Air Brush Choices/Guidelines

[jsmvmd]

Dear Friends,

On the old board, there was a discussion re: how to choose an air brush.  I am now getting ready to buy one, but do not have the old thread saved.

Q. My choices are Aztek, Pasche or Badger, vacuum fed, double stage. Any info how to choose without actually getting my hands on them?  The air brush will be used primarily for minor paint jobs and weathering. Does water based vs. oil based paint matter much?

Thank you in advance!

Best, Jack

[SteamGene]

If you are just getting started a single stage brush is easier to use.  Water makes the easiest clean up, but many swear on oil based.  I'm not familiar with Aztek, but Dadger and Pasche are both good brands. 
Now, if I could only find my:
a. air compresser
b. air brushes
Gene

[jayl1]

I use a Badger 350 with a whirlwind compresser - 10 years old & going strong.

Some folks like Pasche better.  It's a matter of opinon.

As for paint - I rarely use water based paint.  I like Floquil & Scalecoat BUT use a respirator!!!  They are toxic.

[Atlantic Central]

I have, for many many, years, used both double and single action Badgers with a diaphram compressor. If I may say so myself, I have been complimented many times on the quality of my paint jobs. So in addition to any talent I may have, these airbrushes must work fine.

I have the model 200 and model 150, both are internal mix w/jars, again one is double action, one single action.

As to paint, my experiance is just the oposite from Gene. After trying it one time, I will never put acrylic (water based) paint in an air brush ever again.

I will admit that this is partly my own habits, but, acrylic paints are plastic that harden once exposed to the air. It is imposible to control their dring time, and they dry fast, so they harden in the air brush if you are not a fast worker. Which I am not. Water does not slow or redesolve acrylic paint, it mearly disrupts its adheasion if it is only partly cured. I know they make special solvents for acrylics, but my experiance still is I can not work fast enough to keep it from drying in the airbrush.

Solvent based paints work differently, dry more slowly and drying times can be controled with solvent and paint can be redesolved before it is cured. I have only disassembed and cleaned my air brushes about once evey two or three years when using them heavily. I simply soak the head in solvent and flush them out after each use. Rarly needing more extensive cleaning.

My one experiance wish acrylics gummed up the air brush and required complete disassembly to clean it - never again.

Sheldon

[LD303]

since youre just starting out, a paasche ''h''set is an excellent investment, its a single action external mix with 3 diferent tips.... once youve used it and gotten a feel for how an airbrush works, you can move up to a ''vl'' set, its an internal mix with 3 needles to regulate flow ,either set are excellent brushes.
  i like testors enamel, hate the testors  acrylics.  i also use badger accuflex acrylic, it works very well and ive never had it gum up either of my brushes.
as for compressors...dont be fooled or bullied into buying an expensive ''airbrush'' compressor, like a badger or similar ''namebrand''....go get a $100 campbell hausfield with a 5 gal tank  at walmart.....you will be able  to regulate your airflow much better and you wont be paying outrageous prices for a brand name.

   small adendum....i love my vl set....excellent for fine control and detail work....but i still use the h set for spraying of large areas and spraying glosscote\dullcote laquer.  just makes life easier having 2 brushes.

[Craig]

I outgrew my single action siphon feed airbrushes very quickly and gave them away. I thought I'd need them to cut my teeth on but they were actually a wasted step, in my view. Dual action airbrushes are not at all complicated; you push down for air and pull back for color. A little experimenting with needle sizes and tips is helpful. Though I often use my dual action siphon feed units, my preference is my dual action gravity feed model.

I agree with Sheldon that waterborne acrylics notoriously dry in the airbrush (or touchup gun, for that matter) but I still have a use for them. I use POLLY Scale.

I also agree with LD that an airbrush compressor is not entirely necessary. Campbell Hausfeld oil-free models are an economical alternative and they will operate other hobby-oriented air powered equipment such as touch up guns and brad nailers. You need a moisture trap if you buy one of these. I think they're on the loud side compared to units designed for airbrushing but they do have some quiet models in their upper end.

Brand is not as important as design. You want a durable unit with machined metal components. Any one of the brands you listed would be an excellent choice. Over the years I've learned that some units are produced in machine shops and assembled by the companies you mentioned. You might be surprised if you pay a visit to airbrushcity.com. They are the first manufacturer of the majority of their products and they buy from the same parts distributors as some of the major brands do, then assemble and market them under their own brand. The prices are very good and so is the service.

Craig

[glennk28]

I have been using a Paasche "H" airbrush for 25 or 30 years--quite satisfied.  I also have a "VL" which I recommend for fancy weathering effects, but not for general-purpose painting.  I have used the H on models from HOn3 to G.

