Fenghua 0.2 mm Nozzle Double-Action Airbrush BD-180
Available from Scale Model Shop.
Price £15.99
Specification taken from the Scale Model Shop.
Pack Size: 18.8 x 11 x 3.6 cm
Package weight: 0.294 kg
Recommended Age: 8 + (unsuitable for ages 0-3)
Top filling universal steel dual function airbrush gun with permanently integrated cup. The amount of paint and the amount of air can be individually regulated. The valve can be adjusted for high precision air pressure control.
These Airbrush Spray Guns are very popular amongst users, with an excellent fit and finish and low price.
Package Contents:
1x plastic box
1x airbrush spray gun
1x Mounting key for nozzle
1x lid cup
1x hose connection nipple 6x4
1x cap nut
1x manual
This airbrush gun is suitable for commercial spraying, cosmetics, nail studios and Tattoo designs, illustrations, hobbies and modelling.
dual-function spray gun airbrush
top filling gravitational system
Integrated gravity cup with lid with a capacity of 9 ml
steel nozzle with a diameter of 0.2 mm
stainless steel needle 0.2 mm
Teflon gasket resistant to solvents
adjustable needle stop
pressure: 1 - 3.5 bar (15-50 PSI)
air connection: screw G1 / 8
Gun weight: 108 g
Gun length: 159 mm
John, at Scale Model Shop sent me one of these airbrushes to try out and write an honest review. I can tell you right now, I will be getting one and here is how I got on with it and why I want one.
Straight away, can an airbrush for £15.99 be good as one ten times the price. Well, the honest answer is yes and no.
Yes because it can spray paint in a way that is suitable for modellers. No because at that price, it cannot be the same quality of engineering or materials.
However, the true test in a tool like this is not scientific it is simply a case of does it do what you need it to do as a modeller.
Lets take a look at the airbrush.
It comes in a plastic hinged lid case with a cut-out foam insert
The airbrush carries more than a passing resemblance to a very expensive model produced by one of the leading airbrush manufacturers. However, there is not that many ways an airbrush can look so this should not be taken into account really.
The airbrush is what is known as a gravity feed double action brush.
Gravity feed means that the paint in the colour cup sitting above the airbrush is transferred to the nozzle by gravity rather than suction.
Double action is the way that the trigger situated roughly in the middle of the barrel on top controls both the airflow and the paint flow. The air is controlled by pressing the trigger down. The further down you press it, the more air is allowed to flow towards the tip.
Pulling the trigger back pulls a tapered needle, which sits firmly in the nozzle blocking it, backwards out of the nozzle which allows paint to enter the nozzle and get picked up by the airflow resulting in an atomised spray of paint leaving the business end of the airbrush. The further you pull the trigger back, the greater the paint flow.
Additionally, this airbrush has two pre-set controls. To the rear of the main barrel is a screw that allows you to limit the distance that the needle can travel.
Below the barrel directly below the colour cup is a screw adjuster that can be used to set the airflow from off to fully open.
So, why do you need these if it has full control through the trigger?
Consistent control using the trigger on any airbrush at any price is a skill. It is a skill that some pick up easily and some, like me, don't. This fine control, balancing how far you press the trigger down and, at the same time, pull back is something that beginners find quite tricky. I also find it tricky as I do not have great control with things like this as my hands are getting on a bit and are not as supple as they used to be.
The pre-set controls remove this problem as, with a bit of trial and error, you can match the airflow to the restricted paint flow to help get consistent fine lines.
Not as quick and convenient as using the double action trigger but are very welcome to people like me who struggle to work the trigger easily.
The business end of the airbrush is where the atomised paint comes out. The standard end cap on this airbrush is quite a nice fine petal shaped tip. This is not simple an aesthetic thing. The shape and spaces within this cap can determine how the paint flows effectively without allowing the paint to dry out and build up on the nozzle/needle tip which will cause splattering and spitting resulting in a poor paint finish.
Some airbrush tip designs have a paint nozzle that is quick and easy to remove for cleaning but is held in place by the end cap. This airbrush has a screw in nozzle which requires very gentle and careful us of a supplied spanner to remove and fit it. Although this is less convenient it does allow you to remove the end cap and spray very close fine lines but, with care as the fragile needle tip is exposed.
This is something I cannot do with my budget H&S Ultra airbrush
To remove the tip for strip cleaning the two part cap is removed to give full access to the nozzle which on this brush is a fine .2mm
To remove the needle, the barrel back end is screwed off and the locking nut is loosened allowing the needle to be drawn back and out of the airbrush.
That then is the brush but does it work?
Well, yes it does. In fact it works very well. My initial test was just to spray water through it so I could get to see the spray pattern. This is important as a badly shaped needle or nozzle can cause the spray to veer off at an angle or change the shape of the spray. What you are looking for is a distinct conical pattern running parallel to the needle.
