Gaahleri GHAD-68 Pistol Trigger Airbrush - Butter Smooooth!

GHAD-68 Real World Test -- Gaahleri really enjoyed the GHAD-39 series of videos and asked to send me their two other airbrushes, the pistol trigger GHAD-68 and the premium GHAC-98D, in order to review each for my feedback.
AIRBRUSHES ~
GAAHLERI affiliate -- www.gaahleri.com/?ref=rinaldi...
See also DN Models review of the GHAD-68: • Gaahleri GHAD-68 Pisto...
SUBSCRIBE & SUPPORT ~
Books: www.rinaldistudiopress.com
Instagram: / rinaldistudio
Patreon: / rinaldistudiopress
BRUSHES & PAINTS ~
KINGART affiliate -- www.kingartco.com?ref=PWAoY
Main brush:
9020 Series, Golden Taklon Ultra Round #2 (5-6x recommended)
Blending brushes:
9400 Series, Golden Taklon Angular Shader - 1/8 size
9120 Series, Golden Taklon Flat Grass Comb - 1/8 & 1/4 sizes
Additional recommended brushes:
5/0 Spotter, #2 Filbert, #2 Shader, #0 Chisel Blender, 10/0 Liner
OIL PAINTS ~ Gamblin 1980 Series
Titanium White & Buff
Olive Green
Neutral Grey
Payne's Grey
Van Dyke Brown
Transparent Red Oxide & Yellow Ochre
Chromium Oxide Green
Prussian Blue
Lamp Black
Gamsol Thinner (Odorless mineral spirits)
Paper Towel (white to see colors used)
Hair Dryer (low heat setting)
MUSIC LICENSE ~
Music from #Uppbeat (free for Creators!):
uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/poem
uppbeat.io/t/walz/the-desert
uppbeat.io/t/skyle/hazy
uppbeat.io/t/soundroll/forgotten
uppbeat.io/t/yasumu/heading-s...
uppbeat.io/t/sensho/glow

[@robbie.205]

They nailed it again with the GHAD68. Looking forward to adding it with my 39. Honestly, I’m looking forward to anything Gaahleri puts out.

[@rs.p]

Same!

[@gaahleristudio]

thank you so much for your support!

[@peterstaklis3712]

Coach you got me again. Now I have two Ghad airbrushes (the 39 too) I need to get in the rotation. But I do like trigger airbrushes for priming. Your code saved me the cost of an MMP bottle so thanks for that. Honestly at this price point it's worth the risk of having more airbrushes than I need.

[@rs.p]

You're welcome Peter, and I know you'll love them!

[@gordon8753]

Just ordered it!!! Great video also!

[@rs.p]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@orangelion03]

This airbrush is impressive for the price. For any price actually... A little back story...I've used a Grex Tritium for over ten years, also own a Genesis, an Iwata HP-C, and a drawer full of Paasche H (15 years building model cars for collectors and retailers in the 80s and 90s, used only Hs). Have dedicated one of my Hs for laying down metallics (finishes like Metalizer, Xtreme, Alclad, etc., and and colors) as I had a contamination issue 25 years that left me traumatized =D. Decided I wanted something for that purpose but with finer/better control and decided to buy a "cheap" dbl act/grav feed. After looking at various sites, videos, I watched this one, looked up the price, and thought I'd give it a shot. I received it yesterday and proceeded to tear it down (it needed cleaning, with some fine metallic scarf and lint inside the paint cavity and housing). Inspecting the parts under a X10 loupe, I was impressed that the machining was as good as that on my Tritium, with the needle rock solid centered in the nozzle through the full stroke (and when the needle is rotated). The needle itself is well finished with no need to polish it for my needs. I really like the nozzle assembly engineering (always afraid I'm gonna strip something on the Grexes) The feel in the hand isnt quite as nice as the Grex...trigger is curved so that it kind of pokes my finger and the sharpish edges of the handle are noticeable ( some Plasti-Dip on the trigger should do nicely). Trigger pull is not quite as smooth as the Grex with slightly more force. So, on to the paint shop... I just finished testing it with various paints...primers, color, Xtreme...and I am impressed with the outcome. I used the .35 combo and was delighted with the control of the pattern...super tight lines and very progressive output as you operate the trigger. The air and needle engagement points are different than the Grex, but predictable and repeatable. I've got a couple projects that need priming, and will install the .5mm set, give that a go. All in all, for well under half the price of the Grex (in the USA), it's an excellent airbrush for most modelers right out of the box (clean it first =D ). Edit: was wrong, they do offer a crown cap for the 68. Thanks Mike!

[@guyk2260]

Just bought the GHAD 39 based on your earlier video , now I need a 68 ....my IWATAS are giving me evil looks . Cheers coach

[@rs.p]

Mine are also giving me that same side eye...haven't used them much lately lol

[@htc4898]

Thank you.

