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My list of hobbies is not just 40k/miniature wargaming. I also do some Gunpla models (aka Gundams) and some other models of airplanes. After going through a particularly annoying painting section on a boat, I really wanted an airbrush. I'm considering an airbrush, but I'd like to know a few things first.
1. Can I use both enamel and acrylic paints on the same airbrush? I wouldn't use them at the same time, but in different painting sessions after cleaning.
2. Are there any good beginner airbrushes?

SirSertile wrote:
1. Can I use both enamel and acrylic paints on the same airbrush? I wouldn't use them at the same time, but in different painting sessions after cleaning.

Yes.

2. Are there any good beginner airbrushes?

There are quite a few threads here in the P&M forum about the subject, just search around and you'll find one (of the many).

Side note, I do gunpla models as well so I'm glad to see some other Dakkaites enjoying it... it's like another hobby in itself, isn't it?

Welcome to airbrushing....

There are LITERALLY hundreds of posts on this topic, do some reading, you will find a ton of good posts where people have already put forth the effort to share their wisdom.

ONE VERY IMPORTANT POINT:

DO not "over buy" your first airbrush.

Many people think you need an expensive "high end' brush ....
This is not true, in fact is detrimental to your learning.
(imagine trying to learn to drive a standard in a formula racer).

While you don't want a cheap piece of garbage brush with poor quality, you also dont fine a very fine precision brush that has no tolerance for misuse.

I see it all the time, people say "I want a quality brush" and mistake precision brush with quality.

get a basic double action gravity feed brush (and if you don't kwow what that is, do research first).

I suggest the badger patriot 105 as a starter brush, it is very high quality, but NOT difficult to use.

best of luck!

I second the badger 105, I just ordered mine

 ScootyPuffJunior wrote:

SirSertile wrote:
1. Can I use both enamel and acrylic paints on the same airbrush? I wouldn't use them at the same time, but in different painting sessions after cleaning.

Yes.

2. Are there any good beginner airbrushes?

There are quite a few threads here in the P&M forum about the subject, just search around and you'll find one (of the many).

Side note, I do gunpla models as well so I'm glad to see some other Dakkaites enjoying it... it's like another hobby in itself, isn't it?

Yeah, gunpla is pretty cool and different, but i've run into issues with not having an airbrush.
I took a look at one of the suggested airbrushes, the Badger Patriot 105
It doesn't look like it has the compressor/air hose. Any idea where I could pick some up for under $30 or if that is even feasible?
Thanks,
David

The Patriot is a great starter brush as it is fairly robust, easy to use, can accept a variety of need sizes, and won't break the bank. The "Frequently Bought Together" package on that Amazon listing has the brush, a hose, and a cleaning pot for $108... and that's a pretty awesome price for those three necessary items.

As far as a compressor for $30... you aren't likely to find one worth buying for that price. I use this compressor which Amazon has for a decent price. You could also pick up one like this for about half of the cost for the TC910. You can also get a shop compressor from Home Depot and the like, but they tend to be larger and much louder, but sometimes a little less in price.

Yeah, I started with a fancier brush, the "0.2mm" nozzle guns clog really bad if you do not use top paints (or screen them).

I bought the Badger 105 and it is a more "tolerant" brush to use, I would recommend it for performance to price point.

There have been many posts on airbrush, here are some lively links:
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/562590.page#6240552
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/585290.page#6647733
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/591777.page#6761536
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/603484.page#6992146
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/605571.page#7029859
http://www.dakkadakka.com/dakkaforum/posts/list/612102.page#7147585
There is much more I am sure...

 ScootyPuffJunior wrote:
The Patriot is a great starter brush as it is fairly robust, easy to use, can accept a variety of need sizes, and won't break the bank. The "Frequently Bought Together" package on that Amazon listing has the brush, a hose, and a cleaning pot for $108... and that's a pretty awesome price for those three necessary items.

As far as a compressor for $30... you aren't likely to find one worth buying for that price. I use this compressor which Amazon has for a decent price. You could also pick up one like this for about half of the cost for the TC910. You can also get a shop compressor from Home Depot and the like, but they tend to be larger and much louder, but sometimes a little less in price.

Does this one seem like it would be a viable option for me to buy? http://www.amazon.com/Master-Airbrush-Performance-Multi-purpose-Compressor-The/dp/B001TO578Q/ref=pd_sim_sbs_ac_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0FDH4ZRCM6112Q7YC6EN

That Badger TC910 compressor is a champ. I own one and love it.

