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Hi all,

I’ve found on Amazon some airbrush kits that come with the full setup including compressor, spray gun and other things. I have never used a airbrush before but I’m considering getting one just for priming my SM’s. I can’t afford to spend too much or have a big setup. Are they going to be any good? I’ll link one below

ABEST High Quality Dual Action Airbrush Compressor Complete kit Paint Tool for Hobby Model Craft Spraying https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B012S2J8DM/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_api_i_HUx0DbSFF1JZZ

Many thanks

I've never owned a super cheap airbrush/compressor like that, but conventional wisdom says at least get a compressor with a tank. That way you can get a consistent airflow. Cheap tankless compressors (like that one as far as I can tell) can have a very inconsistent pressure and airflow output, making them a real pain to work with.

Honestly for an extra £40 you can get an ABEST compressor with a tank and two cheap airbrushes that will be far more serviceable than the one you have linked.

https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/AS186S-Complete-Airbrush-Kit-Compressor-w-Tank-Air-Brush-Nail-Tattoo-Spray-Gun/323333433957?ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT&_trksid=p2057872.m2749.l2648

It will be the best hobby purchase you'll make for the sheer mileage you'll get out of it and the speed of painting compared to a brush.

I have the one I linked above and it's been excellent for all purposes.

That one is out of stock, but that model is very common:
https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B01M26M169/ref=cm_sw_em_r_mt_dp_U_qRN0DbSPNFB6Z

Thing in that kit you will want:
Moisture trap,
Top- and bottom-feed brushes,
Compressor, and tank,
Pressure control.

I started with a similar setup. The brushes may not be great, but I still use one of mine along with one I upgraded to later.

A little late to the party but I've been airbrushing for a few years and thought I would contribute what I've discovered.

Firstly, they are correct that you do probably want something with a compressor tank. Having a variable pressure regulator makes it a bit easier to work with different paints at different ranges.

That being said, if you're not sure, don't be afraid to go cheap. You certainly don't want garbage - and that setup looks about as bottom of the barrel as it gets - but you will eventually wear out every single airbrush tool you buy. And if you are new, you will probably ruin that one within a year. And that's okay - that's what an airbrush like this is for. My advice to newbies is to not spend a ton of money. You don't know if you're going to like airbrushing or stick with it, and you won't have the skills necessary to know what to do with a higher quality setup. About the time you break the cheap one, you will know if you want another one or if the quality of your previous setup was holding you back.

The first airbush kit I bought was in 2010. It was $100USD, it came with the brush, hose, and compressor. I didn't know how to clean an airbrush properly, or what cleaning tools to buy, and ended up mangling the airbrush nozzle - but I had no idea. So I fought with it for months trying to get it to work off-and-on, not realizing I needed a nozzle cleaning probe and the wrench it came with to remove it. In desperation I dunked the whole airbrush into a tub of simple green for two weeks, only to pull it out later and find that all of the chrome was stripped off of the airbrush and it was no longer salvageable. I replaced several hoses during that time. because I had cats and they liked to poke holes in them. And, eventually, my original compressor tank started leaking just a couple of years ago. In that time, I've replaced three airbrushes, two moisture traps, three hoses, one compressor, at least 10 nozzle probe cleaning tools. And I probably would have gone through more if I airbrushed more regularly. Nowadays, my stuff lasts a lot longer, and I've upgraded my tools to the "good stuff", but they still get old, and it took a lot of learning to get to this point.

So whatever you buy, just know that if it's not quite what you wanted, you are not married to it. You'll be replacing it eventually.

I would also advise going inexpensive at first, but get a compressor with a tank, it helps the learning curve a great deal.

https://www.amazon.com/OPHIR-Airbrush-Compressor-Airbrushes-Cleaning/dp/B01NGZ7OWG/ref=sr_1_18?keywords=Master+airbrush+kit&qid=1575488095&sr=8-18

joewarhost wrote:
A little late to the party but I've been airbrushing for a few years and thought I would contribute what I've discovered.

...

So whatever you buy, just know that if it's not quite what you wanted, you are not married to it. You'll be replacing it eventually.

I went cheapo as OP originally for similar reasons.
The thing has made its money 10x over on basecoating and varnishing alone.
I cleaned it, put dish soap in it when sitting for a while, still running 3 years of infrequent use later.

the next one, if there ever is a next one, might be one i think about keeping,
because at least then i will know what i want to be doing with it.

frankly, brushes are still the thing for me for most applications.

this is exactly the one - i use the brushes and so on.
maybe that helps!
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/33025925666.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.7dc14dbaUeO19R&algo_pvid=791e23d6-271f-4f19-bc8a-6cb8aa939fd6&algo_expid=791e23d6-271f-4f19-bc8a-6cb8aa939fd6-37&btsid=d2d3ac5b-25c6-4597-b5c4-d8e84682ee8d&ws_ab_test=searchweb0_0,searchweb201602_1,searchweb201603_55