As to the compressor--forget the little diaphragm-ltype ones sold for hobby use.  Get the Campbell-Hausfeld, or a DeVilbiss, or see what is on sale at Sears or Harbor Freight Tools.  By all means, get an oil and water trap, as well as a regulator if the compressor does not have one. "Snap" connectors are handy.  I'd go for at least a 1hp compressor, with a 3 to 5 gallon tank.  It will be les expensive to operate in the long run.

gj

[jsmvmd]

Thank you, all. Very good stuff to chew and digest. Also in the planning stage for a 12' x 17' HO layout, my first, so I have lots of stuff to do before the actual construction starts.

Best, Jack

[the Bach-man]

Dear Jack,
Just to make your decision more difficult, I really like the Aztek. It is both single and dual action, and the tips are easily interchangeable, relatively inexpensive, and much easier to clean. Check one out in the micro Mark catalog.
Have fun!
the Bach-man

[WoundedBear]

I have to go with Mr. B here on this one....I have an Aztek as well and absolutely love it. They make single and dual action versions.

I have yet to have anything attack the body or nozzles. This is one from my auto days...all paint...no decals.....all Aztek.

I called this A-Salt1....(Assault 1)....it's a jet powered 1964 Dodge A100 salt flats racer.


Wonder what on old Bachmann F Unit would look like in flames....lmao.

Sid

[r.cprmier]

Sheldon;
In my collection of musical tools, I own several Gibson Les Paul Customs, a couple of Fender guitars, and two Ibanez guitars; You know the one I like to sit down with?  AN old Washburn!  All this is saying is that I think by and large, an airbrush brand-and even type-is subjective; as is all artforms and associated equipment.  My personal choice of weapon is a Paasche, both single and double action.  I own both.  In and of themselves, they do not make me any better or worse a painter than the guy who owns a badger or an Aztec; just the proud owner of a couple of high-end brushes.  To all out there who are so inclined to use an airbrush, I will say that very few-if any- of us are born with the ability to just jump in and do high-end work-it takes practice and the accumulation of mistakes as a learning process.  I do encourage all to peruse the selection of brushes out there, and simply get the one that grabs you, learn it, and start using it.  Oh, don't just do model work with it; do other things.  Do some pictures, some stenciling work, etc.  All of this makes for an accumulative knowledge and the acquisition of a real comfort and confidence zone with this tool.  A long time ago, Floquil had done a book on airbrushing.  It wasn't a particularly large or all encompassing book; but it did give a really comprehensive introduction to this skill.  I havn't seen it lately.  T'would be a shame if it were no longer available.  HEAR THAT, RPM INDUSTRIES??

RIch

[Atlantic Central]

Rich,

I agree completely, except maybe about the artwork part. I have many talents, but free hand art work is not one of them.

I was just sharing my experiances. I bought my first Badger because it was afordable. I bought the double action because I was in a business where I had access to buy it wholesale. My main point was that I never needed to buy any others.

And I still have a copy of that helpful little book from Badger.

Sheldon

[r.cprmier]

Sheldon;
Yeah; whatever a person is comfortable with is going to be a good thing.  The artwork thing is obviously elective here, but my contention is that exposure to the other aspects of painting are going to be more or less beneficial to the average guy who's in this hobby.
Like you, I am not prone to painting, though I did take some courses in art.  Not as good as most others in my class, it did give me some incentive and confidence to pursue deeper this part of the hobby.
Reading what guys like John Pryke has to say about weathering engines, etc, is also going to help considerably.  John is an artist in his own right, and with the other contrivutions from others just as talented as he, there is a tremendous amount of positive exposure to be had here to help with this facet of the hobby.
Somewhere in the pile of stuff I have acquired over the past twenty five or so years, is that book from Floquil...
Have a good one;
Rich

[GlennW]

MicroMark is a great source for airbrush & supplies.

You may find AirBrush Action in your bookstore. It is a bimonthly magazine you may find in the hobby/craft section. It will give you other ideas to use your airbrush. They even sponsor seminars but that can be $$$. Some art turns into a business.

Badger, Paasche, & Aztek all make good quality brushes. You may find cheap Testors airbrush with a spray can in WM & other stores.

[r.cprmier]

Glenn;
Whatever your choice of brush, never NEVER by a cheap one-you will kick your own derriere mucho for that very MAJOR screwup!!
There is nothing worse than busting your hinie on a model, having it come out top-notch, and then botching up the paint work via efforts from a garbage brush.  Do yourself a large favour; do buy a good-quality brush-and do buy that brush new!!  If you buy someone else's brush, there is a good chance you are buying their cast-offs after they upgraded their arsenal to better.

As far as where to buy?  I opine that staying away from mail order and going to a good art house like Dick Blick, etc; where there is probably a fairly knowledgeable staff, as well as ancillary and replacement parts, would be a smashing idea.

Also, taking a course from-say-a community college with an art cirriculum would be  a definite step in the right direction; especially if you are uninitiated (one of the unwashed).

Much feedback on this site, as well as in this thread, most being highly beneficial and worth reading.  OK; let's get those models built, and the paint flowing!!

Rich