Budget Airbrush Buying Guide - Airbrushing Part 1

[@GoodEnoughWargaming]

I hope I've covered everything you need to know. I might have glossed over needle size a little here, but I'd say go for .3 to .5mm as a starter. Any other questions, fire a comment and I'll try to answer as best I can

[@MayaWu44]

Yeah, that was indeed helpful. Thanks.

[@GoodEnoughWargaming]

Hope it helps you, good luck and have fun!

[@Daniel-lf3vj]

Very good video , Im wanting to get into airbrushing and your breakdown of cheap affordable brushes was really helpful. thanks

[@GoodEnoughWargaming]

I hope it helped :)

[@Falney]

You should use a respirator when using acrylics. Especially if you are doing more than a few seconds of touch ups. Pigments are often bad for your health and the base for acrylic is a organic compound of carboxylic acid which is highly toxic. When paint manufacturers say "Non-toxic" they mean "It is not toxic when applied directly with a brush to media"

[@Abedeuss]

This is important, I bought an acrylic spray for priming (worked really well, though it was already tested by another sculptor than myself) and it comes with MANY warnings about how it absolutely is hazardous and should be only used in well-ventilated rooms, i.e. open window or an actual airbrushing suction device.

[@GoodEnoughWargaming]

That might be down to the propellant more than the paint tho. A lot of sprays use flammable gases which you really don't want to be using in enclosed spaces. I'd never use an a aerosol indoors but the airbrush doesn't bother me. I'd never tell anyone not to wear a mask but the times I did there was no paint on it so it seemed there was no point to wearing it But definitely don't use aerosol indoors.

[@Falney]

@@GoodEnoughWargaming I'm talking about the little bottles of acrylic paint you pay between a dollar and $60 for depending on the brand. From your hobby shop $1 bottle all the way up to golden acrylics, not spray paint.

[@PeterD87]

Great guide! Looking forward to part 2. I'd like to see you paint fine detail with your various brushes to show the difference.

[@MedskiPurnamski]

My first airbrush experience was using a cheap Chinese made dual action that comes with the tankless compressor. The compressor itself worked fine, had it for years but the main issue with it is that it gets hot even with the auto stop so I wouldn't recommend using it for hours at a time. The tankless design also make it susceptible to water buildup, so one moment you're spraying fine but suddenly it spurts water all over your model kit. Other than that the air pressure is not consistent at all. As you press down the trigger, the air pressure will drop gradually before the auto stop kicks in. The bonus airbrush has a shoddy quality to it, so much so that the needle easily got bent after some light usage and the chrome plating chipped off. I have since upgraded to the standard compressor with air tank. The air pressure is much more stable and I've never had any water spurts at all while using it. It has two modes, continuous air or with auto stop every time the tank fills up. However, it's still not the quietest airbrush compressor out there. My second airbrush was a medium needle Sotar 20/20 that was sold for cheap on Ebay. It's not exactly a bad airbrush but really hard to use for a beginner especially when you're shooting acrylics. It's hard to thin paints with a consistency that the Sotar can work with. It doesn't work anymore because I think I accidentally scraped the nozzle washer, the one part that you can't get a replacement of if you live outside the US because you need to send it back to the manufacturer (Badger) since it can't be replaced manually. I find that the Chinese/Taiwan made cheap gravity feed airbrushes with the needle stopper has the best bang for your buck. It won't necessarily last long and you sometimes need to seal the nozzle with beeswax since the o ring quality is pretty shitty, but it's a good beginner airbrush that you can easily replace if it gets broken. I personally recommend the Mr. Hobby or Tamiya airbrushes if you have a larger budget. They have a nice heft, shoots well, affordable, and the quality is very near or similar to Iwata brand. If you really want a Badger, yes the Patriot is a really good choice. I like my Anthem though. Its more suitable for t-shirt airbrushing but also a good, tough airbrush for priming model kits or statuettes.

[@willhelm94]

Just ordered a bunch of kit, I hope it worked right and you got the kickback!

