I am considering buying an airbrush to do some of my own weathering but I dont know what kind or style to get. I had one ages ago but I dont remember anything about it. I have a small compressor which would be perfect for the job. I am open for any ideas, thanks.
D&H
I’ve had them all from Paasche to Iawata to Testors to Badger (which is now also Thayer & Chandler) and the Badger has done the best for the least amount of cost. Everyone of these companies has fine airbrushes…I would assume that for weathering, you are going to shoot a relatively small amount of paint. In addition , you will be changing colors and doing some creative mixing more frequently than, say, painting 10 NS locomotive shells black. So volume isn’t your prime concern.
I’d get a brush whose “well” can be changed quickly; who has inexpensive accessories, who can stand repetitive and frequent cleanings and be cleaned easily, and who can use any variety of paint media.
There are so many good resources on weathering, and I add that the guys over in the airplane department can help you as well, you should do some homework - choose your brush - and have some fun.
I don’t know about brands, personally. I have an Aztek (Testors) and am very happy with it.
I will tell you some of my observations, though. Dual action (the trigger controls both the air flow and amount of paint) is usually easier to control than single action. I had a single action Badger and was always fighting with the flow control. Purely from hearsay, I understand that while external mix may be easier to clean, it’s also harder to control the spray, and some have reported problems spraying acrylics because they dry too much. If you can, hold one in your hand. I have used Badger, Iwata, and Aztek brushes, and prefer the “ergonomic” feel of the Aztek to the others. Also, try the trigger – Iwata and Aztek were smoother then the Badger, but I found the Iwata’s trigger to require too much force to pull back.
That said, I would think you would be do fine with any of the major brands (Badger, Iwata, Paasche, or Aztek). Part of the key to airbrushing well is to practice, practice, practice… starting on something that you will be throwing away.
These are my own observations (or those of people I’ve spoken with); please accept them for what they’re worth (about [2c]). Others will probably post dissenting and conflicting opinions.
One other point: get one with interchangeable gravity feed cups. Unless you’re painting a large area, it’s much easier to just pull the cup off, spray a little cleaner through the brush (I use soapy water for acrylics) and put on a clean cup with a new color than to have to clean the cup fully each time.
And spring for an airbrush cleaning station. It’s very handy to have someplace to collect the crud you don’t want on your work (including the cleaner mentioned above).
I’ve had experience with Aztek A-something and Badger 200 single action airbrushes and as I recall, not having compared the two in a number of years, I liked the Badger best but thought there had been a bit of learning curve and it hadn’t been quite as ergonomic. Overtime though I found it easy to clean and maintain and I’ve only had to replace the nozzle. If I were looking for another airbrush, I’d check out a double action which also has a learning curve (great excuse to pick up some clunker models and practice) as you have significantly greater capability with one in order to both weather and do paint jobs. My first choice personally would be a Badger, but I don’t think you’ll go wrong with another brand. I only choose Badger as the models and their parts are more easily acquired locally for me. For example, my local art supply stores seem to only stock Badger and little else.
Alvie