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Yes, yes, many people ask the question "what's the best air-brush?", sometimes even specifying a use or a price.
And they usually get the same answers that are either someone's favourite brush, or are told to do more research and decide on what the actually want.
Well, I have done my research, and I have a short-list.
I already have a cheap-O airbrush that came with the compressor. But the rubber seals don't like my solvent-based paints very much; this is why I'm looking to buy a shiny new air-brush.
I want gravity feed, with a reasonably sized cup (don't want to have to be constantly filling it up),
I want a nozzle of between 0.3 and 0.5mm (I mainly use enamel paints so a smaller nozzle is no use),
I want a double-action trigger,
I would like an adjustable trigger stop (my cheap-O brush has one and it appears to be useful, if I'm buying a brush why shouldn't it have one),
And I don't want to pay over the odds (why pay more if I can get the same for less).
This has led me to a short-list:
a) Paasche Talon ~£116
b) Badger 105 - Patriot ~£117
Edit; new contender) Harder & Steenbeck Evolution Silverline ~£136
c) Harder & Steenbeck Infinity CRplus ~£160
Sub-d) Iwata "Eclipse" HP-CS ~£150
d) Iwata HP-C Plus ~£180
e, the outlier) Iwata HP-CH ~£225
However, all things being equal, the prices are not...
The Iwata is just too much, which begs the question: is the H&S really worth ~£50 (nearly 1/3rd) more than the Badger and Paasche?
And given the similar price of the Badger and Paasche, which would be the better choice for someone who will mainly be doing priming and basecoats (with basic shading)?
Thoughts on these and any other air-brushes I may have missed (with a similar spec') are welcome.
Thanks.
This message was edited 3 times. Last update was at 2015/11/15 22:09:23
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I do love my HS airbrushes mostly because they are soo easy to clean. From what I have heard none of the others match that feature. Also the fact that the needles and nozzles are interchangeable between most HS models is very good when you get your second airbrush for basecoating and varnishing or something like that.
The one you have there is the most expensive they have (but it is BEAUTIFUL). An alternative is the Silverline, also has a trigger stop and runs the same needles and nozzles as the Infinity. You should find it at about £30 less than the Infinity CRplus. (Don't pick the fPc, they are pointless imho)
I will let others chime in on the other models.
// Andreas
Dark Angels 4th Company (3,830pts) 950pts fully painted
Personally, if I were going to own only one airbrush, it would be an Iwata HP-CS (not +C). Although they'll do the same thing, the quality difference between it and the Iwata and a Paasche is really remarkable. The Paasche is like a Chrysler: it has every feature you can imagine, and it just looks so awesome on paper. For a relatively cheap price, you get all the possible needles you could need (and matching nozzles), a hose, cut-away handle, control knob thing, and even a crown cap.
But... the quality of the machining on an Iwata is just noticeably better in every measurable way. Plus, the needle is MUCH harder. The Paasche needles will easily bend (you can deform it with your fingernail!), while the Iwata needles are much, much stronger. It's just way more fun to use. After you airbrush a whole bunch, the knob thing is pretty useless IMO, and the crown cap on the paasche is some cheap chromed material, while the Iwata one (that you must purchase separately) has nicer tapered pointed ends and is made of the same steel as the airbrush. And the paint flow is better too.
I would choose the CS over the +C because it's way easier to clean. the Hi-Line series (BH, CH, +B, +C, etc.) has a teenie tiny nozzle that is a pain to take off and clean, because you're always paranoid about losing it, while the CS has the nozzle attached to a self-centering, pressure fit piece that removes without a tool.
They all have the same sort of awesomely smooth trigger, which the Paasche does NOT have. To give you an idea, my Paasche airbrushes (I own 3) literally feel like they "stick" when pressing down, and I can feel a slight unevenly as I pull back. On the other hand, the Iwata airbrushes have triggers that just glide with a magical, buttery softness and allow you easily control how much you want to pull the trigger back.
My 2 favorite airbrushes to use are the Iwata HP-CS and the HP BH. I never use my +C, as I always end up going with the CS just because it's easier to clean.
I like my Paasche Talons, though, because you can stick a 0.66mm needle/nozzle on it (for free), which is really awesome for terrain, and for self-thinned paint that wasn't quite thinned enough. And metallic paints that may be troublesome.