[@GoodEnoughWargaming]

Thank you very much! Just take your time while learning but don't forget you can easily strip the paint off plastic minis so don't be afraid to try any mad ideas that occur to you. Also be careful with the needle, always wipe it down the point and never starting at the point. It's not that it damages the tip, just that you'll stab it into your finger and that hurts like hell.. ;)

[@willhelm94]

@@GoodEnoughWargaming thanks for the advice! Yeah I've got loads of scenery to practice on - rocks, trees etc. So I have plenty of failsafes haha

[@1976lancelot]

Hahaha !! That's it !! I'm going for the gold one lol Really nice intro to airbrush video. This got a subscribe from me. Thanks for the tips, now i know what to look for in an airbrush.

[@GoodEnoughWargaming]

I don't know why the gold one appeals to me so much but it does... Hope you have fun on your airbrush journey, just remember to never put it away dirty. It a pain to do a full strip and clean when all you want to do is paint.

[@7swordmary567]

Thank you for addressing the wrist comfort factor. A critical point that's neglected by many reviewers.

[@GoodEnoughWargaming]

Yup. The aluminium brushes are so much lighter in the hand. I'm still planning on getting the cult of paint infinity but I've several things higher up the spending list.

[@daniel_tenner]

Have you checked if the air pressure is consistent with your compressor? I keep reading that cheaper compressors have variable air pressure that makes them more unpredictable, but not sure if that’s fearmongering or real.

[@ratakaio3802]

i bought 2 cheaper airbrushes. The first one was a side feed and the connecting part broke two times in a short time. 2nd one was a china one that was so bad machined that the paint dried inside the body while painting then you would have the paint build up and as soon as it reached "critical mass" it clogged the nozzle. I have a Harder & Steenbeck now. Works like a charm every time.

[@GoodEnoughWargaming]

Yeah the quality control on the cheap ones it's really bad. I love my h&s, I'm planning on getting the cult of paint infinity as soon as money allows

[@ratakaio3802]

@@GoodEnoughWargaming the 2in1 is almost the same and cheaper. The only difference is the material of the body - which is aluminium for the cult and the finish is different. You can always contact their support they can confirm it to you. Edit: oh and the trigger has a bit different layout on top. As a lefty I think you won't be as happy with it

[@GoodEnoughWargaming]

Nice thing about the h&s brushes is the parts are all available and you can swap some out. My ultra has the needle set from the infinity in it cos I hated the stock one.

[@SegwayBossk]

It's funny, I bought a black version of the gold one on eBay when I first got started. I still use it, it's been great for me. And it was $15 with shipping

[@GoodEnoughWargaming]

Yeah, this is why I always say to get a couple of different types of cheap ones. Fair enough, you can get ones that don't work but most of the time they're great.

[@itsadrian9553]

Hi, I have a question for you, please look on Amazon at the ‘Gocheer 30psi airbrush kit’ and let me know if you think the air compressor that it comes with will be ok. Your video was so helpful but I am on a budget and am looking for cheaper ‘kit’ options. Thanks so much!

[@nofabe]

I have one of these, but for some reason I almost immediately start getting clogging or sth where it only sprays when I yank the trigger back and forth, not sure if it'd help to buy a higher quality one, or if I should use a bigger nozzle, or if my paint just sucks (using Revell, thinned, but I'd have to thin it down so much for it to spray smoothly that it's more of a wash than a real paint coat) - already took it apart and deep cleaned it and it sprays thinner liquids just fine, but as soon as I use paint it starts to clog...

[@GoodEnoughWargaming]

Check to make sure your needle tip isn't bent, if it is that can cause posting to clog. Also white paint seems to clog faster. If it's drying on the tip and causing clogs you can try adding a few drops of retarder to the thinner to slow that down. Cheap brushes use cheap needles and those can have more imperfections that cause paint to dry and clog. Having said all that, the paint does need to be thin to work, skimmed milk is what's often used as a standard to measure by.

[@DariceDavisjprocks94]

Really enjoyed watching your videos where you air brush miniature figures. I am wondering if you would make some suggestions as I know nothing about air brushes. Need an air brush kit to push thin, highly viscous artist/professional acrylic paint on already poured onto a surface (gesso-prepared canvas, tile, wood, watercolor paper) in a small studio space. I'm thinking of using an air bulb which would manually apply air, but is not desirable due to carpal tunnel in right wrist. Your suggestions would be appreciated to advance my fluid paint, pouring art techniques.

