Air brush, compressor

I can sympathize with you. Choosing the 'right" airbrush and/or compressor is a challenge. There have been numerous and helpful threads on this site on that very question, so use the "search the community" bar on this site to help you there. I personally found several sites that I repeatedly return to for advise that could be helpful to you as well:

sites.google.com/.../donsairbrushtips

snibs.net/airbrushpage.html

Both are fine sites written to be understood easily. You'll learn a lot from them.

Charles, The Woodlands, TX

Single action is fine for cars and most aircraft. If you do a lot of camouflage work, however, the DA brush comes in handy.  I eventually ended up with both, with a T fitting on my compressor so that both brushes are hooked up all the time.  I ordinarily like to use the SA, since it is easier to clean, resorting to the DA when doing fine camoulflage or need very feint lines.

Selecting a first airbrush and compressor is confusing. The compressor is easier - pick one that you can afford, provides sufficient adjustable air flow/pressure and is of good quality and have at it. Because most airbrushes function similarly choice IMHO is really a personal thing. All airbrushes will spray paint but if the one you have doesn't feel right, has a trigger location not suited to you, has too broad or too fine of a nozzle/needle or you don't enjoy using etc then using it will be a chore. Iwata, Badger, Paasche, Harder & Steenbeck, Grex and others all make fine airbrushes and all spray paint well - the differences are in physical build and ergonomics. The choice of single action or double action - either will do what the other will but I think DA a little more convenient but if only one airbrush  SA might be a little easier to learn. Ease of cleaning is important and, for me, I like an AB that has an easily removable (and large enough to handle) nozzle. My Badger Sotar, for example, is a really nice AB but the nozzle is so tiny that I fear loosing it each time I clean the AB so it doesn't get cleaned as often as it should. Similarly, screw in nozzles are not well suited to repeated on/off cycles. Ease of cleaning also relates to suction or gravity feed - for me gravity feed is much easier than having to clean a bottle but, again that's personal. The above links are worth checking and have some very useful information.

My personal favorites: A Sparmax TC620X compressor, an H&S Evolution Silverline AB

Others here have their own favorites and I'm not a fanboy of any particular one. The one you use and like is the best.

One thing folks may not think about when chosing a compressor is noise.  A really noisy compressor can be a real irritant when drying to do a tricky paint job.  And there are some really noisy compressors.  While the mfg may rate the noise in db on their web site, it can be hard to judge what that really sounds like just by reading the spec. Sure helps to listen to a compressor you are thinking of buying if there is a store that will run one for you, or a friend that happens to have that model.

Thank you all for the feedback, really appreciate it. Purchased a Iwata Neo and have been painting up a storm.

Having difficulty painting camo patches and/or fine(er) camo lines on 1/35 scale with the .35 nozzle; too much fine overspray. Is it my technique, technical issue such as paint thickness or is the .35 too large not to leave the overspray?