Iwata CS vs Iwata C

i have the iwata HP-C and the HP-CS and the HP-CS is an excellent airbrush right out of the box!! the HP-C is a little on the finicky side for model paints due to the .3mm needle/nozzle size. the HP-CS has the .35mm n/n combo and works beautifully. good luck, later.

I assume that you are talking about the Iwata Eclipse HP-xx series. There is a pretty good description of the Iwata HP-CS at http://www.iwata-medea.com/products/airbrush/eclipse/hpcs_info.jsp. A description of the HP-C+ is here: http://www.iwata-medea.com/products/airbrush/performance/hpc_info.jsp. I believe that the HP-C is fairly similar to the HP-C+.

I personally use the HP-CS and have been very satisfied with it. It can spray fine lines, is easy to clean, and is reasonably priced (about $120 US). Although I have not used them, many others on the forum also say that some of the Badger airbrushes also work very well and generally are a little bit cheaper than the Iwata's.

Based on what I have read on the forum, you would probably be happy with whatever Iwata, Badger, or Omni airbrush best meets your price, nozzle size, and paint capacity needs.

yeah, the badger 100 LG is a really good airbrush, if you do get it i suggest the medium tip. The badger 155 is also wonderful, really fast cleaning, good fine line, and 1 needle nozzle for everything. If you must go iwata, go hp-cs for modeling. model paints work better thru larger needle/nozzles

not sure why everyone is so down on the .3mm nozzle size.

Two got the .3mm nozzle and the other has a .2mm nozzle, no probs using Gunze, Tamiya or Alclad paints with them.

thats very interesting Model Museum, i just can't seem to get the model paints ( i use MM enamel and some tamiya acrylic) to spray a consistant fine line when using the .3mm n/n, but the general spray is okay. what is your thinning ratio when doing fine lines? heck, i thinned mine down to about 70% thinner to 30% paint and still couldn't get a good consistant fine line. probably operator error, but please elaborate because inquiring minds would like to know!! later.

I thin mine 50/50.

Granted the paint finish has improved with my new compressor, seems to give a steadier flow of air than my old noise-maker(also costs 3-times as much).

i normally keep a biggish paper-palette handy where I adjust the line width and do testing till I am satisfied with the mix, prior to spraying on the model.
Also my paints/thinner tend to be fairly fresh as I get them send from japan directly, not sure about MM paints never used them.

I've been using an HP-CS since June of 2003, and haven't looked back since. It does everything I need it to. Easy cleaning and always reliable (provided you keep it clean).

Hey MM - I'm in need of a new compressor. What are you using? I don't mind spending money if it does what I want.

stinger

QUOTE: Originally posted by stinger Hey MM - I'm in need of a new compressor. What are you using? I don't mind spending money if it does what I want.

Not sure under what name it will be sold overseas, I think in the US it is called the Iwata "Power Jet". Atleast the specs & looks are nearly identical.

Very happy with it, need to remind myself to switch it off as it is VERY quiet.

I also got my old compressor which is more like the Iwata "Sprint Jet", which I now use as a backup.

Like model Museum, I too use the HP-C. Partnered with my Revolution HP-CR, It's all I use for tight blend demarcation lines (free-hand) for camo work on my 1/72nd scale jets. With thouroughly mixed MM enamels, strained (preferalbly) and thinned at 50:50, the HP-C produces excellently fine atomized spray lines ideal for this task. I adjust my compressor to approx. 10 psi. Maintainence and clean-up is a breeze, haven't replaced anything since I purchased it over 9 years ago!

A tip for paint prep using the HP-C:

Because the HP-C has a smaller .3mm nozzle, it sprays thinner fluids best, per it's design. For this, I have found that shaking, mixing, and stirring the MM enamels greatly reduce, if not eliminate the chances of clogs through the small nozzle. I have over the years had excellent results with a thinner called T.R.P.S. (Turpinetine Replacement Paint Solvent) available at home stores in the paint department. T.R.P.S. thins MM enamels seemingly better and more thouroughly than its house thinner. T.R.P.S. also seems keep the the enamels pigment and binder suspended far better for good coverage dispite it's thinner mix ratio. The resulting spray characteristics are awesome, producing extremely fine paint atomization with no clogs. This translates to beautiful fine line demarcation. Give it a shot!

Ok, not exactly using a HP-C, made by the same guys though my brushes are more on the high-end side(MAC, etc).

Agree with what was said above about the mixing, I use one of those battery powered stirrers and try not to use older paints(ie those that have been sitting on the shelf for some time).

Thanks MM - Quiet is indeed what I need! I'll look it up through Iwata and see what they offer. I believe I've seen that model before.

PlasticMod - Thanks for the tip on thinning. I'll give it a try.

stinger

Stinger,

I believe the Badger Million-Air as well as the Silentaire 20A are the same unit as that Iwata. They are all made by Werther.

