airbrush

Paasche "H" , works flawlessly (not so for the operator) and easy to use.  I also picked up a tankless compressor from Harbor Freight for $80, wow ! it works great with constant pressure.  Good Luck.

I picked up a deal on eBay.  A compressor with 3 airbrushes -- 1 single-action and 2 double-action.  Total price was about $120.  Its some nameless Chinese knock-off of a Badger design.  I was taking a shot in the dark because I had no experience with aibrushes.  I got lucky.  I've been using it since January and have had no problems.  I've used it on 6 projects and I improve with each use.

I suspect that this package was intended for cake decoration and fingernail enhancement, but its been working like a charm.  The total package price was less than many compressors alone.

Shop around.  Use one of Hobby Lobby's 40% off coupons and shop locally.  Good luck!  

I've been using a Badger 150 airbrush from day one. Picked it up as a total newb, never had any training or experience before, and adapted to it and learned it almost instinctively. It still gets my highest recommendation.

Tried a Paasche once when I wore out my first Badger, and didn't like it half as much. Bought a second 150, and kept the Paasche for when this one wears out--until I get another 150.

Mallard:

I just started useing an air brush myself and i picked up a Badger 200 (it was like in a starter pack, came with a can of propellant, couple cups, fittins, and a hose)  I used it with the propellant and went through a couple cans (HAD TERRRIBLE RESULTS with the can propellant by the way but thats just my two cents) then got a nice bosch compresser for christmas and bought the fitting for the air hose, costed maybe 10 bucks for the fitting.  But the badger kit i think i paid 90 bucks for that, and so far its a nice air brush.  Its a single action bottum feed cups.  I use both acrylics and enamels in it and works good.

Good luck in your hunt for an air brush.

Ahh Mallard, I see you have met Pandora, and you have chosen to take a peek inside the box....I'm surprised there are so few responses.  This is usually a question that gets pounced upon like buzzards on a carcass or flies on a pile of...well, you know what I mean.  You don't mention where your confusion lies, so helping you sort through it is a nearly impossible task.  All airbrushes are 'user friendly', just to varying degrees.  None will compensate for lack of talent or skills; those you have to learn.  Properly maintained, any airbrush will last for years.  Like everyone who has ever picked up an airbrush, you will no doubt at some point buy, or at least try another.  I have four, and none are the one that I can do everything with.

Have you done enough research to know what each type is, how it works, pros/cons, etc?   Is there any chance you can borrow one , or find a store with a reasonable selection to see how different airbrushes feel?  Any pawnshops where you might find a used one?  An airbrush is a lot like a pen.  We have a preference of which ones we like because of how they fit in our hand.  Do you prefer fat, medium or skinny?  Light or with some heft to it?  Some people will argue this brand over that; for most criteria, the differences are small, and for every feature that's great on this one, another brand will have it beat in another area.

I know guys who use nothing but an external mix single action (Paasche H), which is simple to use and easy to clean.  They build armor and aircraft, and can manage the squiggly camo on German planes, at least in 1/48 scale.  The needles/tips change out quickly enough too, so there's not a lot of time lost there.  A single action internal mix needs a little more teardown to clean, but with smaller needles and tips might give you finer lines if you need them.   Some people claim the external mix has a tendency to spatter, but others argue it's never been an issue for them.  The Paasche H has a bit of heft to it, which some like and some don't.  Badger makes one that is similar but lighter, but I don't know the model offhand.

Double action are all internal mix, and take time to disassemble for cleaning.  One upside is that you can vary the spray width as you spray just by moving the trigger back instead of having to stop and swap out needles and tips as with a single action.  However...like learning to play a trombone and figuring out where the slide needs to be for a particular note, you have to practice, a lot, to figure out exactly where that trigger needs to be in its travel to get a particular spray.  Add to that varying air flow by how far you push the trigger down.  Learning all that takes more patience than some can muster.  Don't get me wrong, a double action is great, and the only way to go, if you need what it can do.  If you don't need all the capabilities, why buy them?  One upside to a couple different double actions (Paasche VL and Badger 150, and maybe others) is that there is a screw adjustment you can use to make them function as a single or double action.  You have the ease of use of the single, but with the potential of a double to use somewhere down the road when your skills increase, or you find a need for it.

No matter which airbrush you decide to buy, you have to practice, a lot.  They all come with instructions and practice exercises.  You would be wise to do them.  You don't even have to waste paint, use food coloring and water, and spray on craft or poster paper.

You didn't mention whether or not you have an air supply.  That is almost as big a debate as the airbrush; everyone has their preference, all for good reasons, but....  The airbrush dedicated models from Paasche, Badger and others are nice, they're quiet,  they're a lot of things, including expensive (some around $400US, none less than $125).  They're also useless for anything besides an airbrush.  The one I currently use is a Campbell-Hausfeld 3/4hp with a 1.5 gallon tank, paid $45 for it.  It works great, but it's noisy as hell, and when I move out of my house to an apartment it could present problems.  I may have to go back to a nitrogen or CO2 tank setup; stone quiet, but the tank has to be refilled occasionally, and Murphy's Law says it will run dry on a Sunday when there are no welding supply stores open.  Let's hope you're not even more confused than you were.

Ahh Mallard, I see you have met Pandora, and you have chosen to take a peek inside the box....I'm surprised there are so few responses.  This is usually a question that gets pounced upon like buzzards on a carcass or flies on a pile of...well, you know what I mean.  You don't mention where your confusion lies, so helping you sort through it is a nearly impossible task.  All airbrushes are 'user friendly', just to varying degrees.  None will compensate for lack of talent or skills; those you have to learn.  Properly maintained, any airbrush will last for years.  Like everyone who has ever picked up an airbrush, you will no doubt at some point buy, or at least try another.  I have four, and none are the one that I can do everything with.

