31 replies to this topic

[Modelmartin]

I vote for the Paasche H series, It's a real workhorse and you can use differnt tips in it from very fine work to spraying down real wet paintjobs. I have been using it since 1980 and have shot many gallons of paint through it over the years. I replace the tips periodically but then I shoot a lot of paint!! I really like the thing.

I would warn you away from the dual action unless you are going to do some serious graphics or camouflage patterns.

[LoneWolf15]

Gotta go with Andy on this one ! Paache H series , using the # 5 head and needle will cover you from A to Z . Dual actions are great , I love them ! However , they are overkill unless you plan on doing weathering, murals , or fine detail painting. The Paache single action is easy to use , clean , and a breeze to maintain , also very cost effective !

[Longbow]

I to vote for the Paasche H .Got mine for Christmas & this is my second paint job which I did today.

[crazyjim]

Do Badger airbrushes use a different hose/connections than a Paasche H series? I've been trying to find quick disconnect fittings for my Badger 200 and nobody has them that will fit a badger. What gives? I've been thinking of getting a Paasche H with the 3 tips but keeping my baby compressor for cleaning. But if I had a Badger and Paasche I might need 2 different hoses - maybe a splitter of some sort could work with 2 hoses.

[MARAUDER]

WOW, everyone here is so helpful, and really knows their stuff too, i'm glad i joined this site, and have already made a few good friends here, this gives me more information to think about while shopping for an airbrush, i'm not too worried about the cost as i'll be having it for a long long time, and i mite even buy a single and a dual action and work with both of them, i didn't even think about having a water trap, but what a great idea to keep it all clean, and since i built a super clean, and bright spray booth with ventilation and pre and aft filters, i want to keep everything in my favour for when i do my spraying, anyhow, thank you soooo much everyone,
rob

[crazyjim]

I went to Hobby Lobby this morning to look at a Paasche H series. The one with the 3 tips (H set I think) was $82 and change. A Paasche double action was $110. Don't buy at Hobby Lobby unless you have a 50% off coupon. Tower hobby has the H set for $54.99.

[Longbow]

Hey guys Google this site.They have a paasche H for 37.50.This is where my wife bought mine from,plus they have a ton of other support stuff as well.
Dixie Art Supplies. If you are going to paint model cars The # five head works best all around.

[crazyjim]

I was at the Dixie Art site before and saw the H set priced at $59.95. I guess there's the H that gives 1 tip and the H set that gives you the #1, 3, and 5 tips.

[Rat Fink]

I have the Aztek also...just got it. So far it's easy to use and not as bad as some of the reviews I've been reading. It's also very easy to clean.

[Monty]

No one mentioned the Testors Aztek Air brushes.... I have a decent one & have been using it for the past 10 years or so. I have aquired many different tips for it (mainly @ hobby lobby in the clearance section). I like the screwout tips; they are easy to clean also. I mainly use siphon jars & I like the fact that empty Model Master jars will screw right into the Siphon jar caps, making mixing & switching paints easy.
I've seen a lot of people say these are not that good of an Airbrush, but i like using it. It's a dual action brush.

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If memory serves, Marc Nellis uses one as well, and he seems to produce some mighty nice paint jobs with his.

[Ragnar]

My Grandfather bought me a Paasche when I was 8years old and I still use it today. In my oppinion the Paasche H model with a number 5 needle and cone is the best for painting model cars! I own two H models, and one of the new HS models. Double action brushes are great for painting military models, but a waste when it comes to Automotive models, the one excepyion to this is clear lexan Slot Car Bodies when you are doing wild designs to make it easier to pick out your car from the other seven on the track, and they are moving at around sixty plus real1:1 mph.At this time I own the three H models,and two VLs. I have owned an IWATA double action, but I didn't care much for it,I do better work with the VL. I have also owned Badgers, but ended up selling them and Going back to Paasche.You can't beat the quality of Paashe with any other airbrush, you can spend more, but for what, bragging rights?

CHEERS!

Edited by Ragnar, 16 February 2010 - 10:23 PM.

[Zoom Zoom]

You are going to get, and have gotten, all kinds of opinions. Most people are satisfied with whatever setup they get, as most airbrushes are capable of providing the user very good results. It's not so much the airbrush, as the user. Get the best one you can afford. If you can't afford much, look to Harbor Freight first. With their Sunday coupon this week you can have a great setup of a new compressor & a very good airbrush for about $60. When you are more experienced you can spend your $ on brand names.

I learned on a dual-action Badger 150 IL. Because of that, I prefer a dual-action. I like being able to use the airbrush to just shoot air across the body first, to get any remaining dust off. That brush gave great results, but had some inherent defects...a tendency for paint to build up around the tip and at the tip of the needle. If you weren't careful with the on/off of the airbrush, it would often dislodge some paint buildup from the needle right onto the painted surface. Keeping it open/flowing without shutting off the flow was necessary. It was a pain to clean & keep clean.

My Aztek (Modelmaster) airbrush was great for awhile. Then I noticed that the separate tips weren't lasting long. Without taking them apart, they were never really clean.

As for my workhorse airbrushes, I have 3 Badger 175 Crescendos, and they are great. I use them w/the medium needle/tip.

I love my Iwata HP CS Eclipse w/the large gravity feed reservoir. It's precise, and easy to clean/keep clean. It will shoot 100% of the liquid that's in the reservoir. So much less hassle vs. cleaning feed tubes on siphon feed. It just doesn't flow like my Badgers, though. Better for smaller detail.

My next airbrush will be a gravity feed with enough flow for car bodies, but with a pistol grip trigger. It's the natural progression of my own personal tastes, and I wish they'd been more common when I first started out. I will not buy another siphon feed airbrush! Complete waste of time cleaning them, not to mention materials (wasted paint, toxic thinners & pipe cleaners/brushes to clean it out).