Airbrush newbie

Hi all, I've reignited my plastic modelling passion, and have realised an airbrush is crucial but I've never used one before.
I'm trying to decide between a cheaper starter kit with an electric compressor, or a regular one. Any ideas or advice there?
Many thanks and happy modelling!
Brad

Welcome Aboard !

What's your budget for the entire airbrush setup ?

Patras said:

Hi all, I've reignited my plastic modelling passion, and have realised an airbrush is crucial but I've never used one before.
I'm trying to decide between a cheaper starter kit with an electric compressor, or a regular one. Any ideas or advice there?
Many thanks and happy modelling!
Brad

Click to expand...

Hi Brad, welcome to the forum. Im a relativly newbe to airbrushing but i found that with a cheaper airbrush and compressor with an air tank i can achieve some reasonable results.

It has been good to get some practice in with the cheaper airbrush and also get to know how to clean it down properly (very important to long life). I bought two £20 airbrush from Amazon and both still work perfectly after 2 years constant use. the compressor was £80 from Amazon.

You will no doubt get alot of advise here off other members with far more experience than I. Pantherman

I went a slightly different path, when I got my first airbrush.

I wanted to stay within my budget, for a price I thought reasonable. But I also avoid buying things of lower quality that just have to be replaced. So I bought a used brush, a Paasche VL, which I still have. I picked it up at a flea market, for forty bucks, the full kit in its original box. That was around 25 years ago, and it was already at least 25 years old at the time. I was happy with my purchase. It's a relatively simple brush, so it was good to use to practice. And it's rugged and easy to maintain. It has served me well.

The only complaint I have is not with the brand and model, but with the design generally. It's a siphon-fed brush; the brush draws paint up from a jar, or from a cup, mounted under the brush. I've found that the cup gets in my way, I can't hold the brush the way I'd like. But like I said, that's just the siphon-feed design. I prefer a gravity-fed design, where the paint source is above the brush. I was fortunate to receive a Neo as a gift from a fellow modeler; its cup is mounted atop the brush, in front of the trigger. It lets me hold the brush as I would a pen or pencil, which is more comfortable to me.

However, that is just my personal preference. I use both brushes, because, as I said, I find the VL a simple and rugged design, and reliable.

That's just my experience and preference. But there's no right or wrong, really, but what you like, what fits your budget, and what you find simplest to use.

My first airbrush was a Paasche H single action. Great for a starter airbrush. Due to budget, I am not able to go top of the line when I moved to a double action so my first was a double action from Harbor Freight Tools and I am now using a double action siphon from NEOECO. If you can get a quality used brush, then by all means go for it. If you can't I would recommend those I stated above.
Also, the compressor was a used Badger 18-1 from eBay.

Thanks everyone for your input and advice, much appreciated! Based on this I'll go with the 80 quid starter kit and once confident with that I'll look at upgrading components if necessary. I'm sure I'll be back soon with stupid questions and rookie mistakes but I'm looking forward to the new challenge!

Keep smiling
Brad

Patras said:

Thanks everyone for your input and advice, much appreciated! Based on this I'll go with the 80 quid starter kit and once confident with that I'll look at upgrading components if necessary. I'm sure I'll be back soon with stupid questions and rookie mistakes but I'm looking forward to the new challenge!

Keep smiling
Brad

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Ask away as often as you like. Don't forget to post plenty of photos when you're building, especially if you have a question. Pantherman

The one thing I would say just starting out on a limited budget, put more money into a better compressor than the airbrush. If your compressor is good you should never need to upgrade it. As you get better using an airbrush there is a better chance of wanting to upgrade that multiple times. Personally I like using a regular compressor with a bigger tank and if you can have it located in the garage and run a hose to the room you do your painting in is the best. All you need to do then is mount a regulator and water separator at your work table. Then you can use the compressor to fill up car tires as well and you should never have to touch that part again until it breaks, during upgrades.

Just my two cents on starting into airbrushing.

You are going to get a lot of different opinions. My advice? Go to Don's Airbrush site:

https://sites.google.com/site/donsairbrushtips/

Make your own decision on what you want, what your needs are and can afford.

Nikati said:

The one thing I would say just starting out on a limited budget, put more money into a better compressor than the airbrush. If your compressor is good you should never need to upgrade it. As you get better using an airbrush there is a better chance of wanting to upgrade that multiple times. Personally I like using a regular compressor with a bigger tank and if you can have it located in the garage and run a hose to the room you do your painting in is the best. All you need to do then is mount a regulator and water separator at your work table. Then you can use the compressor to fill up car tires as well and you should never have to touch that part again until it breaks, during upgrades.