I can't speak for the H&S, because I have not owned one, sadly.
I didn't post because i don't know those brushes, however Talys gave me an amazing opening to again sing the praises of the hp-cs. I love this brush.
I abuse my brushes so much, and this thing keeps on going. I bought a set of spare parts for it when i got it, I've dropped it countless time, stabbed myself on the needle countless times, not cleaned it properly almost as many times as I've forgotten about it in an iso bath for weeks.
I've never used a spare part, it just refuses to die.
Thirding the above. My Hp-Cs was second hand when I got it, and it's lived through 5 years of fumbling idiocy. I didn't even used to dilute my citadel paints early on.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2015/11/15 13:24:14
Granander, Yeah I hear that all the time about the H&S brushes; easier to strip and clean. Even better, you have pointed out a brush I had missed, and it's cheaper. A new contender has entered the arena. Thanks.
Talys, those are the rrp in England, yes. (or close enough, don't quote me on it ) I would of course look for a deal on what I buy eventually. Thanks for the links. I am just looking for the differences between these, from the outside they all appear to be the same, I want an insight to why one may be worth more than another...
...And what you have there is the kind of thing I'm after; a tangible difference between the top and bottom.
Interesting to hear about the Iwata's, I'll keep that in mind. Thanks.
and Thanks for the recommendation, kb_lock and Buttery'.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2015/11/15 13:36:53
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I went with the Paasche Talon recently exactly for the reason Talys gave: the 0.66m needle. I'm only priming and basecoating with thinned Citadel paints for now. So, that needle stays in my brush. I'll graduate to the HP-CS later once I've got my feet wet the Talon.
The OP has been updated with the new contenders, as mentioned; the H&S Silverline and the Iwata HP-CS.
I've also added the HP-CH (which I came across while looking for the CS; talk about using similar names for different things, positive nightmare for a dyslexic).
This one is intriguing with it's extra air-pressure control thing. Whether I'll use it is one thing, but...
Amazon searches has turned this whole thing on it's head:
The Badger can be found for about £5 cheaper than list price... that's not a typo, that's £5.
http://www.amazon.co.uk/1/dp/B002W84GTO/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1447682112&sr=8-1&keywords=badger+patriot Having read some reviews, it appears that Badger use a different connection for air, which would mean buying an adapter for my hose, which eats into that "massive" £5 saving...
Also noted is that the needle sticks out the front of the brush which would make the stick-finger-over-end cleaning method difficult.
Can only find a CRPlus as a 2in1, which is for more than what I have above (the single 0.4mm needle version).
The thing with the 2in1 is that yes it is nice to have a second needle included (for a price though), but they are the smaller size which I'm unlikely to use. If it was included in the price I wouldn't mind, but as I can buy it without the small needle I don't want to pay for something I won't use.
And this is where it all gets interesting... The Iwata brushes:
The "Eclipse" HP-CScan be found for £64 from Japan! (I am currently loving Japan after buying a model from there that is also cheaper than over here) That is less than half price... with free postage... even with customs charges it's going to still be cheaper than any of the other brushes.
Even the HP-CH (with it's extra twiddly bit) can be had for £96... instead of the £225 if I bought it here at rrp...
This poses the question: Why pay more for a H&S (with needles I don't need) when I can buy the top of the range Iwata for less?
Yes, there is the ease of cleaning argument. But I can't say I've been that bothered with the difficulty of cleaning my cheap-o AB.
If that's the only thing the H&S has to bring to the fight, then a cheaper Iwata is looking like the front runner...
Thoughts?
Automatically Appended Next Post: Thanks for the input, bbarrington2001
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2015/11/16 14:41:02
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The only cleaning difficulty I've ever had with the Iwata was accidentally filling the trigger area when I dropped it once.
Rest of the time you can clean it in a few minutes, and pretty much drive a bus through it so far as cleaning tools go.
I've had a couple of airbrushes (though not nearly as many as vastly more experienced people on here), but since I got my Iwata Eclipse, I haven't looked at, or been tempted by anything else.