In this respect I was more than happy with the spray pattern and, by using the pre set controls, I found that the changes in pressure and flow did not cause any distortion to the spray pattern.
To test it for real, I made life a tad tricky for myself by using a primer I had never used before thinned using IPA which also, I had never used before.
So, to try it out I mixed some primer at roughly 50/50 with thinners and added it to the large colour cup. First I tried some spraying on a paper towel just to see how it worked. I realised that the paint was still a bit thick, I hadn't measured it accurately, so I dropped some more thinners into the cup, mixed it with a soft brush and carried on with no problems.
This may not seem all that special but this primer is clearly recommended to be sprayed using a .4mm needle set, twice the size of the one fitted to this brush.
I then selected my target for the test, my current armour build. This was not going to be a full prime as I still have a few things to add, I just wanted a quick coat to see how it works.
I am happy to say that it worked very well. The paint flow was great, coverage was what I wanted and the finish is superb.
Conclusion
This is a very nice airbrush. Compared to my H&S Ultra, the needle travel is greater but this is just something to get used to, all airbrushes feel different so it isn't a negative.
However, I found the pre set control very handy, something I think I need more than I realised. OK, it is a bit clunky compared to the top end brushes but as it costs between ¼ to 1/10th of the mid range to top end, I wouldn't expect anything else.
As an airbrush, it does what it is supposed to do and it does it well. There is a .3mm needle and nozzle set available for it for around £4.00. which is ridiculously cheap! Will it last as long as top end airbrushes? Well, that is subjective. Looked after well, it will last the average modeller far longer than it's price suggests, in fact, it will probably be the modeller that moves on to bigger things before the brush turns up it's toes.
So, who would I recommend it to? Any airbrush beginner who is in the market for their first brush? Certainly. No matter what brush a beginner gets, they have a lot to learn and this brush will allow them to do it especially using the pre set controls.
If you have a medium to top end airbrush is there any point in you getting one? Well, for a total of £20, get the airbrush and the .3mm needle set and you have a great dedicated primer or varnishing airbrush.
Would I get one? Answered this one already, yes I will. Like any airbrush I need more time to learn how to work better with it but this would apply if I spent £120 on a top end brush.
So why doesn't it cost more. Partly due to buying power and partly because it isn't as highly engineered as top class brushes. However, having used many brushes at slightly more in cost but less in features, I would say this brush is as good as any budget brush twice the price.
Highly recommended as a good quality budget airbrush and I will sign off this review with the airbrush
Available from Scale Model Shop.
Price £15.99
Specification taken from the Scale Model Shop.
Pack Size: 18.8 x 11 x 3.6 cm
Package weight: 0.294 kg
Recommended Age: 8 + (unsuitable for ages 0-3)
Top filling universal steel dual function airbrush gun with permanently integrated cup. The amount of paint and the amount of air can be individually regulated. The valve can be adjusted for high precision air pressure control.
These Airbrush Spray Guns are very popular amongst users, with an excellent fit and finish and low price.
Package Contents:
1x plastic box
1x airbrush spray gun
1x Mounting key for nozzle
1x lid cup
1x hose connection nipple 6x4
1x cap nut
1x manual
This airbrush gun is suitable for commercial spraying, cosmetics, nail studios and Tattoo designs, illustrations, hobbies and modelling.
dual-function spray gun airbrush
top filling gravitational system
Integrated gravity cup with lid with a capacity of 9 ml
steel nozzle with a diameter of 0.2 mm
stainless steel needle 0.2 mm
Teflon gasket resistant to solvents
adjustable needle stop
pressure: 1 - 3.5 bar (15-50 PSI)
air connection: screw G1 / 8
Gun weight: 108 g
Gun length: 159 mm
John, at Scale Model Shop sent me one of these airbrushes to try out and write an honest review. I can tell you right now, I will be getting one and here is how I got on with it and why I want one.
Straight away, can an airbrush for £15.99 be good as one ten times the price. Well, the honest answer is yes and no.
Yes because it can spray paint in a way that is suitable for modellers. No because at that price, it cannot be the same quality of engineering or materials.
However, the true test in a tool like this is not scientific it is simply a case of does it do what you need it to do as a modeller.
Lets take a look at the airbrush.
It comes in a plastic hinged lid case with a cut-out foam insert
The airbrush carries more than a passing resemblance to a very expensive model produced by one of the leading airbrush manufacturers. However, there is not that many ways an airbrush can look so this should not be taken into account really.
The airbrush is what is known as a gravity feed double action brush.
Gravity feed means that the paint in the colour cup sitting above the airbrush is transferred to the nozzle by gravity rather than suction.
Double action is the way that the trigger situated roughly in the middle of the barrel on top controls both the airflow and the paint flow. The air is controlled by pressing the trigger down. The further down you press it, the more air is allowed to flow towards the tip.
