Tools of the Trade - Airburshes

Iwata, Badger, Harder & Steenbeck, Grex and even Paasche are all names that you hear when it comes to airbrushing. Not only have you heard these names, but I am sure you can find someone within earshot to tell you how "their" brand is the best and should stay away from the rest.

With all of this information and opinions from the peanut gallery, how do you decide and choose your first airbrush? To be honest there is no sure fire way to figure that out, as you normally have to buy one before you an see what you like.

Before spending your hard earned money I would suggest:

• Find a friend or fellow gamer who has one and see if they will let you try it out
• Take a class at your local hobby shop or art supply store if they offer them
• Check YouTube as there are hundreds of comparison, review or walk through videos 

If there is one thing that I can say that you want in any airbrush is the following:

• Gravity Feed (paint enters the brush from the top)
• Dual Action (pressing down the trigger gives air, pulling it back provides the paint)
• Use a known trusted brand (Iwata, Badger, Harder & Steenbeck....)

Price is usually the deal breaker for most hobbyists that are looking to just basecoat a certain color that is not in a spray primer, paint larger models like vehicles or making terrain for their home collection. To be honest this is mostly what I use mine for, and I leave most of the detail work to the old tried and true paint brush. However, you will get what you pay for more often than not. Sure you can get away with a cheap $20 or $30 gun for basic use, but it will fail you at some point (sooner rather than later).

If you are just starting out here are some options that I would suggest:

Iwata Neo

Cost - $50 to $80 depending on where you buy from

I love this brush and still use it for most of my work. Its gravity fed, dual action and comes with two different size paint wells. The needle that comes in the kit is a .35mm which is great for both small and large projects.

Neo gets a lot of heat from painters for its tendency to clog or need cleaning. I am hear to say that if you keep your needle clean, and break down the gun for cleaning after every couple of uses then you will have no issue. This is a great brush for the price and would recommend to anyone.

The next three brushes are all in the same camp in my opinion and will only matter of which brand you end up having a preference for.

Iwata Eclipse

Cost - $150

Probably the most notable of all the Iwata guns. Same as the Neo but better. Higher quality parts, better rear access to the needle screw and a molded paint well which means never a worry of liquid pouring through the joint (can happen with the Neo).

Badger Krome

Cost - $100-$150

After the Eclipse its the most known. I don't like Badger products, but have plenty of friends who swear by them. The nozzle and trigger are weird to me and just feel better with an Iwata.

Harder & Steenbeck

Cost - $150

Harder brushes are known for their quality and their brushes can range in excess of $300, so this is a great way to get into airbrushing with their range. I have not personally used one, but again have friends who have and recommend them. 

Cleaning & Maintenance

So now you have your brush and want to start using it, but first you need to know how to clean it and properly maintain it so that it will work for you consistently. Here are my suggestions:

• Use cleaner or water between color changes, this will keep any left over paint from drying up in the well or barrel, as well as making sure colors are not mixing on you.
• Grab a cleaning kit, yes it can be expensive depending on where you buy it, but you just spent $150 on the brush, so lets take care of it. 
• After a couple of sessions break down the brush and give it a deep clean. Use your precision cleaning tools to get into the barrel and housing of the needle. You will thank me later.
• The cleaner your brush is the better it will work, if you put garbage in, you will get garbage out.

That covers your brush and maintenance, next time I will talk about compressors. You did need air for your airbrush....

Thanks