The shop compressors are a pain, because all the fittings are wrong, the air pressure is too high, and there's no moisture trap -- so you need to do two-stage regulators and a bunch of other parts, meaning tape, O-rings, leader hoses, checking for leaks, and generally not fun stuff when you just want to put on a basecoat. It's not a bad thing (especially if you're going to run air from your garage or furnace room), but it's more useful if you already have the compressor, than if you have to go out and buy one, because once you buy all the do-dads, you're up to the same price, or more, except you have a big thing either on a cart or suited for a garage that doesn't fit well in most hobby rooms.

If you search back through the forums there is a review on that airbrush, though I think it was paired with a different compressor (maybe). The airbrush came with a needle that had a bent needle tip. Regardless, it seemed reasonably capable.

Just be aware that you get what you pay for, and a low end airbrush will not do even basic tasks as well as a midrange airbrush; and as davethepark points out, a midrange airbrush will be more suitable than a thousand-dollar super-fine tip airbrush designed for the toolset of an artist with thousands of hours of experience and who already has a dozen airbrushes.

Thanks, Talys. I've got a small question. How large is the compressor? Is it small enough to fit under my hobby desk. Also, I read some reviews on Amazon, and some people say that this compressor has heat issues? Have you experienced this before?

Talys wrote:
The shop compressors are a pain, because all the fittings are wrong, the air pressure is too high, and there's no moisture trap -- so you need to do two-stage regulators and a bunch of other parts, meaning tape, O-rings, leader hoses, checking for leaks, and generally not fun stuff when you just want to put on a basecoat. It's not a bad thing (especially if you're going to run air from your garage or furnace room), but it's more useful if you already have the compressor, than if you have to go out and buy one, because once you buy all the do-dads, you're up to the same price, or more, except you have a big thing either on a cart or suited for a garage that doesn't fit well in most hobby rooms.

That's all good info, but not all of that is true 100% of the time.

"Shop" compressors come in a variety of sizes, with plenty being no larger than some of the nicer airbrushing air compressors out there. My garage compressor is small (not much larger than my TC910) and easily fits into the cabinet I store it in. I used it to airbrush for quite a while before I bought a dedicated airbrush compressor. A moisture trap/regulator can be bought on Amazon for $16 (they are typically 1/4" x 1/8") and with a couple of short nipples from the home improvement store, you can easily hook it up to a small, cheap shop compressor.

The only real difference is the noise level, which may be undesired. If noise isn't an issue, any compressor will work as long as the compressor CFM exceeds the airbrush CFM.

The compressor isn't large at all. It measures 12 inches deep, 12 inches high (not including the airbrush holders above), and a little less than 5 inches ẃide. You don't need clearancein the back but you need access to the front for power and regulator/moisture trap. You need to be able to tip it a bit to undo the bolt at the bottom to let out any water that accumulates in the tank.

I've never had an issue with heat. I usually run 18psi with a 0.3 or 0.35mm needle, which means the compressor has long periods without running. It barely gets warm in this scenario, even after a long session -- say, 3 hours (I just never airbrush longer than that without a break).

I know some people like to run 25-30+ psi. I have no idea how it would heat up in this scenario, but I can't really imagine myself using an airbrush with that much psi on 28mm minis and vehicles.


Automatically Appended Next Post:

 ScootyPuffJunior wrote:

Talys wrote:
The shop compressors are a pain, because all the fittings are wrong, the air pressure is too high, and there's no moisture trap -- so you need to do two-stage regulators and a bunch of other parts, meaning tape, O-rings, leader hoses, checking for leaks, and generally not fun stuff when you just want to put on a basecoat. It's not a bad thing (especially if you're going to run air from your garage or furnace room), but it's more useful if you already have the compressor, than if you have to go out and buy one, because once you buy all the do-dads, you're up to the same price, or more, except you have a big thing either on a cart or suited for a garage that doesn't fit well in most hobby rooms.

That's all good info, but not all of that is true 100% of the time.

"Shop" compressors come in a variety of sizes, with plenty being no larger than some of the nicer airbrushing air compressors out there. My garage compressor is small (not much larger than my TC910) and easily fits into the cabinet I store it in. I used it to airbrush for quite a while before I bought a dedicated airbrush compressor. A moisture trap/regulator can be bought on Amazon for $16 (they are typically 1/4" x 1/8") and with a couple of short nipples from the home improvement store, you can easily hook it up to a small, cheap shop compressor.

The only real difference is the noise level, which may be undesired. If noise isn't an issue, any compressor will work as long as the compressor CFM exceeds the airbrush CFM.

Hey, no disagreement -- A contractor compressor can be made to work. It is some work though: most need a regulator to take it down to 50psi, and then a second regulator to take it down to 20psi. The compressor will have a quick connect, which you need to confer to a 1/4 NPT. And, the hobby compressor ou probably want to put a little ways away from the compressor (so that you can adjust air pressure easily, and those 1/4 NPT hoses and brass fittings aren't cheap). Plus the taping is a hassle. Remember that hobby compressor needs to be kept upright too, so that means an airbrush holder with the mounting.

