Airbrushes: Recommendations

I'll recommend two comapnies that are now one in the same who produce top of the line aibrushes for great prices, Badger, and Thayer and Chandler. I currently have a Vega by T&C and I love it!

Badger, Thayer and Chandler, Iwata and Paasche are all good companies... I can't help you with a recommendation on the Paasche though, I was interested in the Millenium many moons ago but couldn't find anyone on here that used it... I do believe one or two have mentioned the VLSPRO in a positive light though.

this link might help get a better eye as to what to look for in an airbrush:

http://www.craigcentral.com/models/ab.asp

Thanks for the feedback guys - much appreciated!

Here in Australia Paasche seem to be the go - and the easiest to get parts for.

I'd still be keen to hear from anyone who has a prefence on the Millenium or VLSTPRO.

Thanks!

Anthony - if you're in Aus and you want something really cheap but usable and you're not fussed about having a "brand name" unit, have a look at my mini-review of a "no-name" Badger 150 clone here .

I haven't used the brush extensively yet, but my short test was promising, and for $30 (Aus) it was a great price for a double-action brush.

BTW: This is the same brush that can be found listed on Evil-Bay as an "AB-128"

Thanks Phil_h,

To be honest the money isn't a big issue - I'd much rather pay a bit more for better quality.

There's a model expo this weekend so I'm going to head off to that and speak to a few other people to get their opinion!

Thanks,

The VLSTPRO is a updated version of the time tested (and proven) Paasche VL. I have a VLS (one step down from the VLSTPRO) and it's been great. They are very versatile airbrushes. They'll do great for almost all modelling applications. They are not, however, detail brushes. Don't expect super thin hair lines out of it-- especially not without a lot of practice. You can get very thin lines, but not the same as you can with a dedicated detail airbrush. If you can, get the set with multiple tip/needle fittings. I believe the VLSTPro set comes with the number 3 and 5 - which will do for most jobs. The no 1 is very small and I've heard of people having problems with acrylics clogging it-- it's made for very thin solvent based paints. I do almost everything with the #3 - so if you don't get a set that has both the 3 and the 5, I'd recommend the 3.

Anthony I have the Paasche Millenium. its a siphon feed and pretty good. to be honest, I don't use it much these days, switched to gravity feed ABs because they are easier to clean and I can spray at lower PSI's with them, but the Paasche is a nice AB.

That would be my one complaint with the Paasche VLS - you need to use a few more PSI than gravity fed brushes. It's quite a pig when it comes to air use. The typical little tankless airbrush compressor (like that Testor's blue thing and the like) will pulse with them. Had I to do it again I would have gotten a gravity feed.