Airbrush Recomendations Please!!!

If you're talking about doing graffiti with an airbrush, I hope you're working in G scale or larger. The line you'll be able to get out of an airbrush will be rather large when scaled up in anything smaller.

If this is your first airbrush, I'd recommend a single action and working with it a while to get the feel of coordinating the movement with the spray button, plus to learn the aim and angle to work with. A dual action is a bit more difficult to operate, the spray button has a double movement to it to spray the paint. Most brands allow you to adjust the spray width, so that shouldn't be too big an issue. For better control I'd recommend an internal mix airbrush like the Badger. The Paache I have now is an external mix and would be hard to set for a fine line.

Another thing to consider is what you're spraying. Even the water based paints will be in a fine mist that you'll be breathing in without the proper respiration protection. Solvent based paints are even more critical to have the right kind of respirator. And with any type, I'd recommend doing it outdoors or with a spray booth vented to the outside.

I own a badger single action and paasche double action and the double action is a lot better air brush because it's more controllable..the single action's paint pattern is rather large but the double action is smaller and the paint is more controlable....the thing to do is practace on something old first before trying to use it on a good model...i'm not gonna go into the techniques because when you purchase the airbrush they'll show you all you'll need to know in the pamphlet...you'll also need an air compressor, an inline filter, and a regulator..I use a 2 gallon air compressor that i bought at walmart for under $80.00 ..the filter and regulator were from badger and they were under $50.00...chuck

I have a very old Badger, I'm not even sure what model it is; it is single action and only has a medium tip which makes it fine for overspraying.  I got it at a "desperation" sale almost 30 years ago from a hobby shop that was going out of business; it was marked as 50% off  -  which made it one of those can't-pass-this-one-up bargains.  It has, however, been acting up on me lately and so I am giving serious contemplation to getting a replacement and probably not too far in the future.  I have a second Badger - a Model 100 with a fine tip - I haven't used this one very much because, except for an overspray of my homegrown "instant weathering" I do my weathering with chalk and a brush.  This one I got at an art supply store and it was about 1/3rd off - another one of those can't-pass-this-one-up-bargains.  Both these have given me good service and, based upon my experience, I would recommend Badger - keep in mind, however, that they are the only ones I have any direct knowledge of.

Based up the recommendation of a friend and an observation of his work - and working - I think my next one - which, as I stated above is probably imminent -  will be a Paasche something or another; haven't made up my mind which one but I'm looking for another of those bargains.  I don't consider myself a snob but when it comes to purchasing something to which I am going to give extensive use I seldom buy the "low-priced" spread!!!  Hopefully, I will be able to run-down a bargain.

Today's Poll:  Which is better, Atlas or Kato?

I've used a Paache single action for years on every thing from buildings, bridges, locomatives and rolling stock to weathering.  I noticed I had purchased an Aztek double action brush (years ago) but have not used it so I can't compare.  A compressor is a must, the propellant cans do not last very long and the pressure varies too much.  Also, a respirator is needed for the solvent based paints.  Outside is good cause if you use a respirator and spray inside you might not notice how bad it is until the family comes home and is....less than pleased.

I have used a Paasche H model for over 20 years and can say that is great.I only  bought a double action Thayer and CHandler Vega to handle camo schemes.

Thanks for all the great advice!  I have been using powders for my rust and Blairline tags for my graffiti.  Ive noticed some folks mention (on other websites) that they used an airbrush for their graffiti on HO scale rolling stock.  Do any of these airbrushes paint a fine enough line to create my own graffiti and rust streaks?  Just trying to broaden my horizons a little.  I'm kinda getting tired of using my same ole weathering techniques.

Also, what is the best technique for 3-d rust and paint peeling?

And what in the world is this GOUACHE and where can I find it?

