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Hi
I'm looking to get into Airbrushing for my GW figures and have been reading up on what I need, what's available and what's good. I don't have any kit yet and I was going to go for a Harder & Steenbeck Evolution Silverline Two in One as my first Airbrush until I spotted the one below on an ebay store.
from my noob perspective it sounds ideal,, every thing I need in one go.
but at £140 its suspiciously cheap.

Can anyone tell me ..is it a good deal? I don't just want to base coat I want to do detail as well.
the specs of the H&S Ultra Look (at first glance) the same as the H&S Silverline




MINI PISTON COMPRESSOR WITH 3 LITRE TANK

AND HARDER & STEENBECK ULTRA AIRBRUSH

STARTER KIT

A general purpose starter kit, great value and great performance . Comes supplied with the Ultra airbrush from Harder & Steenbeck. An excellent choice for automotive, modelling and many other fine detail airbrush applications.

This kit includes the following items:

1 x Harder & Steenbeck Ultra Airbrush (0.2mm Nozzle)
1 x 1.8 metre Hose Assembly
1 x AB-AS186 Mini Piston Compressor With Tank (220-240v with UK three pin plug)
1 x Table Top Airbrush Stand
1 x Pistol Grip Moisture Filter & 1 x Sparmax Quick Release Coupling Body



HARDER & STEENBECK ULTRA AIRBRUSH

The "Ultra" is a starter airbrush made by Harder & Steenbeck. It comes with a plug- in cup and has a double action operating system

The Ultra Airbrush comes supplied with the following:
•0.2mm Nozzle
•Paint Plug-in Gravity Cup 2 ml



AS186 MINI PISTON COMPRESSOR WITH 3 LITRE TANK

The AB-AS186 has a 3.0 litre receiver tank that has its pressure maintained automatically by the compressor. Once it has reached the maximum output pressure of 57 PSI it shuts off automatically. Only when the airbrush is triggered and the tank pressure falls below 50 PSI does it restart. Compact, portable and quiet (54db) it provides an oil free air supply.

•Ultra quiet (54db) - can be used unobtrusively in the home


•Maintenance free oil-less piston design with lightweight aluminium construction


•Built in carry handle - light and easy to transport


•3.0 litre Receiver tank - ensures pulse free output.


•Industrial type Pressure regulator with gauge, water trap and air filter


•Pressure relief safety valve


•Rubber feet




AB-17 Airbrush Table Clamp Stand


This secure edge clamping stand can hold up to 2 airbrushes at a time. It is of steel construction with a screw fastening to secure it tightly to your table edge.




AB-BD-12 In-Line Moisture Trap



This miniature in-line Pistol Grip Filter is the final defence to deliver clean, dry air to your airbrush. Miniature in size, the super-fine 5-micron filter element performs like a full size separator.

The clear filter bowl allows a visual inspection of built up moisture and is evacuated through a spring loaded release valve - without taking the filter off the airbrush.

Comfortable on the hand, the PistolGrip Filter acts as a handle on the airbrush to relieve muscle tension.

No experience with H&S, but they have a good reputation. Speaking generally:

Looks like a pretty good deal, to me. I see that the Ultra has a 4mm nozzle included, as listed on the H&S website, but it isn't mentioned in your listing. I was going to recommend picking up a .4mm needle for it, as well, but unless it's an oversight in the listing, you may also need to find the matching nozzle elsewhere.

As a beginner, I found paint thinning to be as important to the learning process as working the gun... and much more difficult. A larger needle/nozzle will be more forgiving of paint selection and thinning than a fine one. The .4mm isn't just a training tool, though - the larger spray pattern will expedite priming, varnishing, and basecoating, which you still want to do (just not to the exclusion of the ability to do detail work, which makes having two sizes for the same gun ideal, at this point), even as you expand your skills in detail work.

