Airbrush upgrade

[IanH]

So I am toying with the idea of upgrading my airbrush, and looking for recommendations. 

I currently use an older Badger Patriot 105 which I have had for a long time, I do really like it. It has the blue needle which I understand is the 0.5mm. 

I have mixed results with various paints, sometimes super smooth and other times a bit blotchy... I don't know if that is just me with too much or too little pressure, or too thick paint... Or if that's the airbrush... 

So if I were to replace with another airbrush what would you recommend, would I see a difference between the Badger and a new airbrush? 

What nozzle size is recommended? 

I like using Tamiya LP paints and 2k clear for 1/24 and 1/12 scale cars. 

I read up a little on the H&s Evolution, it seems quite decent with the 0.28 and 0.45mm needles. 

Budget as low as possible 😂 up to around $250 I suppose... 

[Cool Hand]

  Gaahleri GHAD-68 Advanced Series Airbrush is a solid performer at a good price.

 

[Dave G.]

If you're shooting Tamiya LP lacquer, the single most effective means to a better finish is thinning 50:50 with Mr Leveling thinner. That's more important than what airbrush you use. In fact, my experience is you have to try to screw it up. It just melts on like butter in my experience. You just might have to back up from the surface a little in putting down metallics, but to me that's pretty typical anyway.

I can't speak for 2K, I won't have the stuff in my house.

[Bugatti Fan]

The Patriot is I would guess a very good airbrush. I don't have one myself but two very old Badgers that I have been using for many years, so I would stick my neck out and say that your Patriot is probably not your problem judging by the quality of my old airbrushes.  It's probably the paint mixes that are causing problems.

It might be an idea to take a look at alternative needle and nozzle combinations for your Patriot. A very inexpensive way of experimenting with what you already have rather than going down the new airbrush route.

[peteski]

Yea, I'm also wondering why, if you like the Badger, you ant to get a new airbrush?  Don't be like the people who always buy  newest iPhone, just because it is the newest (even if they really don't need all the new features).   Since the problem is intermittent, it is likely your technique or the paint, or paint consistency.

Edited 23 hours ago by peteski

[NOBLNG]

Perhaps a complete disassembly and thorough cleaning may help if there are any issues with the airbrush itself. Once again I will recommend a Paasche H if you should decide to get another one.

[Bainford]

I love Badger airbrushes, and used a 200 IL for 39 years. A solid work horse. I also have a Patriot 105 and I hate it. I experimented a lot with it including painting two bodies, both of which ended up in the purple pond. Now, to be honest I have considered that there may be something wrong with mine since I have read that others quite liked theirs. Mine now resides permanently in its box on my shelf.

I was eager for a gravity feed airbrush, and really wanted the H&S Infinity, but I saw the Patriot in a hobby shop that was closing out, and offered at a very low price, so I bought it. I was seriously disappointed. Could not get an acceptable spray pattern, or get paint to lay down properly at all. And it dispensed heavy volumes of paint like a hardware store spray can. It didn't like low pressure, and at higher pressure it just chucked out paint. I could never dial it in. I soon threw in the towel and bought the H&S, which I simply love. So much control, and the paint just lays down so nice. Works beautifully at low pressures. The H&S is not cheap, though.

I would think some of the best values in airbrushes now are from Iwata. High quality, beautifully built airbrushes, and more affordable than they used to be. Disclaimer, I have handled Iwatas but never shot paint with one. I have been thinking of getting a second gravity feed for use solely with metalizer and other metal-type paints, and it will be an Iwata.

[Bugatti Fan]

Never heard of the Gaahleri brand of airbrush Luke.

I have heard of Grex and Sparmax brands though.  It would be very interesting to read what actual users think about each of those 3 brands.  We keep reading about the long established brsnds, Iwata, Badger, Paasche and H&S in these columns, but would like to see objective write ups about those other 3 brands.

Surprised to hear that Trevor was not getting on with his Badger Patriot having used Badgers for many years like myself. Might be worth sending back to Badger to test and investigate the problems with it. I guess that as it has already been replaced by Trevor with a Harder & Steenbeck airbrush, it will probsb!y just stay boxed and sit on the shelf of doom !

[Dave G.]

I'm just not a fan of double action for car bodies, personally. I get my paint mixed to where it flows right through single action, airbrush setting to the flow I want and shoot the body. No inconconsistence due to varying trigger pull. I find double action convenient for T Shirt art, and maybe cammo military models ( though I've done military fine with the Badger 200 and .25 tip).

[Beans]

I have a Grex Tritium with the pistol grip and love it.  I also have a Badger and an Iwata.  I tend to switch back and forth between the grex and the badger depending on what paint I am using.  Each will perform as well as the other but I am somewhat superstitious so if I got a good paint job with enamels the last time with one airbrush, that becomes my enamel airbrush for a while.   

[BDSchindler]

4 hours ago, Beans said:

I have a Grex Tritium with the pistol grip and love it.  I also have a Badger and an Iwata.  I tend to switch back and forth between the grex and the badger depending on what paint I am using.  Each will perform as well as the other but I am somewhat superstitious so if I got a good paint job with enamels the last time with one airbrush, that becomes my enamel airbrush for a while.   

I agree with the GREX...I have the same one with a variety of needle sizes.  I also have the Fan Spray which is great for bodies.  I also have 2 master airbrushes and a Black Widow from Harbor Freight (pistol grip) that I have not used yet.  I also have a pistol grip one that I bought from MicroMark that I DON'T recommend!

[Radretireddad]

My 30 plus year old Badger 200 is on its second needle and nozzle tip and has already outlasted one compressor. If it ever wears out, I can’t imagine replacing it with anything else.

[Bainford]

6 hours ago, Dave G. said:

I'm just not a fan of double action for car bodies, personally. I get my paint mixed to where it flows right through single action, airbrush setting to the flow I want and shoot the body. No inconconsistence due to varying trigger pull. I find double action convenient for T Shirt art, and maybe cammo military models ( though I've done military fine with the Badger 200 and .25 tip).

Before I bought my first double-action I wasn't too fussed about them, and would have preferred single-action, though I do find DA to be unexpectedly convenient at times. In the end it may not be that important. However, gravity feed is where the magic is at, and unfortunately gravity-feed single-action airbrushes are exceedingly uncommon. For those 39 years I used my trusty Badger 200, which I really liked, it frequently occurred to me that gravity feed just makes so much sense from an engineering point of view. Indeed, any issues or inconveniences I incurred over those years could have been sorted by gravity feed. When I finally bought one, I enjoyed the many benefits from gravity feed such as smoother and instant paint delivery, and the ability to paint small items using just a drop of paint without waste (important when stretching the remaining stock of Model Master Metalizers) but the big one that I wasn't expecting was the incredible degree of control from spraying at much lower pressures than the siphon-feed could ever manage. Very helpful when spraying into cavities, vents, grills, scoops, etc. Double-action may not be important for painting car bodies, but the many significant benefits of gravity-feed can't be ignored.

As for inconsistencies due to varying trigger pull, many good airbrushes have a very effective adjustable trigger-stop mechanism that eliminates that problem.

YMMV, but this was my experience