New to airbrush

[Pelly]

Hi everyone.  I use exclusively Tamiya and Testers rattle cans for my models (cars, 1/24).  I want to get into airbrushing but not sure what's the best airbrush to get.  I've heard I need an airbrush for water based and solvent based paints, and I've heard the opposite as well.  Any advice?

[Miatatom]

IMHO, the best starter airbrush is the Paasche H. Affordable and versatile. I've had other airbrushes and still seem to go back to the H. It just works for me. 

[kurth]

I do not think you need a seperate airbrush for water based and enamels/Lacquers.  I have started to hear this recommendation but I would like to understand the reasoning behind it before dismissing it.

Any way, You will get lots of suggestions. My only only advice is to choose a name brand, high quality airbrush to start. The cheap chinese airbrushes are said to vary widely in quality, and often do not have replacement parts available. I have had good luck with Badger, Grex, Iwata, and Mr. Hobby airbrushes.  If I lost everything and had to start from scratch all over again I would get an Iwata Eclipse HP-CS for most tasks, and a Mr. Hobby PS-290 with the optional handle for painting bodies.  

Edited November 27, 2021 by kurth

[peteski]

You must have missed the sticky thread on buying your first airbrush/compressor in the Q & A section.

 

[Pelly]

Thank you for all the suggestions.  Sorry, I did miss that Q&A thread.

[NOBLNG]

11 hours ago, Miatatom said:

IMHO, the best starter airbrush is the Paasche H. Affordable and versatile. I've had other airbrushes and still seem to go back to the H. It just works for me. 

I agree 100%. It is super easy to keep clean too. Way easier than any internal mix airbrush. It can be used with the included cup or the bottles.

[DPNM]

Although the Paasche H is a good beginner brush it is single action so it is limited to what it can do. You need to decide what will fit your needs. Some things you need to determine:

Single action or double action.
Siphon feed, gravity feed or side feed.
Budget

Your budget is a huge determining factor. 

If you plan to do detail work you will be better off with a double action brush. If you plan to do detail and paint the bodies with the same brush you should consider a "2 in 1" type AB set. A double action set that has something like a 0.2mm needle/nozzle for detail and a number 0.4mm needle nozzle for larger areas.

You can use a Paasche H for most non detail model painting. You can paint the smaller parts with it and the bodies. I'd suggest to get the number 3 and number 5 needle/nozzle, just to have in case.

Do you need a compressor or do you have one?

I have separate airbrushes for solvents and for water base paint. Not that it's particularly crucial, I've always kept the two separate. Then again I have quite a few ABs. 

Edited November 28, 2021 by DPNM

[Pelly]

39 minutes ago, DPNM said:

Although the Paasche H is a good beginner brush it is single action so it is limited to what it can do. You need to decide what will fit your needs. Some things you need to determine:

Single action or double action.
Siphon feed, gravity feed or side feed.
Budget

Your budget is a huge determining factor. 

If you plan to do detail work you will be better off with a double action brush. If you plan to do detail and paint the bodies with the same brush you should consider a "2 in 1" type AB set. A double action set that has something like a 0.2mm needle/nozzle for detail and a number 0.4mm needle nozzle for larger areas.

You can use a Paasche H for most non detail model painting. You can paint the smaller parts with it and the bodies. I'd suggest to get the number 3 and number 5 needle/nozzle, just to have in case.

Do you need a compressor or do you have one?

I have separate airbrushes for solvents and for water base paint. Not that it's particularly crucial, I've always kept the two separate. Then again I have quite a few ABs. 

Thank you for the information. Yes I will need a compressor.  Also, I am looking at mainly painting bodies now so maybe a single action with different nozzles may be enough.  Eventually I want to get into more details so double action eventually. 

[Miatatom]

I bought the Ultra Quiet compressor from Harbor Freight. Does the job and it really is quiet.

[showrods]

2 hours ago, Pelly said:

Thank you for the information. Yes I will need a compressor.  Also, I am looking at mainly painting bodies now so maybe a single action with different nozzles may be enough.  Eventually I want to get into more details so double action eventually. 

Go double action right away then.  Don't buy something that you'll "outgrow" quickly.  That's money that could be spent getting you where you ultimately want to go.

Do lots of research.  Ask lots of questions.  Then buy a high quality set up.  If you go cheap, then you'll get frustrated when things start breaking down or not working properly.  You get what you pay for.

[DPNM]

My advice on a compressor is to, first and foremost, invest in one with a tank. You will be better off in the long run.

Also, no matter the size, get one that is quiet. It will be a lot less irritating and better for your hearing down the road.

I have an ultra quiet California Air with an 8 gallon tank. Not that you need to buy one, it more than meets my needs for what I do. 

And a good respirator for what you intend to spray. If you plan to spray solvent based material, even more-so. You should also use one for water based paints.

