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Hi all,

I know this has been asked before, so apologies in advance. I need to update my airbrush, and want a decent one for doing fine (I'm not talking eyes, obviously) detail. I'd like to spend around £50, so, what can you suggest?

Cheers for the help, it will be greatly appreciated.

James

What other tasks do you wish to do with it, which paints do you wish to use, and what types do you already own?

My gut instinct is to always recommend the Iwata Eclypse HP-CS which you can get on eBay second hand or refurbished for £50-75 or new from Japan for £50 before import taxes.
It's suitable for shading, detailing and coating at 28mm, and it can handle slightly thicker paints, making it hard to gum up unless you leave it sitting overnight.
I've used mine to stencil shirts, but also to shade and detail Reaper and 40K minis.

I'm not trying to be creepy, but if you wish to try a couple of different airbrushes out during spare time, I'm not a million miles away.

I'm with Buttery Commissar. If I were to have only one airbrush, it would be an Iwata HP-CS, because it's dead easy to clean, has a beautiful trigger, and produces great results.

That said, an Iwata HP-C+ yields better looking results for the same price, and has a preset handle, too. It's also in the price range from discounters. The main difference is that the front needle/nozzle assembly is different. The nozzle is TINY though, so it requires extreme care when cleaning (so as not to lose it). It also has a slightly smaller needle, 0.30.

If I were getting a second airbrush specifically for details on 28mm infantry, I'd get an Iwata HP-BH. It's over your budget ($150-ish) but the results and control are beautiful. It also is a 0.20 needle that can handle VMA without thinning. It also has a MAC control, which lets you restrict airflow without going to the regulator. Not as good as the Grex one that goes on the hose IMO, but itwirks and is miles better than nothing.

I would also highly recommend a crown cap if you are doing any level of detail. They don't cost a lot (free with some airbrushes) and they let you bring the brush close up to the model without removing the cap.

Cheers guys. I can go over budget, if the results are worth it.

That's a kind offer butters, might have to take you up on it.

Aye, the HP-CS was my recommendation mainly because it's what I learned on, and it put up with that. I was not always a dutiful host. It's done undiluted metallics at a reasonable fine level, and that's my benchmark for abuse.

I also have a box of China brushes of different feeds that you're welcome to nose through (and nab if you want them). I've never used them because frankly I'm a creature of comfort, and as Talys said, the Iwata action is just indecently friendly.

+1 for the HP-CS, my first brush, rather forgiving, very easy to use, takes abuse amazingly well.

What a big amount of nice lads!

I started a couple of weeks with the standard cheap airbrush (ab 130a) and I really like this thread as I can learn more.

I would like to get, probably for xmas, a new airbrush to be able to do more details and shading while spraying closer to the model as the current one is not very precise.

Do you guys recommend any online store? I'm in Ireland and for now I buy on everythingairbrush.com but don't know if there are cheaper alternatives.

Thanks.

That to me sounds like you want two brushes.

For absolute detail in the UK, you can't go further than an old Aerograph Sprite or Super 63 - shop around and you should get one for £25-70, it's very variable.
This is an ink brush that allows you to get pencil thin detail and I mean pencil thin. But if you put paint through it, you will kill it entirely. Inks only. Acrylic inks are okay, and with medium you can make your own.
It will need a short thread hose. Adaptor nuts for the compressor are cheap.
It is also a unique trigger mechanism. If you ever dissemble it, you'll wish you didn't. I have practise, but the first time it took two of us to hold it together and reassemble. Not a job for a single person.

I'd also look at any of the Iwata brushes recommended in the topic.

Thanks man!

I don't want to paint eyes, I don't need that fine detail, just something better than the ab 130a and/or more precise. Will take a look at those!

Looks like it's going to be the iwata then with all those recommendations. I'll get one ordered. Cheers guys, and glad someone else was able to benefit too