Procon Boy trigger airbrush

[Jim R]

A few weeks ago there was a THREAD discussing AB recommendations and Barry W recommended this AB. I have slight arthritis in my fingers and occasionally they "lock up" which can make long sessions with the AB uncomfortable. I have a couple of conventional airbrushes, a H&S and an Iwata but thought I'd treat myself.

The cheapest place to buy, by quite a margin, was Plaza Japan. £104.91 incl postage. It arrived from Japan well packed in less than a fortnight.




I also bought a pistol grip for it from Air-craft.net up in Fort William. £29.17 delivered.




I attached a quick release as well.
In use I have a combination MAC valve and water trap. Now I appreciate that some people may worry about that sticking out of the AB and being cumbersome in use. I don't find it a problem at all.


I have been using it for a few weeks now and I must confess I love it. Very comfortable to use. To my eyes it is very Iwata-ish. 0.3mm nozzle. I have put through it acrylics, enamels and lacquers. I've used it for overall primer as well as smaller areas and it has coped well. It hasn't clogged once and it's straightforward to clean. The instruction say to back flush by undoing the nozzle cap slightly and pulling back the trigger. Put a tissue over the paint cup as the bubbles splash dirty cleaner all over - guess how I learned that! One big advantage is that you cannot turn off the air before paint and you cannot turn on paint before air. Pulling back the trigger slightly to a detent position turns air on and then further back releases paint. That means you have to "air on, paint on - paint off, air off". It is shorter than my other ABs but feels nicely balanced.


The only, slight issue is that because of the trigger/pistol grip it won't fit into my holder/cleaner.


But ever resourceful I have cobbled together a holder. Very crude but is works. I don't think I'll be getting a phone call from Creos asking for the production rights anytime soon :smiling:


Anyway I am more than happy with the AB. I think I'll use it, along with my Iwata, for most work. The H&S will be 'put out to grass'.
Jim

[scottie3158]

Jim,
That looks like a nice combination and certainly sounds like it can deal with what most of us would throw at it. I like the action of the trigger for the air/paint mix.

[adt70hk]

Thanks Jim for the review. Interesting to hear that the paint air on/off order is enforced by the mechanism. Out of interest how how have you found doing fine detail work, where you're not 'pointing' at the model with your fingers in the more conventional way?

Thanks again.

Andrew

[David Lovell]

Good man I've been using a procon boy .2 along side my cheepos for the last six years never had a problem tottaly first class piece of kit certainly makes the cheapos feel it though I have no problems actually spraying with them just you can feel why the procon costs what it does. Barry Ws mentioned them more than once im sure so have I ,can't under stand why people shy away from them lack of kudos in the brand name I suppose ,hope you continue to enjoy using it as much as I have mine ,it took me several years to fully get my head around airbrushing but I throughly enjoy it now , fun not a dreaded choir. Dave.
PS I was very lucky Matthew John (Albion Alloys)often gave airbrush help demos at club meetings it was Mathew that drummed into me pressure and thinning are the things that need to be correct crack that and teaching yourself to airbrush comes easy. Of course AA being main importers (I think)of mr hobby stuff he always demoed with a procon boy .

[JR]

Nice one Jim, its good when you find something that suits.