Don Wheeler

Wow! Thanks for the plug, guys. I hope James finds the site helpful. Don

Every airbrush has its fans. A lot depends on what you're used to. I've got a bunch of them, but the 155 is the one I actually use. The Paasche VL #3 has a needle taper similar to the 155 and 175, and also has a wide range of spray pattern. Don

You may be thinking of the Badger 155 Anthem. It has a dual taper needle that allows from pretty fine to fairly wide coverage. The 175 sprays the same way if you prefer a fatter body. Both are nice airbrushes. Reviews are on my site. Don

Where do you find American made tools? Don

The Badger 200G is a really nice single action gravity fed for fine work. You can see my review here. It comes with either a .25 or .50mm nozzle. Don

I think the wrinkles are caused by changes in humidity. The paper backing expands and contracts, and the aluminum foil can't keep up. I've had it wrinkle in the drawer. The last sheet I bought from my local hobby shop is smooth. When I got it home I immediately put it in a zip top plastic bag. So far, so good. Don

Thanks, Rich. Good memories. But, it made me feel a little sad too for some reason. I miss it. Don

Have a at what Donn Yost does with a single action Paasche H airbrush. Don

That compressor is really marginal, especially for an external mix airbrush like yours. Notice it's spec'd at 19psi max. Your brush really needs 25 to 30psi with good volume. Try to find something with at least a 1/8hp motor. The cans are too expensive to stay with. A regular shop compressor would be noisy but you could use it for other things too. Don

I've used the Floquil reefer white enamel as a primer. It covers well and makes a good base coat for light colors. I used lacquer thinner to thin it and it went on really nice. I've heard it has a bad reaction with mineral spirits. Don

I have added a review of the Badger Patriot super fine conversion kit to my website. You can see it here if you're interested. Any comments or suggestions are welcome. Thanks, Don

These are the typical no name Chinese airbrushes and compressor that E-bay is full of. The brush with the larger cup looks just like the Master G-22 that I reviewed. The single action looks just like the Harbor Freight single action, right down to the words Air Brush stamped on the side. The double action airbrushes probably have sloppy fitting nozzles and rubber o-rings that disintegrate. The .2mm and .3mm nozzles are too small for car modeling in my opinion. The compressor might be OK, and it might not. Notice there are no labels or identification on anything. There are a bunch of small companies in China producing items that look identical. I would say this setup is a poor choice for a beginner. At least, buying from Harbor Freight, it is easy to get a refund or replacement. I think the best bet for someone wanting to start painting model cars on a small budget is a basic Paasche H or Badger 350 and a Harbor Freight airbrush compressor. It would cost about the same as this set, and you would have an airbrush of known quality. Don

I have added a review of the H&S Evolution Solo to my site. Comments or suggestions are welcome. Thanks. Don

Thank you, Chuck. Airbrushes are my addiction. Don

I have added a review of the Iwata Eclipse HP-CS to my site. Comments or suggestions are welcome. Thanks, Don

I agree. The 200NH is sturdy, easy to clean, and gives a wide range of coverage. Parts are cheap. For the same capability in a double action get my favorite, the 155 Anthem. Don

There are details of both the Paasche H and the Badger 350 on my site. I think they spray about the same. Some people don't like the light feel of the badger. With either, I would get the medium size nozzle for model cars. Also, for either of these airbrushes, don't try to use one of the little plastic cased compressors. They need more air. Stay away from the Chinese copies of the Badger. Don

I have added a review of the Badger TC910 Aspire Pro compressor to my site. Comments or suggestions are welcome. Thanks, Don

Thanks for the comment. You can clean the 200NH just like I clean the 155. The needle is just a little more work to remove. Have a look at this page. Don

I have added a review of the Smart Jet compressor to my site. Comments and suggestions are welcome. Thanks, Don

It just takes practice. Hang in there. The VL is a good airbrush. Don

The needle seal is adjustable with a small screwdriver. It is a very sensitive adjustment. The trigger assembly has to be removed to get to it. There should be a slight drag when removing and installing the needle. You can see the seal in the parts breakdown on this page. Don

You didn't get solvent in the air valve, did you? If you did, the little O-ring can swell up and jam. You can disassemble the valve with a small allen wrench. There is a picture of the innards on this page. If the O-ring is swollen, it may return to normal if you let it air out a couple of days. If Snap-on doesn't help you out, contact Badger and I bet they will. Don

The Paasche EZ-starter is a Chinese rip-off of the Badger 350. It's the same as the Harbor Freight single action and really junk. That O-ring on the needle is the seal and it won't work without it. You could get a Paasche H for $37 here and you would have a decent airbrush. It will use the same bottles and hose that you have now, and save you a lot of frustration. Don

A good point! I should have said to remove the O-ring before soaking the nozzle. Don