Jump to content
Model Cars Magazine Forum

Paint gun compressor kits


Recommended Posts

Fairly new to building models. Finished one where I used spray paint cans. Talk about ©®@*! I need an actual spray gun where I can change settings etc etc and do nice paint jobs on my near future projects. There are so many freakn kits out there, I have no idea which one I should get. If there are any $400-$500 kits, I do not have nor would I want to spend that kind of money. At the same time I don't want a $99 kit as I assume they're cheap and not all that great. I'm thinking of a price range between $150-$225....? Am I on a good track? Would that get me something pretty good? What would you guys suggest for me? I thank you kindly for your time!!!!

Edited by SlammingPetes
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Wow, that is a loaded question.  First the compressor.  Any source of compressed air will work but the best is a source that gives you a consistent volume and pressure.  That can be anything from a soda fountain container of CO2 to a huge commercial compressor.  Most airbrush compressors will work to give you what you need to run an airbrush and only an airbrush.  The kicker is that they are nearly silent and can be used in a room without disturbing anyone.  You do pay a price for that quiet.  If noise isn't much of an issue, any quality regular shop compressor with a storage tank will do the same thing, but they are generally not quiet.  They also can generally do things like fill up tires and run some air tools.  They are also relatively cheap. You can pick up a nice little pancake compressor(pancake refers to the shape of the storage tank) for around $150 or less.  You will also need a moisture trap with them.

I generally don't recommend getting a airbrush/compressor combination as there is no advantage to it.  There is no such thing as a compatibility issue with the two.  As long as the compressor gives you the air you need then it doesn't matter who made it.  Oh just to make you smile, I had a hook up for a while when I was starting out, that used a spare tire for the air source.  That was back when you could buy a spare tire and rim for about $20 and gas stations would let you fill them for free.  Sounds funny but it worked.

Now, on to the airbrush.  You will get all kinds of advise here from Harbor freight cheapies to high end professional models.  If you haven't worked with one before the get one with a lot of flexibility.  That means a double action with changeable tips and needles.  The best example I can give is the Badger 175 Crescendo.  The best set has three tips, hose and a couple of jars and can be had for less than $125.  The one down side is that it doesn't have an adjustable needle stop, but for a first airbrush it give you a lot of adjustment and it is a good middle of the road quality brush.  Parts are also very available. 

Personally I own 4 airbrushes because each one of them does a couple of things better than the others.  One of those is my trusty old Crescendo and by old I mean well over 20 years old.  It has been rebuilt several times but it still fills a spot in my suite of brushes.  It is a good starter set.  I am sure there are others that do as well, but it is the one I am most familiar with. 

Edited by Pete J.
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Kevin, everyone has a story and a preference. I started out with an El Cheapo from Harbor Freight which wasn't much of an airbrush. I then bought a $120 Badger Patriot 105. It's a beautifully made precision piece of equipment. In the right hands, it could do miraculous things. But not my hands. I became pretty good at using it but never felt confident.

A sage old racing buddy gave me an analogy that works for many circumstances. The more adjustments a race car has, the more ways there are to mess it up, if you don't know what you're doing. We're just talking about an airbrush but sometimes it's better to keep things simple. I read and watched Youtube and read some more and finally settled on a Paasche H. Cheap, simple, well made. I found extra tips on eBay but usually just use the #5, the largest one.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'll chime in here. I recommend a compressor with a tank. The small type generally pulse a lot and give an uneven finish. If it has a tank then that is what you want. Look on Amazon. I got my Master airbrush kit with compressor and brush and that brush has been great. I have a couple of higher end ones so I can use one for primers and base coats and the others for fine work, But to start out with this kit was great. 3 tips and needles so it could handle all the jobs I was getting it for and the price was excellent.

 

 

If you have 100 or so to spend you will get something decent.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Go some where that has airbrushes you can hold and see how they feel. Some are a bit awkward and uncomfortable to hold. I use a single action Paasche H. I also have a Paasche dual action, but haven't felt the need to try it out yet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good advice here - I don't think you can go wrong with a Paasche, Badger, or Iwata airbrush.  I would go with a quality choice like this and a dual action, gravity feed type and maybe something with a large cup for bigger jobs - this as opposed to buying a single action and realizing later that you want more options out of it.  I went with a Campbell Hausfeld dual tank compressor for way less than $100 bucks - not the quietest but great for light to moderate air brush users like me.  I'm not sure if they make these anymore, but anything where you can monitor and adjust the psi should work ok.  Don't forget to get a moisture trap. Hth and good luck.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Just a bit of information on compressors that you might find useful.  Most of the "home" or garage type of small compressors are made my Ingersol-Rand and rebranded under a lot of other names like Craftsman, Dewalt, Campbell Hausfeld, etc.  This shell game has been going on for years.  Not that it is bad, but if you know about it, you can often get a good deal on a quality compressor without having to spend the money for a name.  A quick eyeball of the actual compressor and the pressure regulators will tell you a lot, especially if you can compare them side by side.  

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have mostly used an old ( like early 1980s) Paasche H model, single action external mix and a Testors Double action internal mix. I actually prefer the Paasche and use it the most. An old friend of mine uses a professional Touch up gun for his models. I used the old spare tire adapter for the longest time until I purchased a Badger compressor.

I actually have had great results with spray bombs. You just need to learn the best way to spray them.

 

Tim

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Join the conversation

You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

Guest
Reply to this topic...

×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

  Only 75 emoji are allowed.

×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.

×
×
  • Create New...