Hey people. I'm new to the airbrushing thing so i want to know if there is a decent airbrush thats not to expensive?

Hi Scott, the trouble with airbrushes is you get what you pay for. If you are only wanting to do general spraying of larger areas to get a nice finish then a basic single action external mix one costs something like £12-£15. On e-bay they sometimes go for a bit less. Although basic they give a nice smooth finish with a bit of practice and I use mine more than my more complicated and expensive one.
For finer work then it does get more expensive. I've been pricing up a replacement for my double action internal mix and the prices of some are enough to make a grown man cry. (I didn't quite cry but came close).

YOu will get as many answers here as people using airbrushes. Iwata, Badger, Aztek and Passche all are top brands. All I beleive are good brushes just personal choice. I use an Aztek 430 and I love it. IT is a double action and cost me about 85 dollars canadian which is probably about 60-65 US. Now some here will disagree and some will back me. But if you can get to a hobby shop that sometimes lets you demo some it may help.

HastyP

Here is an airbrush webshop :
http://www.bearair.com/

I bought from there 2 Aztek airbrushes : A320 single action and A470 double action - both 2 with their interchangeable nozzles. I love them for the easy way to change color paint and nozzles.

It really all depends on how much you want to spend.

My first airbrush I had was a Badger 350....not the greatest, but it will paint, to get a little finer spray, you get yourself the fine needle for it.

I used it for years, and still have it....about a year ago I bought a Badger 200, and wondered why I hadn't bought one sooner, as for camo patterns, it was night and day between it and the 350. I think I paid about $85CDN for the 200.

Not that long ago, I bought a used Aztek 4709, with a bunch of tips and cups....nice one that came in a nice wooden box. The guy that had it...didn't take care of it, and it was caked with paint, which is why I got it cheap.

A little Castrol Super Clean to dissolve the caked on paint, some elbow grease and its like a brand new AB. I am still trying to get used to it mind you....as its the first double action AB I have had, so far, my experiments have come out ok....just have to try it out on an actual model now!!!.

I used a Badger 200, single action, syphon fed airbrush for 20 years and got some great results with it. However I model WWII aircraft and like doing mottle finishes and the like, although I have managed to acheive these with the 200 I always thought that I could do better. Early this year I bought a Harder & Steenbeck Evolution, gravity fed double action airbrush. The capabilities of this brush are astounding and I am not scared to attempt any finish. However the airbrush doesn't make the artist. You need to understand the brushes capabilities and those of the paint you use, then practice. It really all depends on what you want to acheive with it. If you are serious about airbrushing, then get the best you can afford. Include in this a compressor with regulator, water trap and holding tank.
There is no doubt that an airbrush will take your modelling to a new level. Be aware though that there are hundreds of veriables that can alter the way your brush will perform. A paint mix that prays beautifully one day may not the next. This can be down to the ambiant temperature or humidity, or maybe that you damaged the spray tip, when cleaning it after the first session :-) Don't let me put you off, just making you aware that airbrushing can be frustrating You can get plenty of advice here though
Remember, "practice makes perfect".
Mal

Thanks Mal Mayfield for the info