Pulling the trigger back pulls a tapered needle, which sits firmly in the nozzle blocking it, backwards out of the nozzle which allows paint to enter the nozzle and get picked up by the airflow resulting in an atomised spray of paint leaving the business end of the airbrush. The further you pull the trigger back, the greater the paint flow.
Additionally, this airbrush has two pre-set controls. To the rear of the main barrel is a screw that allows you to limit the distance that the needle can travel.
Below the barrel directly below the colour cup is a screw adjuster that can be used to set the airflow from off to fully open.
So, why do you need these if it has full control through the trigger?
Consistent control using the trigger on any airbrush at any price is a skill. It is a skill that some pick up easily and some, like me, don't. This fine control, balancing how far you press the trigger down and, at the same time, pull back is something that beginners find quite tricky. I also find it tricky as I do not have great control with things like this as my hands are getting on a bit and are not as supple as they used to be.
The pre-set controls remove this problem as, with a bit of trial and error, you can match the airflow to the restricted paint flow to help get consistent fine lines.
Not as quick and convenient as using the double action trigger but are very welcome to people like me who struggle to work the trigger easily.
The business end of the airbrush is where the atomised paint comes out. The standard end cap on this airbrush is quite a nice fine petal shaped tip. This is not simple an aesthetic thing. The shape and spaces within this cap can determine how the paint flows effectively without allowing the paint to dry out and build up on the nozzle/needle tip which will cause splattering and spitting resulting in a poor paint finish.
Some airbrush tip designs have a paint nozzle that is quick and easy to remove for cleaning but is held in place by the end cap. This airbrush has a screw in nozzle which requires very gentle and careful us of a supplied spanner to remove and fit it. Although this is less convenient it does allow you to remove the end cap and spray very close fine lines but, with care as the fragile needle tip is exposed.
This is something I cannot do with my budget H&S Ultra airbrush
To remove the tip for strip cleaning the two part cap is removed to give full access to the nozzle which on this brush is a fine .2mm
To remove the needle, the barrel back end is screwed off and the locking nut is loosened allowing the needle to be drawn back and out of the airbrush.
That then is the brush but does it work?
Well, yes it does. In fact it works very well. My initial test was just to spray water through it so I could get to see the spray pattern. This is important as a badly shaped needle or nozzle can cause the spray to veer off at an angle or change the shape of the spray. What you are looking for is a distinct conical pattern running parallel to the needle.
In this respect I was more than happy with the spray pattern and, by using the pre set controls, I found that the changes in pressure and flow did not cause any distortion to the spray pattern.
To test it for real, I made life a tad tricky for myself by using a primer I had never used before thinned using IPA which also, I had never used before.
So, to try it out I mixed some primer at roughly 50/50 with thinners and added it to the large colour cup. First I tried some spraying on a paper towel just to see how it worked. I realised that the paint was still a bit thick, I hadn't measured it accurately, so I dropped some more thinners into the cup, mixed it with a soft brush and carried on with no problems.
This may not seem all that special but this primer is clearly recommended to be sprayed using a .4mm needle set, twice the size of the one fitted to this brush.
I then selected my target for the test, my current armour build. This was not going to be a full prime as I still have a few things to add, I just wanted a quick coat to see how it works.
I am happy to say that it worked very well. The paint flow was great, coverage was what I wanted and the finish is superb.
Conclusion
This is a very nice airbrush. Compared to my H&S Ultra, the needle travel is greater but this is just something to get used to, all airbrushes feel different so it isn't a negative.
However, I found the pre set control very handy, something I think I need more than I realised. OK, it is a bit clunky compared to the top end brushes but as it costs between ¼ to 1/10th of the mid range to top end, I wouldn't expect anything else.
As an airbrush, it does what it is supposed to do and it does it well. There is a .3mm needle and nozzle set available for it for around £4.00. which is ridiculously cheap! Will it last as long as top end airbrushes? Well, that is subjective. Looked after well, it will last the average modeller far longer than it's price suggests, in fact, it will probably be the modeller that moves on to bigger things before the brush turns up it's toes.
So, who would I recommend it to? Any airbrush beginner who is in the market for their first brush? Certainly. No matter what brush a beginner gets, they have a lot to learn and this brush will allow them to do it especially using the pre set controls.
If you have a medium to top end airbrush is there any point in you getting one? Well, for a total of £20, get the airbrush and the .3mm needle set and you have a great dedicated primer or varnishing airbrush.
Would I get one? Answered this one already, yes I will. Like any airbrush I need more time to learn how to work better with it but this would apply if I spent £120 on a top end brush.
So why doesn't it cost more. Partly due to buying power and partly because it isn't as highly engineered as top class brushes. However, having used many brushes at slightly more in cost but less in features, I would say this brush is as good as any budget brush twice the price.
Highly recommended as a good quality budget airbrush and I will sign off this review with the airbrush
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