GHQ Models Forums

Am thinking asbout an airbrush for doing camo on my little Panzers. Do you use one? What brand/model would you recommend?

Badger 150 with F and M nozzle.

Paashe VL series works great for me. 3 different size needles. I can get a line with a width of about 1/16th of an inch using the extra fine needle. its a dual action, internal mix airbrush. Shop around and you can get one for about 60.00.

I have a badger 350 with a fine tip. But, I have used a Iwata double action airbrush and I have to agree with a fellow modeler...if you want too start airbrushing, spend the money on a double action airbrush and a good name as well. Believe me when I say that the Iwata kicked some serious butt compared to my badger. With the double action, you can control the amount of air and paint as compared to a single action (Badger). I have been able to do some decent work with my Badger, but with the double action, I was able to do MUCH better work.

I have an Aztek A340 (I think that's the model number) double action airbrush put out for Testors, and it seems to do a pretty good job for $50. Some of the airbrushes being discussed here are pretty pricey, IIRC. I know Badgers go for around $100-$150. That's why I ended up with the Aztek. It's cheap (and cheaply made I might add- it's all plastic/composite) but it does a decent enough job, for me anyway. I always go for "game table" quality, so it works out well.

Mark

For doing cammo patterns on micro armor you'll need a double action airbrush. The single action are perfectly fine for doing cammo on 1/35 or even 20mm stuff, but on micro armor they are only good for doing an overall base coat. Just not enough control for this scale.

As to which airbrush to purchase, I would reccommend you start by googling the manufacturers' web sites. Badger, Iwata, Paashe are all high quality precision crafted tools and worth every penny. You should regard this as more of an investment rather than just a purchase. If you take care of them they will last a very long time. What you are looking for is the finest possible tip for the media that you will be spraying. The finer the tip the thinner the media must be to prevent clogging. You will also need to choose the type of paint cup that the airbrush comes with - integral or removeable; top, side , or bottom positioning; size.

Once you have short listed possible candidates you should start visiting hobby shops, model railroad shops, art supply stores that sell airbrushes. You need to pick up the airbrush and see how it feels in your hand before you spend any money. If it doesn't feel comfortable you will never be able to do good work with it. When you find a brand that is comfortable then you can decide on the exact model that you want.

As for me, I have two Badgers. A single action siphon feed (can't remember the model number - I've had it for 35 years) and a double action 100 IL with side cup feed (that I've had for 30 years). In all that time I've only had to replace one needle and one air valve. They both still work like a charm.

regards

Steve

I agree with Gort/Steve. You're going to have this airbrush for a long time, so get one that will do what you need it to do. I bought a Paasche VL many years ago and it has allowed me to do many things I didn't think possible at such a small scale.

Think of this way, GHQ miniatures aren't cheap, get the tools you need to do it right.

Chris

I bought a Paasche airbrush off a friend of mine (he's an artist, so it is in very good condition), but now I need a compressor. I live an apartment, so small size and quiet-ness are necessities, but I don't want to lay out $600 bucks for a "silent" compressor.

Any good bargains on high quality compressors? Also, where can I get tips for Paasche airbrushes online?

Badger double action here. Got the air pump off of ebay, but would avoid a used airbrush if I couldn't try it first.

HobbyTown USA carries airbrushes, accessories, parts for most major brands of airbrushes including Paasche. I just went there today and bought a new #3 air cap and had them order a #1 aircap plus a new set of needles. If they don't have it, they'll order it. They also sell compressors and will demo them for you too. But art and architectual drafting stores also carry a wide array of these components too.

Pitfall,

I use 30lb and 50lb CO2 bottles. The regulator will run around $100-$150
CO2 is easier to regulate and no moisture in the line. You can probably check wilh a local gas supplier (Medical Oxygen, Acetylene) for all of what you may want.

Refills usually run $20-$25 but the stuff last "forever". 30lb bottles are usually what restaurants use for beverage dispensing machines.

For safetys sake, KEEP CAPPED when not in use!

Bruce

Bruce, how many hours of operation do you get with each bottle?

A guy I used to know built models professionaly and he used a scuba tank. And he only filled it every few months.

So for us, FOREVER

I really never thought about the hours, but I may refill once or twice a year. This is from occasional weekend use for a few hours. I might be getting more use out of it later this fall when I finish my hobby workshop and really start painting all the MicroArmour I've hoarded. Even then I only expect two fill up two or three times a year. I believe the smaller bottle still has close to 1000 PSI left and I usally run at 10-30 PSI.

Also I use the Iwata gravity feed BCS series.

Bruce