[TransAmMike]

I always had problems airbrushing with the Paasche and Badger airbrushes. I decided I wanted a new brush and after a lot of looking in the up to $125 range and thinking a trigger type brush would be cool I chose the GSI Creos Mr. Airbrush PS-275 0.3.  It's dual action, gravity fed and I love it!!  Can be bought for around $110 at Spraygunner.com. Only issue I have is #3 tip cannot be changed and for heavier paints the paint needs to be thinned a bit more.   I also bought their "No Name" brand (yep thats what it's called) compressor. Has a tank and is super quiet.

Just me 2 cents here?

[Andrew McD]

I cannot overemphasize getting a compressor with a storage tank!  Do not get sucked into one of those little compressors sold for airbrushes that run non stop.  They overheat and generally cannot provide a consistent steady source of air.  Learning to air brush takes a considerable amount of practice to develop some skill at it whether spraying a body or working on fine detail.  I'm really not much good at it but I'm learning.  I have a Paasche-H that I purchased as well as a dual action Badger that my wife used for her ceramics work.  Both are good units and not difficult to break down and clean.   There is a wealth of information on this site as well as many other places on the internet.  Beware of the people that tell you they have THE way to thin paints for airbrushing (with the exception of Createx videos which deal with their product).  It will take much experimenting to find out what works for you.  I've found it a frustrating experience at times but I persevere and can see improvement.

Having said that........you can turn out GREAT paint jobs using rattle cans so don't feel that you absolutely MUST have an airbrush to do good work.  Get into it because you think it's interesting and can add a new level of enjoyment to this hobby.

I'll end by repeating what I said at the beginning.......get a compressor with an air tank and as others have suggested invest in a reasonable quality air brush.  There's no point in making learning a new skill a  frustrating experience due to tools that aren't up to the job.

Best of luck.

 

[Zippi]

I use the Paasche H airbrush and really like the easy of use.  Check out Harbor Freight for a nice cheap air compressor. 

[my66s55]

21 hours ago, TransAmMike said:

I always had problems airbrushing with the Paasche and Badger airbrushes. I decided I wanted a new brush and after a lot of looking in the up to $125 range and thinking a trigger type brush would be cool I chose the GSI Creos Mr. Airbrush PS-275 0.3.  It's dual action, gravity fed and I love it!!  Can be bought for around $110 at Spraygunner.com. Only issue I have is #3 tip cannot be changed and for heavier paints the paint needs to be thinned a bit more.   I also bought their "No Name" brand (yep thats what it's called) compressor. Has a tank and is super quiet.

Just me 2 cents here?

Same here. I have the trigger action and they are fantastic.

[NOBLNG]

23 hours ago, TransAmMike said:

I always had problems airbrushing with the Paasche and Badger airbrushes. I decided I wanted a new brush and after a lot of looking in the up to $125 range and thinking a trigger type brush would be cool I chose the GSI Creos Mr. Airbrush PS-275 0.3.  It's dual action, gravity fed and I love it!!  Can be bought for around $110 at Spraygunner.com. Only issue I have is #3 tip cannot be changed and for heavier paints the paint needs to be thinned a bit more.   I also bought their "No Name" brand (yep thats what it's called) compressor. Has a tank and is super quiet.

Just me 2 cents here?

What sort of problems did you have with them Mike? Was it the airbrush or a compatibility issue? I have an H and have had no problems with it. I could see the trigger types being more comfortable to use if a person has dexterity issues maybe. No offence meant, just curious.

[TransAmMike]

34 minutes ago, NOBLNG said:

What sort of problems did you have with them Mike? Was it the airbrush or a compatibility issue? I have an H and have had no problems with it. I could see the trigger types being more comfortable to use if a person has dexterity issues maybe. No offence meant, just curious.

No offense taken Greg.

Yeah, it could have been me not getting the paint the correct consistancy or the atmospheric conditions. The last time I used them was quite a while ago.  Just last week I tried the Paasche with Createx Autoborne silver sealer (the #3 tip on my Proton was just not big enough) and I actually liked how it sprayed.  As for the trigger Proton, I just like how it feels and cleanup is a breeze.

[Dpate]

I own Iwata eclipse, Iwata revolution, and GSI Creo procon boy PS-290.  I use them all on a compressor called "No-Name" you can get from spraygunner.  The Iwata eclipse you can even get from hobby lobby, and it's one of the better "all in one" so ta speak brushes you can get quality and cheap wise.  Haven't used my Revolution much, and the PS-290 with its fan cap i use for bodies.  Feels like painting a actual car using it lol.  All these air brushes i named are dual action, and i look at single and duel this way using this analogy.  Single actions are like automatic vehicles easier to learn on, and duel action brushes are like manual vehicles - takes lots of practice to get good technique.  The BIG technique I'm talking about goes as follows: " Press down on trigger, pull back for paint, keep trigger pressed down while keeping air going while pushing forward to stop paint flow."  That technique is how you properly use a duel action brush.  

