My mom is going to Bangkok tomorrow & I want to ask her to buy me a airbrush. Any advice as to which brand? I went to an electrical store over here today & they had a "Colt Spray Gun." It looked quite impressive & was for Rs1450 (32$).
Is there anything better & cheaper than that? I want to buy a long lasting one.
One more thing, how do you clean it out once you have used it & want to switch colors?
Cheers & thanks in advance,
WD.

1 thing I want to add.
I dont want to buy the air compressor seperately. I want it all in one package.
Electrically powered.

There are many airbrushes in the hobby market, the simple (simple action) is 15~20 USD to the professional (double action) is more than 200 USD (airbrush only). As you wish an airbrush about 32 USD with compressor, I am afraid that you could not find it out, unless the price in India is cheaper...

There is a starter kit of airbrush by Revell-Germany :
http://www.revell.de/cgi-bin/kat/katalog.pl?cmd=overview&KOSCHL=01&grp=03&lang=en&kat=airbrush&page=1

This external-mix airbrush delivered with a propeller can (not compressor) for 2 or 3 kits for large surface. You don't need to use the special liquid to clean it, just some ethylic alcohol or acetone liquid.

Within your budget, I know of no airbrushes that will do anything approaching a fine line. The only thing would be the cheapest brush that you'd always have to use a mask for multi colored vehicles. The least expensive compressors are in the hundred dollar (US) range.

As to cleaning...I use two methods. During a painting session, I just spray cleaner through the brush until the spray comes out clear. At the end of the session, I do the same but then disassemble the brush and clean the needle and nozzle with Q-tips and pipe cleaners.

I use a Badger 150 ($125) and a Paasche VL ( $70) My first good airbrush was a Paasche H which cost $45 US in 1981. I got the latter at a hobby store closing auction for $50 and the other at a yard sale for $25.

What I saw today was a spray gun. It had a trigger & a nozzle & a cup to keep the paint. It was elecrically powered.
Arent the airbrushes based on the same lines? Will what I saw produce the same effect?

A spray gun really isn't appropriate for models. It's designed to cover large areas, like the sides of houses. The paint will be too grainy, and the flow too uncontroled, for hobby work. (A model painted with a spray gun will look as though the paint was applied with a hose). Save up and get a real airbrush. I've gotten a decade of service out of my Paachse VL1 double action brush. As for compressors, I just bought one at a hardware store; it's noisier than a dedicated AB compressor, but it's more powerful and it was cheaper.

What you saw today will not produce the same effects. Spray guns are just enlarged airbrushes, they do the same type of work, but are only for larger areas.

To my knowledge there aren't any airbrushes of the type you are wanting.

I've used electric spray units before but was disappointed. The air pressure fluctuates too much which results in an uneven spray pattern. Mind you this was ages ago and the units of today are probably better, but after getting an airbrush and compressor I'll never change back.

Another drawback, in my opinion, is they waste too much paint. With the little bottles or tins of paint that you can buy for modelling, I think that waste would be very expensive in the long run.

I know the cost is a factor that puts off the buyer, but my suggestion is to save up the money and buy a double action airbrush right off the bat. Just about any airbrush you buy will last a long time if you are disciplined in cleaning it during and after every use.

Best of luck, hope this helps...

I use a Paschee single action airbrush and I love it.
It cost about $ 40 to $ 50 depending of the accesories you buy.