Thanks in advance,

ATRcaptain

aztec airbrush

I have this one

ATRcaptain

please recomend a:
Brand/model

Type (single/dual action)

Any other advice or recomendations

I had an awsome fine line air brush (in fact is was great for everything) it was a Paasche type "V".  It could make a stripe 1/32 of an inch wide.  I say "was" because after 20 years of great service - I dropped it.  Can't find repair parts or anything.  It was double action which I highly recommend for anything other than just painting a solid color.  With a double action one can "grade" into a heavier or thicker line and do shading much easier than with a single action.  This airbrush had changeable points for various types of paints and paint patterns.  The worst part was keeping it clean.  It HAD to be disassembled and fully cleaned after every use or it would get clogged.  They appear to no longer make the straight type "V".  All the new Paasche seem to be suction feed, the "V" was either gravity or suction.

After the Passche broke I got a Badger single action external mix.  It is ok, but only for painting something a solid color.  I would never use it to paint a T-shirt and especially not for detail work on a model train of any type.

Then I got a Badger 150, internal mix, dual action.  It is ok, but I still not what I had with the Paasche.

So after listening to me gripe about it for about a year my spouse bought me an "expensive" Testors Aztek.  It is very similar (identical?) to the one pictured by Budliner above.  I highy do not recommend it.  It is a piece of junk. First of all it is plastic.  It uses a really screwy non-standard air intake coupling.  I could not use it with any of my other air brushing equipment.  I have to use the cheapy plastic air feed line included with the unit.  It continually clogs.  It won't "pull" paint out of a paint jar properly and to get good paint flow I have to use the gravity feed paint cups.  It is a nightmare to clean.  I often resorted to soaking the tips in thinner to get all the paint out.  It is splattery reguardless of which tip one selects (I think this might be related to the paint pick up issue).  The tips don't seem to perform as advertised.  I bought a "wide coverage" and it didn't spray as large a patter as the generic 'grey' tip.  It has a stupid roller to change it from single action to double action.  On mine this roller wheel broke after about 20 hours of use and now the paint just runs down through the body of the unit.   I would rather have the cheapest Badger or Paasche than this thing.

For the work it sounds like you are wanting to do:
1.  I believe you definitely want double action.
2. From personal use would recommend a Paasche.  From non-personal experience I always wanted a Thayer or an Iwata.  Since Badger has taken over the Thayer line, I would not know which model to recommend but you might want to investigate them.  The Iwata model for fine work would be the "Eclipse".

P.S.  Michaels and Hobby Lobby carry air brushes.  They regularly have
40% or 50% off coupons in the news paper.   Don't pay the regular shelf
price.

Thanks Tex Zephyr.  Great information.

ATRcaptain,

Check out this site.  www.modeltrainsweathered.com/forum

the best of MTW is where to look for the gouache tips.

you can find it at some Michael's and costa bout $5 a tube. you can order it online from here.

http://www.dickblick.com/zz008/01/

I have the Aztek airbrush also and have had very good luck with it. I do camo jobs on 1/35 armor as well as painting trains. I have found that it is no different than any other air brush , you have to keep it clean, including the tip. They do not recommend that you remove the needle from the tips. I have found that when using acyrlic paint it dries in the tip and the only way to remove it is to pull the needle out and soak it. I have used Floquil  and Scalecoat with good results. Just my    Thanks Jim

Take a look here.

There is a lot of good information, as well as several threads on this very topic.

When I started in the hobby, I had a single action Badger that I used for many years with good results. Later I purchased a double action Badger, also with good results.

When Aztec brought out their airbrush line, I bought a special edition set from my LHS with both a single (External mix) airbrush and the top of the line double action airbrush. The set also included color cups, bottle adaptors and just about every tip they make for the good brush and a few for the cheap one too.

The double action brush has been used by my brother in law and myself to paint somewhere around 100+ hoppers and around 20 locomotives. We've painted several hundred feet of track with it and a number of structures too. It is easy to use, easy to clean, and has shown no signs of ever wearing out.

In the 30+ years I've been in the hobby, I've known a lot of guys with airbrushes and they seem to all have different opinions. Everyone seems to like a different brush or manyfacturer for some reason that is important to them. To me, it was the idea of it spraying very well, with different paints and being easy to clean.

Maybe you can watch a few people use their airbrushes or even try them to see what you think.