How many and what kind of Airbrushes do you own?

I'm soon to have five:

1. Badger 150, internal mix dual action siphon fed (my first AB)
2. Badger 100LG, internal mix dual action gravity fed (I actually will have two, one is a parts rig. I can't buy the individual parts for the price the garage sale offered!
3. Badger 200-20, internal mix single action siphon fed
4. Thayer & Chandler Omni 4000, internal mix dual action gravity fed
   
5. No-name (sold in the US by Harbor Freight, external mix single action siphon fed which is a clone of the Badger 350.

The first 3 share parts, the 100 & 150 differ only in the means of paint delivery, the 200 shares the needle and head assembly of the 100/150 series, though it uses a different needle (only in length!) and air valve.

My main rig right now is the 100LG, though I suspect the Omni 4000 will replace it if what I hear is true.

The 200-20 is my "detail" brush, as I can dial in the line thickness, and the single action makes it very easy to maintain that thickness.

The 150 is mostly retired now, unless I need to do a lot of solid color painting.

The no-name I use for my flood Future clear coats, and is considered a disposable brush if it ever gives me trouble. I continue to use it as it is very simple to clean. The only reason I bought it was I got a vinyl hose and a couple of extra bottles with it when it was on sale for cheaper than a "proper" vinyl hose was selling for!

I've thought about getting a manifold and having all my brushes hooked up, but it only takes a moment to switcht the brushes and so haven't bothered.

I "could" use only one brush (the 100LG or Omni 4000) for all my painting needs, but I'm a tool hog. I'm sure I won't stop with only five! 

At present I own a big fat   0.   

I have lots of paint brushes that I can wave in the air .  Do they count.........

PaPa-John

Lets see here are what I use.

Top to bottom:

Binks (single action)

Paasche H (single action)

Paasche VL (double action)

Iwata Revolution (double action)

Iwata Eclispe (double action)

I had 13 but sold the Iwata on the bottom left so now I have 12 with another eventually comming.

Left side top to bottom: Sotar 20/20, Badger 100LG, Omni 4000, Badger 360, Vega 1000, Eclipse HP-CS.

Right side top to bottom: Badger Anthem 155, Badger Hybrid 3155, Vega 2000, Omni 3000 "Scooter Shooter", Badger 150, Badger Crescendo, Badger 200-20

Fred,

Personally I doubt that HP-C will do any better for you than the HP-CS you already have, but I could be wrong. The HP-C is an illustration airbrush and is like the Badger 100LG, the HP-CS is more like the Omni 4000 and IMHO they are real close with similar needles.  

MikeV wrote:

Fred, Personally I doubt that HP-C will do any better for you than the HP-CS you already have, but I could be wrong. The HP-C is an illustration airbrush and is like the Badger 100LG, the HP-CS is more like the Omni 4000 and IMHO they are real close with similar needles.

Hey Mike,

I don't own an HP-CS.  I have an Eclipse BCS which is a bottom feed and a Revolution BR which is a gravity feed.  I find the Eclipse has better atomization than the Revolution, so I'm hoping the HP-C has the atomization of the Eclipse with the low pressure capability of the Revolution.

-Fred

Gigatron wrote:

MikeV wrote: Fred, Personally I doubt that HP-C will do any better for you than the HP-CS you already have, but I could be wrong. The HP-C is an illustration airbrush and is like the Badger 100LG, the HP-CS is more like the Omni 4000 and IMHO they are real close with similar needles.   Hey Mike, I don't own an HP-CS.  I have an Eclipse BCS which is a bottom feed and a Revolution BR which is a gravity feed.  I find the Eclipse has better atomization than the Revolution, so I'm hoping the HP-C has the atomization of the Eclipse with the low pressure capability of the Revolution. -Fred

Oops! My bad!

Did you get a good needle size for modeling paints? I know the HP-C can be equiped with a pretty fine needle and tip.  

