Is this airbrush ok?

M

MarkL057

New Member
Hiya guys,
Am starting to build a 1/600 model of Star Trek's Enterprise TOS, it's not going to be a long term hobby, I just want to say I've made the ship and that'll probably be it. I want to get an airbrush to do the painting of the larger bits like the saucer section, but I haven't got a clue what i'm looking at. Is the below airbrush sufficient for this kind of model? I know its compressor is relatively naff in the grand scheme of things, but don't want to be spending considerable amounts of money for something i'll probably only be using on one project.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product...b-0822-4044-bbe9-441718232b3f&pf_rd_i=desktop


Thanks in advance for any replies, Mark.
 
I would tend to doubt it, but for 35 pounds, you aren't risking much.

I know nothing of this airbrush company, but @ $45 for the airbrush, hose and compressor, I anticipate something not working well.
 
If you've never used an airbrush before, the likelihood of messing up on the first attempt is pretty high, especially with dual action and what seems like a suspiciously low price product.

If all you want to do is put down a base coat, then you might as well just buy a can of Tamiya's synthetic lacquer spray paint. Here is a link to their paint charts https://www.tamiyausa.com/articles/feature.php?article-id=72#.Wa8gNciGPIU. I imagine AS16 would be pretty good for the enterprise.
 
Last edited:
I'd also recommend Tamiya sprays, they go on very smooth and don't puddle up in the details. It's probably the best way to go if you're not looking to do more modelling. The main limitation is color choice and the inability to make custom mixes. For the TOS I've been leaning toward AS11 for the top side of the saucer, and AS5 for the rest. AS11 seams to match the greener top side of the filming model saucer. I haven't tested them out yet to be sure these colors are correct, but they look close going by the samples.
Tamiya color charts https://www.tamiyausa.com/articles/feature.php?article-id=72#.Wa8vt7KGOpq

Lots of discussion here about the model in general and a lot on the paint http://www.hobbytalk.com/bbs1/99-sc...-350-tos-enterprise-building-tips-tricks.html Look for the last few pages for most of the latest color discussion.
 
I almost bought one of those but didn't trust the quality of it for that price. I sprung for a good compressor and bought an iwata neo cn brush

Sent from my SM-G930V using Tapatalk
 
Why do people always dismiss low price airbrushes I have been using a very cheap airbrush for ages and its fine. Yes that airbrush will be fine. I use something very similar myself. I have a very cheap compressor too. I do think go for a single action one first though to learn the basics. Heres what my cheap airbrush does.
q6223MV.jpg

Ucy0f80.jpg
 
Agreed. The setup I use cost £45 on ebay, around ten years back(Christmas sales).I replaced the actual brush a week ago!
Current prices will net you one for around £65,including a brush.
My current project?

IMG_20170901_232101.jpg
 
I would buy a badger airbrush, they seem really good. That's what I would be going after. If it's a 1 time deal thing though I'd just get something like that or perhaps visit a hobby store and see what they got. It's like the Terminator choosing guns in 1984, you need to be there to hold it and test it if you ever make a real investment. :D
 
Thankyou for the replies!
Think I'll give the badger one a go. It's likely to only be for this one use so a simpler one is probably best.
And thanks for the link to the enterprise model forum, will be reading through it all!
Thanks again, Mark.
 
The airbrush looks ok but the compressor is what worries me. Looks way under powered. Get a compressor with a pressure gauge that goes up to at least 50 PSI That tiny square compressor will have you pulling your hair out and doing what I did 3 years ago: buying a good compressor.
 
If this is your first airbrush and compressor, I would say go for it. You can't beat the price. At the very least it would be something you can practice with. If you determine the quality is adequate on a few practice pieces, then you can progress onto your TOS Enterprise. I'm not familiar with this model of airbrush, but it does have a few physical qualities that may prove useful. Internal mix, large paint cup and a trigger mechanism that looks as if there is a clear motion between the spray modes. With the small compressor, perhaps I can assume that this airbrush can spray well under lower pressures compared to other airbrushes. The central mounted integrated paint cup wil probably allow easier cleaning since side mounted cups usually have longer tubes which can get clogged up, but the central cup blocks a bit of your view, depending how you hold it.