Honestly at the end of the day no single air brush will make you a better painter.  I've seen amazing work done with the paasche H, and I've seen amazing work with the best iwatas etc.  NEVER airbrushed before my whole life before getting into this hobby, and i took the risk going kinda big when it came to airbrushing not knowing if i was going to enjoy it or not, but ended up loving it.  If i was you I'd start small and than move up like a motorcycle that way if you don't enjoy airbrushing than you wouldn't be out to big of a loss.  BUT also depending on the person starting out on not so great hardware can make you actually not like something where as if you had started on something better quality that will actually  make you enjoy it - if that makes sense?

[TransAmMike]

I guess I don't understand the dual action thing as far as using it.  The Proton 275 I have is dual action but I just pull the trigger all the way back and go. Am I not using it right??

I also have the "NO_NAME" air compressor from Spraygunner.  So far so good for general model painting Quiet and hold pressure while spraying.

Edited December 1, 2021 by TransAmMike

[Rocking Rodney Rat]

Dual action has a button...lever?? to adjust the amount of paint in relation  to the air, more or less heavier of spay of paint.  you push the button while spaying to adjust air/paint mixture. A single action has a manual change of air/paint ratio, you turn the nozzle and not normally done in the middle of spraying. somebody else can probably explain this better than I'm doing. I also use a Paasche H single action, does what I need to do which is nothing fancy, spraying paint. -RRR

Edited December 1, 2021 by Rocking Rodney Rat

[NOBLNG]

3 hours ago, TransAmMike said:

I guess I don't understand the dual action thing as far as using it.  The Proton 275 I have is dual action but I just pull the trigger all the way back and go. Am I not using it right??

If you pull back just slightly on the trigger…does only air come out, allowing you to adjust the regulator to set working pressure. Then, does paint come out when the trigger is pulled further…and more paint the further you pull it? I have no experience with the Procon, but that is how my Iwata Eclipse works…it is just a button/lever rather than a trigger….depress the button for air and pull it back for paint.

Edited December 1, 2021 by NOBLNG

[TransAmMike]

13 hours ago, NOBLNG said:

If you pull back just slightly on the trigger…does only air come out, allowing you to adjust the regulator to set working pressure. Then, does paint come out when the trigger is pulled further…and more paint the further you pull it? I have no experience with the Procon, but that is how my Iwata Eclipse works…it is just a button/lever rather than a trigger….depress the button for air and pull it back for paint.

Yes, if I pull the trigger back part of the way it is just air, then I pull it the rest of the way and the paint comes out. As far as I know I can't just get a small about to come out  by partially pulling the trigger back but I haven't tried it. Not sure why you would want a small amout of paint to come out.

[Rich Chernosky]

This is one of those topics that if you ask 100 modellers you will get 100 different opinions. But the Paasche H seems to be at the top of the list and that is also my "go to"   One of the biggest problems beginners face is how to clean it. I own 6 airbrushes and 5 of them were given ( as in... free) to me by modelers who used them once and they quit working. A simple cleaning and all of them worked. Each had only the slightest bit of  of paint in them which will stop an airbrush cold.  I use Kwikeze Paint Brush and Roller cleaner, made by Savogram. Green can now. Most hardware stores carry it. It is practically a universal solvent and will dissolve almost any kind of dried up paint including water base acrylics. You don't have to break down  the airbrush every time either. Just get most of the paint out with q-tips and pipe cleaners. Spray a little solvent through and you are ready to go again. Make sure you are well ventilated. This is nasty stuff sprayed as you will find out if you ever get a snoot-full. 

[Dpate]

5 hours ago, TransAmMike said:

Yes, if I pull the trigger back part of the way it is just air, then I pull it the rest of the way and the paint comes out. As far as I know I can't just get a small about to come out  by partially pulling the trigger back but I haven't tried it. Not sure why you would want a small amout of paint to come out.

The technique I'm talking about applies more so too non trigger brushes.  Learning the technique on a trigger brush would like learning the clutch release in a vehicle.  But it's not really that important IMO with a trigger style brush, but more so a regular lever brush.  On a regular lever brush  you press down for air, and pull back for paint.  BUT what most people do is let go of the lever and that's where you're doing it wrong.  It helps with dry tip, and specs of paint getting in your work, but again most will just shoot paint off to the side to clear anything.

This video will explain everything I'm saying lol.  At around 2:53 point is what i was just talking about too about getting specs of paint in your work.  

 

Edited December 1, 2021 by Dpate

[Bainford]

1 hour ago, Dpate said:

The technique I'm talking about applies more so too non trigger brushes.  Learning the technique on a trigger brush would like learning the clutch release in a vehicle.  But it's not really that important IMO with a trigger style brush, but more so a regular lever brush.  On a regular lever brush  you press down for air, and pull back for paint.  BUT what most people do is let go of the lever and that's where you're doing it wrong.  It helps with dry tip, and specs of paint getting in your work, but again most will just shoot paint off to the side to clear anything.

This video will explain everything I'm saying lol.  At around 2:53 point is what i was just talking about too about getting specs of paint in your work.  

 

For anyone who has watched the video, what is the screw device on the bottom of this guy’s airbrush, directly under the paint cup?