Anyone recommend a decent cheap airbrush & comp.?

The Schlitzie · Jan 6, 2017

Hey guys, my crappy airbrush died on me and I was looking to upgrade to something a bit better. I was using a little tabletop makeup/cake decorating airbrush (true story!) and I'm amazed that it worked to begin with but it's time for me to get a real one now, lol. It only cost I think $50 for the whole setup but I couldn't really airbrush any detail. I'm looking for a cheap double action airbrush, gravity fed and a small compressor combo.. I am still a beginner so i wouldn't need anything special and I probably wouldn't be able to tell the difference anyways with my very limited experience.

Does anyone have any recommendations for a beginner with a tight budget ($100-150) ?

fritzthefox · Jan 6, 2017

Iwata is my favorite, but there are many good airbrush brands. (Whatever you do, don't buy an Aztec) If you need a compressor, too, you should really spend more than a hundred bucks. Most cheap hobby compressors are junk and will simply burn up on you. If you can, get one with a built in tank, to keep air pressure steady. (It also helps prevent overheating) A great place to shop online is http://www.tcpglobal.com. You could find a whole useable kit for your price, but I would highly recommend spending twice that. If you have to go cheap, go cheap on the brush. You will likely booger it up learning to clean it properly, anyway. In an event, it won't be your last airbrush. But a good compressor should last you a long time.

tgreco · Jan 6, 2017

Paasche H Series Single action. It's good enough for ILM model makers, it's good enough for anything you're going to do with it.
It's also the airbrush Adam Savage recommends
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBHQ7lQGOf0
(go to 26:17 in this video and hear it from the man himself)

All metal. Easy to clean. Easy to care for. I own 3.
Get all 3 tips (fine, medium and large) and go.
You can get amazing control, and amazing detail from it.
I have a more expensive paasche double action, and a very expensive Iwata and I almost never use them.

https://www.amazon.com/Paasche-H-SET-Single-Action-Airbrush/dp/B004O7HTYU

Snikt · Jan 6, 2017

tgreco said:
Paasche H Series Single action. It's good enough for ILM model makers, it's good enough for anything you're going to do with it.
It's also the airbrush Adam Savage recommends
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CBHQ7lQGOf0
(go to 26:17 in this video and hear it from the man himself)

All metal. Easy to clean. Easy to care for. I own 3.
Get all 3 tips (fine, medium and large) and go.
You can get amazing control, and amazing detail from it.
I have a more expensive paasche double action, and a very expensive Iwata and I almost never use them.

https://www.amazon.com/Paasche-H-SET-Single-Action-Airbrush/dp/B004O7HTYU

Thats the airbrush I learned on, totally agree with tgreco. Regarding the tank though, I bought a harbor freight air compressor for 40 bucks that has a tank, and although its loud, its awesome, never had any problems with it. But if you need something thats quite and fits on your desk/work area, then yeah, go for the more expensive one.

Timmythekid · Jan 6, 2017

Third...fourth? the Paasche H. As a beginner I've found it really easy to use and learn on. My compressor is a 4 gallon house brand I picked up from Canadian Tire (think Loews or the like) for $79 CAD...maybe $50 USD? You're not driving nails with the thing, so the size so far is fine I've found. The only thing I might want to pickup a separate regulator (for a little more precision) and water trap to add to the line.

Automaton · Jan 6, 2017

I've only owned a couple of airbrushes and one compressor, but my Expo AB602 kit does a pretty good job and gets decent results. Noisey, but I'm yet to have any overheating issues.

The Schlitzie · Jan 6, 2017

Thank you guys for the input. I really appreciate your time and advice! It looks like I might pick up a Paasche H. Space isn't an issue in the shop surprisingly. It would be nice to get a compressor that isn't real loud or at least one that wouldn't be running all the time.

robn1 · Jan 6, 2017

I'll also recommend the Paasche H, I love mine. It's external mix so it's easy to clean, since the paint doesn't enter the body. You can get it at Hobby Lobby if you have one near by, get the 40% coupon from the website.

For a quite compressor it's hard to beat the California Air Tools. But if you get a LOUD one get a couple auxiliary tanks. I have two on mine and it gives me about 30 gallons capacity, I fill them up and turn the compressor off so it won't be running while I work.

Rbdhd · Jan 7, 2017

I have used almost all of them as an art student so I know a little. I stopped looking and any other when I purchased my iwata.

That's all I have I say.

D

The Schlitzie · Jan 7, 2017

I will be getting an Iwata at some point but I just don't have it in the budget at the moment.

Rbdhd said:
I have used almost all of them as an art student so I know a little. I stopped looking and any other when I purchased my iwata.

That's all I have I say.

D

SCUDMAN · Jan 8, 2017

If you are looking for an affordable set up, try Harbor Freight Tools. They have stores everywhere in the United States. If you can't find one that is close to you, they have a website. You can get a compressor with a moisture trap and pressure gauge for $69. Airbrushed are between $10 and $20. I buy a lot of tools from them and they are decent quality. If you are a beginner this may be the place to start for you.

Anyone recommend a decent cheap airbrush & comp.?

The Schlitzie

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fritzthefox

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tgreco

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Snikt

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Timmythekid

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Automaton

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The Schlitzie

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robn1

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Rbdhd

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The Schlitzie

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SCUDMAN

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