It's easy to disassemble and clean, and the nozzle setup seems to have been designed so that it's more capable at having 'thicker' acrylic paints used through it. I say 'thicker' within quotes as I still mean heavily thinned down acrylic paints! My previous research seemed to indicate that a lot of other airbrushes with smaller nozzles were really designed for inks.
This is only my experience, and I could be way off the mark here, but my view is that the Eclipse is just an absolute beast for this kind of work.
If you are going to be using an airbrush in a similar manner to me (priming, base coats, shading, highlighting, and even getting onto finer detail like lining the creases in Space Marine power armour), I really do recommend the Eclipse.
Buttery Commissar wrote: In terms of thicker paint, Bellyfluff, the Eclipse is recommended to T-shirt painters as it takes fabric paint and barely raises a sweat.
It's why I had it; I started work as a shirt painter.
Ah nice.
The thickest I've tried is the Badger Stynylrez primers without thinning. They're probably not far off a regular Citadel paint. I was working at around 30psi and the brush was fighting back a little. I couldn't imagine using any thicker paint at that kind of PSI level.
It's certainly nice to know it's got that range though. Right from thick paint, down to heavily thinned acrylics at a low pressure to do fine lines.
The "Eclipse" HP-CScan be found for £64 from Japan! (I am currently loving Japan after buying a model from there that is also cheaper than over here) That is less than half price... with free postage... even with customs charges it's going to still be cheaper than any of the other brushes.
Even the HP-CH (with it's extra twiddly bit) can be had for £96... instead of the £225 if I bought it here at rrp...
The HP-CS and HP-CH actually have a few differences.
- The bodies and airflow for turning the paint into an aerosol are different
- The nozzle on the CH sits further back than the CS, because on the CS the nozzle is mounted to a head that sits (pressure fit) to the body; on the CH it's screwed on with a thread
- Technically, you can disassemble the CS nozzle from its head piece (for instance, if it's REALLY messed up dirty); this nozzle is actually interchangeable with the CH - The dispersion pattern is different between the two airbrushes
- The CH is a 0.3 and the CS is 0.35
- The CH has a preset handle (the knob at the back)
- The CH has a MAC adapter (the knob at the front under the cup)
If it is your only airbrush, I would discourage the CH because it's more troublesome to clean, and provides no advantage in tasks like priming and basecoating. The preset handle, while nice, is really not that useful except when you're starting out and essentially want to turn your $150 airbrush into a $50 single-action. The reason it's not that useful is that when you're more experienced (a) you'll want to have more control, and the limiter is annoying (b) it's really easy to hold the trigger at the right place on the iwata anyways, and (c) you can't clear a clogged nozzle without allowing the needle back all the way, so that means loosening the knob all the way anyhow.
The MAC (micro air control) is actually MUCH more useful than the preset handle. It allows you to adjust the air pressure without adjusting the regulator, and also adjust it more precisely. The thing is, I never use mine. Instead, I have a Grex quick disconnect (about $15 on Amazon), which does the same thing, but it's inline at the hose, rather than on the airbrush. The position, vertical, is easier to access and manage than the built-in one which is upside-down and under the cup.
Now, the main reason to buy the CHIMO is that it's a more precise airbrush. You can paint finer lines, and the cone pattern has less overspray. I personally like the dispersal pattern of the paint a little better (I think it's softer). However, I never use mine. Why? On small models, I always go to my BH, which has a 0.2mm nozzle, and therefore gives and even finer line. It costs the same as a CH, and works with Vallejo model/game air paint as well as Citadel Air without any thinning. It has a very small cup (the AH is even smaller, with just a slot), but I think this is just fine; usually, I have like, 3 drops of paint in the airbrush when I'm doing small details, and the smaller cup obscures the model less.
It's also worth mentioning that there are some pistol-grip airbrushes that you may wish to consider, like the Iwata Revolution (can't remember the model number) and the Grex. I personally don't like them, but I have a friend who swears by them. Some people -- especially those who have never airbrushed before -- think they are much more natural to use. Instead of a dual control (press down, pull back), you only have to contend with a single control, pulling back the trigger, and it works just like a spray gun. The Grex one has a really cool feature, too - the crown magnetically attaches/detaches with the body and there's a storage magnet at the back.
Thanks Bellyfluff. Yeah, I mainly use Enamel paint, so that's why I'm looking at needles/nozzles of 0.3mm and above.