[@GoodEnoughWargaming]

If you mean you want to use an airbrush to push paint around a canvas, rather than use it to spray onto the canvas, then pretty much any airbrush would do. I'd say get a compressor kit, you probably don't need a tank tho.

[@elgordineo]

Just bought the fengda compressor and airbrush kit on Amazon, how would you rate that kit and iv heard the airbrush isn’t great so I think il upgrade that, do all brushes fit all compressors? Thanks

[@GoodEnoughWargaming]

The compressor should be fine. The brush should be ok, but it's a cheap mass produced one so quality isn't as good as the branded ones. Most of the branded ones will fit the standard connector but the Badger one have their own type. You can get quick disconnects that fit the Badger brushes and work with the standard quick disconnects, which is what I do. The quick disconnects are worth the small cost because they make using it so much easier. If you're looking for an upgrade brush then harder and Steenbeck or Badger are the two brands I've used and they are both good for the money. Quality of them shows compared to the cheap ones.

[@tumadsvids]

I think your comments are a bit short sighted. The Set with 3 airbrushes. Yes the one is a single action but still very useful for clearcoat or primer. In fact I'm about to buy that airbrush for that reason with a 0.8mm nozzle. The syphon feed is great for bokeh backgrounds and the other then for detail. In fact I use my syphon feed with 0.3 needle for the majority of my artwork and the better one for the final details. Its not what you hae, but how you use it... Just saying :) :) :)

[@flyboy2610]

I have 3 of those single action brushes. 2 from Harbor Freight, 1 from Paasche. The Badger 350 looks just like them. The Paasche is dedicated to spraying Stynylrez primer. They most definitely have their uses.

[@jerryrichards8172]

I can use my IWATA ECLIPSE siphon gun for big backgrounds i can attach some big bottles. With thick primer or base coats its a dream machine. I can do the same with my BADGER-150 Siphon gun it's a working mans airbrush. i use a needle and tip set for large medium and fine down to hair line size lines.

[@millar876]

I started out with that little trash plastic compressor. It lasted a few hours, and died, but, the airbrush was decent and I still use it with enamel. I’m using a tankless compressor like the second one you showed, no problems with it but it tops out around 30psi (even if most of my paints spray around 15psi, and have a few more generic brushes a badger 105 patriot and a neo for iwata.

[@johntaylor5807]

Some good info in your vid.... but is now a bit dated. Today I would save my money to buy an H&S Ultra 2024 ( £65-89) which even with it`s .45 needle/nozzle will Prime and also work as a detail brush. Look up Rob on Dred FX. It will teach you how to airbrush with it`s central pre-setting collar. Secondly I would buy your second choice of cheap brush (the all chrome one) (£ 12 - £17 )which is universally known as the bd-130 or FE-130K(set) it`s made by Fengda and rebranded worldwide by Timbertech, Sagud, Gocheer, Uncletomcobbly etc. You can learn to strip it down and fine tune it to work as good as the H&S ( polish the needle, change the small nozzle rubber seal to PTFE tape ) and it will be happy to work with lacquers and solvents all day long. Spare parts and seals available through Bartsharp UK ( their 130 series) and are dirt cheap.

[@johntaylor5807]

PS. I`ve got tankless compressors as well as tanked up ones. It is a myth about tankless versions having pulsing air flows. They don`t. any pulsing is absorbed by the long air tube and the inbuilt water trap. If you want a quiet desk top totally tankless compressor look at the Gaahleri Serenair compressor set.

[@emrelee]

Lots of information for starters, thanks for the video. At 21.50 where you talk about ABEST brand, there is another one right below it suggested by Amazon, Gocheer Airbrush set. It has been recommended by some websites as well as with Masters Airbrush Set just like these ones. What can you say about those? GOcheer has also 25 PSI and upgraded 30 PSI kits also. Masters has a nice set too. Thank you

[@GoodEnoughWargaming]

I don't think the different brands mean anything, it's all the same stuff rebranded. I've heard good things about masters tho. it's possible they do a bit more quality control then the others.

