Need a new airbrush - opinions sought

[Guest]

The soldering on my olympus gave up, so it's time to replace it.

The options are bewildering and I'm just dipping a toe in to research, but there's no substitute for earned praise from those that know, so I'm reaching out to you guys for some help if that's ok.

I'm looking for something to do general coverage to fine detail spraying, so max 0.3mm nozzle. It will not be required for heavy duty spraying, such as varnish.
It should be gravity fed and dual action.
It will be spraying exclusively acrylic paints.

Would any of you aircraft modellers recommend anything?

[Jim R]

Hi Chris
Everyone has their own preference and budget. Personally I am an Iwata fan. They have a few which would fit your spec from reasonable up to second mortgage in price.
Jim

[BattleshipBob]

Agree with Jim, i am also a Iwata fan. Due to pains in my hand/wrist i moved to a Iwata TRN 1 trigger air brush, its dual action, gravity fed etc.

I am delighted with it, so easy to use and has a needle restrictor to control paint flow

[Tim Marlow]

Another confirmed Iwatta user here. Mind you, the only other double action brush I’ve used is an Aztek.

[Guest]

Iwata eh....keep talking....

What do you guys use? Any downsides / anything to look out for?

[Tim Marlow]

Iwatta eclipse SBS is my tool of choice. It’s side feed, so visibility’s good and cleaning the paint pathway is very easy. The nozzle is quite large and is self centering so is easy to handle. Needle is easily removed from the back. Full strip and clean takes about ten minutes. You can also change colours by removing the side cup and fitting another. It is extremely well made with no easily lost tiny o rings. Personally I can’t think of any down sides.

[Guest]

I bought an Iwata HP not long ago, and though I haven’t used it much yet, so far I’m very satisfied with it. I went for a top-feed model with no paint cup, so it only has a small reservoir, but this is because I intend to use it only for fine work, like camouflage on AFVs — for larger areas, I’ll keep using my Aztek instead. The Iwata can certainly spray far finer than that one, but the trigger feels slightly more awkward to me. Could be that’s just because I’m used to the Aztek trigger, though,

Other than that, the only other airbrush I have real experience with is a Badger 150, and I must say the Iwata feels better than that one.

[Guest]

I have a short list.

Iwata Revolution BR
Iwata Eclipse HP-BS
H&S Evo 2in1
H&S Evo Silverline 2in1

The HP-BS and Evo Silverline are currently the front runners with the H&S with a nose in front.

[Guest]

Anyone have experience of any of these?

[stona]

I have an Iwata Revolution BR. It's a lovely tool, in about 20 years I have changed the needle and nozzle once. The only drawback for me is the fairly small paint cup, but I tend to fairly large scales.

I also use an Iwata Eclipse, not sure of the letters, maybe CS. It's similar with a slightly larger nozzle (0.35 mm) and a much bigger paint cup. I don't remember ever replacing any parts on it, but might have bent and replaced needle in the past.

I don't use H&S brushes, but I know some who do and they hold them in high esteem.

Really, they are all quality tools and I don't think you will go far wrong with any of them.

[Guest]

Interesting, thanks Steve.
I looked at the BR and was interested to see a 0.2 nozzle is available, which provides what I want at a decent price!

Which of your two do you prefer to use?

The smaller cup suits me since I generally build 1/72. This is one of the reason the H&S interest me; they have interchangeable cups!

[Tim Marlow]

The HP-BS is a top feed version of the SBS I use. Great tool as I’ve said. I only have the 0.3 nozzle, but have free handed the Camo on a1/72 Spitfire with it.

[Tim Marlow]

Oh, and the SBS takes several different cups, comes with a 3.8 mL one as standard. The cup can be fitted from either side as well....

[stona]

Interesting, thanks Steve.
I looked at the BR and was interested to see a 0.2 nozzle is available, which provides what I want at a decent price!

Which of your two do you prefer to use?

The smaller cup suits me since I generally build 1/72. This is one of the reason the H&S interest me; they have interchangeable cups!

My BR has a 0.3 mm nozzle and the Eclipse HP-CS (I had a look this morning and that's what it is) a 0.35mm nozzle.

In all honesty you can achieve the same results with both. I do tend to use the BR for detail painting, like the camouflage on the G.50 I recently completed, but that has more to do with the cup size than anything else.

I do find that a small cup built into the airbrush is handy when accessing areas where a large or side cup might get in the way.

Do you think you will use a 0.2mm nozzle? That's getting down to the size where some of the paints, varnishes and lacquers we spray as model builders might start to become problematic.

I'm sure someone can give a personal view of the H&S brushes, I've only handled one once and it was a very nice tool, but I'm not qualified to pass a more detailed opinion than that.

I think we all grow to be familiar with whatever we use. I can strip and clean an Iwata airbrush with my eyes closed, give me something different and I would definitely need them open :smiling3: This can lead to somewhat irrational, and unhelpfully biased, preferences. If you go with the sort of airbrush that meets your requirements from any of the reputable manufacturers you will find broadly similar prices and quality and I doubt that you will be disappointed.

[Jim R]

I have an Iwata Revolution BR. It has a 0.3 nozzle and solvent proof seals. I have used it for everything from acrylics to lacquers with no problems. It does everything I want.
Now I also have a Harder and Steenbeck Infinity CR Plus. This was more expensive but does not seem as well made. I have the 0.4 and 0.2 nozzles for the H&S.

Do you think you will use a 0.2mm nozzle? That's getting down to the size where some of the paints, varnishes and lacquers we spray as model builders might start to become problematic.

I hardly ever use the 0.2 nozzle.
Jim