Thanks Erik'. Good points.
Talys wrote:The HP-CS and HP-CH actually have a few differences.
- The bodies and airflow for turning the paint into an aerosol are different
- The nozzle on the CH sits further back than the CS, because on the CS the nozzle is mounted to a head that sits (pressure fit) to the body; on the CH it's screwed on with a thread
Thanks for the breakdown, Talys.
Yeah. The cheap-o brush I have now is a screw on nozzle. I'm not adverse to it.
- Technically, you can disassemble the CS nozzle from its head piece (for instance, if it's REALLY messed up dirty); this nozzle is actually interchangeable with the CH
Interesting. So even though the nozzle is pressure fit in the CS, it still has a screw-thread for screwing into the CH (for example), is that what you are saying?
- The dispersion pattern is different between the two airbrushes
- The CH is a 0.3 and the CS is 0.35
- The CH has a preset handle (the knob at the back)
- The CH has a MAC adapter (the knob at the front under the cup)
...and about +£30 on Amazon.
If it is your only airbrush, I would discourage the CH because it's more troublesome to clean, and provides no advantage in tasks like priming and basecoating.
Well, I do have this cheap-o brush; which is side-feed, with a 0.3mm needle/nozzle. However, it's rubber seals don't like my use of enamel paints, hence looking for a higher quality brush. I can't say I ever felt like this AB could do with being much easier to clean, only that it doesn't start to complain about my paint after 20mins.
And while I am mainly using the AB to prime and basecoat models, if I had access to an AB that could do more, I would be inclined to try more.
I would prefer to have the option to do finer lines (and other, as yet, undiscovered AB techniques) as well as basecoating with one AB, and not have to buy another to experiment further (doesn't mean I won't start an AB collection).
The preset handle, while nice, is really not that useful except when you're starting out and essentially want to turn your $150 airbrush into a $50 single-action. The reason it's not that useful is that when you're more experienced (a) you'll want to have more control, and the limiter is annoying (b) it's really easy to hold the trigger at the right place on the iwata anyways, and (c) you can't clear a clogged nozzle without allowing the needle back all the way, so that means loosening the knob all the way anyhow.
That is a good point. I've not really used it on the current AB, but I see that this cheap one has it and more expensive ones don't and have to ask myself why?!
The MAC (micro air control) is actually MUCH more useful than the preset handle. It allows you to adjust the air pressure without adjusting the regulator, and also adjust it more precisely. The thing is, I never use mine. Instead, I have a Grex quick disconnect (about $15 on Amazon), which does the same thing, but it's inline at the hose, rather than on the airbrush. The position, vertical, is easier to access and manage than the built-in one which is upside-down and under the cup.
Interesting also. Will look into that.
Now, the main reason to buy the CHIMO is that it's a more precise airbrush. You can paint finer lines, and the cone pattern has less overspray. I personally like the dispersal pattern of the paint a little better (I think it's softer). However, I never use mine. Why? On small models, I always go to my BH, which has a 0.2mm nozzle, and therefore gives and even finer line. It costs the same as a CH, and works with Vallejo model/game air paint as well as Citadel Air without any thinning. It has a very small cup (the AH is even smaller, with just a slot), but I think this is just fine; usually, I have like, 3 drops of paint in the airbrush when I'm doing small details, and the smaller cup obscures the model less.
Ah, good to hear that the CH is worth the extra cash though.
I think a 0.2 nozzle would be too small for my paints (yeah I could change paint and use acylics like everyone else, but... effort ), from what I've read.
It's also worth mentioning that there are some pistol-grip airbrushes that you may wish to consider, like the Iwata Revolution (can't remember the model number) and the Grex. I personally don't like them, but I have a friend who swears by them. Some people -- especially those who have never airbrushed before -- think they are much more natural to use. Instead of a dual control (press down, pull back), you only have to contend with a single control, pulling back the trigger, and it works just like a spray gun. The Grex one has a really cool feature, too - the crown magnetically attaches/detaches with the body and there's a storage magnet at the back.
Having used a dual-action AB, I do like the control of the paint flow it gives over an old Badger siphon spray gun I also have.
Hope that all helps.
Thanks. Very useful.