JViguers wrote:

Why so many? Collection?

No, I have 12 arms.

Yes it is more of a collection.

No problem, Mike.  With the amount of equipment flying in this thread it's easy to confuse who has what

The HP-C comes with a .3mm tip.  I'd be interested to see if I can find a .2 or so that would fit. 

-Fred

OK, I'm confusing the daylights out of myself with all these part numbers. 

Just for the record, I own an Eclipse HP-BCS and a Revolution BR.  And last night I placed an order for an Eclipse HP-CS.

Why does Iwata have to have so many dang models with all almost identical part numbers .

-Fred

Gigatron wrote:

OK, I'm confusing the daylights out of myself with all these part numbers.  Just for the record, I own an Eclipse HP-BCS and a Revolution BR.  And last night I placed an order for an Eclipse HP-CS. Why does Iwata have to have so many dang models with all almost identical part numbers . -Fred

OK, that makes better sense. I would not buy an HP-C as that HP-CS will do all you will ever need.  

dirtball wrote:

At the moment I only have one. Its a PEAK X-3. I have very little experiance with AB, but this one is ok. Using it on my first build and its a learning experiance. I ordered a Omni 2000 and cant wait to try it. I bought it because of all the good feedback I got from you guys. So then I`ll have 2.  Cheers

Is that Peak a siphon-feed or gravity-feed?  

Dirtball,

I painted all these with one of the original Vega 2000 airbrushes. 

They are a nice airbrush.

JViguers wrote:

wow...u're damn good.

Thanks my friend. I wish I had the drive to be a better artist and pursue automotive airbrushing and snowboards, helmets, etc. There is good money to be made in that work.  

I have a Badger 155 Anthem that I use for large coverage and future etc and an Iwata HP-CS I use for small parts and detail work.

I used the 155 for a long time but I was getting frustrated with it for certain things. Man that brush can put out a lot of paint if a hurry. It can get away on you if you aren't carefull. 

MaxPower wrote:

I have a Badger 155 Anthem that I use for large coverage and future etc and an Iwata HP-CS I use for small parts and detail work. I used the 155 for a long time but I was getting frustrated with it for certain things. Man that brush can put out a lot of paint if a hurry. It can get away on you if you aren't carefull.

That is true the 155 can put out a lot of paint....the Crescendo puts out even more.

dirtball wrote:

WOW, I`m impressed!! Thats from the same AB as mine??

Yes it is. But I am not near as talented as others out there.

See this illustration piece by Paul Corfield?

It was painted with an Aztek!

In total, I have 4.  In chronological order, here they are:

1)  Testors Aztec something or other.  I used it twice and it got put in the storage room.

2) Badger Crescendo 175 - I do not use this one much.  I suspect it needs repair.  Even with repair I would not use it much since I don't like the size and balance.

3) Pasche H - I love this brush for spraying large areas.  Very simple to use, very simple to break-down, and it feels right.  This is a nice little SA brush.

4) Iwata Hi-Line BH - This brush complements the Pasche nicely.  It has a very fine tip for doing very light and detailed work.  I love the feel of this brush and the results it gives.

MikeV wrote:

dirtball wrote:   WOW, I`m impressed!! Thats from the same AB as mine?? Yes it is. But I am not near as talented as others out there. See this illustration piece by Paul Corfield? It was painted with an Aztek!

Which proves what I always say about the hands and not the tool being the most important. Though hands with a decent tool are farther ahead. 

Bgrigg wrote:

MikeV wrote:  dirtball wrote:   WOW, I`m impressed!! Thats from the same AB as mine?? Yes it is. But I am not near as talented as others out there. See this illustration piece by Paul Corfield? It was painted with an Aztek!   Which proves what I always say about the hands and not the tool being the most important. Though hands with a decent tool are farther ahead.

Absolutely true Bill.  I couldn't paint that good with my Sotar 20/20 with the fine tip and needle.