Paasche VL-SET Airbrush

QUOTE: Originally posted by MikeV The best American made airbrushes my friend. That's not biased, it's just good taste. Mike

sounds like bias to me!

The smaller one actually barely could be called a cup. It's more like a hole in the top of the brush. I got the one with the large cup (which is small compared to what others call large) I'm a slob so I play it safe.

QUOTE: Originally posted by plum1030 Actually I've been accenting panel lines with my sotar/inks and I really like it. remember I do mostly 1/72 so the smaller the lines the better.

Sounds interesting. Did you buy the Sotar with the bigger color cup or the smaller one? I would like to buy one some day but I don't really have a use for it. I just love airbrushes.

Mike

Actually I've been accenting panel lines with my sotar/inks and I really like it. remember I do mostly 1/72 so the smaller the lines the better.

QUOTE: Originally posted by plum1030 We could put that to the test! I could see how well I can do with the Omni (when it shows up), VL, Iwata and Sotar. I could use the same media in each brush for the test (will have to be ink as enamels don't do so well in the Sotar. From my use of the Iwata and sotar I would bet the sotar would come out on top.

That would be interesting to see. The Sotar would come out on top with the inks I would imagine, but who uses inks for models?
But even if it does spray a thinner line I would still argue that it is total overkill for modeling. You bought yours for illustration though so it wasn't overkill for that.

Mike

QUOTE: Originally posted by plum1030 All T&C brushes? ...and you talk about me being biased?

The best American made airbrushes my friend. That's not biased, it's just good taste.

Mike

QUOTE: Originally posted by MikeV Actually I have an Omni 4000 and an Omni 3000 along with a T&C Vega 1000 and a Vega 2000, but I could always use another. Many T-shirt artists have between 20 and 30 airbrushes all set up at a time. Mike

All T&C brushes? ...and you talk about me being biased?

QUOTE: Originally posted by MikeV I could give you a Sotar airbrush and I could use my Omni and I'll bet I could paint as fine of a line as you could with that $200 Sotar. Mike

We could put that to the test! I could see how well I can do with the Omni (when it shows up), VL, Iwata and Sotar. I could use the same media in each brush for the test (will have to be ink as enamels don't do so well in the Sotar. From my use of the Iwata and sotar I would bet the sotar would come out on top.

MonsterZero,

I hope we didn't confuse you on your original question about the Paasche VL and it's quality. It is a very good airbrush and would work great for modeling if that is the one you want. Almost any double-action airbrush will spray as fine of a line as any of us will ever need in this hobby and people seem to forget that it is the skill of the airbrush user that determines the outcome not the airbrush. I could give you a Sotar airbrush and I could use my Omni and I'll bet I could paint as fine of a line as you could with that $200 Sotar.

Mike

QUOTE: Originally posted by plum1030 you've got one already!

Actually I have an Omni 4000 and an Omni 3000 along with a T&C Vega 1000 and a Vega 2000, but I could always use another.

Many T-shirt artists have between 20 and 30 airbrushes all set up at a time.

Mike

I like the Omni airbrushes because they have good balance, they spray fantastic, they have a reversable aircap which allows you to protect the needle or you can unscrew it, turn it around 180 degrees and screw it back on exposing the needle for getting in really close to your work, and also making it easy to pick the dried paint from the needle tip with your fingernails as most T-shirt artists do.
They are also priced very well, and to top it all off they are owned by Badger who has the best customer service of any airbrush company.
Ken Schlotfeldt who is the president at Badger really goes out of his way to take care of their customers and will even answer your emails to him about their products. I could tell you stories that I can guarantee you Iwata would never do for their customers.

Mike

Yeah

QUOTE: Originally posted by plum1030 One question though, MikeV, what are the factors you point to in your recommendation of the 4000?

What do you mean by factors? Are you asking what I like about the Omni 4000 that makes me recommend it?

Mike

I'm too lazy in this hobby to be biased! Whichever is best and easiest wins. The Iwata won me over with the very first spray. I'm still willing to give the Omni a week. That should be plenty of time. Though right now the only time that I don't use the Iwata is when I spray inks, I use the sotar.
All others retired (Pasche H, VL, Badger 350,100LG and Aztek). One question though, MikeV, what are the factors you point to in your recommendation of the 4000?

That's what Im wondering for someone who's been bragging on Iwata for so long.....Wonder if you can do an equal/fair/un-biased test....

Just messin with ya. Ive heard great things about Iwata....maybe some day I might pick one up....for now theres just no point in it.

I'm interested to see the results of this test as well. Are you sure you can free yourself of any bias Plum?

you've got one already!

QUOTE: Originally posted by plum1030 I should get my omni this week. Dixie art is a long way away. Stupidly, I didn't check bear air. To be honest, I can't imagine how anything could be better than my Iwata. I'll end up giving the one I like the least to a friend.

If you don't like the Omni 4000 I'll take it off your hands.

Mike

I should get my omni this week. Dixie art is a long way away. Stupidly, I didn't check bear air. To be honest, I can't imagine how anything could be better than my Iwata. I'll end up giving the one I like the least to a friend.