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I have the Talon. It works great for me, easy to use and clean and the included nozzle choices at that price point coupled with they way it performs for me made it a purchase I don't regret a bit.
Every time a terrorist dies a Paratrooper gets his wings.
I never use either the MAC valve nor the preset handle on my airbrush.
I imagine the preset handle is probably more appropriate for things like spraying inks or thin slow drying paints on to porous surfaces (maybe things like cake decorators or t-shirt painters). The problem with miniature painting is that the amount of pull you need on the needle to spray a certain amount of paint is constantly changing because as you spray there's always paint building up around the nozzle and needle. You don't even notice yourself doing it normally, but when you engage the preset handle you notice immediately that you can only spray for a few seconds before you have to clear the nozzle and needle. I imagine that's not so much a problem with spraying inks, food colouring or similar paints.
I thought the preset handle would be useful when doing fine detail stuff but that's actually when it's the least useful Because that's when you need to constantly be varying the needle position to get a good spray AND you need to be constantly cleaning the needle and clearing the nozzle.
The MAC valve, I dunno, I just never found it all that useful. It seems to just be an additional way to adjust the pressure, but my regulator sits right next to me so it's not exactly hard to adjust the regulator directly and get more repeatable results because I can actually see the number I'm going to and from.
@Skink - the preset handle is a nice crutch for peeps who are just starting out as there is a tendency to yank the trigger all the way back. I'm sure I did that myself
I don't have a problem with clogging with the vast majority of paints that I use (metallics being a notable exception). Using either Vallejo air or Citadel air, I almost never get clogs and crown paint buildup is something I wipe down with a qtip between paint changes or cup refills. Obviously for paint I thin myself, it may clog if I don't put enough thinner
Is it possible that your tip needs to be scaled, or that it had to do with your paint?
@Dr H - I will take a photo of both tonight to show you what I mean about the head. It's kind of hard to describe, but in a nutshell, the HPCS is super easy to disassemble and clean.
Most paints I get a gradual build up as I spray. I don't often get full on clogs, but then I frequently spray full blast for a couple of seconds in to the side of my booth to stop it clogging.
It's not a problem with clogging that stops me using the preset, it's that the amount of pull I need is constantly changing.
Maybe it's just because it's warmer and drier over here. It happens with every paint I use whether it be acrylic or enamel, vallejo, reaper, humbrol, testors, citadel, whatever. It happens with a 0.2mm or a 0.3mm or a 0.7mm or even a completely different airbrush.
I'm not sure what you mean be "tip needs to be scaled".
Thanks 'Skink. The preset handle was just something that I came across on my cheap AB, and for quite a while I didn't even know what it did. It was only when I screwed it all the way, one way, and found that it stopped the trigger, I realised. At that stage it seemed a useful feature for doing consistent spraying.
However, having not used it much, I've not come across the issues you and Talys have mentioned.
AllSeeingSkink wrote:... there's always paint building up around the nozzle and needle...
You mean wet paint, inside the needle point protecting crown thing (technical names-R-us)? I thought that was just a feature of my cheap AB. Maybe it is, it does it all the time whether I'm using the preset or not.
The MAC valve, I dunno, I just never found it all that useful. It seems to just be an additional way to adjust the pressure, but my regulator sits right next to me so it's not exactly hard to adjust the regulator directly and get more repeatable results because I can actually see the number I'm going to and from.
It does also say you can achieve different effects by using it, and will change the way you brush... more than likely just sales speak.
But with my cheap regulator, a finer adjustment of air-pressure might be useful. Not that I've found the need to change the pressure that much anyway, but I've only been doing priming and basecoats. I see the finer work needing a stricter use of pressure.
And I see myself getting a better regulator one day...
Talys wrote:@Dr H - I will take a photo of both tonight to show you what I mean about the head. It's kind of hard to describe, but in a nutshell, the HPCS is super easy to disassemble and clean.
Ta. I was intrigued by the "interchangeable with the CH" comment.
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I have the Badger 105 but have not tried any other airbrushes on the list to compare.
I found this to be a good workhorse where it is easy to clean and has survived quite a few bad drops.
The needle sticking out the end I found no problem and seemed to make it easier for me to clean the end as paint builds up.
I think I would have liked the "crutch" of the stop to keep a consistent paint flow over large areas.
