Airbrush recommendations

Well as far as if it is worth repairing it may be something simple to something more difficult... and depending if it is single or double action. You can contact Badger and see if it is worth repairing at:

Phone (800)AIR-BRUSH or (800)247-2787
Phone (847)678-3104

But, if you don't still have all the hoses etc.. for about 50 to 65 dollars at www.dixieart.com you can get a complete badger set with the hoses, paint bottles, cups etc. There are different airbrushes different folks will recommend for ya here on the forum... all of them are good.

Omni 4000 - recommended by quite a few!
Badger 100, 200,155, 175 ---the same (I use both the 175 and the 155) the 155 is a breeze to clean!!!!!
Iwata HP-CS, HP-CR costs more but a very fine brush!
Paasche VL - a good brush I have heard

Try going to dixieart.com and looking at the different brushes... and I am sure some people will recommend more in the same thread... I think you could be happy with any of them...

That pretty much said it all. They don't wear out, so it's probably just plugged up with 25 year old paint. You can try soaking the needle and nozzle in laquer thinner for a few days and see if that opens things up. If not, needles and nozzles aren't expensive for Badgers.

oh yeah... you can read all about the benefits/bad sides of both enamel and acrylic in this topic:

http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=26746

Personally I swing both ways... for flats and satin finishes I have no problem using acrylics (such as most WWII aircraft) but for glosses I have gone back to enamels after getting my Badger 155... the cleanup is TOO easy (can give you a link on that too if ya want, how to clean either a gravity feed or siphon feed airbrush) enamels seem (to me) to do better for the gloss coats.... just my opinion...

P.S. have you read the section about using future floor wax on canopies and before you decal? Being new back into modeling myself it was a shock to me too... here it is: (and it really does work, especially on canopies!!!)

http://www.finescale.com/fsm/community/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=7824

Welcome to the forum sfwong!

You'll find many different takes on the best airbrush on this forum, and all I can add is my own experience.

I run a Badger 200 single action AB, a good brush to start with, as it is easy to clean and use, it's what I started with.

My main AB is an Omni 4000 double action, which many others here use. It's an excellent balance of usability, cost and performance, as I am sure many others will attest to.

Having said that you won't go far wrong with any Badger AB, as they are a good price, with readily available spares.

Karl

There are in reality only a few makers for airbrushes, don't be fooled by the names many Airbrushes come from the same factory.
Example:
BB Rich makes airbrushes for Tamiya, Gunze Sangyo, Iwata, Olympus, etc.
And, yes, their parts are often interchangeable.

Personally, I would save up a bit of cash and buy one of the top-end airbrushes right-off.
Too many people happilly spend $150 on a Kit, but squirm when they have to fork out $80 or more for an Airbrush.

Get a cheap airbrush and for the most part it will perform on a lower level than a top-end airbrush.

Apart from that see if you can hold and try as many airbrushes prior to making up your mind which one to buy, a good airbrush alone won't deliver a good paintjob a LOT also depends on the person using it and how comfortable that person is with his airbrush.

Like many I have gone through a selection of airbrushes prior to setling on my current setup and don't plan from changing from it.

HTH.

And if you might like smaller cups on gravity feeds, Omni 5000 is a small cup, but holds more paint than an Iwata hp-bs.

Paasche VJR is so small & smooth inside that it is ideal for tiny jobs where you want to do almost no airbrush cleaning afterwards. I use a microbrush with the head cut off on this airbrush to plug the pinhole paint feed in the cup. This way, it has never been easier to thin paint right there in the airbrush. Plug the paint feed hole, put in the paint & thinner, twist a stick in it to stir it up, pull the plug and start airbrushing.

I recommend the badger 155 if you like siphon feed, the badger 100 if you like gravity feed, and if you want something from the factory [now i know it's bb rich] i recommend, along with many people, the iwata eclipse cs or the revolution cr.

Thank you to everyone who replied. I will check out all the recommendations.

Thanks

Iwata HP-CS or the HP-CR....................wouldn't have it no other way!!!! later.

The hp-cs is the best thing thats happened to my modeling since the invention of no. 11 blades! Anything Iwata HIGHLY recomended!

I use a badger also. I started with an Omni 4000g (which I still have but it has found a new job) and have moved up to the Badger 360. For me its a bit more challaenge to clean the the Omni but depending on what I need it can be used as gravity or siphon. Its best when shooting hair, to moderate lines but dont care for its wide open charateristics (sp).
I now have 2 Ab's for modeling, one will make Salty very happy. Can you say RG-3 from Iwata. I use it only to shoot broad patterns like gloss blask for Alclad2 then the Alclad itslef. Any and all fine to moderate work is done by the 360.
Those are the 3 brushes I would have you look at friend.
-Jeff

QUOTE: Originally posted by woodbeck3 I use a badger also. I started with an Omni 4000g (which I still have but it has found a new job) and have moved up to the Badger 360. For me its a bit more challaenge to clean the the Omni but depending on what I need it can be used as gravity or siphon. Its best when shooting hair, to moderate lines but dont care for its wide open charateristics (sp).

That's about what I do with my 155 and 175, Jeff... the 155 is great for close in work but it seems to rather lacking in broad coverage at 1/48 scale. So I have taken up switching off to the 175 for that, which works like a charm! I am about to get me one of those T adapters so I dont have to switch the hose and all...

QUOTE: Originally posted by woodbeck3 Can you say RG-3 from Iwata. I use it only to shoot broad patterns like gloss blask for Alclad2 then the Alclad itslef.

RG-3? You are painting models not full-size cars.

Mike

damn i want an rg3!! then again, I don't need one. I recommend you take a look at the badger 155

Heh Mike it paints a 2 inch wide fan pattern no prob (only cost me $35 bucks from a buddy here in Anahiem, couldnt pass sit up). I am pleased with its chara. in broad coverage, besides its the mini gun not the 400 .