Mike

QUOTE: Originally posted by MikeV I believe the Badger Million-Air as well as the Silentaire 20A are the same unit as that Iwata. They are all made by Werther.

Wouldn't surprise me at all.
Seen so many compressors/aibrushes/etc that are sold under different names by different makers, when the only difference is really just the cover or the body color.

I believe that Iwata compressor is a oiless twin piston model. Bear air and dixieart have it on sale for $299 right now. I think Bear air even includes a peak x-5 airbrush with it.
John

I use a blu-mini compressor. I towrks OK I think...

After having seen the diff. between oiless and an oil compressor, noise differences and experienced the diff between a compressor with tank and one without tank I do not regret the price-tag on my new Compressor.

While me old compressor is still functioning I will still use it till it dies it's natural death, still a good compressor but can't hold a candle to it's newer and naturally more expensive brethren.

With a bit of luck my current set of AB and Compressor will last me quiet a few years.

What I am trying to say is that using a good Airbrush with a cheap Compressor is like putting a Fiat 500 engine into a Porsche and thinking that the performance will be the same, especially for fine work.

Thanks again MM, and thanks MikeV for the info. I'll check those out too.

MM - I like your comparison re: good A/B's and bad comp's. I had been using my work compressor (a Bostich, used for airnailing [I know]), and it finally (perhaps thankfully) bit the dust. Can't wait to get something geared for it's intended purpose. You really have me going now.

stinger

stinger.

If you are interested I can send you some pics of my setup.
Went a bit overboard and got lots of goodies(inline filters, spiral hoses, etc) both for spraying and cleaning the brushes.

Can have the pics over to you by tomorrow.

thank plasticmod! I'm gonna try that too... I have some of the turpentine substitue thinner... never thought of using it for enamels... always used it for brush cleaning and oil thinning... gonna try a shot in my Badger 175 and if it flows good gonna put it through my 155...

MM - Yeah Man, I'd love to see the pics of your setup.

Email me at stng955@cs.com

Thanks,

stinger

QUOTE: Originally posted by stinger MM - Yeah Man, I'd love to see the pics of your setup.

I got some shots taken and will send the mail and pics out a bit later, still got a few family commitments to attend,

Plasticmod992,

Your posting on the C caught my eye. I initiall bought a C then read that it wasn't useful for the heavier pigments used by modelers. I then went out and bought a CS and have been trying to perfect my airbrush skills. The C is still a virgin in the box. I liked your idea about TRPS and will try that. I was wondering how successful you have been shooting acrylics with the C. If you have a technique that will work, I would like to hear it.

Thanks,

Chuck B.

man, i've searched my area over and have yet to find a product called T.R.P.S.!!! i'd love to try it, but i can't find it!! i picked up a quart of Turpenoid Substitute Solvent thinking it may be the same product under a different name, and enamels don't even mix with it!! i wish i could find some TRPS though, just so i could try it with the HP-C. also, after experimenting with using rolled Blue Tak as a soft mask for camo patterns, i may not do too many more free hand camo jobs. the soft mask looks very realistic IMO. if you got good at the soft mask technique, you could get good camo schemes with nearly any airbrush. later.

Saltydog,

In my quest for airbrush perfection I am willing to try anything.

I finally found T.R.P.S last night at Menards Home Center. I also found it at Ace Hardware but they only had 1 gal. containers. Didn't want to buy that much until I was sure that this was gonna work. Anyway, Menards had the smaller containers so I picked one up and will try it later. T.R.P.S is by the Sunnyside brand. T.R.P.S. is also branded as a Turpinetine substitute. The Turpenoid that I found at Hobby Lobby is also branded as a Turpinetine substitute. I tried a little bit in my C and it seemed like it didn't want to mix with the MM enamel paint. I don't know if they are the same. I guess I can compare labels but they are both downstairs and I am not so I can try checking on that later. I have not yet tried the T.R.P.S but intend on doing a little experimenting later tonight as soon as the Holiday decorations are up.

Also, does anyone out there with a C think that the preset handle is useful. My fingers are not that good yet with a double action brush to get consistent control and I was thinking that this might help. My C also doesn't have a cutout handle but my CS does. That is one feature that I like. I see that I can get another handle with a cutout for my C or at least see if the CS handle will fit on the C. I would think that they might be the same size.

Later

Chuck B

isn't trps in that milk container like thing?

1337,

Are you thinking of tri sodium phosphate? That's a cleaner that is in crystal form which comes in a milk container type thing. It is good for cleaning wood but I wouldn't want to put it in my paint ;-) T.R.P.S is already a liquid that comes in a can. Like I said in my previous post, Sunnyside markets all kinds of paint products that are available in Illinois. So far, they are the only one I've fond that make a product known as T.R.P.S.

Now back to my Holiday decorations.

Oh i must have had them confused