Suggestions for airbrush for wider area coverage

I use my Paasche H series for that kind of painting. It is a siphon feed single action, and comes with 3 tip and nozzle sizes. The largest one works great for big area coverage.

robtmelvin

What are your suggestions for a good quality (but not bank breaking) airbrush for coverage of larger areas for such applications as priming.  I have a Iwata Eclipse HP-CS with a SilverJet compressor.  Works great for smaller coverage areas, but I'm looking for something that will allow me to get coverage on larger areas.  

Bob, The Iwata HP-CS comes with a 0.35 mm nozzle as standard. You can buy the 0.5 mm nozzle/needle/crown set option which have 2 times the nozzle openning area of the standard CS and allow a shorter and faster trigger pull when more paint is needed. The 0.5 mm nozzle is the same as those used on the Iwata Revolution HP-CR airbrush.

I buy Iwata replacement parts at local store, perferrably Hobby Lobby using their 40% off coupon. The shipping usually makes internet order too expensive compared to local purchase.I paid less than $20 for the 3 parts needed at Hobby Lobby. This is the cheap solution.

If the Iwata with a 0.5 mm nozzle is still too fine, you can consider getting a Badger Patroit 105 airbrush. Either with its fine or standard nozzle/needle, the Patriot releases paint much faster than the Iwata. The Patriot needles all have a shorter taper (or larger linear airflow angle as Badger perfers to call it). It opens the paint like flood gate with a short pull of the trigger. It is the $70 plus solution.

Both the Eclipse and the Patriot get the type of "self centered" drop in nozzle that is fairly easy to clean. You will have to go over $120 to the Harder Steenbech or Grex to get similar nozzle design with larger nozzle size.

Another cheap solution is to buy the cheap imitation of the Badger 350 at Harbor Freight. It is an external mix airbrush. (No my favorite because it is more work to clean.) Other cheap knock-off internal mix airbrush may not work since they all had fairly small nozzle and longer needle taper trying to imitate the Iwata.

Let us know how you decide and how it works out for you.

My Grex is awesome for painting larger surfaces with the larger tip and needle installed. Otherwise a Paasche VL with a #3 setup.

Larger coverage means siphon fed, so you can attach a bottle.  Good quality means a name brand.  The Paasche H and Badger 350 or Badger 155 Anthem fill the bill.  All will do a nice job.  The Anthem has the advantage that it can also do fairly fine work, and it will feel more like the Eclipse in your hand.  I find all three very easy to clean.  There is information on all of them on my site.

Don

If it was me, I would get the Iwata SAR. Single action, great for large coverage and quality piece that will last for years. Plus, it is cheap...I think they are running for about $66.00 dollars with free shipping.

Going to have to echo others on the Paasche H. Great workhorse airbrush and awesome for covering larger areas. The only thing I REALLY don't like about it is the color cup attachment, which just the way it's designed is kind of a PITA to clean. But you can always use the bottles with the siphon cap.

I am going to second the 155 anthem.  With it's tapered needle, you can really throw some paint when you open it up.  Also, having a bottle underneath helps with larger sprays (like doing dioramas.)

Chris

Or if you'd prefer a gravity feed the Badger 105 is the same as a 155 Anthem. Except for the cup of course. It comes with a fine needle and tip but you can use the medium needle, tip and regulator from the Anthem or 360U. I believe you can order it with that setup if you prefer. I have a 360U and like it a lot. Plus, Badger has great Customer Service if you ever need it.

Tony

Gary Edmundson has done some books for Osprey on modeling including a volume on "Painting and Finishing Techniques." Very impressive kits therein. Edmundson claims he does all painting with the Paasche H series - he praises it for its ease of cleaning. You can get a basic H for $29 on Amazon (via TCP Global: it costs more if you buy from them). I've got a HS Evolution and a Paasche VLS and use them both. Think of them like paint brushes - you change sizes for different purposes. It's certainly true that you can change nozzles and get different performance from any good brush. It's also true that changing tips is a pain. Indeed, I'm thinking about getting a H. In a world of $50 kits it doesn't seem nuts to spend a little extra on airbrushes that will probably last a good part of your life.

Bob,

I've had the same problem, and in the past I have used my Paasche VL for large area coverage.  However, just recently I tried using the Tamiya rattle cans to lay down the base coat(s) on a 1/144 scale Seawolf sub (the thing's almost 30 inches long) and they performed flawlessly in a fraction of the time it would have taken me with the airbrush.  I then went back over the model with various shades of the base coat colors using my regular airbrush (an H&S Infinity using the 4.0mm nozzle/needle set) to provide depth and variation in appearance.

Tom   

 I use an old Badger 150 with interchangeable needles for wide area coverage. This is an old airbrush that you can purchase for dimes on the dollar. However, if you go this route, you will need to use a hose for a Badger, the hose from you Iwata will not fit the Badger.

 The best option may be to try using a larger tip for your Iwata.

I suggest either the Badger 155 Anthem or the Badger Crescendo.

Both put out a lot of paint.