Airbrush Recommendations

For ease of cleaning, an Iwata hp-cs, A harder and steenbeck evolution or the top of the line harder and steenbeck infinity. You have to spend more than $100.00 to get the quality and ease of cleaning but it is worth it.

Although I have other makes, like Iwata and Paasche, my most often used is a Badger 100G. Small gravity feed cup, double action and small size, super easy and fast cleanup. Can be found at USA Airbrush, (I think a part of Badger Company,) for around US $80. Extremely durable, Badger's can last for many years.

Another for consideration is the Badger 105, again super quick and easy to clean, bulletproof airbrush, high quality sprayer. If you don't need the large cup of the 105, the 105 Arrow is the same airbrush, with a smaller cup. I have both, they are for my larger area tasks, the 100G with small tip is for detail work, like camo and tight areas.

Can you go to a hobby shop that has good inventory, to try some out for handling? That will tell you a lot, how one fits your hand is important.

A great source of information about airbrushes is: "Don's Airbrush" website, spend some time there and you'll come away with some priceless info. You'll find specific info about the Iwata you referenced.

Good luck with your search.

Patrick

patrick206

Although I have other makes, like Iwata and Paasche, my most often used is a Badger 100G. Small gravity feed cup, double action and small size, super easy and fast cleanup. Can be found at USA Airbrush, (I think a part of Badger Company,) for around US $80. Extremely durable, Badger's can last for many years.

Another for consideration is the Badger 105, again super quick and easy to clean, bulletproof airbrush, high quality sprayer. If you don't need the large cup of the 105, the 105 Arrow is the same airbrush, with a smaller cup. I have both, they are for my larger area tasks, the 100G with small tip is for detail work, like camo and tight areas.

Can you go to a hobby shop that has good inventory, to try some out for handling? That will tell you a lot, how one fits your hand is important.

A great source of information about airbrushes is: "Don's Airbrush" website, spend some time there and you'll come away with some priceless info. You'll find specific info about the Iwata you referenced.

Good luck with your search.

Patrick

 

many thanks for your advice. Several of those Badgers sound well within my price range. I can deal with a smaller paint cup easily. Thanks! PS: No decent hobby shops within 100 miles of me, so it will be strictly mail order and hope for the best!

modelmaker66

For ease of cleaning, an Iwata hp-cs, A harder and steenbeck evolution or the top of the line harder and steenbeck infinity. You have to spend more than $100.00 to get the quality and ease of cleaning but it is worth it.

 

Thanks for your great advice. I had never even heard of Harder/Steenbeck before!

I have the Revolution CR and BR, used them for years and never had a problem. They both spray very well. Never replaced a part. They do use small screw in nozzles but I've got by.  :-)  If that's a concern the Eclipse would be a good choice with its drop in nozzles. And while a replacement .35mm nozzle is a little expensive the .5mm parts aren't. 

Wingman_kz

I have the Revolution CR and BR, used them for years and never had a problem. They both spray very well. Never replaced a part. They do use small screw in nozzles but I've got by.  :-)  If that's a concern the Eclipse would be a good choice with its drop in nozzles. And while a replacement .35mm nozzle is a little expensive the .5mm parts aren't. 

 

yes, I’ve had my eye on a Revolution for awhile, although another poster suggested a low-cost Badger, which also sounds promising. Actually, I don’t mind removing and cleaning the nozzles, it’s those little parts in the heart of the brush, like the O-rings for the trigger, that I would rather not deal with. Basically that whole trigger area seems precarious to me, and it can be hard for me to reassemble probably, so I would rather do as little back there as possible. Thanks for your help!

patrick206

Although I have other makes, like Iwata and Paasche, my most often used is a Badger 100G. Small gravity feed cup, double action and small size, super easy and fast cleanup. Can be found at USA Airbrush, (I think a part of Badger Company,) for around US $80. Extremely durable, Badger's can last for many years.

Another for consideration is the Badger 105, again super quick and easy to clean, bulletproof airbrush, high quality sprayer. If you don't need the large cup of the 105, the 105 Arrow is the same airbrush, with a smaller cup. I have both, they are for my larger area tasks, the 100G with small tip is for detail work, like camo and tight areas.

a follow-up question if you don’t mind. On the USAAirbrush web page for the Badger 100s, you have to select Fine, Medium or Large Head? What are those, nozzles, or something else? Thanks!

As long as you keep solvents out of that area you'll be fine. 

Wingman_kz

As long as you keep solvents out of that area you'll be fine. 

 

And I think that’s exactly what I did to my Chinese airbrush, I probably rotted or swelled the trigger O-rings by washing everything down there with turpentine. Live and learn...

plastic4ever

 

 

patrick206

Although I have other makes, like Iwata and Paasche, my most often used is a Badger 100G. Small gravity feed cup, double action and small size, super easy and fast cleanup. Can be found at USA Airbrush, (I think a part of Badger Company,) for around US $80. Extremely durable, Badger's can last for many years.

Another for consideration is the Badger 105, again super quick and easy to clean, bulletproof airbrush, high quality sprayer. If you don't need the large cup of the 105, the 105 Arrow is the same airbrush, with a smaller cup. I have both, they are for my larger area tasks, the 100G with small tip is for detail work, like camo and tight areas.