I had noticed at one point the applied air seemed to stick a bit until I cleaned it out better and lubed it and then found it had a smoother actuation.
I initially decided not to go to the bigger fancier brushes till I had a few projects under the belt so I could justify a more expensive brush and have a better feel for what I would like to see on the next.
Good luck! This is so much nicer than the "so I decided to buy an airbrush: what should I get?" so open ended you feel a moment of analysis paralysis.
A revolution is an idea which has found its bayonets.
Napoleon Bonaparte
Talizvar wrote: Good luck! This is so much nicer than the "so I decided to buy an airbrush: what should I get?" so open ended you feel a moment of analysis paralysis.
Yeah, I didn't want a list of people's favourite air-brushes (after all I could, and have, read though all the previous threads). I do kind of enjoy researching a new tool/toy, and research is in my blood; so I got as far as I could before asking people's opinions.
I do feel for the people who ask the "best air-brush" question though.
When you look at air-brushes with untrained eyes, they do all pretty much look the same, and even delving further they almost claim to do the same things. Knowing what feature is worthwhile comes with experience as every manufacturer is going to say their's is the best and has exciting new features... There is a very deep hole of "the more you learn about ABing, the more you find you don't know". That is what leads the less research-inclined to ask "what is the best air-brush?".
And all they get in return is rolled eyes, "this is my favourite...", and "go and find out what kind of AB you actually want"... amongst other things (some of which is useful, but often buried in the rest of the comments).
You need to ask the right questions to get the answers you want.
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A page that I found useful when looking in to airbrushes was Paul Budzik's. Most people only give very superficial reasons why they like one airbrush or another but he actually goes a bit more in depth in it, though he doesn't talk specifically about one airbrush or another it does help when understanding the difference between airbrushes.
Personally I'm just a hack, I found my cheap chinese airbrush (Artlogic) as good as I need, and funnily enough I actually prefer it for super fine detail work than more more expensive airbrush (from Runway 13).
I think sometimes we get too caught up on this stuff. The guy at my local hobby shop who has painted some of the most awesome looking models I've seen has almost no opinion on airbrushes, he's used a heap of them and found all of them to be sufficient for the job (with the exception of spray guns being better for spraying base coats but being incapable of fine detail work). The main reason I don't like my chinese airbrush is some of the seals wore out after quite a bit of use and I need a new needle/nozzle but it's hard to find replacements.
Anyway, this is Paul Budzik's site, I found the videos on page 2 and the start of page 3 quite useful...
I just snapped them on my work desk without quite enough light, so the pictures aren't the best, but this gives you an idea. As you can see, the HP-CS has a nozzle that just pressure-fits into the body, whereas the HP-BH (which has the same design as the HP +C and HPCH) has that teenie tiny nozzle that requires super special care to not... lose. Or send down the drain. Or clean.
Plus the gaping huge hole in the front of the CS allows for a big fat pipe cleaner type to really get in there and scrub out the front part, which is what gets most of the accumulation. On the higher end airbrushes, you have a teenie hole to deal with.
OTOH, the Hi-Line design ensures that the needle is *perfectly* centered, making the lines ever so slightly cleaner and minimizing buildup on the crown. Which in practice isn't really that meaningful, at least not to me I think the way that the paint disperses on the BH/CH/C+/B+ brushes looks a little nicer though, when doing fine gradients.
I have actually cheated before, and taken apart the CS nozzle (the front comes off), and replacing it with the tip from the BH, and putting the 0.20mm needle into the CS body. If there's a lot of stuff to paint, this is just so much nicer a body to clean up, and essentially, that gives me an easy to clean 0.20mm airbrush
For completeness, there's a Paasche broken down there too. You can see it has a similar design to the HP-CS, though the nozzle screws rather than sits in. Don't let features fool you though... there is a very noticeable difference between the two airbrushes in almost everything that matters.
This message was edited 4 times. Last update was at 2015/11/17 08:38:13
Thanks 'Skink. I had come across a couple of his videos, but not the website. One other video I had bookmarked early in my air-brush search was of Ken Schlotfeldt (of Badger) explaining the ins and outs of various air-brushes and how they relate to miniature painting. Recorded at a few model-cons. But he doesn't go into quite as much detail as Paul does in your link.
