Airbrush and Inks

[LunaticNic]

Hey, I was just wondering what Airbrushes and inks/colors you guys own and recommend. I got my masters airbrush kit 3 years ago,and am due for an upgrade to prepare painting the small scale figures I'll be sculpting and casting in the future. I also have a few single-action gravity fed "Binks" airbrushes (that I currently can't use since I suppose I need an adapter of sorts to connect the air-hose) that I inherited from my grandfather who was into painting model planes. I've taken a look at the 2013 Airbrush Action guide, however among the massive array of choices and options I'm sort of lost as to what I truly need.

 

[TriLaser]

For inks i use Calli or FW. Calli is cheaper. I use Winsor and Newton and mix my own colours. As for airbrush i just use a dirt cheap dual action one, its like £20 lol Does the trick

 

[LunaticNic]

Thanks for the info! Have you done any small scale paint ups with that Airbrush? I've been having issues with the masters doing fine but slightly hard lines.

 

[TriLaser]

The airbrush kit i use is this one. You can find it on ebay. Fine lines are all down to pressure and thinning the paint enough. Very thin paint and around 30 psi should be good. Practise on paper mate, you will get it.

 

[TriLaser]

Only Small scale paintup ive done is on my 1/4 scale Neca predator. Was a bitch to do lol

 

[Jmen]

Few years ago it was my kit. Good for start. After year or so i was ready for something better. 100% recommended.

 

[M77]

Hey Nic, Hadn't gotten around to responding to your question yet, but I hope this might be of some use to you.
I use many different paints, and especially like the FW inks. The FW inks allow for a nice gradual build up of your colours. I also use the Vallejo air brush paints quite a bit. My brush is a Harder and Steenbeck Evolution 2-in-1 (I use the 0,6 and 0,4 needles mostly). Another good brush is the Iwata HP-C; haven't tried it, but it's a classic for a reason. In the States Badger is a very popular brand. I'm not very familiar with these, but might be worth checking out. I think in general with an airbrush, you get what you pay for. After years of messing with various types and brands, I invested in a good set a couple of years ago and never regretted it. Hope this helps!

 

[LunaticNic]

Thanks for the info! Now I at least feel like I have a sense of direction as far as this is concerned.

 

[M77]

Btw, my advice is specifically for working on small scale kits, where good control is very important to achieve nice details. For painting suits and masks, the brushes I mentioned are probably too small, it'll take ages to paint a full suit with a 0,4 needle

 

[LunaticNic]

Btw, my advice is specifically for working on small scale kits, where good control is very important to achieve nice details. For painting suits and masks, the brushes I mentioned are probably too small, it'll take ages to paint a full suit with a 0,4 needle

But I bet that suit would look amazing

 

[TriLaser]

I will probably invest in a more pricey airbrush one day. Just atm the cheaper one I am using works well for what I'm doing. Build quality is always good but with a cheaper airbrush it doesn't burn a hole in your pocket if a part breaks. It's about finding what's best for you. Just work your way up

 

[M77]

It's about finding what's best for you.

That is certainly true, I agree! It's important to think about what you'll be using it for as well. One advantage of a higher quality brush, is that it'll probably give you less issues/problems/hassle when working with it. That will make it more fun and make you less likely to become frustrated or give up, which is something people starting out often run into. Because of this, you can also try to find a decent second hand brush, just make sure it's not damaged, or at least that you can find replacement parts (needles especially, cause the tips get bent easily) for that particular brush. And a decent brush doesn't need to cost you an arm and a leg, mine cost me €158,- and if treated with proper care, will last me decades, if not a lifetime. There's also good options that would probably cost you around €100 to €120. Some other decent brands are Paasche (american) and Sparmax (taiwanese), these might be worth checking out. I have no personal experience with these though.

And if you have some money to spare (and are as lazy as I am); an ultrasonic cleaner is great! Saves you the annoyance of cleaning up the airbrush after a painting session. Just take it apart, give it a spin in the cleaner for 30 minutes or so, and it's good as new