Need help picking a new airbrush

Welcome to the Forum.

Paasche H Set comes in at the lower end of your price range. Although single action external mix unit, it can paint a pretty narrow line. Quite sufficient I think for 1/48 A/C. The Set comes with three tips, although unless you need a wide enough pattern to varnish a table, you can usually stay with the small tip. It's rugged, easy to ease, and clean up. I use mine for acrylic painting, clear coats, and with the large tip for varnishing.

I also have Badger 200 NH, a single action version of their Anthem 155. A darned fine brush which I use for all my enamel painting. I would recommend it but the way pricing usually seems to fall out, I would probably recommend either the Paasche H Set for low end pricing, or a double action Badger such as the 100 for higher end pricing.

A lot of people do like Azteks, but I have been down on them ever since mine died for no apparent reason. I followed all the cleaning and care instruction to the letter, and it stopped working after painting only a few models. They did fix the thing per warranty, but during the three week turnaround, I bought the Badger and have never looked back.

Whichever air-brush you look to get, I recommend DixieArt.com. They have really good prices, before Katrina they were always quite reliable and it looks as though they're getting on their feet again, and could probably use all the support they can get.

Andy

I agree with Andy's choices... a lot would depend on the type of 1/48 aircraft you like to model as well... if you like the Luftwaffe stuff with the squiggles and such you'd do good with the 100LG, otherwise the Badger 155 and Thayer and Chandler Omni 4000 are nice brushes too. The Omni is gravity fed so is a bit easier to clean and can do a little better detail than the 155 which is siphon fed.

If it were me and I was looking in that price range... either the 100LG with a fine and medium tip/needle combo, or the Omni4000 would be my pics... (have become partial to gravity fed brushes after I made the switch to it myself)

50- 80? How about the hp-bcs and hp-cs type brushes from Iwata? They are really great. Or are those above 80? Not sure. But the badger 155 is another brush I use which is extremely good.

thank you all for your suggestions. Are any of these airbrushes compatable with a Testors compressor?

If it ain't a Badger, it ain't worth owning.

Mike

QUOTE: Originally posted by R Bolton thank you all for your suggestions. Are any of these airbrushes compatable with a Testors compressor?

As long as your compressor has a pressure regulatore and supplies moisture-free air, the airbrush doesn't care. They all have similiar air flow and pressure requirements. You might need a fitting or two to connect up the hose, or maybe it all connects as is. What model of compressor is it?

I switched from an Aztek to a Badger Anthem and never had problems with it. The Anthem offers lot of value for the dollar and is a simple design so nothing should go wrong. I think my dealer had it ordered for me for less that $80.

In the world of Airbrushing the Aztek is the equivalent of the East German Trabant car-it works as advertised but please, please don't use it. Mine was blown apart at the seams by the air pressure from the compressor.

Any Badger or a Paasche should make you very happy.

For an affordable, beautiful compressor go to a hardware store or an auto supply store. Never buy dedicated modeling compressors, ever. The manufacturers sell them for 3x the price only because there's a "Testors" logo on the compressor.

Badger! Badger! Badger!

QUOTE: Originally posted by MikeV If it ain't a Badger, it ain't worth owning. Mike

But you can always steal an Iwata.

QUOTE: Originally posted by trowlfazz Badger! Badger! Badger!

Trowlfazz! Stop Badgering people! LOL

Seriously though, 5 years of service is lamentable. I have a Badger 150 that's at least four times that age (though I didn't own it all that time). I've heard of 30 year service from some people.

Badger, Paasche, Iwata, T&C, they're all good ABs. I like MonsterZero's analogy to the Trabant for the Aztek!

By the way, to the forums! Pull up a keyboard and stay a while.

Badger! Badger! Badger! Well...maybe Iwata-small cups though.

ahhh well. some folks just never learn... badgers are great brushes no doubt about it, but Iwtas are a notch above great whatever that is. Really great. Yeah. I love my Iwata.

I also own an Iwata (HP-CS) and while I agree they are nice I see nothing special about them.

Mike

I own both Iwata and Badger brushes... In some circumstances the Iwata has blown my socks off with its ability, in other circumstances the Badger does better. In my opinion they are both fine brushes...

Thank you all so much for your suggestions. I have decided to get the Badger 150. Again thank all of you.

Excellent choice! Very versatile indeed.

E

Out of all my Iwata's, there's one that stands out, lays down paint consistantly great everytime is...my single action Paasche H! Yeah the Iwatas are great, and I used to refer other modelers to them every chance I had, but I can't ignore its ease of use, user-friendliness, reliability, durability, maintainability (STUPID EASY!!), and consistant performance it offers. My Paasche H is the "old man" in my airbrush arsenal, and has nearly 100 models under it's belt, some of which have won awards, such as "Best Over-All Paint." What can I say, if the old "H" is good enough for renound modelers like FSM Senior Editor Paul Boyer and pro-modeler/ Author, Pat Hawkey, it's good enough for me! Go check out the Passche H. It's price is under $50, it can spray fine-line camo, sprays anything you can thin down, and it will likely live longer than you will with normal cleaning.

Greg, funny you should bring up the "H". I was doing some test spraying with my Crescendo last night and got a hair to pull out the Paasche. It's been a while and I was surprised by the spray pattern. It atomizes very well for an external mix, even better than my 350. As much as I like Badger, I must say I would not recommend the 350 over the Paasche H. The H is a very nice brush and I want to get the chrome counter weight handle to balance it out more. I've also recently ordered the counter balance for the Badger 150 from my LHS. I used to not believe in the balancing of an airbrush, but the Anthem made a believer out of me.

E

Yeah, E, I agree with you on the counter-balance handle. I originally purchashed the stubby chrome one per my wife's request (she's a modeler as well). I emmediately noticed the slight relief of fatige on my hand and wrist. So I bribed the wife to gain access to the old "H" for another go, and I then purchased the chrome standard length handle, and it was like I had a whole new airbrush..very comfortable to boot! The wife now jealous, made wise of my crafty deception, made me by her a shiny new Paasche for her birthday. Ofcourse now the daughter has cought the bug and is screaming for one of dad's Iwata's....arrrrghhh! Hey, what can i say, it keeps dinner on the table.
I do like the Badger 350 as well, and I to noticed the slight difference in atomization. I guess the folks in Chicago really know how to make a time-tested, quality tool! No disrespect to all the great airbrush manufactuers out there, ofcourse. So H3nav, what type of subjects do you model? I'm dead set on 1/72nd scale modern jets. (maybe thats a topic for the Aircraft forum).

1/48th aircraft are my absolute favorite, from WWII to present, although I have a good number of 1/32 Hasegawa, Revell, and Tamiya as well. And of course the Academy Hornet and Falcon, Trumpeter Hog, Lightning, and both Corsairs for good measure. Lots of airbrushing for my old age!

E