I need a new Airbrush. It's important to me that it's easy to use left - handed. General modeling applications, some fine art (no Fake Tans, though it's a thought...). It's been some time since I used one - 20+ years - so I'm a little confused by the sheer quantity available! I tend to overbuy for quality, durability, ease of clean up. Thanks for looking, Pete.
I know Paasche makes several models for lefties. Not sure which models they come in but worth your time to ask them. I do like my Model H - external single action - A LOT! I have the Paasche VL too- external double action - but really find I don't need it. Good luck Steve
I'm not sure what the difference between a lefty and righty airbrush. I use Iwata airbrushes and they don't seem to be "handed" in any way. I have two Badgers and now three Iwata's, a Revolution CR, an Eclipse and an Eclipse CS, and I am a big fan of Iwata. All metal, very smooth actions, nice fine lines, relatively easy to clean(no airbrush is really easy to clean) and easy to get replacement parts like needles and nozzles, I have become a big fan of them. I know some guys use cheapie plastic airbrushes and others use good quality single actions, but to my thinking, a good quality double action airbrush is a lifetime tool that will allow you to become as good a painter as you can be. Whatever you do, make sure and get a pressure regulator and moisture trap as it is important to be able to adjust the air pressure. I use a cheapie home center $50 compressor with a two gallon tank and it works just fine for me. A little noisy while it is filling the tank, but I usually only have to do it once and then turn it off as it takes quite a bit of spraying to work the pressure from the 100 psi in the tank down to the 15 psi I usually spray at. I'm sure you will get other opinions, but whatever you decide to do, once you start airbrushing, you will love it. Todd
"I find that one only notices handedness if one is actually of a sinister nature" That's an injoke for lefties! Traintodd, I was interested in your comments regarding compressors - do they not generally come with regulators and moisture traps? Oh, I guess that home center ones are for air tools right? Do all these things fit each other assuming I follow your route and what? Buy the the regulators/traps from and airbrush supplier? What is the name of your compressor if you don't mind me asking? Sorry about all the questions and thanks for your patience.... Pete.
Badger, Paache and Aztec seem to be the most popular. I have an Aztec super duper one and a Badger 150. I found the Badger to be less likely to clog, splatter and whatever else can go wrong AND a lot easier to clean. Both are external double action. The most important thing is to clean the brush completely right after each use.
I have a Badger 155. I don't think it has a right or left handed option. I have used it in both hands. The thing feels the same either way.
I used to use a Badger 200 years ago, then bought the Aztek 470 in '95. My first one just went bad a few weeks ago, so I got another. They seem to work pretty good, and have a plug for the paint cup so you can use them lefty or righty.
I have used Badgers with good results, and also Pasche. My favorite Pache was a little single action that they don't make anymore but I could get really nice fine lines by adjusting the tip with my finger as I painted. Great brush. I've also got an Iwata but have put it down for a Harder & Steenbeck Evolution. Not sure what the current H&S Evolution model is, mine is about 5 years old now, but its an amazing airbrush if you do any detailed work (and you said you do some fine art so you might find it handy). If I was to spray base colors on boxcars, I'd grab any of them, but if I was to do detailed weathering like exhaust stains, rust trails and such, or even paint masked markings so I did not build up a thick layer, I'd go with the Evolution. A little pricey compared to Badgers but not compared to Iwata.
Just my .02: stay away from the Harbor Freight airbrushes - at least if you are a beginner. I speak from experience. The instructions are very badly translated English. The parts diagrams do not match up exactly to the unit. There are no parts available. The badly translated instructions really don't tell you anything useful. And...the thing is an S.O.B. to operate. If I had experience with an airbrush, all that may not mean anything...but it does to me.
Pete, The compressors made specifically for airbrushes usually do come with regulators and moisture traps, and my little compressor even has its own regulator to control the pressure of air out of the tank, but I have found a separate regulator/moisture trap combo to be very effective, even here in sometimes humid Illinois. My compressor is called ProForce, it is just a Chinese made store brand carried by a home center called Menard's here in the midwest. I also have a Bostik 1.5 hp, 6 gal compressor I use for air tools, but that thing is just way too noisy, and I have a little Min Tec, basically the same thing as a Pasche D500, hobby compressor that I bought years ago and didn't like the pulsating air flow from so I don't use. A two gallon tank is plenty of air for most anything I'm painting either a model, an N structure or rolling stock, in fact, I usually have plenty of air to spare and have to drain the tank when I'm done, which, by the way, should always be done to avoid moisture in the tank. I run a hose from the compressor to the regulator, which I have mounted next to a spray booth, and then from the regulator to the airbrush. It all fits together with with threaded connectors, I think it is 1/2" out of the compressor, and then 3/8" from the hoses. If you need to change sizes on the connectors, that stuff is readily available anywhere air tools are sold. You can buy the regulators/moisture traps most anyplace you can buy an airbrush, but those can be pretty pricey. I think I got mine at Lowe's or Home Depot for about $18 and it does the job just fine. In fact, I think my whole set-up with hoses and all cost me about $90. The spray booth, now that's a different story. But, any type of air source will work with an airbrush, I've known guys that bought five gallon air tanks and went down the local gas station to have it pressurized and used that. Some guys buy tanks of CO2. The only thing that I would advise against is the canned air. No one I know has ever had any luck with those. It depends on how much you're going to airbrush, how much noise you want to deal with and if you have the room for a compressor. The silent, airbrush specific compressors are very quiet, but very expensive, and since I have a basement to work in, a little bit of noise for a few minutes until the tank fills is OK for me. Since I only use it a few times a month, it didn't make sense to buy a professional type compressor for this. I spent my money on a spray booth and really good airbrushes, because basically, air is air. There are a lot of good sites on the web for airbrushing, a lot to do with nail painting and tattooing and such, but hey, that can be interesting in its own right!!! Seriously there is plenty about hobby airbrushing as well. The plastic model guys really have this stuff down and they spend a ton of time and effort with airbrushes, so I learned a lot about this from them. They turned me on years ago to painting with water based acrylics at low pressure, which really is much safer than spraying enamels or other solvent based paints, something you might want to think about as well. Anyway, thought I would give you what I know, hope it is helpful. Todd
While I have no interest in nail painting and such, I think you are right that for the purposes of picking up some pointers and technique that a lot of model railroaders could learn something from other types of airbrush users. Some technique used on someone's nails, for example, may be easily transferred to a new weathering technique on some rolling stock.
Thank you everyone for responding especially Todd who took a lot of time to write in detail, I really appreciate all help! If anyone wishes to add more please do so - hmmm maybe I should get into Fake Tans - could be interesting.... Best, Pete.
