What kind of airbrush should I buy?


The problem I've had with the Badger is that the "seat" for the needle keeps wallowing out and I lose fine adjustment ability. I get more paint than I need. My Paasche is over 25 years old and I've only had to rebuild it once in that time. They just don't make 'em like they used to.

I won my Iwata as a door prize at a train show. I was upset then that I didn't win the engine they were giving away. Foolish me. It came with 3 tips and needles, something most brushes don't. I use a brass gas manifold rather than the QD's. Turn one valve off and the next valve on and I'm good to go.

Still, for the money, the HF brush is a hard deal to pass up. One can buy a complete basic setup for less than $100. And that is a deal in anyone's book. Especially for those just beginning to use airbrushes.

Bob
 
True! A complete outfit for less than $100.00 is tough to beat. I paid considerably more, but HF wasn't into airbrushes in those days, and least not decent ones. At $15.00 each, buy a handful of them!
 
stationmaster said:
Jon, the "premium" brush from HF comes with a gravity cup.

<SNIP>

But, the HF brush is a bargain. And, it is much better than the price dictates.
If I was in the market for an airbrush, I'd buy it.

Bob
Click to expand...


Bob I am confused. You mentioned that the "premium" brush from Harbor Freight comes with a gravity cup. Gravity fed brushes typically have the cup built-into the airbrush body and they are not removable.

When I do a search on HF's website for "airbrush", this is what I get:

http://www.harborfreight.com/catalogsearch/result/?category=&q=airbrush

No gravity-fed models there at all.

Can you guide me to this "premium" airbrush that you are talking about? I'll buy one if it is truly gravity fed.

--Jon
 
NYSW F45 said:
i hate the HF paint cup. You have to paint point upwards just to keep the pain in the cup.

But with the harbour freight bottles or other bottles with the tubes. I have a bottle with thinner or whatever ready to go when I need to switch colors. When done with one, take the thinner and attach it. Spray some thru and im good to go. Granted im sure its not the best way but it works.
Click to expand...

Steve,

Stop messing around with the bottom-feeder airbrushes. They waste paint, and are a bee-otch to clean.

Go get a true gravity fed airbrush, put three drops of paint in the cup and a drop of thinner and discover what it's like to do detail painting with a real airbrush. You'll toss the bottom-feeders out, I promise.

--Jon
 
Jon,

Would you care to donate the difference in cost to our distinguished fellow member to get an Iwata? I'm sure he would be eternally grateful.

Bob
 
Just hi-jacking this thread a little bit.

I have my HF air brush. What I don't have is a compressor (I had one on order but it was canceled and my $ refunded).

That made me step back a bit and think about it.

On the Harbor Freight website under 'Oilless Compressors' there are two airbrush compressors: 1/8 HP, 40 PSI for $79.99 and a 1/5 HP, 58 PSI for $99.99

On the same page we also have a 1/4 HP, 3 gallon, 100 PSI for $69.87

... so ... to all the SME out there .. what is the difference? I mean .. has it something to do with that tank? Reason my asking is that I was at Lowes .. and they have for example, a Porter-Cable 6-Gallon Air Compressor, 150 PSI for $164.00 .. seems reasonable to me .. that IF (IF) that would drive the airbrush then it would make sense to get that one.

If there is a valid reason why an airbrush should be driven via an airbrush compressor .. then inquiring minds want to know. :)
 
I have a compressor similar to this one, http://www.sears.com/shc/s/p_10153_12605_00916638000P?mv=rr, except its a 3-gallon instead of 4 gallon. And mine did not come with the cart. I bought it about 5 years ago when they were being discontinued for $69. I had given thought to a "pancake" style as I wanted it to fit under my work bench. I hard piped the regulator above the bench top and installed a switched plug so that I wouldn't have to climb under the bench to turn it off and on or adjust the air pressure. The moisture trap is also a part of the "plumbing" job and is above the height of the bench top. Just high enough to use a small coffee can to drain the trap.

There are different schools of thought as to using a reservoir tank. I am of the belief, having owned a custom car shop as a side for many years, that a reservoir is necessary. I've heard from others, but never observed, that compressors without a reservoir will "pulse" as it pumps. Again, it is easily understandable that such a phenomenon could occur as the diaphragm moves to pump air.