Of course any pressure vessel that can deliver relatively constant pressure will work -- even a propane tank filled with air. It's just, a hobby compressor is made for it, and makes your life a little easier is all.

I have never seen a contractor's compressor that is anywhere close to the 12x12x5 that the badger TC910 is ( and can put out 90PSI). f you know of one, PLEASE let me know, as I would love one for tasks like flushing garden hoses in the winter and run a mailer without needing to be a thing on a cart.

Thanks again, Talys. Just a quick question, is it ok to airbrush inside the house? I know there won't be the propellant smell (it's just air), but does the paint get everywhere. I do have a covered table. Also, should I put a plastic tray under my compressor in case the water comes out? Just wondering.
Thanks!

SirSertile wrote:
Thanks again, Talys. Just a quick question, is it ok to airbrush inside the house? I know there won't be the propellant smell (it's just air), but does the paint get everywhere. I do have a covered table. Also, should I put a plastic tray under my compressor in case the water comes out? Just wondering.
Thanks!

First off, you can't really airbrush outside, because a of breeze would totally mess things up

The paint does not go everywhere. If you just cut two sides off a box (the top and side facing you), that's sufficient to prevent paint from making a mess. A lot of people don't realize until they start airbrushing miniatures that you actually don't move the airbrush or your hand holding the airbrush a ton. Instead, you move your miniature. This is because you don't really want the paint in the gravity cup to move around too much, and at extreme angles, it either won't feed into the gravity well at all, or worse, it will drip out (you will only ever make this mistake once, trust me ). This very much controls where the paint goes.

Smell isn't generally an issue, but fumes are. If you use Vallejo Model and Game Air, the paints are non-toxic (but they're probably still lung irritants). However, the primer is made of polyurethane, which is toxic and a carcinogen. The best advice is to wear a mask -- specifically, an P95 rated paint respirator, which is designed to filter out all the bad stuff from paint, like this one:

http://www.amazon.com/3M-Paint-Project-Respirator-Medium/dp/B00004Z4EB/ref=sr_1_23?ie=UTF8&qid=1420965913&sr=8-23&keywords=n95+mask

In addition, if you plan to airbrush for long periods of time, ventilation is a real plus. There are a few ways to achieve this. First, you can build or buy a airbrush workstation, which is basically a box like I described above (no top or front) with the back being a filter, and behind that one or more fans that draw air into a hose and out a window or vent. If that's too fancy, I would suggest using a 12" fan set to low, pointed out the window

I know lots of people that don't even do that, and simply shut the door to the room for a while and crack open a window after they're done. Personally, I think it settles pretty quickly. But, during airbrushing, I would definitely wear the correct type of mask -- you can see on the replaceable cartridges, on mine, that both discolor quite quickly -- meaning that's stuff I would have breathed in.

Vallejo Airbrush Cleaner, by the way, does have a distinct (if brief) odor, as does isopropyl alcohol, which many people use to clean parts.

Hope that helps!

Talys wrote:
Hey, no disagreement -- A contractor compressor can be made to work. It is some work though: most need a regulator to take it down to 50psi, and then a second regulator to take it down to 20psi. The compressor will have a quick connect, which you need to confer to a 1/4 NPT. And, the hobby compressor ou probably want to put a little ways away from the compressor (so that you can adjust air pressure easily, and those 1/4 NPT hoses and brass fittings aren't cheap). Plus the taping is a hassle. Remember that hobby compressor needs to be kept upright too, so that means an airbrush holder with the mounting.

Of course any pressure vessel that can deliver relatively constant pressure will work -- even a propane tank filled with air. It's just, a hobby compressor is made for it, and makes your life a little easier is all.

I have never seen a contractor's compressor that is anywhere close to the 12x12x5 that the badger TC910 is ( and can put out 90PSI). f you know of one, PLEASE let me know, as I would love one for tasks like flushing garden hoses in the winter and run a mailer without needing to be a thing on a cart.

Not all shop compressors come with a quick disconnect already attached, and even if it does, it can be easily removed with a pair of Channellocks. Short brass nipples are less $3 a piece at Home Depot (also, you don't need to use brass... steel nipples work just fine and are even cheaper if you have a true plumbing supply store nearby) and combined with another $16 for a moisture trap/regulator from Amazon, you'll have a perfect good compressor for airbrushing for less than $100.

Bottom line is that a dedicated airbrush compressor is a much better option, but using a standard shop compressor isn't prohibitive difficult or expensive, especially if you already have one sitting in your garage (which a lot of people do) or you don't/can't spend the money on a purpose made compressor.