Just my two cents on starting into airbrushing.

Click to expand...

Yeah, regarding the compressor, I also considered using the compressor for 1:1 work in my garage, too. I got myself a Craftsman 1 hp compressor, 3 gallon tank, runs up to 125 psi. I use it with my airbrushes but also with air tools like a brad nailer, etc. I live alone, in a free-standing house, so noise wasn't an issue.
If I had to buy one today, there are very good compressors for airbrushing that are as quiet as a refrigerator's compressor. One of the guys in our club demonstrated an Iwata compressor like that. It could accommodate 2 brushes at once, too. Relatively expensive, but it looks worth the price.

the Baron said:

Yeah, regarding the compressor, I also considered using the compressor for 1:1 work in my garage, too. I got myself a Craftsman 1 hp compressor, 3 gallon tank, runs up to 125 psi. I use it with my airbrushes but also with air tools like a brad nailer, etc. I live alone, in a free-standing house, so noise wasn't an issue.
If I had to buy one today, there are very good compressors for airbrushing that are as quiet as a refrigerator's compressor. One of the guys in our club demonstrated an Iwata compressor like that. It could accommodate 2 brushes at once, too. Relatively expensive, but it looks worth the price.

Click to expand...

There are some nice dedicated airbrush compressors out there and I feel Iwata has a couple, however as you stated the price for the good ones are not cheap. As far as the noise, that was why I stated if you could have the compressor in a different area than you are working. They also have some quiet compressors now (not as quiet as some airbrush compressors) that are not too bad, even in an apartment. Currently I use one that I think is only a one gallon tank that you can have a normal conversation while it runs. I know they make some larger ones that fall around the 65db sound rating. My main reasoning is that I get two uses out of one purchase. I also run not just a brad nailer but a framing nailer off of mine at times, along with the ability to pump up tires and balls. For me it just justifies the purchase much easier

I just dug this out of the garage. I was holding out for a new dedicated airbrush compressor, but after reading this I thought I should give it a try.


It's several years old but rarely used. We shall see. I'll need to buy an airbrush first.

C.A. Whitecloud said:

I just dug this out of the garage. I was holding out for a new dedicated airbrush compressor, but after reading this I thought I should give it a try.
View attachment 112941

It's several years old but rarely used. We shall see. I'll need to buy an airbrush first.

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As you already own that I would definitely go that route at least for now to get started. Only suggestion would be to maybe get a water separator to put between the brush and the tank. They have the typical larger ones that are used for any air tool plugged in after it and they also have small ones that connect onto the airbrush. That can help with moisture being added to the paint through the air. You could get away without one at the beginning depending how much humidity is being pulled into the tank.

Or...


Although I remember hearing a dual tank compressor is better?

Thanks everyone, all tips and advice gladly noted. I went for an all in one kit to start with and am pretty happy with the results after a bit of testing with the pressure setting and especially paint viscosity, but it's a fun learning curve.
Attached some pics of my Revell 1/72 F15-E (I ditched the garrish anniversary graphics in favour of ghost grey pattern).
The burnt metal effect on the engines blew me away, so here's to more of the same...

Patras said:

Thanks everyone, all tips and advice gladly noted. I went for an all in one kit to start with and am pretty happy with the results after a bit of testing with the pressure setting and especially paint viscosity, but it's a fun learning curve.
Attached some pics of my Revell 1/72 F15-E (I ditched the garrish anniversary graphics in favour of ghost grey pattern).
The burnt metal effect on the engines blew me away, so here's to more of the same...

View attachment 115218

View attachment 115227

View attachment 115234

Click to expand...

And to add to the 'hidden' details discussion, the chap in the rear of my Apache has got sunglasses on and a beard (0.5mm clutch pencil sharpened )

C.A. Whitecloud said:

Or..

Although I remember hearing a dual tank compressor is better?

Click to expand...

C.A. Whitecloud said:

Or...
View attachment 112945

Although I remember hearing a dual tank compressor is better?

Click to expand...

I assume you mean one that has a reserve tank. Yes they are nicer, first the pump will not need to run constantly. If you are someone that does a ton of spraying at one time the compressor can overheat, plus even a quiet one can get to you after 15-20 minutes. Secondly one with a reserve tank can have a more constant pressure to the gun.