Badger airbrush advice please

[Old_Tonto]

I have messed about with cheap knock-off Chinese airbrushes for a while now & whilst I now know how to clean them & how they work I am less than impressed with results. So I am looking to upgrade and I am thinking about buying one the these: http://www.badgerairbrush.com/Badger_150.asp

Anyone used one or suggest an alternative?

[carlos]

Anyone used one or suggest an alternative?

Hi tonto,
are you sure you want a bottom feed syphon cup style airbrush..??
I've tried them, and much prefer a gravity-feed - you can spray at lower pressures, good for fine work and/or mottle camo.

I too, had a Chinese made generic a/b until last autumn, when I dropped it while cleaning, and broke the needle-chuck.
I replaced it with a Harder & Steenbeck 'Ultra' (£60 for the standard model, and £80 for the 2-in-1, which comes with two grades of needle. plus a couple of different sized paint cups - I got the 2-in-1)
http://www.air-craft.net/acatalog/Harde ... brush.html;
http://www.air-craft.net/acatalog/Harde ... -2in1.html;

I thought my Chinese airbrush was OK, until I used a decent one from a recognised manufacturer.

So far I can't fault my Harder & Steenbeck, and I suspect something by Badger, Iwata, etc will be similarly superior to your old Chinese model.

[carlos]

Also...

One thing I particularly like about my H&S - It's easy to remove the needle from the front for cleaning.
My old Chinese a/b required a tiny spanner to remove the nozzle, the H&S nozzle can be unscrewed by hand, so I don't end up drawing paint backwards through the trigger and chuck mechanism = less (and easier) cleaning.

[jssel]

As stated elsewhere, I have been using a Badger 200 since around 1979. Love it. It is a bottom feeder and a single action. Frankly I do not think I can handle a dual action. At any rate it has been in constant use during this time and I finally sent it in for re-conditioning a couple of years ago. Stateside, Badger will re-condition their airbrushes for free. Just my humble opinion. And no, I do not work for the company.

[mattbacon]

I'd highly recommend a chat with Paul at Little Cars: (+44) 01234 711980

Very nice bloke, knows his stuff and has sold airbrushes to a gazillion forum members around the modelling communities online and at shows.

I have an Iwata Eclipse, and I love it -- had it for the best part of ten years now. I think you won't go far wrong with any of the proper named brands (Badger, Iwata, H&S and Grex), but Paul might be able to help you "fine-tune" your selection...

bestest,
M.

[ShaunW]

I'm a long time Badger user OT and my current model is a 100GXF gravity fed dual action brush, which is a great quality product and performs without fuss although it wasn't cheap. The brush is all metal (brass I think) and feels nice and solid. Prior to that I used a 200 single action brush, which I still own. The only issue I would say with the 100 is that the paint cup capacity is not large and therefore quite a few stops and starts are required for refills, which some modellers might find to be a pain (doesn't bother me as I generally premix paint in a small airbrush jar to ensure consistency and decant into the airbrush cup using a pipette). I don't know however if the same model is currently in the Badger range as my brush was bought in the late '90's although I'm sure there will be an up to date equivalent. Touching wood, I've never had a problem with a Badger airbrush.

[Dazzled]

It's down to personal preference. I've had cheap Chinese airbrushes but the seals in them don't last long, and I've also had a Badger, although I didn't get on with it at all well. For a couple of years now I've been using an Aztek airbrush and I think it's absolutely brilliant. So much so that I've recently acquired a second one (with a snazzy chromed metal body). They're simple to clean, can be set to either double or single action and can be fitted with either a gravity cup or bottom feed.

Best of all they can be picked up for less then £80 on Ebay, usually "new second hand", i.e. pre-owned but never used, and spare nozzle/needle units can be got for a tenner. The last needle I bought for a Badger cost me £16 and that was over a decade ago. For me, at least, it's a no-brainer.

[Old_Tonto]

Thanks for the advice guys. After reading these comments I talked to a couple of friends who have used airbrushes on 1/72 kits & smaller - the same as me. I have also watched plenty of reviews on youtube. I decided to go with a Badger Anthem 155. It is a duel action bottom feeder syphon & very easy to clean. It is supposed to do lines of pencil width up to 3 inch!

That remains to be seen but I had a quick play with it last night & the difference between it & a cheapo copy is amazing.
I am a very happy chap so thanks to you all once again. Your advice was really helpful in deciding what I actually needed & is very much appreciated.

[BlohmWolf]

Congratulations on your new airbrush OT!

I was going to get an Badger or an Iwata airbrush, but recently I purchased a high-ranking Harder and Steenbeck brush. I'll let you know how it works out when I get it.

[Clashcityrocker]

I need to start using my airbrush as an 'air brush' and not a spray gun. Need to get more subtle and fine.

Nigel

[BlohmWolf]

I need to start using my airbrush as an 'air brush' and not a spray gun. Need to get more subtle and fine.

Nigel

I sometimes act like the Airbrush is a baton;

A harmonious balancer of the mist of the atomized tamiya,
that lays down onto the plastic, showing the real true meaning
of the model kit which lays before us, the modellers.

[AndrewR]

I need to start using my airbrush as an 'air brush' and not a spray gun. Need to get more subtle and fine.

Nigel

I sometimes act like the Airbrush is a baton;

A harmonious balancer of the mist of the atomized tamiya,
that lays down onto the plastic, showing the real true meaning
of the model kit which lays before us, the modellers.

He's been spraying lacquers again...