I really don't have any good recommendations other than my experiences with my compressor. And it's not for sale. But there are many on the market similar, Porter Cable, DeWalt, Ingersol, Campbell-Hausefield, and others. It is important that they be oilless. I have a small C-H pancake-style that I bought at a pawn shop for $25 here at this house as the layout is up north at our new home(heading up there after school lets out with the grandkids for the summer).

Bob
 
So I think then .. that the 'Airbrush' Compressors .. being small and compact .. is what you are paying for. They don't intrude into a room like the larger compressors. Makes sense. I think I will wait until payday .. and pick up one from Lowes .. one that can also be used to drive other air tools. I noticed that HF has an Air Eraser .. "Operates like a small sand blaster" .. what I have read about this being used in our 'area' is to 'blast' models with baking soda for all sorts of weathering effects including aging paint. Thing is .. it says that it requires 65 PSI
 
Rarely, do I go over 30psi, mostly in the 20-22psi range. When you do buy a compressor the things I recommend are.....Oilless, a quality regulator, size(mine sits on a shelf at my feet under the work bench), storage tank(s), and noise. Though noise can be tolerated if the unit and price are what I'm looking for. If you conceal the unit, some sound will be dampened also. I think mine would be a lot noisier if it weren't "stashed" under the bench. Not much more than a moderate hum now. The Campbell-Hausefield is louder than the USC Marching Band in comparison.

Check out Sears too. And now that KMart and Sears are now one, you may want to check there also. You get the "Craftsman Guarantee" And they don't come much better than that.

Bob
 
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CoolRuehle said:
Steve,

Stop messing around with the bottom-feeder airbrushes. They waste paint, and are a bee-otch to clean.

Go get a true gravity fed airbrush, put three drops of paint in the cup and a drop of thinner and discover what it's like to do detail painting with a real airbrush. You'll toss the bottom-feeders out, I promise.

--Jon
Click to expand...

I'll eventually get a gravity fed one. But for now, beeing a beginner and all im going to stick with this till i am comfortable in my skills to invest in a better brush.
 
eTraxx said:
So I think then .. that the 'Airbrush' Compressors .. being small and compact .. is what you are paying for. They don't intrude into a room like the larger compressors. Makes sense. I think I will wait until payday .. and pick up one from Lowes .. one that can also be used to drive other air tools. I noticed that HF has an Air Eraser .. "Operates like a small sand blaster" .. what I have read about this being used in our 'area' is to 'blast' models with baking soda for all sorts of weathering effects including aging paint. Thing is .. it says that it requires 65 PSI
Click to expand...

It's a matter of preference really. City dwellers or folks in an apartment or small house may not have room for or want a larger Porter & Cable or whatever make compressor. Those of us who tinker, and may want to use it for other things, such as keeping the car tires aired up, or running other air tools might want a bigger unit. The larger ones found at home Depot, Lowes, and so forth have tanks, which give a good consistent air flow, and regulators, which allow you to vary the pressure, necessary for different paint types.

The entry level hobby compressors just give one pressure, and one airflow, no adjustment. Better quality ones have regulators and tanks, but are still only good for airbrushing.

Flow is also very important, and has not been discussed yet. Pressure is important, but the SCFM rating is just as important. How many cubic feet of air per minute at the rated pressure can the conpressor do? This gets very important if your going to use a blaster. Even the smaller ones like the air eraser or the Badger Blaster need a boatload of air if they are going to work properly. You definitely need a conpressor with a tank of you're going to use one of those, and the capability to go to 80-100 psi. I have a blasting booth, and my compressor is a 5 hp unit with a 25 gallon tank, but that's probably at the upper end of the scale for these discussions :D

You might also consider a belt drive unit, instead of the oilless units. The oilless units will wake the dead when they run. Most of the oilless units also have a recommended duty cycle, that is, their instruction manuals will tell you that they should not run more than 50% of the time (to fill the tank) when you are using them. If they do, you don't have enough compressor. Check out Home Depot if you want a larger one. Most of theirs state what tools they will run properly.
 
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