First post

I'm returning to modelling after 25 years, and those years back I just brushed on enamels. I've lost touch with products and I'd like to know if I'd be better buying Tamiya sprays for base coats at £6 each or getting a cheap airbrush like this http://crbmodels.co.uk/Badger-250-3-Mini-Spray-Gun-Set-008907

I don't see any mention of these type on the forum, maybe for good reason? I think some kit manufacturers do similar ones, even slightly cheaper than that.

I plan on building 6-7 1:35 kits in a year.

So in your opinions, are these airbrushes with propellant cans adequate - or should I just buy individual sprays?

Propellant cans are ok for minimal use. I would recommend having at least 2 on hand when working.
Cheaper airbrushes are fine for basecoats. But spend a little extra and get one with some differwnt size tips so you could do fine work.
At least look into the badger 350. They offer it with a fine, medium and large tips set, but it does increase the price. Or the basic 350, i believe just comes with the medium tip (mine did anyways)

Thanks Marc.

I checked that out and it's out of my reach at the moment. To be honest that 250 is my limit just now, otherwise the significant other in my life wouldn't be happy.

Assuming that's the case, do you think I'd be as well with Tamiya sprays?

I have never used the Tamiya rattle cans. I have tried one can of Model Master, and my conclusion was i like my airbrush better.
It's just my opinion, so hopefully some more peeps will chime in.

A couple of comments:
1) Buy the best airbrush that you can afford. You will grow into it, and will have fewer problems learning. A good airbrush will last for years if taken care of. A cheap one will be frustrating from the beginning and a poor investment.
2) A good single action is a better buy than a cheap double action. You will get better results with fewer problems.
3) Propellant cans are about the most expensive way to use an airbrush. Get an inner tube (or two, the bigger the better) as an inexpensive option.
Once you try an airbrush, you won't go back. You can mix your own colors from less expensive bottles than rattle cans, and your finishes will be better. And it opens doors to all kinds of weathering and detailing. Your own creativity will be your only limit.

Gavin,
Welcome to Armorama!
Unless you've bought a ticket to a Miley Cyrus concert, this will be the worst $50 you ever spent! Badger makes many fine quality airbrushes, but this is not one of them. I tried to get one of these to work for a friend once, and spray cans are much better.
If you can only spend $50, I suggest you obtain an airbrush setup in two stages. First, spend $50 on a Badger 200 or a Sparmax DH-103. Put it away and keep using spray cans until you have another $50, then go to a discount DIY store and buy a compressor with a 2 or 3 gallon tank, whatever the $50 will get you.
For modeling purposes, gravity feed airbrushes are better than siphon feed, because they use lower air pressures to operate and can therefore perform finer work. A spray can is like a fire hose compared to an airbrush, but you can get by with spray cans for a long time.
The canned air propellant is a terrible air source. It runs out in less than one base coat, the pressure drops as you use it and the can gets cold, and it is insanely expensive if you add it up.
The Sparmax isn't an Iwata or Grex or Harder & Steenbeck, but I've tried it and it's good for the price; and you don't need a dedicated airbrush compressor to power an airbrush, especially if you can't afford one.
Also, do lots of comparison shopping for price! I found the kit you linked to for $30 with free shipping.
Since you have a significant other, don't forget to put the specific airbrush or compressor (with model number and store) on your Christmas, birthday, Valentine's, etc. wish list!

Why don't you buy a Chinese made "Fendga" airbrush (they are called "BD" in the UK, Fendga in Italy) ?

https://aeroscale.kitmaker.net/review/2691

http://www.airbrush-pro.co.uk/


I have one of them. They are incredibly cheap but very good! Moreover they are double action airbrushes and you can get spare parts if it breaks




!!
I agree, that's an awful product!

Wow! I thought the Sparmax were a good value! Then I thought the Sparmax and the Fengda might be made by the same factory (Ding Hwa Ltd.) but they are not. For that price, I'd get the Airbrush Pro BD-130! That's not even half the price of a model kit!
Then it would be much easier to get that cheap compressor at the DIY center and away you go!

Thanks very much for the help people!

OK, having slept on it (with the first few posts in mind) I came to the same conclusion provided by subsequent posts - wait until my birthday in November and christmas, and get something at least a bit better from Mrs Santa. However, seeing the budgets of the couple suggested here I'm tempted to jump in before that; I'd just need to convince her that it's an ESSENTIAL item LOL.

I've found the Fendga/BD for £18. A compressor will take much more looking, although I did see this http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Mini-Airbrush-Compressor-AS18-2-Oil-free-/110827972750?pt=UK_ToysGames_ModelKits_ModelKits_JN&hash=item19cddca88e#ht_629wt_954
Is that the type of thing I'm looking for? And what would be the essential spec of what I need - operating pressures, etc.?

hi there ,
i bought a vega 180 on ebay brand new for £20 its a cracking airbrush and allows you to even change your air pressure on the airbrush itself i dont think ive hardly put it down in 2 weeks i love it . i also found a badger veda v2000 for £38 . good luck

Here it is - get the Premi-Air G35
Review is here

I can't find an image or spec for that - is it a gravity or syphon model?