I might also suggest picking up a cleaning jar. You can find them cheaply online, likely from the same sellers that offer the larger needle/nozzle. I got one from Sparmax that doubles as an airbrush stand - it would render the included stand extraneous (you'd only have one brush, anyway... at least for now), but I don't think that makes either purchase any less sensible.

Ah I thought it was the 2 in 1
The same guy is doing the same deal but with the H&S Silverline 2 in 1 for £202 other than an iwata MC-B its the one I was thinking of going for.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/PISTON-COMPRESSOR-TANK-HARDER-STEENBECK-SILVERLINE-2-1-AIRBRUSH-KIT-/380843842521?pt=UK_Crafts_DrawingSupplies_EH&hash=item58ac0fdbd9

thanks for the advice. I've read so much about airbrushes in the last few days but its not the same as talking to someone that uses one

You're quite welcome, but don't give my advice too much weight - I'm still relatively new to airbrushing, myself. Just figured I'd offer some moderately well-informed generalities, since the more (and more specifically - I know that at least a few Dakkanauts use H&S) experienced folks haven't chimed in, yet.

I have used an H&S Evolution Silverline and found the .2 nozzle EXTREMELY picky on how thin the paint was. I have only been using an airbrush for 2 years but to a beginner, I would recommend a larger needle/nozzle size to begin with such as .35 or .4.

In addition, I found that the parts (for North America) were not readily available and quite expensive and thus sold the H&S and reverted back to only using my Iwata.

I recommend the Iwata Eclipse HP-CS as it has all the desirable features and comes with a middle of the road needle/nozzle size.

I LOVE H&S!! hehe. They're simply beutiful peices of kit. (are the brand that Vallejo ship with their own airbrushing kits - its more to do with locale than anything else - Vallejo are European, so are H&S)

The Ultra is the entry level brush, I never actually used one, but they look solid.

The actual difference between that and a silverline Evolution is mostly the ptfe solvent resistance o-rings and seals in the silverline, and how you can upgrade the silverline with accessories such as cutaway handles, guidline stopper, handle extension, different sized paint cups etc.

I've just replaced my Evolution Silverline because I used an innapropriate cleaner some time ago and the chrome plating is worse for ware :( But I replaced it with an Evolution CR Plus. which is more of the same but slightly better again with triple chrome plating)

Theyve even just come out with an all aluminium body airbrush for light weight-ness.


I cant rate this manufacturer of airbrushes highly enough really. The build quality and design ingenuity is just wayy up there. Totally worth every penny they charge, would pay a good 50% more without complaint tbh.

Edit; yes for you Americans.. spares might be tricky as this is a German company. But being German... its some of the best engineering around... No joke. The product really speaks for itself. If in EU definitely consider these before looking to Badger or Iwata.


As for the 0.2 nozzle.... well my only response is to learn to thin paints matey. 0.2 sprays any citadel paint just fine. even the metallics. Once thinned appropriately ofcourse. Also had great success with Windsor and Newton Galleria, cheap craft shop paint, valljo paints, Liquitex Inks, Daler Rowney system 3 paints, Waterborne automotive paints, 2pack auto motive paints and candies, etc etc.. I've spray sooo many different types of paint through a 0.2mm nozzle. They all spray 100% totally fine! Even Vallejo Surface Primer does.
So I dont know what your problem is with 0.2mm? I suggest buying quality thinners. Vallejo airbrush thinner handles all acrylics that Ive tried so far well. So does Liquitex Airbrush Medium.

That said H&S offer 0.4mm and 0.6mm nozzle and needle setups too.

It's a good setup for a startup, from what I've been told that compressor is a solid enough unit and exceptional value for money. The .2 needle is a bit fine especially if you use it for larger areas but getting a .5 as a spare and switching isn't a big deal. Just make sure you can get spares easily where you are, killing a needle is very easy especially if your working with the tip guard off and doing very fine work.
Good luck tho and practice loads on paper you will get the hang of it in no time.