help me with a new airbrush

Welcome to the forum!!! Try this link - http://www.dixieart.com/AirbrFAQ.html

E

Elliott- great link! I added it to my bookmarks for just these sort of questions!

Wouter - if you want to do illustration the 100LG is the way to go. But instead of fine and large, Fine and Medium would be what you are looking for. Fine for the artwork, medium for the models. The large would be more for large surface covering (think advertising signs and the like)... the medium should be able to put enough paint out for ya for even larger models... if you have a specific thing in mind for the large then maybe all three needles and tips would be a smart idea.


as far as the numbers they don't denote one brush being better than another... I'm not sure what the trailing numbers are .. maybe they denote what they are used for, or maybe they are even just arbitrarily assigned?? I have both the 155 and the 175 and use both of them for different things. Neither is better than the other, just different I guess you could say...

Welcome home, Wouter, and one question : where do you live ? If it is in the New World, stick to an American airbrush. If you live in Europe, you could think of alternatives like an Harder & Steenbek Evolution Two in One, or a Gabbert Triplex, or even an Aerograph Super 63 or Super 93. Evolution, for instance, is a great airbrush. But if you live elsewhere, spare parts could be a problem, and if it is your first airbrush, avoid problems to concentrate on learning how to use the airbrush. I only wanted to talk of alternative, as Badger and T&C are great airbrushes too ( I don't like the grip of the 150, but this is very subjective )

3 replies in 12hours, this is nice ;-)

Torio,

I live in Europe, but the badger are used a lot over here. Some modelshops ONLY sell badger and my previous airbrush (badger 200) was bought in a shoppingcenter. So replacment parts for badger wouldn't be a problem. But i'm going to search for those you mentioned. The badgers if found were sold in modelshops and they have the nasty habbit of being really expensive. The 100LG was 188US$

I got a 100LG for 32 Euros on ebay, plus shipping; the guy said it was new, but I did not receive it yet, so I don't know. 188 USD is very expensive even if it comes from a shop and is absolutely new. You can find Evolution ( I insist on Two in One : 0.2 and 0.4 needles, 2 cc and 5 cc cups in the pack ) on ebay Germany ( new and unused) for around 100 Euros or at
http://www.obeeliks.com in Belgium, great shop and very nice people. But in the end, it's up to you to make decision; I don't know the 100LG so I bought one to try, but if you fall into addiction ( we are a few to suffer ) you'll find the opportunity to try/buy other models.
( in fact, I think I now own 17 airbrushes, please don't tell my shrink )

17 airbrushes!!! Holy crap... But I chekked you're link to obeeliks and the same airbrush is already 36€ cheaper and you get a airbrushholder. So I think I'll make a little trip to Antwerp one of these days....
Well ebay is indeed a cheap source of airbrushes, but i'll buy a new one.. just to be on the safe side.
That evolution 2 in 1 looks great to.... but I think I still go for the badger 100 because it's easier to the parts (only 15km away)

First thing, a part of new airbrushes on ebay are real new airbrushes, specially when they come from ebay shops ( instead of paying taxes and rent a place, you stay home and open a virtual shop ) There are fine and honest people and there are thiefs, feedback can be a good source of information.
Second thing, in this peculiar case, prices at Obeeliks are the same than on ebay so no need to go ebay if you can talk to real persons.
Third thing, I don't pretend to be any expert but I know a little the airbrushes ( stress on "little" seriously ) and I'd consider Evolution if I were you, specially the new Silverline (good grief, what am I doing with my three Evolutions now that I have seen the new ones ?...) as they are great airbrushes.
A little time ago, a chap here said he considered Evolutions as top airbrushes in the same range as Iwata Custom Microns and Sotars ( I don't remember if he mentioned Paasche ABs ) and I said that they were close in my opinion but a little in the second row. Afterthoughts, I think I was wrong and he was right. If they are on the second row, it must be dead heat.
Naturally, this only expresses my personal opinion.
Talk to the people at Obeeliks, they are VERY nice.

I have to add my $.02,

I have four airbrushes: two Iwata's a Peak and a Harder & Steenbeck Evolution.

My Iwata's are very nice but very expensive parts. If you want a Iwata HP-C go to Bearair and buy a Peak. It is around $89.00 and is a Iwata with a Peak name on the side. It is made by the same company that makes Iwata and all the parts are interchangable with both the C and CS. The Peak comes with a preset handle which is nice if you are just getting use to a double action brush.

If you really want a very nicer, slightly higher end airbrush, you have to take a good look at the Harder & Steenbeck Evolution, two in one. I live in Illinois and got mine in three days from Obeeliks. They have fantastic customer service and the whole thing, two needles and color cups came in three days for around $175.00 including shipping. Since I got my Evolution, I haven't touched my Iwata's. I like the H&S feels and the workmanship is fantastic.

Chuck B.