You know I'm having the hardest time actually ordering the badger airbrush? the one I mentioned I ordered was off of ebay and it said it was in stock...after 4 days and no shipment I sent them a message and they told me it was out of stock! Can you imagine....so now I'm floating around on amazon but I see the reviews of being shipped used airbrushes....I'm not sure what to do...anyone have a reputable website to order one of these from?

Grex XGI is another good brush, it's served me well.

First off, you can't really airbrush outside, because a of breeze would totally mess things up

That depends entierly on local weather. I've airbrushed outside on many occasions with no issues whatsoever.

WillyBRags wrote:You know I'm having the hardest time actually ordering the badger airbrush? the one I mentioned I ordered was off of ebay and it said it was in stock...after 4 days and no shipment I sent them a message and they told me it was out of stock! Can you imagine....so now I'm floating around on amazon but I see the reviews of being shipped used airbrushes....I'm not sure what to do...anyone have a reputable website to order one of these from?

You may wish to try Paache as another midrange alternative that has many options and inexpensive parts.

DarkLink wrote:Grex XGI is another good brush, it's served me well.

First off, you can't really airbrush outside, because a of breeze would totally mess things up

That depends entierly on local weather. I've airbrushed outside on many occasions with no issues whatsoever.

I think XGi is out of the budget range ($150-180 range).

I looked back at my Amazon link and realized that it's not the Badger 105. If I'm looking for an airbrush, should I get this one for a better deal? Just wondering so I don't get ripped off.
http://www.amazon.com/Master-Airbrush-Performance-Multi-purpose-Compressor-The/dp/B001TO578Q/ref=pd_sim_sbs_ac_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0FDH4ZRCM6112Q7YC6EN#customerReviews

SirSertile wrote:
I looked back at my Amazon link and realized that it's not the Badger 105. If I'm looking for an airbrush, should I get this one for a better deal? Just wondering so I don't get ripped off.
http://www.amazon.com/Master-Airbrush-Performance-Multi-purpose-Compressor-The/dp/B001TO578Q/ref=pd_sim_sbs_ac_2?ie=UTF8&refRID=0FDH4ZRCM6112Q7YC6EN#customerReviews

If you search this forum, there is a review of it. The reviewer's model (also from Amazon) had a bent needle tip. Generally, it looked "ok". I think in a pretty short amount of time, someone who enjoys airbrushing would want to replace the compressor with one with a tank, and the airbrush with one that had better-machined parts.

If you don't mind buying an airbrush and compressor that you'll eventually replace both of (unless you decide airbrush just isn't your thing), I'd say go for it -- you can't get cheaper. Just keep in mind you get what you pay for.

By the way, these are both Badger 105, but they come with different size needles. If you do go that route, make sure you get the correct size needle/tip that you are looking for:

http://www.amazon.com/Badger-Air-Brush-Patriot-Gravity-Airbrush/dp/B002W84GTO/ref=sr_1_1?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1421018810&sr=1-1&keywords=badger+105
http://www.amazon.com/Badger-Air-Brush-105-2XR-Patriot-Airbrush/dp/B00471RFQA/ref=sr_1_4?s=arts-crafts&ie=UTF8&qid=1421018810&sr=1-4&keywords=badger+105

Talys wrote:
Just keep in mind you get what you pay for.

Yep. That couldn't be any more accurate.

Are the airbrushes from Masters serviceable? Yes, but I can tell you from personal experience that the quality of a Masters airbrush is pretty low. If you've never used a really nice brush you wouldn't know the difference, but it is very noticeable once you have a comparison point. It will be much easier learn on a better quality brush from a reputable company. The Patriot 105 is a nice brush for its cost and probably one of the best options when it comes to cost/quality ratio. There are plenty of serious modelers that use the Patriot as their main airbrush, including quite a few people here on Dakka.

 WillyBRags wrote:
You know I'm having the hardest time actually ordering the badger airbrush? the one I mentioned I ordered was off of ebay and it said it was in stock...after 4 days and no shipment I sent them a message and they told me it was out of stock! Can you imagine....so now I'm floating around on amazon but I see the reviews of being shipped used airbrushes....I'm not sure what to do...anyone have a reputable website to order one of these from?

Not all Amazon...is Amazon.

If you are looking at the 105, you might also consider the 360. It is effectively the same brush with a twist... Well, not quite the same as the 105...it is sort of the same as the 155 which is what the 105 is based off from... The parts from that whole series are largely interchangeable.

The twist is, you can twist around the gravity feed cup and hook a bottle up to it for siphon feeding. Useful when doing larger objects, terrain, superheavies and the like. I know base coating larger model aircraft (most 1/48 and above) will run you through a gravity feed cup or two. Detailing it isn't too bad - but there is a lot of surface to be covered with model aircraft.

I may just buy the kit for the compressor and brush and then decide if I would like to buy the Badger 105.
Thanks for all the advice!