 

 

 

 

a follow-up question if you don’t mind. On the USAAirbrush web page for the Badger 100s, you have to select Fine, Medium or Large Head? What are those, nozzles, or something else? Thanks!

 

The medium is the .5. My 200 ( the regular old style not the NH) that I've been using for 47 years has the same nozzles and needle sets. Well actually,the fine went down from the .25 I have to a .22 in the 100 but mine would fit. The large nozzle called heavy is .7.. The .7 is a guzzler if you open it up. My favorite brush especially for car bodies is the 200, I'd take a 100 but own the 200. I see no practical reason for double action in painting car bodies, not yet in 60 years of painting them anyway. Half the time I use the Paasche H and .7, though the 200 is really my favorite, the mist is finer and better controlled in the Badger but you wouldn't know it to look at the finish. Finishing a car body is about proper paint blends and technique more than the airbrush used.

They refer to the head on these brushes because that's generally what you change going from size to size. On the front of the brush you have the air cap and the head. Both screw off. The head contains the nozzle or tip. The nozzle is threaded and screws into the head but doesn't have flats so you could use a wrench to remove it. You use a small reamer like tool, inserted through the back of the head to screw out the nozzle. So, you could replace the nozzle but the easiest way is to replace or change the head. Each different size requires it's own air cap. And of course the right needle too. I haven't priced these parts for some time but they aren't expensive. It does make it very easy to clean the front of the brush.

I have a 100G and 100LG, both are Fine and they spray very well. The handles on these are kinda heavy because they're thick walled with no cut outs but it isn't like they weigh a ton. Actually, Sotar parts will work on these. The needles are the same diameter and the heads will interchange. Not that it matters, but you can. They have a fairly short trigger throw. There are handles with cut outs or aluminum handles available. 

oldermodelguy

 

 

plastic4ever

 

 

patrick206

Although I have other makes, like Iwata and Paasche, my most often used is a Badger 100G. Small gravity feed cup, double action and small size, super easy and fast cleanup. Can be found at USA Airbrush, (I think a part of Badger Company,) for around US $80. Extremely durable, Badger's can last for many years.

Another for consideration is the Badger 105, again super quick and easy to clean, bulletproof airbrush, high quality sprayer. If you don't need the large cup of the 105, the 105 Arrow is the same airbrush, with a smaller cup. I have both, they are for my larger area tasks, the 100G with small tip is for detail work, like camo and tight areas.

 

 

 

 

a follow-up question if you don’t mind. On the USAAirbrush web page for the Badger 100s, you have to select Fine, Medium or Large Head? What are those, nozzles, or something else? Thanks!

 

 

 

 

The medium is the .5. My 200 ( the regular old style not the NH) that I've been using for 47 years has the same nozzles and needle sets. Well actually,the fine went down from the .25 I have to a .22 in the 100 but mine would fit. The large nozzle called heavy is .7.. The .7 is a guzzler if you open it up. My favorite brush especially for car bodies is the 200, I'd take a 100 but own the 200. I see no practical reason for double action in painting car bodies, not yet in 60 years of painting them anyway. Half the time I use the Paasche H and .7, though the 200 is really my favorite, the mist is finer and better controlled in the Badger but you wouldn't know it to look at the finish. Finishing a car body is about proper paint blends and technique more than the airbrush used.

 

I’ve had good luck so far with the .5 needles/nozzles, so I should stick with that for now. Thanks! I know that prep, sanding and finishing are the important things in Vehicle bodies, all skills I need to work on!

Wingman_kz

They refer to the head on these brushes because that's generally what you change going from size to size. On the front of the brush you have the air cap and the head. Both screw off. The head contains the nozzle or tip. The nozzle is threaded and screws into the head but doesn't have flats so you could use a wrench to remove it. You use a small reamer like tool, inserted through the back of the head to screw out the nozzle. So, you could replace the nozzle but the easiest way is to replace or change the head. Each different size requires it's own air cap. And of course the right needle too. I haven't priced these parts for some time but they aren't expensive. It does make it very easy to clean the front of the brush.

I have a 100G and 100LG, both are Fine and they spray very well. The handles on these are kinda heavy because they're thick walled with no cut outs but it isn't like they weigh a ton. Actually, Sotar parts will work on these. The needles are the same diameter and the heads will interchange. Not that it matters, but you can. They have a fairly short trigger throw. There are handles with cut outs or aluminum handles available. 

 

The easier the better for me, so maybe I’ll stick with the .5 needle/nozzle for now, until I get more proficient at regular vehicle body spraying. Thank you!

Yeh, I wasn't suggesting one over the other, just explaining how they're set up. Have fun 

plastic4ever

 

 

oldermodelguy

 

 

plastic4ever

 

 

 

 

The medium is the .5.

 

I’ve had good luck so far with the .5 needles/nozzles, so I should stick with that for now. Thanks! I know that prep, sanding and finishing are the important things in Vehicle bodies, all skills I need to work on!

 

A .5  is a good all round choice for car bodies or car painting in general. Some guys here it's all they use for any painting. Depends on the individual, paint mix, psi etc but ya, it's good middle ground.