QUOTE: Originally posted by plum1030 I recently bought a C&T Omni 4000 because MikeV speaks so highly of them and I wanted to try it so I'll spend a week comparing it to my HP-CS then post my thoughts.

Uh oh, now if you don't like it as much as the Iwata I am going to be publicly humiliated.
Does your Omni 4000 have a rough finish in the bottom of the color cup?
Mine did and although I was told it doesn't matter, I went and put some fine scratch remover for cars on a rag and polished it up a bit in the bottom just to make the paint not stick as much. It may not have helped any but I do think it looks better.

By the way it is T&C for Thayer & Chandler not C&T.
They were the oldest manufacturer of airbrushes in the world, it's too bad they went out of business. At least they are in good hands with Badger at the helm.

Mike

I am thinking of upgrading my paasche H to a gravity feed not sure what Ill get yet still deciding between iwata revolution cr and the c&t omni 4000.

Gotta put my two cents in. I hated my VL. I couldn't get it to do anything well while my aztek did well after much practice. Now I move on to forcefully recommending the Iwata eclipse HP-CS. If you've used a double action there is almost no learning curve. I got near perfect results on my first spray. If price is a concern then the Iwata Revolution CR has the same Gravity feed cup design (breeze to clean, far easier than Badger's cup designs) and larger nozzle which should handle anything you put through it. I recently bought a C&T Omni 4000 because MikeV speaks so highly of them and I wanted to try it so I'll spend a week comparing it to my HP-CS then post my thoughts.

MonsterZero,

For what you described I would go with either an Omni 4000 gravity-feed or if you feel you need more than 1/3 oz. of paint at a time then I would buy the Omni 3000 or the Badger Anthem siphon-feed models.
All three if these are going to spray almost exactly the same pattern of both thin and heavier patterns of spray. If you like the idea of the Badger 360 you mentioned earlier that would also be a good choice but I think I would just buy a gravity-feed or a siphon-feed and forget about those hybrid models.

Mike

OK, got ya.

I need my airbrush to spray acrylics, enamels and laquers without being picky about its diet. The option of owning several airbrushes, each reserved for a different type of paint is not an option for me; they cost too much.

I spend most of my time spraying medium and large areas (usually 1/35 armor models) and for finer camouflage patterns I expect to use paper stencils and masks.

HOWEVER I'm considering learning to shadow and highlight the recesses that normally get highlighted with washes. For this application I will need a very fine line in addition to broad patterns.

Spatter patterns are too rare and specialized to interest me and my old Aztek has a special nozzle for this purpose so never mind the spatter ability.

I want my airbrush to clean reasonably easily and, most of all, thoroughly. When I look at the design of the Aztek I conclude that the way they made those nozles-it guarantees steady build up of old paint that will eventually render the nozzle useless and force you to buy a new one; maybe as early as you complete the very first model. There is nothing that can be done about this buildup.

QUOTE: Originally posted by MonsterZero OK, then tell me what you think about the Badger universal (top and bottom feed) model 360? Twice the price but all the features are right, it seems.

Twice the price? It's only $28 more than the VL set at Dixie Art.
The Badger 360 is a good airbrush and its basically just an Anthem 155 with the ablility to spray either gravity-feed or siphon-feed. Omni also makes one called the Matrix that is about the same thing.
If you need an airbrush to be both a gravity-feed and siphon-feed then this is a good choice. The color cup is small though at only 1/8 oz. so you won't have a lot of paint to work with in gravity-feed mode.

Tell us exactly what you want an airbrush to do for you and what things you would like it do in the future. That will tell us what airbrush you really need.

Mike

OK, then tell me what you think about the Badger universal (top and bottom feed) model 360? Twice the price but all the features are right, it seems.

QUOTE: Originally posted by HistoryinScale Monster Zero Will this be your first airbrush or are you replacing one?

Second. I already own a well equipped Aztek fed by a compressor The Aztek is very good most of the time but its replacement nozzles last no longer than a single model. Because all of the nozzle parts are plastic (except the needle which is plastic coated steel) they become sticky from paint even with persistent and powerful cleaning and eventually the needle stops travelling back and forth as it should. Any attempt to losen up the needle only result in additional abrassive plastic scratches inside the nozzle assembly that will further hinder the free travel.

I heard the manufacturing of this line of airbrushes is ending and there already are shortages of nozzles, pretty soon it may be impossible to get them. People told me they used the VL for 10+ years without any parts replaced and that's impressive.

I also have one , I have no basis for comparison since it is the only one I have owned but I have had no problems with it , In fact have found it to be very good.

Maddafinger,

That Revolution has a 1/3 oz cup like the Omni 4000 and I agree, the paint lasts a long time. I was cleaning mine tonight and I kicked the air pressure up to 40 psi while spraying a color cup full of water through it and it took probably 90 seconds to empty that color cup at that pressure with the trigger all the way back. That is the reason I bought the 4000 Omni over the 5000 so that I would have enough paint to do even the largest models without having to stop and refill like I had to do with my Vega 1000 which has the same 1/8 oz size color cup as the Omni 5000 and the Iwata HP-BS Eclipse.

Mike