new airbrush

Sure....  go to BearAir.com   and pick up a badger 100 (top feed,side feed, bottom feed) with a fine tip and needle, then get a single action aztec 320 with a medium and a fine tip assy.  Probaly get both for less than $100.   OR   get an Iwata and any other single action and a medium tip.  If you need the sotar for spraying inks go for it, but shop around at BearAir and DixieAir, you might find what ya need a little cheaper that does the work.

           G.L.

The Sotar is a very fine detail airbrush, but you won't get as much benefit from it as you would a Badger 100LG or the new Renegade Velocity. The top mounted cup holds WAY more paint that the Sotar can handle, and can spray almost as fine a line. If you really think you need a siphon fed brush to spray lots of paint, then get the Badger 100LG and either a 200-20 or a 150 siphon fed. The heads are the same (and needle with the 150) so you can share parts, if required. My experience is that the 100LG will do 99% of what you want to do so save yourself some money. I have all three, as reference.

I have the Badger, Aztec and the Paasche.  My personal favorite is the Paasche due to it's durability and quality of pigment delivery.  Badger has my top vote for comfort, but I find that I have to take apart for cleaning much more often than with Paasche.  Also the needle tends to be very sensitive (prone) to bending.  As for Aztek... I currently let my kids play with it.  It is very unreliable.  As a plus with Paasche you get a reamer which is a big help in head cleaning. Although I could get by with a single action brush, all of my are duel action brushes.

 

Thanks guys.

 I will take your suggestions into consideration.

Just to add another suggestion, have you considered a Badger 360? It has a small cup for gravity feed, but then you can rotate it and use it as a siphon feed with a jar! A decent way to get two airbrushes in one!

I'll throw in my 2 cents. Look at the Harder & Steenbeck "Infinity 2-in-1 Airbrush." I have two of the brushes and am considering a third. The trigger action is the best of my brushes. Besides the 2-in-1 comes with both .15mm and .40mm nozzle/needle sets, as well as 2ml and 5ml cups. Take apart is easy and you have the ability to do fine or general spraying. Due to the atomization qualities of the brush, the 5ml cup is usually more than enough to do a base coat on a 1/35 model.

The AB is gravity feed and has an adjustable pre-set on the back of the brush to limit needle travel. I've bought mine from the people at airbrushpeople.com. The service is fantastic and they ship almost immediately. I think that if your order is over $80.00, shipping is free. Their price on the 2-in-1 is $258.00. (List is about $323.) While not cheap, you essentially get 2 airbrushes. Fluid caps are available for a few dollars for the paint cups and each H&S AB comes with a quick release connector - if you go that route. The hose connection is the same size as Iwata, and many other brands.

I have used a Binks Wren for the last 20 years. After about 5 years I added a Badger 200 series double action. I still prefer the Binks and both still work perfectly.

Bgrigg wrote:

The Sotar is a very fine detail airbrush, but you won't get as much benefit from it as you would a Badger 100LG or the new Renegade Velocity. The top mounted cup holds WAY more paint that the Sotar can handle, and can spray almost as fine a line. If you really think you need a siphon fed brush to spray lots of paint, then get the Badger 100LG and either a 200-20 or a 150 siphon fed. The heads are the same (and needle with the 150) so you can share parts, if required. My experience is that the 100LG will do 99% of what you want to do so save yourself some money. I have all three, as reference.

Thats a gravity feed AB you ding dong

smokinguns3 wrote:

Bgrigg wrote: The Sotar is a very fine detail airbrush, but you won't get as much benefit from it as you would a Badger 100LG or the new Renegade Velocity. The top mounted cup holds WAY more paint that the Sotar can handle, and can spray almost as fine a line. If you really think you need a siphon fed brush to spray lots of paint, then get the Badger 100LG and either a 200-20 or a 150 siphon fed. The heads are the same (and needle with the 150) so you can share parts, if required. My experience is that the 100LG will do 99% of what you want to do so save yourself some money. I have all three, as reference. Thats a gravity feed AB you ding dong

Yes Rob, I know it is. My point is that most people can't possibly use enough paint to warrant the additional capacity of the larger bottles available to siphon fed brushes. Get the 100LG with the larger cup on top first and you'll find you probably won't need to get any siphon fed brushes, at all. Then, if you find you DO need the larger capacity, keep it in the family and get the 150 or 200-20 which share many of the same parts. In the case of the 150 only the actual body is different: the needle, head assembly and air valves are interchangeable. Only the head assembly is the same with the 200-20 (NOT the 200NH which shares parts with the 155 Anthem).

Bgrigg wrote:

smokinguns3 wrote:  Bgrigg wrote: The Sotar is a very fine detail airbrush, but you won't get as much benefit from it as you would a Badger 100LG or the new Renegade Velocity. The top mounted cup holds WAY more paint that the Sotar can handle, and can spray almost as fine a line. If you really think you need a siphon fed brush to spray lots of paint, then get the Badger 100LG and either a 200-20 or a 150 siphon fed. The heads are the same (and needle with the 150) so you can share parts, if required. My experience is that the 100LG will do 99% of what you want to do so save yourself some money. I have all three, as reference. Thats a gravity feed AB you ding dong Yes Rob, I know it is. My point is that most people can't possibly use enough paint to warrant the additional capacity of the larger bottles available to siphon fed brushes. Get the 100LG with the larger cup on top first and you'll find you probably won't need to get any siphon fed brushes, at all. Then, if you find you DO need the larger capacity, keep it in the family and get the 150 or 200-20 which share many of the same parts. In the case of the 150 only the actual body is different: the needle, head assembly and air valves are interchangeable. Only the head assembly is the same with the 200-20 (NOT the 200NH which shares parts with the 155 Anthem).

You know ii just had give S*&T about that.

But yes the badger 100LG is an exellent brush for detail work with the fine needle and tip.

I have a 175 for my heavy work and a 100LG for the finer things.

I have a Paasche VL, Badger 155, Badger 200G, and an Aztek 470. Of all of them, I find I much prefer the 200G- single action with a small color cup, but it just seems to work perfect for me. best part was I picked it up from Badger's "Garage Sale" for $16!