Different airbrush models vary greatly and you can go from spending a few pounds to several hundred. Each member here will have their own preference, but one thing is for sure, is that the quality of your painting will improve dramatically, if you've used brushes or rattle cans in the past.

Cleaning your airbrush is probably one of the most important things to do as it doesn't take much to block paint flow or airflow. Humidity can also be a problem, so having an inline filter will prevent water getting into your work.

TazMan2000
 
For 30 quid more you can get a more powerful compressor with a tank (for more even airflow) and two cheapie airbrushes.
 
My 2 cent's.

As a retired professional Illustrator / Graphic Designer / Art Director my pro equipment was / is top of the line Iawata dual action etc.
But for models etc even paid builds, (which I've done) I bought an older version of that kit. The results are the SAME as if I use my hi end air brush.

So there is that.
 
It's a bit like photography. There's a lot of snobbery about which camera brand is the best. Take Sony for example. Half the price of it's Nikon or Canon competition, just as good-if not better at everything it's supposed to do-but the other two brands always are better, even if the Sony scores higher in the photography reviewer's tests.....
I suppose if you've paid a thousand pounds for something, then discover a different manufacturer make a similar product for a hell of a lot less, you're going to be defensive!
 
i have already an Iwata and bought that abest (just the airbrush, not the compressor) for heavy work purpose, i mean, anything solvent based like lacquers, diluted primers etc.

I can say t works flawessly to the point that many times i didn't need to switch to the iwata.

But the compressor.. i would never recomend a compressor like that.. buy something with tank to eliminate the "pulse" effect, if not... at least something with a moist filter... they are some in amazon at a really good price.
 
I think the key factor is you don't plan on using this airbrush after this project. Personally I would try to find someone local that can show how to use and help you paint using their set up. Even if you did pick this up you'll need more than just the airbrush and compressor, you want need some cleaning supplies (brushes, solvents, thinners, etc..) so you can use it more than once. Not cleaning your airbrush can ruin it, and you can't do all the painting at once, there will be some masking and changing of paint colors. Other stuff you might want is masking tape, chipping medium, air mask filter. If you can't find a local that is willing to help, I'd just use rattle cans for spraying the panels and then do the weathering (if any) with oil paints.

A tip for either airbrush or spray paint: use thin layers and build up your color. If you spray it on too quickly/thick you might get paint runs. Patience will make it turn out well.
 
Since you are building TOS Enterprise you might consider using oils to add subtle color variance over the hull. TMP Enterprise requires an airbrush for the small aztec patterns but that's not an issue on the TV version. Look up weathering for the Millennium Falcon by Fichenfoo on youtube especially the first video
 
Hi again guys,
Many thanks for the advice, have ordered the badger single action and some air so will see how I get on with that. Have checked out a few videos on it and seems manageable. Will have practice first though. Will post the results once arrived!
Thanks again!
 
The Paasche model H single action airbrush was the workhorse of the ILM modelshop.
Lots of movie models where painted with that style airbrush.
-They're still available for $48 or so.
 
You must log in or register to reply here.

Similar threads

kevinv
John Carver - Thanksgiving
Replies
17
Views
10,115
jacksparrow900
jacksparrow900
M
Star Wars Garage Room Build (WIP)
Replies
12
Views
4,922
mmx2000
M
Sean Hebein
New Han in Carbonite Build - With Glowing Thaw Function - COMPLETE
2
Replies
25
Views
8,266
Kylo1
Kylo1
pzreich
Cosplay Help: Birds of Prey Huntress
Replies
13
Views
3,809
SMP Designs
SMP Designs
Father
  • Locked
So Disney is buying 20th Century Fox?
Replies
2
Views
1,133
Bryancd
B
Back
Top