Badger

Ryan,

They are both excellent but I personally prefer the Anthem as it is more comfortable to me, has a single needle/tip combo, and has some great features such as the quick needle removal.

Mike

go down there and ask to hold them, get the feel for them... that's what eventually helped me make my mind up... flex your wrist, pull the trigger etc... see if the feel is for you... one's thin, ones fat... if you're old and arthritic like me the fat one might be more comfortable... (crescendo)

a lot of people prefer the slimmer one (anthem) and it has a faster break down and cleaning according to Mike (haven't used one myself)

But above all if you are going to "Michaels" get the 50% discount coupon out of the sunday paper!!! it includes 50% off of the airbrushes...

QUOTE: Originally posted by tho9900 But above all if you are going to "Michaels" get the 50% discount coupon out of the sunday paper!!! it includes 50% off of the airbrushes...

I totally agree on that Tom.
Michael's charges retail for almost everything so definitely use the 50% off coupon!

Mike

Yep, thanks Mike and tho9900. i was planning on using the 50% off. Now all I need is a compressor.

Ryan,

What compressor are you considering?
The Thayer & Chandler one that Badger has on their website is a good unit and it is real quiet. They are selling a remanufactured one with a 6 month warranty for $99. http://www.badger-airbrush.com/garagesale.htm

Mike

Well Ryan funny you should mention that....

if you don't want to spend a lot of money and a little noise every 15 min or so isn't gonna bother you you can go to Lowe's and get their 2.0 gal tank compressor for about $70 dollars... I have one and it works good... comes with the regulator etc... all you need is a water trap and you're set! (especially if you buy the Anthem/Crescendo set with the hoses) typically what I do is fill her up and turn the switch off and it's good for an easy 20 or so minutes of brushing... (total, so if you spray a little, pause etc... it will last a lot longer) Turn her on, let it run until full then repeat... usually I refill after spraying a coat because I would just be sitting there idle anyway...

If you want a quieter compressor, I am sure someone else can recommend a good modelling type compressor... I have seen some names tossed around but haven't really paid attention because I am happy with the one I have... (the lowes model) If you have kids or do your modelling later at night you might consider one of these...

go to harbourfreight.com and get a cheap $69 or lowes and get an industrial with a pressure gague.

I personally prefer the anthem, and how it tears down within a minute [for me] and assembles within 3. it also comes with a rubber trigger guard, rocks. very high quality and performance, the first time i used it at 25 psi it already got lines much finer than my aztek with the fine nozzle.

Well there Mike goes again posting as I post haha... for the extra 20 bucks the reduced noise might be nice... I am saving for an add on to the house so I just got one that did what I needed...

Later on I will look into quieter... (although the look on the wifes' face at 3am when the compressor kicks in is priceless haha)

QUOTE: Originally posted by 1337 it also comes with a rubber trigger guard, rocks.

oh yeah Mr. Smarty Pants... I found my trigger guard too.... they hid it in one of the spray bottles... I had one color in one, my tips in the other so went for the thrid and what do you think fell out????? my little rubber thingy for the trigger... I put that thing on and LOVE it now!!!

And funny you should mention the one at Lowe's tho9900, I have been looking at it for a while now. And no, I don't have to worry about kids, I'm only 14! I think I will get it. And yes, I have to blow all my money on these items, but I think it is worth it.

QUOTE: Originally posted by TAG_LK And no, I don't have to worry about kids

but... parents? think of their angry faces at 3am when you can't sleep and decide to paint! Just a thought haha

I'm a lucky kid with great parents. My mom is a night shift nurse at the ER, and my dad is a firefighter, who works 24 hour shifts. So, I just wait till they are at work and I can paint to my heart's content at 3 am! But then there is my 18 yr old brother, who is in training to be a firefighter.....

QUOTE: Originally posted by TAG_LK I'm a lucky kid with great parents. My mom is a night shift nurse at the ER, and my dad is a firefighter, who works 24 hour shifts. So, I just wait till they are at work and I can paint to my heart's content at 3 am! But then there is my 18 yr old brother, who is in training to be a firefighter.....

I guess the only question you have to ask yourself..... is "Can I whip him?" hahah... or better yet... "Can I run faster than him?"

Believe me... my wife is working on her second black belt... there's times I feel like tiptoe'ing around so as not to upset her... (just a few)

But I do one last fillup on the compressor before she goes to bed and hope it lasts as long as I do... you could always get one of those "air pik" tanks and fill it for a reserve for those nights when brother is in bed early... 10 gallons at 180PSI will last awhile... they're about 30 dollars or so...

QUOTE: Originally posted by tho9900 QUOTE: Originally posted by TAG_LK I'm a lucky kid with great parents. My mom is a night shift nurse at the ER, and my dad is a firefighter, who works 24 hour shifts. So, I just wait till they are at work and I can paint to my heart's content at 3 am! But then there is my 18 yr old brother, who is in training to be a firefighter..... I guess the only question you have to ask yourself..... is "Can I whip him?" hahah... or better yet... "Can I run faster than him?"

Run faster, deffinently. Ever heard of a 14 yr old who is stronger than a firefighter? it could be possible, especially since he is still in training.

tho, why didn't you look at the bottles after you bought the 175??

I still like the guy's [forgot who] post that went something like this...

The look on my wife's face when the compressor clicks on at 3am is priceless

most oil-lubed compressors will have a lower pitched hum (with resonance though) rather than the scream of oilless compressors. The people in my house can't tell the difference between my compressor's sound (top floor) and the dehumidifier on the bottom floor. When it turns on, it only runs for 15 seconds to refill the 2.6 gallon tank.

QUOTE: Originally posted by 1337 tho, why didn't you look at the bottles after you bought the 175?? I still like the guy's [forgot who] post that went something like this... The look on my wife's face when the compressor clicks on at 3am is priceless

haha that'd be me... :) ::looking at power switch on compressor now, thinking it's time she got up anyway::

I've used the bottles... and I like them, it's just the cup is easier for most jobs as it's small and easy to clean... I save the bottles for the bigger jobs

I bought a 20 gal CO2 can. Thats the way to go!!! Its under abotu 3000 psi , but doesnt make a sound. I bought a special regulator for it that can let out up to 150 psi on demand and has a second gauge for the amount left in the tank.... I use it for both my T-shirt shop and my models. Tee's take alot of air and find myself refilling every couple of days (thank god not in the middle of business.. I been lucky). My models take far less then the tee's. Soon I will be upgrading to 2 40 gal tanks for work and keeping the 20 gal at home for my hobbies, and the wife has no clue when I do anything now... which is far better . If ya can do it I would suggest that route I am very happy I did.

I have the Badger 175 Cresendo it has different needles and tips.. medium and fine are what I have.. I also have the Badger Universal 360 which is basicly the same as the 155 except that the color cup can be siphon or gravity feed.. they break down similar but the 360 is a touch easier to clean. I still use my 175 mainly for single color coverages... I find the 360 to be much more usefull it has a smaller spray pattern.. only 1 type of needle and I seem to be able to use it a little better and feel I have more control over it.

just my 2 cents worth but if price isn't too big a concern go with the 155 I think its the better of the two for model building.