Need advice, please help

Hello everybody,

the time has come for me. I've worked long enough without airbrush and I just can't resist the need for one :D I'm a beginner with airbrush. In my LHS they offer three different brands: Revell, Aztek and Badger. All in single or dual action types, if I'm informed correctly. Price doesn't really matter, all quiet the same. I was told that Badger wasn't that good. Revell and Aztek were better quality. Know I need advice from the experienced people here on which one to buy. I don't know any types or names. I'll use it for selfmade bodycolors and interiorparts. When I'm a bit more experienced I'll try some other things as well (detailing and stuff). So, what do you advice?

Thanks in advance for advise me! :)

BTW, I forgot. I've searched around on AF, but it didn't became clear to me what should be the best. I've read a lot about airbrushes already. I know the difference between single and dual action for instance, so I know what I'm talking about :D

Thanks. :)

I hate to say it, but you have been badly misinformed!!! Badger is one of the top airbrush companies out there, and have been for a long time. Revell and aztec are peices of crap, and shouldnt be sold to anyone! They are made of plastic and fall apart with most brush cleaners! Price does matter! Whomever you have been talking to and getting info from doesnt know much. I have been a airbrush artist for many years. I use mostly badger brushes. Some more expensive ones like Iwata, but I only use those for the detailed work on murals and grafix on real cars! Please, PLEASE take my advise. Get a Badger Anthem to start with. Its dual action, smooth and reasonably priced! Ask Vric, he took my advise, and from his PM's, is very very happy!

I don't know about Revell and Aztek (aren't they the same?) being crap, because I've never personally used them. I have known people who use them and get good results, but they tend to have been airbrushing for a while. I agree about Badger, though, very good peices. Solid, easy to clean and repair, and just about everyone makes stuff that works for them. Not too expensive, either.

Stay away from Aztec. They are plastic crap. I bought an A270. After only 2 weeks, the trigger button jammed and then snapped off! :swear: They now have a metal Aztec. I expect that it is metal crap.

I have a friend who has a box full of Aztecs, he is sure that he can get at least one to work but just keeps sending them out to be repaired after a few weeks use. I have a Badger 200 and no real problems yet. I tried and early Aztec (Model Master) airbrush and finally just threw it away.

Hum, I find your Aztec experiences strange. I've used A470s for about ten years now (I have two as I use them about 4 hours a day on average) and in ten years I've only ever had one die on me. I can't say that about Badgers that I've used. Sure the Aztecs are plastic, but I've yet to find a cleaner that has damaged them, and I've tried! Even the acid based etching primer I use hasn't touched them. It's a personal preference thing I guess, but having used Badger and Paasch in the past, I'm sticking with Aztec.

I have the Revell Master Plus IDG950 (Internal mix, Double action, Gravity feed) which I bought for $120 5 years ago. Great airbrush especially for detail work.
I'm now looking for an bottom feed airbrush.

Badger All the way (I not even call Revell airbrushes and Aztek are cheap unless you pay for high end one, and at that price, Badger will be better for cheaper)

I have a Badger Anthem that cst me 51$us new

Edit: as customminatures said, Testor/Aztek are made of plastic, if you use lot of Lacquer paint, you will kill the airbrush easily. I had an Aztek A470 before (dual action internal mix) and the first time I used lacquer paint, the nozzle melt and the airbrush is unusable now (need a new nozzle) so All metal or nothing (unless you want to stick with acrilyc)

Edit2: lotus_man, you you want my A470, contect me I will sell it for cheap (if you have xtra nozzle, it might be usefull for you, since I have my badget, I don't even want to use the aztek one)

That's what I like about this place. There's no better advise then the advise of the experienced people here. :D I'll buy the Badger Anthem. I'll show results after I practiced with it a little.

Thanks everybody for helping me out. God, I love this place :D

There's no better advise then the advise of the experienced people here.

That's the benefit of experience: you recognize your mistakes when you make them again.

Badger anthem is the best for the money. This is my choice :D I got a 155-7 kit from ebay brand new for 51$, you might take a look. It's 69$ from dixieart (the -7 come with hose and 3 jars + color cup)

Thanks Vric. I'll check it out :D

I got a Badger Anthem Finally and it seems like a great brush. It is a bit of a learning curve for me becuase I have never used an airbrush before. My only real problem lies not in the brush but thinning the paint.