Have you done enough research to know what each type is, how it works, pros/cons, etc?   Is there any chance you can borrow one , or find a store with a reasonable selection to see how different airbrushes feel?  Any pawnshops where you might find a used one?  An airbrush is a lot like a pen.  We have a preference of which ones we like because of how they fit in our hand.  Do you prefer fat, medium or skinny?  Light or with some heft to it?  Some people will argue this brand over that; for most criteria, the differences are small, and for every feature that's great on this one, another brand will have it beat in another area.

I know guys who use nothing but an external mix single action (Paasche H), which is simple to use and easy to clean.  They build armor and aircraft, and can manage the squiggly camo on German planes, at least in 1/48 scale.  The needles/tips change out quickly enough too, so there's not a lot of time lost there.  A single action internal mix needs a little more teardown to clean, but with smaller needles and tips might give you finer lines if you need them.   Some people claim the external mix has a tendency to spatter, but others argue it's never been an issue for them.  The Paasche H has a bit of heft to it, which some like and some don't.  Badger makes one that is similar but lighter, but I don't know the model offhand.

Double action are all internal mix, and take time to disassemble for cleaning.  One upside is that you can vary the spray width as you spray just by moving the trigger back instead of having to stop and swap out needles and tips as with a single action.  However...like learning to play a trombone and figuring out where the slide needs to be for a particular note, you have to practice, a lot, to figure out exactly where that trigger needs to be in its travel to get a particular spray.  Add to that varying air flow by how far you push the trigger down.  Learning all that takes more patience than some can muster.  Don't get me wrong, a double action is great, and the only way to go, if you need what it can do.  If you don't need all the capabilities, why buy them?  One upside to a couple different double actions (Paasche VL and Badger 150, and maybe others) is that there is a screw adjustment you can use to make them function as a single or double action.  You have the ease of use of the single, but with the potential of a double to use somewhere down the road when your skills increase, or you find a need for it.

No matter which airbrush you decide to buy, you have to practice, a lot.  They all come with instructions and practice exercises.  You would be wise to do them.  You don't even have to waste paint, use food coloring and water, and spray on craft or poster paper.

You didn't mention whether or not you have an air supply.  That is almost as big a debate as the airbrush; everyone has their preference, all for good reasons, but....  The airbrush dedicated models from Paasche, Badger and others are nice, they're quiet,  they're a lot of things, including expensive (some around $400US, none less than $125).  They're also useless for anything besides an airbrush.  The one I currently use is a Campbell-Hausfeld 3/4hp with a 1.5 gallon tank, paid $45 for it.  It works great, but it's noisy as hell, and when I move out of my house to an apartment it could present problems.  I may have to go back to a nitrogen or CO2 tank setup; stone quiet, but the tank has to be refilled occasionally, and Murphy's Law says it will run dry on a Sunday when there are no welding supply stores open.  Let's hope you're not even more confused than you were.

I agree with Milairjunkie, the cost of an air source needs to be included, in my case it totally overwhelmed the cost of the airbrush. Based on the shootout comparison in FSM, I bought a Bearair "Polar Bear" Model 1000 in 2008 and got a Fengda CD-130 double-action gravity-feed included. As I couldn't NOT get it, it was "free", and I've had no complaints.

My point isn't the relative quality of Chinese vs. Badger; it's that if you keep your eyes open, there are deals out there. As Yogi Berra said, "You can observe a lot by just watching."

A double action, internal mix, gravity fed airbrush would be a good place to start, with a needle size allowing a good compromise between detail & coverage (somewhere between 0.2 & 0.4mm, although it will vary between brands).

If you are wanting something to last, one of the reputable brands would be a better idea, granted you will pay more than for a Chinese cheapo, but build quality, reliability, spares availability & support will be superior. Harder & Steenbeck, Iwata, Badger, Paasche & Grex (among others) are all worth a look.

One thing many people don't factor in is the cost of an air source, which will often cost more than the airbrush itself. If you don't already have an air source, a piston compressor is a fair bet & even better if it has a receiver (tank)

i use an aztek with the multiple nozzles but that seems to be a love it or hate it. i am new to airbrushing too. ta few things i would recommend that have really helped me:

i use tamiya, model master and poly scale acrylics. GET THE THINNER FOR THE BRAND. later on you can save some bucks but using the paint's thinner eliminates one variable. i just got a compressor with a varible pressure adjustment. i find this really helpful as i can dial up and dial down the pressure depending on how thin i made the paint. i have an old MK-IV tank hull i test my "mixture" on before hitting the model. do a search for homemande airbrush cleaner. i think mine is a gallon of distilled water with some commercial cleaner. much cheaper than the little bottles at the LHS.

i am getting ready to start experimenting with different color undercoats and pre base coat washes. i have enough partial builds that screwing up something isn't a loss.

some good info in this thread.

/forums/t/136326.aspx

The bad news is that the brand-named airbrushes are hideously expensive here in Australia. For example, the basic "carded" package of the Paasche "H" goes for about $90.00 (AUD)

With the Aussie $ on a high at the moment, it may be worthwhile checking out some of the US based airbrush specialist stores (and make sure you enquire about shipping rates before committing to an order if you choose this route).

Most brand name airbrushes meet your needs. Like any tool it isn't all the tool that does the work its the user. You just don't pick up the most expensive airbrush and get great results...you need to practice. I've seen modelers who have spent countless hours using their entry level airbrushes who get better results than someone who has a high end one but doesn't do any better of a job than if they had used a rattle can.

Just as with scale modeling itself, you don't build a National Award Winning model from your first attempt. It takes time and practice to build the skillsets necessary.