[@Dude_Slick]

The preset handle (needle stop) is not meant to be training wheels. It is a feature on all the most high end brushes. It's meant to do stuff like line work, where an artist needs a consistent line width. I can see how it would not be very useful for painting models, but for artist, it's a very welcome feature. It takes experience to learn to use it effectively, so it's really the opposite of training wheels.

[@GoodEnoughWargaming]

Yeah, proper art stuff with the airbrush is well outside what I can do. I'm ok at basic model painting but a anything beyond that is well outside my capabilities

[@Dude_Slick]

@@GoodEnoughWargaming Don't sell yourself short. You have a Sotar 20/20. I never used one but I've seen them do some insane detail. Between the 3 brushes you have on the right, you can get photo-realistic results. Do like most and start with easy stuff like skulls.

[@LemurKrazy]

Tankless will overheat and spit water after about half an hour. The gold with mac valve is the best performing cheap airbrush. Patriot is the hassle free baseline brush of the name brands.

[@PeterD87]

Does your tanked compressor stay off most of the time while you're brushing? How loud is it while it's on?

[@GoodEnoughWargaming]

My compressor takes about one and a half minutes to fill the tank from empty. Then you can spray full on for twenty to twenty five seconds depending on your output pressure. After that it comes back on and takes thirty seconds or so to switch off. Honestly most of the time it's on when you're spraying so it's not that useful for silent working. Having said that it's not that noisy. Mine is right next to me and it's kids enough to make it hard to hear a KZbin video on the pc at normal volume but not so loud it disturbs anyone else in the house. My 4 year olds bedroom is right next to my hobby room and I get no complaints from her.

[@jerryrichards8172]

Nice video thanks for sharing ❤

[@STAR_WESTSIDE]

Great video mate.

[@GoodEnoughWargaming]

Thanks, hope it's useful for you!

[@Roadrunner99942]

Video is over 2 years old. Just curious if you even see comments here still and if so can you make another similar video.

[@GoodEnoughWargaming]

Pretty much all the advice still stands; get a compressor with a tank and a couple of cheap brushes. Then maybe think of getting a "proper" brush once you are a bit more comfortable using an airbrush

[@Igzilee]

The one with the mini compressor is now almost $100! That is a completely absurd price considering you can get a full compresser and airbrush kit that is probably a lot better for less.

[@GoodEnoughWargaming]

Yeah that's crazy for the mini one. Might just be a temporary thing, depends on how many sellers there are I suppose. They're not worth it anyway.

[@markoharoldoronearmedpoohb7816]

When you plug the front of the airbrush, and get bubbles or mix your paint or to clean the paint chamber, you run the risk of blowing paint past the rear seal, or some call it the needle bearing and mucking up your air valve, this is not a good practice!

[@GoodEnoughWargaming]

No, not really. The air will follow the easiest path which is back up the cup and out the top. If the cup was sealed then there might be enough pressure to force air and paint back out the rear seal but in normal circumstances there won't be enough pressure to do that.

[@markoharoldoronearmedpoohb7816]

@@GoodEnoughWargaming Only in a perfect world, a worn seal may be the path of least resistance, paint in a bowl, (depending on how much) can enough of a blockage to funnel off some air!

[@GoodEnoughWargaming]

Fair point about the worn seal, it's not a problem I've come across yet. It's probably a bigger problem in the cheaper brushes where the only way to remove the needle is to pull it back through the seal (with any dried paint having to go with it) potentially damaging the seal. That's one of the reasons I love the harder and steenbeck brushes, they let you pull the needle from the front door cleaning.

[@Compliment_Thief]

Thats pretty stingy of badger to not include the quick release!

[@radicalbyte]

You get a subscribe for just being left-handed! :) :)

[@GoodEnoughWargaming]

Left handed is the best handed.

[@Compliment_Thief]

Ty! 🙏🏾

[@scottyboy6269]

Fengda is supposed to be good cheap cheap brand. GSI Creos 270, 289, 771 if you want best of the best Paasche Talon is actually amazing Get a real compressor, eg. Husky Silent Oilless, Mastercraft Maximum Silent etc. They are quiet enough for indoor in a private room , you won't get moisture etc. and you can use it around house if needed. Dont buy Vallejo, horrible stuff, it's temporary paint.

