First airbrush purchase - specific advice request

Here's my 2¢ worth:

I would get the Badger 100LG for general and detail work. The gravity fed design allows for fine lines and the color cup is large enough for most solid areas. If you want to get an AB strictly for detail work, then I would look at the 200-20. Shares the same head as the 100LG, but not needle. It comes with the PPS paint measuring system that takes the guess work out of keeping lines the same size. In the interest of disclosure I own both of those brushes, as well as a Badger 150. The 100LG does just about anything I'm capable of doing, and a whole lot more!

For a quiet compressor, you will need to look at some pretty serious dough $200 to $300. The Silentaire I-C is pretty good, check out Dixie Art.

If you really want silent, get a CO2 tank. You'll have to get it refilled, but it's no louder than hissing gas.

There is nobody who wishes to support the LHS more than me, but please price it out both ways. The money you save on the compressor and airbrush will let you buy lots and lots of kits and paints at the LHS.

I currently own a Thayer and Chandler/Badger Omni 3000 and a Badger Crescendo 175. I love them both. Sure I wanted a super sweet Iwata, but with 2 kids and mortgage, I had to settle. I'm glad I did. The 175 cost me 60$ 8 years ago and the 3000 cost 125$ (Ebay) with a footswitch operated compressor (Yuck!). Both have been great tools. Save yourself some heartache and go ahead and pre-order some spare parts when you do purchase your A/B. Get a spare needle, tips, springs, etc. and keep them in a plastic tool box.

I have mulled over the idea of using compressed air from a SCBA tank. I get these cylinders all the time at work. Not quite sure about refitting the valves and such though. These hold around 3100 psi each. Gotta research this more.

SST

My personal choice was a Thayer & Chandler Omni 4000. Double action, can be easily used for both broad coverage and very fine detail (lines to 1/32 inch), no needle or head changes for fine work, plenty of capacity (but will also accept very small amounts of paint), gravity fed, very easy to clean.

That being said, I also second the above recommendations. See if you can find a place to try out several.

As for an air source, another approach is to adapt a large cylinder (carbon dioxide, scuba, whatever) to a noiser compressor. Fill the tank at a time when the noise from the compressor is  acceptable, then close the line to the compressor. When ready to paint, open the line to the air brush. This is the arrangement I have, using a large former oxygen tank as my storage container. I can run the airbrush continuously at 10 to 15 psi for nearly an hour.

If you put a noisier compressor inside a vented, padded (open and closed cell foam lined) box, it will cut the noise tremendously. 

If you really want silent, get a CO2 compressor.

CO2 compressor?  Bill, what am I gonna do with you? ;) 

Well, you've got to have some way of squeezing the CO2 into the tank!

Of course I meant CO2 TANK! I'll edit my post now, and try to erase all traces.

 

Bgrigg wrote:

Well, you've got to have some way of squeezing the CO2 into the tank! Of course I meant CO2 TANK! I'll edit my post now, and try to erase all traces.

For the AB stick with the Iwata CS or the Badger 100LG. I use a CO2 tank and couldn't be happier. It is silent. Requires no power. Can be used anywhere. Is very portable. Needs no water trap because the CO2 has no moisture to form water drops. I refill it about once a year for $14. You will need to get a regulator for it. I originally went to an auction and bought an oxygen tank with a regulator that had been used for welding. I paid $25. I took it to a company that sold gasses and traded the Oxygen tank for a CO2 tank and used the regulator that came with the oxygen tank. A 20 lbs tank is a good size. Other gasses can be used such as nitrogen but each has its own issues. CO2 stays at about 800 lbs pressure in the tank and is a liquid. Nitrogen is about 3000 lbs in the tank and is a compressed gas and not a liquid. As you use nitrogen the pressure slowly, very slowly drops as you use it until it gets to 0 lbs. As you use CO2 the gas leaves the tank. The liquid CO2 in the tank boils off at room temp and replaces the used gas. This way the pressure stays constant, about 800 psi, until all the liquid is gone.

GET the Iwata. THE LG is not a baginner brush. Go siphon for now. learn the whys and where fors then go with an lg or something better? I gottem all, Badger is a good brush. Iwata is better, and so it go's.

Here is my opinion on advice...

Go to a LHS and "sample" the different brushes, borrow a friends brush, read reviews, do research...

All this guys on this forum are very experienced and know a lot about these kind of things, but the are just giving their opinions.  Kind of like the Ford is better than Toyota argument.

Sure soak in this advice, but do your own testing.  An airbrush is probably the single most important tool effecting the outcome of your model.  Get one you are happy with... 

I have mulled over the idea of using compressed air from a SCBA tank. I get these cylinders all the time at work. Not quite sure about refitting the valves and such though. These hold around 3100 psi each. Gotta research this more. SST

Scuba tanks work well but they don't have the volume for long spraying times like C02, of course if you are getting them from work then go for it.

I am sure you can spray quite a few models before it loses pressure.

 

IYAAYAS wrote:

All this guys on this forum are very experienced and know a lot about these kind of things, but the are just giving their opinions.  Kind of like the Ford is better than Toyota argument.

C'mon everybody knows Toyotas are better than Fords any day of the week.

SST

I want to thank everyone for their input and help. I decided to try some out at local HS and then purchase from them... Im lucky in that the 2 near me, their prices are within 10$ of DixieAir, and I rather give them the business. Although DixieAir has a tempting deal of a sprintjet compressor and Eclipse CS combo for about 330$ (I think) shipped....

I will also go with the CO2 compresso..er...tank ;)  Cant get any more silent than that! Once I remodel our basement, I may setup a proper spraybooth and compressor gig, probably the SprintJet...

Also decided to get 2 ABs; a single action (Paschee H probably) for large surfaces (hulls, airframes), Future and Alclad spraying, and a double-action for other painting (will only use enamels for now). I figure the learning curve will be different for single AND double action, so may as well start learning to use a double now than get used to a single and then re-learn again.

Thanks again.....

 

I tell ya, JMart, you're gonna have a rough time shoving full size CO2 into that tank!

I hear you can shrink them down with a bucket of steam.

Nice to see the LHS come so close to the online stores. 

Yes, the ABs are within 10$ of online (one badger version was even 5$ cheaper than DixieAir).
problem is compressors... they are 50-80$ over online prices (Im still deciding Co2 or air compressor with tank). two online "bundles" currently online:

DixieAir: Iwata Studio Series Smart Jet Compressor + Iwata Eclipse CS Airbrush + some starter junk: $330 (I would still need extra needles, lube, the hose)

AirBrush Depot: Eclipse CS Airbrush, Braided Airhose + ABD TC-20T Air Compressor with Air Tank for $310

very tempting, as both those compressors are supposed to be quiet(er)... but I need a spray booth first.... Artograph 1530 seems to be it for now... again, thanks for all your "AB posts", I found many, learned a lot!