That was a good read, thanks.

That one's shortlisted, although the price compared with the BD may count against it. £12 isn't much in isolation, but it's significant when just starting out and needing to get so much, especially on limited funds.

I'd recommend the G35, it is a hardy piece of kit and damn good for the price.

Mauro- thanks for that airbrush link, those are some interesting value-choices.

Ditto the opinions here, avoid the super-cheap stuff, unless you want to spray creosote. Time spent on duff cheapo kit is time and money wasted. Don't ask how I know this(!)

The G-35 is a good start, also available from airbrushes.com in the UK (very good service, other vendors are available)
Or wait for Mrs Crimbo & go for an Iwata Neo for £50.00 or less.

The type of compressor you list isn't a bad option to start. They can be noisy in the house esp. if you got ankle-biters to get to sleep.
something like
this one with a tank would tend to pulse less.

enjoy!

Hey Gavin,

If you haven't already pulled the trigger on your purchase, let me offer another suggestion.

I have a particular affinity for Badger airbrushes and have used a Badger Model 200 for almost 40 years. This was the first AB that I ever purchased (as a teenager - I worked all summer in a used car lot cleaning cars to earn enough to buy it), and one that I still use. Needless to say, this is good kit and will stand you in good stead.

Get a Model 200 start-up set with the small hose and Propel can, but also get the Badger Spare Tire Valve Adaptor, Badger part #50-029. This adaptor fits into the Propel Regulator (included with all the starter sets that have a Propel can), and allows you to use a spare tire from a car as an air source.

http://www.badgerairbrush.com/Acessories_5.asp

Using a spare tire as an air source is very economical and aside from having to get it pumped up, works very well. I painted models for years using my Model 200 and a spare tire. You can even pump up the tire using a bicycle pump in an emergency. (Not easy, but doable - I spent several Saturday afternoons in my youth doing just that.)

In a pinch, you don't even need to get an "extra" spare tire to use just for air brushing, you can use the one from the family auto for a while. (A used tire and rim sould be a very inexpensive purchase, tho. You don't need a "servicable" tire with good tread and a really nice rim, etc, just one that will hold air. It may be ugly, but who cares as long as it works?)

Doing his might cost a bit more up-front (the Model 200 over the Model 250), but should delay or avoid the need to get an air compressor or to have to rely on the Propel cans (which are very expensive on a regular-use basis).

The Model 250 air brush has the advantage over spray cans in that you can mix your own colors, but that's really it's only advantage.

However, the Model 200 is a brush that will do 95%+ of all tasks you'll ever want from an airbrush. By the time you're ready to ask for that last 5% of capability, you'll be in a position to make an educated and experienced choice in a second airbrush.

The Badger Model 200 is also simple to use, easy to clean, durable, and if you do break or lose something (a tip or needle while cleaning, for example), spare parts are easy to find and relatively inexpensive (un-like many other airbrush brands).

Price alone might be critical for selection in your situation, but there are many ways to manage that cost, and there are also other important aspects that you should consider. By going this route, you can maybe spend a little more on a better quality airbrush without worrying about getting a compressor, but still be able to spray paint with a higher quality piece of equipment that will last and that you can maintain for the long run.

Good luck!

Wow! What an interesting post; thanks Sd.

Norm mentioned an inner tube earlier in the thread but I just though he was having a laugh!

So let's get this straight. I'd need an inner tube in the tyre on the rim, just the tyre and rim, or just an inner tube? And I imagine a cycle tube is no use?

This is very appealing for a couple of reasons -
1. It's the price of the compressor which is stalling me at the moment. As you've pointed out, I could get the airbrush this way but wait for a compressor.

2. Where I plan on doing my modelling there just happens to be a cavity the right size to stow a car wheel out of sight behind a unit!

Hmmm, can't wait to see where this goes. A 15 inch steel rim for minute detailing on 1:35 plastic model............

EDIT: although we're talking about a Badger 200 here, I'm guessing you could buy the propel regulator and valve adaptor from Badger and connect any airbrush and hose to the regulator??

EDIT 2: I'm reading you need around 40psi for this method. If that's true isn't that too much for modelling?

[quote Norm mentioned an inner tube earlier in the thread but I just though he was having a laugh!

No joke...

So let's get this straight. I'd need an inner tube in the tyre on the rim, just the tyre and rim, or just an inner tube? And I imagine a cycle tube is no use?

You need a auto-sized tire, inner tube (or tubeless tire - which most are now days - and a rim. The adaptor screws onto the tire inflation valve stem and the Propel Regulator screws onto the adaptor. Makes the inflated tire work just like a can of Propel.

This is very appealing for a couple of reasons -
1. It's the price of the compressor which is stalling me at the moment. As you've pointed out, I could get the airbrush this way but wait for a compressor.

2. Where I plan on doing my modelling there just happens to be a cavity the right size to stow a car wheel out of sight behind a unit!

Yea, I had a space just the right size next to my work bench that I rolled my tire into. All very convienent.

Hmmm, can't wait to see where this goes. A 15 inch steel rim for minute detailing on 1:35 plastic model............

