Is this airbrush good for plastic model painting?

Well, it is an airbrush isn't it? For that price, you get what you pay for. Most likely it's either made in China or junk. But hey, it's your money. Go for it.

TCP Global got better quality airbrush combo sets.

I have been modeling for 35 years and have been using airbrushes most of that time.  I have tried the TCP globals, the harbor freights, the ebay chinese knock offs and other off brand airbrushes.  

They have gotten better over time, they work as a basic airbrush, you can improve them a bit by polishing the needle and other internal parts as well as changing and improving seals etc but in the end you do get what you pay for.  An airbrush is a precision instrument.

There is a limit to manufacturing where the retail price will have to increase based on quality.  There is a reason that a quality airbrush costs $100 or more and why these cost under $50.  It is usually in the lack of higher grade materials, poor fit and finish of parts, poor needle to nozzle design, and short life span of the airbrush.

The price is tempting but do yourself a favor, save your money and spend it on a quality airbrush, your paint work will be much better and your frustration level will be much lower.

As an example, you can buy a Walmart bike and yes it will work and get you from a to b but a high quality bike that costs more will do it with less effort, be a better ride and last longer. 

TCP Global do carry the top brand airbrushes....

It will work for this hobby. If you have not owned an airbrush before, an inexpensive one is a good way to learn how, without too much cash outlay. You will make mistakes along the learning curve, and if you ruin this, you're not out too much money. And once you really learn airbrushing, and the limitations of that particular type, you'll be ready to move up to a higher quality, more expensive airbrush with better capabilities. And hopefully by then you'll be past the mistakes that can ruin the more pricey one.

I'm with 62 on this. I started with a good airbrush, a Paasche that I got at Michaels at 40% off, and a crap Devilbis compressor that made a lot of noise and introduced oil into the airflow.

Hated airbrushing.

Got tired of field stripping the Paasche every time I used it and having to readjust the needle spacing.

Got a decent little diaphram compressor and a Testors Aztek. 

Hated airbrushing.

Got a badger. Now I can airbrush like it's ice cream, and do set-up or put-away in minutes.

So now I have a $ 100 airbrush and a $ 150 compressor.

After spending easily $ 500 and enduring years of "what is wrong here".

stikpusher

It will work for this hobby. If you have not owned an airbrush before, an inexpensive one is a good way to learn how, without too much cash outlay. You will make mistakes along the learning curve, and if you ruin this, you're not out too much money. And once you really learn airbrushing, and the limitations of that particular type, you'll be ready to move up to a higher quality, more expensive airbrush with better capabilities. And hopefully by then you'll be past the mistakes that can ruin the more pricey one.

 

I learned to shoot on a Sears .22. I could put food on my table using that rifle today if need be. 

Master your tools and techniques, whatever they are.

Yeah I knew I was gonna get lip for that. I have a Montgomery Wards rifle thats ok.

The point is, in my opinion, if there's a realization that you will ultimately need a certain level of equipment, it can be worth saving up for it.

Purchased a cheap $30 brush off amazon a while back, not very happy with the quality. Did a poor job painting and plugged frequently, felt cheap as well.

 This kit has a lot more in it including needles, caps, air/water seperator and quick connects. I suspect you are paying for the accesories more than the brush which leads me to believe it is likely very poor quality. There are some really nice brushes out there that do not break the bank. While it may cost more initially a good brush will last a long time. While a cheap one may require more frequent replacement of needles, seals and caps or even the brush itself if parts are not available individually.

GMorrison

Yeah I knew I was gonna get lip for that. I have a Montgomery Wards rifle thats ok.

 

Lol! Not to mention that shotguns are pretty much close range firearms I bet there are plenty of Sears and Montgomery Wards firearms still out there. You dont give an 8 year old a tricked out hunting rifle to learn on. 

GMorrison

 

The point is, in my opinion, if there's a realization that you will ultimately need a certain level of equipment, it can be worth saving up for it.

 

Which is a great approach if one is experienced. I would just hate to see a novice ruin an expensive fancy airbrush. Neither approach is wrong or right. My chosen professions have trained and taught in the "crawl, walk, run" progression. I tend to take that approach to the hobby as well.

I would not suggest to a novice builder a multi media kit from Dragon or Eduard. I'd suggest something with a low parts count and good fit to learn on. 

Stickpusher --  I see your point.  But the airbrush the OP referenced is a fancy airbrush.  It is delicate, and there are a variety of things that could cause confusion, especially since its quality may be marginal.  It's like giving that 8 year old a tricked out rifle that may not work.

I would much rather have him start with a simple Paasche H or a rugged easy to care for Badger Patriot.  These are hard to break and parts are readily available and cheap.  And, they will do a good job.  When you look at the price of kits and supplies, a good airbrush is really not that expensive.

Don

Yes Don! A Badger Patriot for around $70.00 or a Paasche H for the same money are easy to use, give great results and are workhorse airbrushes. I learned on a Paasche H and still use a Badger Patriot now.