[@nikolajc7617]

Maybe that maybe that and maybeee that one.😂

[@henrysscrollsawworks6367]

I USE A SIDE SIPHON BRUSH AND IM LEFT HANDED IT WORKS GREAT FOR ME

[@paneraluxshop]

Gold is a good color in China, representing glory, power and prestige. So you will see gold color products though not sell well. But gold products sold good in China，just a cultural difference.

[@Dude_Slick]

To be fair, most side feed brushes are reversible.

[@andreasibal3546]

How...

[@GoodEnoughWargaming]

?

[@thekkidd3d]

AVOID ANY AIRBRUSH COMPRESSOR WITHOUT A TANK LIKE THE PLAGUE!!!!!!!!

[@mynorroldan9294]

buy what you know how to use...

[@GoodEnoughWargaming]

I was going for "if you're trying something new, try it out by spending the least you can in case you don't like it"...

[@roelinalensen1535]

Mnbbbvccxdddsssdfghh ik heb een vraag aan de andere twee ook nog even met mijn ouders hebben het ook wel weer wat beter met je verjaardag en nog wat te eten in een vraag 🙋‍♂️ maar dat je niet te laat ⏰ en dat je niet te laat ⏰ en dat je niet te laat ⏰ en dat je niet te laat ⏰ en dat je niet te laat ⏰ en Ik heb een vraag over de uitslag van de auto naar huis en ik ben er niet bij mij thuis te komen voor een nieuwe baan hebt een hele mooie foto Het was 🧺 en de Ttttr ik heb een vraag over de hele dag in de auto en ik heb een vraag over de hele dag in de hele tijd op het werk en de auto naar huis te komen in het niet goed voor je berichtje ik hoop 🤞 de eerste 🥇 en dat je niet goed 😊 en dat je niet goed 👍🏻 iiiiiiiiiii de hele dag in de auto en ik heb het ook wel eens in het ziekenhuis in het begin van de auto naar huis en ik ben er niet bij mij thuis te komen in het ziekenhuis in uuuuu werd de hele dag in de auto en ik heb een vraag over de hele dag in de auto naar huis en ik ben er niet bij 🐝 de eerste 🥇 en dat je niet goed 😊 en dat je niet goed 👍🏻 en dat je niet goed 👍🏻 en dat je niet goed 👍🏻 en dat je niet

[@GoodEnoughWargaming]

K.

[@animalyze7120]

This is a biased video on dual action brushes that will most likely be used in the wrong medium. The lack of single action coverage here shows that Bias and ignorance to what types of airbrushes are needed for specific uses. Fact is most model builders do not need an expensive dual action brush and those can easily stripe a finish on large surfaces like car bodies and such. If you are new to airbrushing and/or model painting I would recommend you study first as the recommendations here are solely on Illustrator brushes not painters airbrushes and yes there is a difference. The gimmick people focus on is more control which is fine for detailed artist work but nothing needed for general painting.

[@wolverinebear5357]

Biased tworads dual action, lol bruh, most of us watching this video are beginning an wondering if the cheap brushes are shitty or not

[@DrFeltcher]

@@wolverinebear5357 Yeah it's a weird thing to be focused on when this video is so helpful. Like why is this person a single action shill/Stan? Such a strange comment. Must be in the pocket of "Big Single Action" lol

[@wolverinebear5357]

@@DrFeltcher damn schills are everywhere these days lol

[@GoodEnoughWargaming]

I've sold out!

[@DrFeltcher]

@@GoodEnoughWargaming Thanks for the info man. Nobody in the group of the bigger channels has a lot of beginner info on what you can use as your first airbrush. Looking on Amazon is overwhelming. Using some of your affiliate links, I hope they still function after a year. IDK how that works. Subbed. Thank you. Going to try to use an airbrush on my Indomitus set that I just got for retail price. Hope I don't screw up. I guess worst case scenario I can just repaint them.