Obviously, the larger the tire, the more air it will hold and the more painting you can do on one fill-up.

EDIT: although we're talking about a Badger 200 here, I'm guessing you could buy the propel regulator and valve adaptor from Badger and connect any airbrush and hose to the regulator??

Yes... and No. The air hose that Badger usues is a small, proprietary size that only fits a Badger AB. You can buy hose adaptors that will fit a "standard" 1/4" hose to Badger equipment. However, you'll have to do some research and fitting to mix-and-match hose fittings and hoses. This is not just a Badger-thing either. There are several other AB companies that have proprietary sized hoses and fittings, but most use the standard 1/4".

EDIT 2: I'm reading you need around 40psi for this method. If that's true isn't that too much for modelling?

Air pressure control is one disadvantage to this set-up. As the tire pressure goes down, so does the air pressure at the airbrush. This is the same, though, with the Propel cans (or their analog from Pasche, etc). The Badger Propel Regulator and small hose are designed with this in mind and work together to keep the usable air pressure as constant as is practical.

Generally, though, you can airbrush all the way until the pressure falls into the single digits (psi). With some practice on trigger control (even with a single action airbrush the operator can learn to vary the air pressure with the trigger), you can manage the higher air pressures that you get when you fist start with a "fresh" fill-up on your tire.

I have to confess that I don't know what would happen if the smaller Badger hose is switched with a larger, standard-sized 1/4" hose. Maybe nothing, or maybe the usable air pressure will fall faster. I do know that the set-up does work well with the Badger hose on a Badger AB.

Any Badger airbrush will work with this set-up, not just the Model 200.

I will say that I never had any real issues with variable air pressure, though, on my set-up. Having what is essentially a fixed air pressure (that is, one that the user cannot change) removes one of the variables that causes a lot of airbrush users problems. With this set-up, since you only have one air pressure setting (basically wide open), all you need to learn is what paint-thinner ratios will work at that setting. After that, little changes when mixing paint.
[/quote]

Good questions!

The spare tire set-up isn't the ideal, of course, but it will work just as effectivly as the Propel cans will. Both will teach you some good habits like preparing everything ahead of time before you start to spray which will make you a more efficient airbrusher. Because the air supply on both is limited and finite, you'll learn to to all of the things that you can to get your project ready just short of the actual spraying so that when you do start "squirting" paint, you'll get the job done straight away.

For example, I learned to use my old Badger Model 200 which has a bottom siphon tube like a brush with a fixed paint cup brush. Turn the airbrush upside down, use an eye dropper to add a few drops of paint to the tube on the body of the brush, and spray with the brush upside down. A very good technique to use for spraying very small amounts of color, like when stenciling markings, etc. This was all because of the ol' spare tire and not having a lot of money for hobby paints, etc, taught me how to be a very economical model builder.

You can do a lot of good model-building without having every toy on the work bench that money can buy.

Sd - I've been creative!

Here's what I'm looking at - a screw on Schrader hose (for the car tyre) with a 1/4 BSP male on the other end (DIY modification!), which goes into an air regulator with a 1/4 BSP outlet for the hose. Total cost £9.

That's less than the Badger regulator and tyre adapter. But I was also a bit sceptical about the thread on the Badger outlet - not the size, but the type; and I might have had to buy an adaptor for it in any event.

Spotted the BD gravity brush mentioned earlier with twin action for £12. Couple that with a hose for £4 and £25 should see me airbrushing until Santa delivers my compressor. I can get an old tyre and rim for nothing probably from a friend, or maybe £5 from the scrapyard.

Yee ha!

Good on ya, Gavin! Necessity is the mother of invention, as they say, and it sounds lke you've cracked the code on this.

Sounds like a winner. Hope you get it working soon.

Gavin,
Take a look at a local craft store, some carry airbrushes and have them on clearance. I picked this up at a Michaels craft store for $30.00 (about 18 pounds).



Cheers Rob.

Gavin: I can send you an Iwata knock-off for the price of postage. It is siphon fed, but operates beautifully. More for detail spraying rather than large areas. This is the brush I learned on. Let me know if you want it.

Thank you for the offer but I just ordered the BD-130 today (along with my first kit! Hobby Boss's Sd.Kfz. 222). I'm sure someone will be glad of it though!

Thanks again.

Isn't it great when you grab a bargain!

Got a result on Monday.

After mentioning a couple of times that there would be a car wheel in kitchen on a permanent basis, my partner said she could afford to give me a little money towards a compressor.

I bought one of these http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HIGH-PERFORMANCE-PROFESSIONAL-SILENT-AIRBRUSH-COMPRESSOR-TC-20B-/160784868541?pt=UK_Crafts_DrawingSupplies_EH&hash=item256f8664bd#ht_1172wt_908

It arrived this morning. I don't know how good at airbrushing it is yet, but I turned it on to see how noisy it was. I must say I find the noise level very good, or maybe that's just because I'd prepared myself for the worst. I thought it'd be loud enough to annoy someone in the next room, but it's definately not, it's quite acceptable. I thought in time I could retro fit a tank to it, but I don't think there's any need now.

Thanks for your help everyone. I'm good to go now.