Steenbeck.  I've got two Evolutions and an Infinity 2 in 1 and they're all fabulous.  

[tank152]

I'm with dromia go with a Mr Hobby Procon or Iwata. Both good solid airbrush lines.

I find this 2 in 1 idea a bit gimmicky myself, bit of a faf around changing nozzles and needles. You're far better off with 2 airbrushes.

With your budget these fit the bill nicely. 

I've got one of these myself it was my first airbrush, never had any problems with it whatsoever in 15 years use.

https://www.air-craft.net/acatalog/Iwata-High-Performance-Plus-HP-C-Plus.html

Obviously a little more than £150 though, but definitely worth it. 

Or as dromia reccomended,

https://www.air-craft.net/acatalog/Mr-Procon-Boy-WA-Platinum-V2-PS-289.html

Then when you've saved more cash for your second airbrush go for one of these.

https://www.air-craft.net/acatalog/Mr-Procon-Boy-LWA-PS-266.html

 

https://www.air-craft.net/acatalog/Iwata-Revolution-CR.html

Or maybe one of these,

https://www.air-craft.net/acatalog/Mr-Procon-Boy-LWA-Trigger-PS-290.html

You could then use one of the latter 3 for metallics, primers and clear coating.

 

[Tojo72]

I like this site,very informative 

 

https://sites.google.com/site/donsairbrushtips/home

 

I think the Iwata Eclipse HP-CS is very easy to use and maintain

[Mark Harmsworth]

2 hours ago, tank152 said:

I find this 2 in 1 idea a bit gimmicky myself, bit of a faf around changing nozzles and needles. You're far better off with 2 airbrushes.

I realise everyone has a favourite airbrush (probably the one they are using now) but I have to point out that it takes at most a few seconds to change the nozzle and needle on the H&S Evolution. 

Mark

[RobL]

I realise your budget is £150 give or take, but I'm going to advocate for cheap Chinese knock offs here.

 

I have a Harder and Steenbeck Ultra.  With both .2 and .4 needles/nozzles.  In the last year or so I have found I was having problems with it, the trigger pull has become "notchy"/stiff, I was getting paint/water in the trigger area, the air stayed on, and there's a bit of a deadzone when you pull the trigger back, i.e. for a moment no liquid comes out, not even water, and by the time it does start coming out it's past the point of giving you a nice tiny dot of liquid.

 

Now, I also have a Veda WD-180 that I bought from a company here in the UK called Bartsharp.  It's a Chinese knock off of an Iwata.  It has 0.2, 0.3 and 0.5 needles/nozzles.  It cost me £25 a few years ago.  It's trigger pull has always been smooth.  And although it has the same deadzone issue as my H&S Ultra it just feels a better "daily" driver than the H&S Ultra.  It did also develop an issue with liquid coming into the trigger area, but I tightened the needle seal on it and it seems to have resolved that issue.

 

I also seem to have resolved the issues on my H&S Ultra (apart from the deadzone and stiff trigger pull) but I find myself going for the Veda these days when I am airbrushing.  Spare nozzles/needles may be an issue for my Veda in the long term as Bartsharp have not done well this past year it seems (I get the feeling they've gone bust as almost all their products are out of stock on their website, although they still have some spares on their ebay store), but you don't have to spend big, i.e. £150 give or take, to get a decent airbrush to start out with.   Fengda might be a "brand" to look at in that case, they make an airbrush that is very similar to my Veda WD-180, and spares seem to be plentiful.

 

By the way clogging can easily be prevented by storing your airbrush in a jar of water (minus the air stem) and thinning your paint properly outside of the airbrush's colour cup.

Edited May 24, 2021 by RobL
typos

[ckw]

3 hours ago, Mark Harmsworth said:

it takes at most a few seconds to change the nozzle and needle on the H&S Evolution

... which you probably will be doing anyway for cleaning. One of the features I like about the H&S brushes is they are easy to take apart and clean without any special tools (I have an Ultra & Infinity).

 

As to how useful the interchangeble needle is - I guess its a matter of what you use it for. I don't really find much use for the .4 needle (I work only in 1/72) and I find my .2 or .15 needles are fine for most of my work - having got used to these, I found switching to the .4 was harder to control and went through paint at an alarming rate!

 

Cheers

 

Colin

[Rabbit Leader]

I’ll just add to the comments above, however I’d highly recommend a cheap gravity fed airbrush. I’ve been using my Iwata  ‘knock off’ for a number of years and althoughI replaced my initial one after I broke it, the second is still going strong and didn’t cost me hundreds of dollars to replace. Get your confidence up on something that is economical to initially outlay and move on to the better stuff when you know more about how this whole dark art works. 
 

Cheers and good luck.. Dave 

[paulyoung666]

Badger 105 , you can have two for £150 , all spares are easily available and a dream to clean / change needle and nozzle 👍