Airbrush for a beginner???

I got my first airbrush a month ago, a Badger 100LG. I assume you already know your brands and choices, but just in case, here...Paasche...Most of their ab's have plastic handles, which annoys me a lot...

Badgers are American made and all of them are completely metal, except the very low line ones, such as a 350. They have a single action series, the 200NH Siphon feed, 200G with color cups, 200SG with a tiny paint reserviour, and the 200-20 Detail Siphon or color cups. It you want a well made easy to use brush, get a single action.

 Double action allows you to control air flow AND paint volume. They are generally more expensive, less simplistic, and have a steeper learning curve, but you'll probably eventually upgrade from single to double action anyway. Double action Badgers: 150 and 100 series: 150 is the siphon fed version of the 100 series. 100's come as the 100LG, with a large color cup, 100G with a smaller color cup, 100SG with a tiny paint reserviour again, and the 100 Side feed models.

I don't know much about Iwatas, but everything I've heard about them is good. Thayer & Chandler is a division off Badger I think. I've heard a few good things about RichPen AB's, but I think you'll find that getting replacement parts for either Badger or Paasche is the easiest.

Links:

www.badgerairbrush.com

 www.paascheairbrush.com

 www.iwata-medea.com 

www.bearair.com

 www.dixieart.com

 

First, I suggest you do an extensive search of this portion of the forum. There's a ton of information on the subject, and it seems that someone asks similar questions quite frequently.

Airbrushing is half technology and two thirds art—just do the math…

Two very basic tips:

Learn how to disassemble and clean the thing without damaging it. Airbrushes are precision instruments, and they have delicate parts. Practice taking it apart and putting it back together. Work over a resilient surface so that when  you drop something, there's less chance of damage.

Practice, practice, practice. Then practice some more. The learning curve is steep at first, but stick with it. After twenty years of experience, you'll still be learning.

Recommendations: Double action—Thayer & Chandler Omni 4000. Single action—Paasche H. A double action is a little harder to start on, but not enough so to remove it from consideration. The main advantage of the Paasche H is that its parts are a little harder to damage while cleaning. These are my two personal choices, (I own one of each.) and I'm sure others will chime in with as good or better ones (Mike V, paging Mike V and other airbrush gurus. You are needed in the Painting and Airbrush section!)

I also recommend that you start with acrylics, because that simplifies cleaning enormously. 

---

Responding to Ben: Yes, Thayer and Chandler is now owned by Badger and are available from Bear-Air and Dixie Art, as well as direct.

My two cents:

If you truly are a beginner, I would suggest a single action airbrush. The 200 series Badgers make some very nice brushes. I own the 200-20 which is a siphon fed "detail" brush. The 200G is also a nice gravity fed. 

If you wish to take it to the next level, the Badger 100G or LG (small or large color cup) double action are excellent brushes (very similar to the Omni 4000 Ross mentioned, and made by the same manufacturer).

All are available from either Dixie Art or Bear Air. All made in the US and backed by a company that understands customer satisfaction! 

I ended up with four brushes, three of which are Badgers:

1. 200-20 single action siphon fed.
   
2. 150 double action siphon fed.
3. 100LG double action gravity fed.
4. No-Name external action gravity fed (under $10 at places like Harbor Freight, good for flood coating Future only really.

The nice thing about the first three is they share the same head assembly, and the 150/100 share everything but the actual body. The fourth was so cheap I consider it a disposable, and only give it a fast cleanup.