A buddy of mine is looking to make his first purchase of an airbrush (possibly at IPMS Seattle) and builds cars, mostly. I do not know much but would like your opinions - ones to avoid would also go well with him, too.
Car modeling can get by with a single action, which is a bit cheaper. However, the double action is a bit more versatile.
Regardless of the brush he buys, the important thing I must really stress is that using one takes a bit of practice. It is NOT a good idea to take a new, unfamiliar brush and try to paint a new model. I suggest practicing on scrap, or an old, junk kit for at least an hour of airbrushing before using it on a good model.
Another think to consider in what to buy is the ease of cleaning. Cleaning needs to be done frequently and thoroughly. This is especially true of acrylics. Unlike lacquers and enamels that CAN be cleaned if they dry in the brush, once acrylics dry in the brush it is a devil of a job to get the gunk out.
As for as airbrushes go, I'd start with a single action, either external or internal mix brush. The Paasche H set includes everything you'll need to get started at a very good price. I would recommend purchasing online rather than from a hobby shop, to be honest. One of the best resources I've ever seen is Dixie Art; click here:
Once your buddy gets used to airbrushing, he may want to step up to a double action brush, but many modelers don't bother with one. I don't; I am very happy with my Iwata single action, internal mix brush. I have a Paasche VL, which is a double action, internal mix brush and I never really liked the feel of using it. So I went back to single action. It's a personal choice that everyone needs to make for themselves.
DO NOT, DO NOT, use compressed air in cans such as Propel. It just doesn't work and makes using a wonderful tool like the airbrush a really terrible experience.
I was at Lowe's over by Southcenter and saw they had an excellent Porter Cable (if I recall correctly) compressor with 6 gallon tank at a reasonable price. It had all the necessary hardware except for a moisture trap on it.
Good luck and I hope to see you and your buddy around IPMS Seattle or NorthWest Scale Modelers (Museum of Flight on the first thursday each month)
--- Stephen Tontoni
=== Andrew, My recommendation would be to go with a Paasche. They are very easy to use (single action) and clean. The advice given by the other posters is right on target.
Visit the Paasche site and get a feel for their brushes, and then visit some of the online stores and get the most brush for your money.
As far as the air supply, I would recommend something in the $100 to $150 range sold by Home Depot or Lowes - Porter Cable. For spot painting maybe a can of compressed air will do, but not for trying to paint a whole model, unless you have a bunch of cans sitting by ready to use. The cans of compressed air will deplete the air inside and will get super cold unless you paint with the can in a bucket of hot water. So, in a nutshell, go with the cheaper Home Depot or Lowes type.
Cheers, now go build something,
Ray Austin, TX ===
If you friend buys a compressor at a non-hobby shop (Lowes, Home Depot, etc.) the best selection of compressor fittings and accessories can be found at Sears.
Art
thank you to all who replied - I will let you know what he does. I told him to get onboard with newsgroups and this one in particular. You all came through again.
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