I would like to know for the money, who makes the best airbrushes out there and why? What I am looking for is a brush that is very comfortable in hand, also can make lines as fine as hair so that I can paint fine lines or detail on a 1/72nd scale model such as an armor piece.

I'm no expert, but I asked a similar question a few months ago. I am completely new to AB'ing, and asked the armorama-gods for assistance. Several were mentioned, but the one that stood out to me was the Aztec 470. Ease of use, short learning curve, replaceable tips, extremely easy to clean, and a lifetime warranty on the body all contributed to making it my choice. I paid 89.00 for the whole shebang from modelexpo-online.com. I am very pleased with this AB, and cannot believe the difference that it makes.

As far as being able to paint as fine as hair, I'm sure that there is a product that will fit your need, but I'm sure that you'll pay lots for it. If I needed something that fine, I'd use a brush.

John

I agree about the Aztek 470. I really like mine. There are several different nozzles the you can get for fine line work.

The Aztek 470 is a very good AB for the money. You will be very happy with it for almost all your model painting needs.
As to your inclusion for being able to paint a line as "fine as a hair"....What you require in that instance is a more 'professional' quality brush. Check at your local artist supply house, not the local stationary store, where the local graphic artist's purchase their equipment. Ask around. You will find that they use the Iwata line of airbrushes almost exclusively. But, and it's a significant 'but'. You can expect to pay a few more shekel's for one than you would for an Aztek.
So, I guess, you must decide if the "fine as a hair" thing is as important as you think.

Tread.

My Farthing's worth.

Here's another for the Aztec 470.

I have the 470's little brother, the 430, and it works just as advertised. The whole family uses the same replaceable tips---The finest tan colored tip is supposed to get down to 0.3mm!

Another vote for the Aztec 470 . I have both the 470 and the 430. The 470 is much more comfortable to hold. Both work very well and clean easily.

I've been looking at an Aztec A470 for a while, and might be ready to buy one. (that is, I can afford it! ) Where can I get the best price on one? MicroMark has one for $109, and it has six nozzles, four paint cups and appliciable accesories. Is that a good deal?

YodaMan

I use an old Paasche H single action and am very satisfied with its use. While it is archaic compared to the newer double action brushes I still like it. And as far as your requirment to paint hairline thin lines, I can paint lines as fine as the large wrinkles in the palm of your hand with my 'H. I'm sure a newer brush would certainly help in this area but I've found that a lot of experimentation in thinning ratios (I use tamiya acrylics so I thin with alcohol) and air pressure will achieve excellent results with a single action. First and foremost though-practice makes perfect....or nearly perfect...lol!

Try these places for the best prices on the Aztec A470:
BearAir
Mason Dist.
These 2 seem to have the best prices for the "cased set".

Yodaman, that price isn't too bad at all. I've seen just the 470 and one tip as much as $73. Getting 6 spray tips at once is very helpfull.

I bought my 4709 for 89.00 Here

John

Well, just to throw another idea into the mix, let me suggest Iwata.

I owned a Badger 150 that was old and dying ,so I went ahead and got a new brush. I did some research and thought I might give Iwata a try. It has been a great choice!

I know Iwata may be a bit more money but I think the quality is SUPER. They do make a new 'basic' brush, the Revolution, but you may need to get something with a finer tip if you plan on doing intricicate camo on 1/72 scale AFV's. Even so, you can almost do a hairline if the paint is flowing good.

To me, the Iwata brushes feel good in my hand and are very solid. They have some weight to them and are precision instruments.

I bought mine from Bear Air. Nice people. If you call them and tell them what you will be doing, what type of paint you will be using and at what pressures, they can give you some suggestions. They carry all the major brands and never tried to "sell" me anything I didn't need. In fact, they helped me to save money!

Shop around. Everyone has a different opinion but, what 'feels' best to you may be the most important factor.

Steve

Iwata probably make the best airbrushes out there. I was talking to an airbrush artist who swears by them. His work was superb and he also mentioned good things about Bear Air. He thought that, for the money, it probably wouldn't be necessary to get an Iwata for modeling, however. Another consideration was parts. Where I live, at least, Iwata parts are impossible to find, so a minor problem could result in a big loss of time.
I decided to purchase the Badger 155 Anthem when I saw it go on sale. The Anthem is double-action and has only one nozzle and needle. No changing between sizes, and thus far I have not found the need. Badger says you can get pencil thin lines with it and I have gotten close. It's a really easy airbrush to disassemble and clean and it's easy to get replacement parts (they have them at the Michael's here). For the price I paid for it, I'd say it was a steal of a deal, and I'd recommend it at regular price too. For my first double-action airbrush, I found it easy to use, getting good results the first time.
Just another option for you......

Nic

I have an aztec 470. Its all I have ever had so I can't say how good it is compaired to others. If you have a Michaels store they have 50% off one item in the store specails that brings it under $100, also e-bay is a good place to find them. Right now at Michael until the end of the week you can get 40% off one item in the store which is still pretty good.

I have an Iwata HP-BCS, I love it. It feels very solid and I like the fact that I don't have to change needles to change the width of my lines, I can go from broad patches of paint to fine lines without swapping a thing. I had never owned an airbrush and it was quite easy to learn.....