For completeness:
Thanks Talys. Very useful. I see, compatible with the CS, not the other way around.
I suppose I am spoilt a little with my cheap, side-feed, AB. As there is a huge hole in the side of that chamber that I can stick a cotton bud in to clean it out.
I'm still tempted by the HP-CH. At over £200, I wouldn't have contemplated it. But at under £100 for that quality (and all the features that I may or may not use), it's well within budget so why not get the "best".
I'll stroke my beard a bit longer on it, I'm still waiting for money to come in from a commission so there's no rush.
Thanks for all the help.
Mastodon: @DrH@dice.camp
The army- ~2295 points (built).
* -=]_,=-eague Spruemeister General. * A (sprue) Hut tutorial * Dsteingass - Dr. H..You are a role model for Internet Morality! // inmygravenimage - Dr H is a model to us all Theophony - Sprue for the spruemeister, plastic for his plastic throne! // Shasolenzabi - Toilets, more complex than folks take time to think about!
If it's cheaper, just get the C+. It's identical to the CH except the MAC at the bottom of the front. For some people the MAC is actually a hinderance, because it gets in the way of seeing the subject when you have your airbrush right close to the model, which is the only time you really use the MAC.
Plus, as I mentioned earlier, you can get the same/better functionality with one that's on a quick disconnect.
Also keep in mind that the CH, BH, +C, +B all use the same parts (except the MAC). So you can buy a nozzle/needle for a BH and put it onto a +C body, to give you a 0.20mm airbrush.
I still have a single action, siphon feed paasche that's really easy to clean too But it doesn't make it a good airbrush, unfortunately, LOL.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2015/11/17 15:58:04
I still have my old Badger siphon brush (the one that comes in a box with a can-o-air). That one was basically just a wipe down to clean, but high-quality it is not.
I also have a cheap siphon brush (that came with the compressor and the other AB I've been using). But that's been kept sealed in shrink-wrap, as I might just sell it to make back some more money on the compressor.
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2015/11/17 17:37:31
Mastodon: @DrH@dice.camp
The army- ~2295 points (built).
* -=]_,=-eague Spruemeister General. * A (sprue) Hut tutorial * Dsteingass - Dr. H..You are a role model for Internet Morality! // inmygravenimage - Dr H is a model to us all Theophony - Sprue for the spruemeister, plastic for his plastic throne! // Shasolenzabi - Toilets, more complex than folks take time to think about!
Oh, I have one of those (exactly that model). If you look at my HP-CS photo, it's actually the male portion of that kit attached to it There was one company that sold it with FIVE disconnects for the airbrush end, for about that price, so I grabbed it
They are not bad. Nowhere as nice as the Grex one, tbh. Even as a disconnect, I don't like it as much. Like the Paasche disconnects, they require you to pull the jacket on the female end back to insert to connector (on the Iwata and Grex disconnects, you just push in), and the dial's adjustment isn't as refined -- on the grex, a tiny turn is a tiny change in air pressure.
But for sure, it's better than nothing, and absolutely, it's friendlier than a knob at the bottom of the cup of your airbrush. And at that price, it's no more expensive than a disconnect without at a MAC!
This message was edited 1 time. Last update was at 2015/11/18 01:37:12
Thanks again Talys. We will find out when it arrives. Gone for that HP-C+. ~£80 for an airbrush equivalent to one with a rrp of £225, that'll do nicely.
I'll keep an eye out for the Grex mac, but will have to see what use I find the mac first.
Bit late for me, Bamshoot. But maybe someone else will find it useful. Welcome to DDakka.
Mastodon: @DrH@dice.camp
The army- ~2295 points (built).
* -=]_,=-eague Spruemeister General. * A (sprue) Hut tutorial * Dsteingass - Dr. H..You are a role model for Internet Morality! // inmygravenimage - Dr H is a model to us all Theophony - Sprue for the spruemeister, plastic for his plastic throne! // Shasolenzabi - Toilets, more complex than folks take time to think about!
// inmygravenimage - Dr H is a model to us all 
Dark Angels 4th Company (3,830pts) 950pts fully painted
Because that's when you need to constantly be varying the needle position to get a good spray AND you need to be constantly cleaning the needle and clearing the nozzle.
