What airbrush do you use?

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I really need a better airbrush.

What airbrushes do you recommend/use?

Thanks

2

I have several but my every-day, never let me down, workhorse is a Paasche Model H.

http://www.dickblick.com/products/paasche-model-h-single-action-airbrush/

Thanks for asking…

Ed

3

About a billion years ago (late 80’s) I did a lot of commercial art airbrushing. Had (and still have) an Iwata HP-B, HP-C, and HP-A. Some o rings and other parts have gone bad so a few months ago I bought a Neo by Iwata at Hobby Lobby. With the omnipresent 40% off coupon, I think it cost me 40 bucks. GREAT airbrush. It’s not a photo retouching or detail illustration tool (pretty much dead arts anyway) , but for most MR hobby use, it’s the bees knees.

4

I use this one, best deal ever!

http://t.harborfreight.com/air-tools/paint/deluxe-airbrush-kit-95810.html

Yes, it does work very well, and, while not as fine line as the more pricey ones, you just can not beat the price for everyday general use. (At the current price, you can get two, plus a very good air compressor, power (read air) for this and more, for less than the name brand models advertised in train catalogs.)

I highly recommend this model, along with the extra jars forund on Micromark, here.

http://www.micromark.com/22-cc-glass-paint-jars-set-of-10,11620.html

They fit perfectly, as the Micromark version of this airbrush is identical to the HarborFreight version.

5

I use a Paasche Talon siphon feed with the medium, or #3 tip. I like it a lot and place to use it for a long, long time. Plan to try out the #5 and #1 tips out there.

6

I have a couple Badger 200Hs; one has a fine tip and the other has a medium tip. I use the medium tip for painting/repainting jobs, and the fine tip for weathering.

7

I also like the Harbor Freight airbrush for general painting and a Paasche VL with a .5mm nozzle for fine detail work. One thing I really like is the HF airbrush hose, it’s low cost, super flexible, and very durable.

Mel

Modeling the early to mid 1950s SP in HO scale since 1951

My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

Bakersfield, California

I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

8

I use the Paasche double action. Might be an “overkill” airbrush for painting buildings, scenery etc, but i also use it for a nice glossy finish on model cars. I paint nearly everything with the airbrush as it lays down such a thin coat fine details don’t get buried in paint.

9

Are you just painting or do you want to weather with the airbrush also?

I’ve got a Paasche Model H that I bought back in the late 80’s that works great for painting. If I wanted to use the airbrush for detailed weathering, I’d want a double action.

If you decide to go double action, be prepared for a significant learning curve. You’ll need lots of practice before you get near a nice model with it.

It’s kinda like golf clubs - if you’re a pro, you can be far more precise with pro style clubs. If you’re an amateur, you need forgiving clubs with a giant sweet spot.

10

I read a bunch of threads here and settled on a Paasche dual action VL for my first and only brush. I’ve only used it on three projects so far so I can’t argue strongly that it’s preferred over others, but I’ve had no problems with it, would buy again. Parts (I bought a backup medium needle set) are easily obtained.

11

Trainman440,

The modelers above are spot-on regarding their choices. ALL of the above mentioned airbrushes work well and will last through many paint jobs (as long as you keep them clean).

Stay away from the inexpensive plastic airbrushes that sell for around $20.

I have 4 airbrushes, but the one I lean heavily towards is my workhorse, a Paasche’ VL dual action unit (pictured here).

IMHO, the “coolest” feature about the VL is that you can adjust it to function as a single action airbrush! This is due to a scrolling wheel in front of the trigger (you can see it in the photo) which enables you to adjust the trigger onto a fixed position. This enables you to “point and shoot”, just as with a single action airbrush.

When you get comfortable and want to go full “Dual Action”, just leave the scroll wheel so that the trigger is all the way in the forward position. Win-win!

My first VL lasted over 20 years and only got rid of it after dropping it onto a concrete floor for the 3rd time! I had to learn to slow down and relax.

For the VL, I use the #3 needle/aircap set up for standard model paints and clears (Pollyscale, Scalecoat, Modelflex, Alclad 2 Klear, etc) and the #1 needle/aircap setup for metalizers.

Airbrush related problems are often due to either improper paint mixing or poor cleaning. Some newbies tend to complain about the cleaning process. Once you do it a few times, cleaning can become a 1 to 2 minute routine.

12

Where most folks have issues is thinning the paint and clean up.

  • Even ‘air brush ready’ paint may need to be thinned.
  • Clean Up - Clean up immediately after painting. Especially the new acrylic paints as they dry just as fast inside the air brush as on your model!

Jim

13

I have a Badger 200 single action and a Paasche VL, as well. Either is good, but the Paasche is more.flexible because it’s dual-action.