[@rs.p]

You're welcome!

[@jiminboo]

You sold me Mike! I want one for primers. I have the Iwata Kustom TR and TH, and after feeling the smoothness and comfort of pistol trigger type airbrushes, I just can’t go back to traditional top trigger ABs 😅

[@rs.p]

My plan is working 😁

[@jiminboo]

@@rs.p lol great 😊 but sadly none of your discount codes work, not even the “good through Oct” one. Maybe I’ll wait for Black Friday 🤔

[@rs.p]

Try one of these, they update them frequently - 10% Off: Amazon US: 10BCRFJ5 Amazon UK: Y9ORFEKH Amazon CAN: Y8G3KRZ3 Amazon Ger: 8L4FBO9P

[@jiminboo]

Thanks Mike, yeah tried those too, no longer works… probably coupons “ran out” too bad, cheers

[@rs.p]

@@jiminboo I just tested the US one and it works fine. These are new and sent to me a few days ago, all indications are they work as intended. Are you not in one of the four zones listed? (ie. ordering from another country not listed).

[@NorthernRoadsRacing]

I have used Iwata TR model (can't remember which number) and I really feel that for me this type of trigger I get better control than one that has trigger mounted on top of the airbrush.

[@rrl4245]

Mike, how about a short VLOG on how you clean your airbrushes. The steps, what products, tools, how often, how much, especially between major color changes. Thanks, Ralph

[@rs.p]

Thanks Ralph, I can definitely do a detailed video, however I show everything on this GHAD series. With MMP being water-based, cleaning is extremely easy and efficient. I do exactly what you see on screen most of the time, and if I happen to be swapping colors quickly, even a simpler flush with water + thinner works well. The tools needed are the cotton swabs, paper towel and a brush with some water and MMP thinner. There's nothing else involved. 1) Flush bulk out with water, dump into a spill cup and spray clear. 2) Swab out residual, flush with water again. 3) Repeat until clear, wipe out remainder. 4) Flush with thinner, wipe clean. 5) Remove needle and cup (if needed), wipe clean. Reassemble. 6) Final flush spray with a few drops of thinner, should be spraying clear.

[@rrl4245]

Thanks Mike, That's pretty much what I do, I like Windex as a solvent. But it's SO MUCH WORK! (at least to me) I'm always looking for a simpler solution. (something like snap your fingers and say 'Presto') -A modeler can dream can't they?

[@rs.p]

Lol, very true! Our penance for the hobby

[@lesthiele4921]

I have three airbrushes, if the Gaahleri was easier to purchase here in Australia ( don't trade with Amazon) I would get one, my only real issue with my airbrushes is when I clean the out, and don't use them for a day or two the needle won't pull back, I assume due to paint still in the channel, but I do clean them out until there is only clear liquid coming out

[@rs.p]

Thank you and as mentioned in the description, Gaahleri is setting up their website for direct international sales + parts service very soon (this month). That'll help a lot for regions like Australia. And simply yes, failed cleaning is the number 1 issue with airbrushing, regardless of the brand and tool used. Cheers~

[@CDRaff]

6:48 I visited Shanghai about 7 years ago and since then I have been trying to get people to wake up to the fact that China is going to go through the same transformation that Japan went through from the mid to late 80s to the 90s. "Made in Japan" quickly went from meaning "This is total crap" to "This is a premium product" and "Made in China" is VERY close to doing the exact same thing.

[@rs.p]

Agreed, the performance per dollar ratio is outstanding, Been using them consistently over the past 6+ months, and they have held up very well with no issues.

[@DNModels]

What I noticed in your video - around 2:13 is the manufacturing flaw just right at the opening where the paint is and the needle is seen from the paint cup. Mine has that same flaw. It is not a big deal, but it shouldn't be there. Besides that, the slightly bigger-than-needed looseness of the trigger in the beginning and the fake test card, everything else is great with this trigger type airbrush.

[@rs.p]

They'll be able to improve all of that from our feedback, that's what makes this series so cool and important. Gaahleri is going the right direction by listening and applying our feedback to make their products better. We never see this level of interaction in our hobby world and applaud them for it. Yes, those are insignificant points in the end since it doesn't affect the spraying. I never paid attention to the test cards in my Iwatas either. ;) Also, I notice after using these repeatedly (and I've been painting a lot lately with all 3 airbrushes), the triggers seat in better and improves the pullback feeling further (if that makes sense), sort of like a small break in period helps. With the 68 and the way I hold it, the weight my middle finger resting naturally takes up the slack in the first part of trigger travel and this rapidly improves the pullback and paint release control.

[@DNModels]

@@rs.p more important than anything is that they are affordable and do the job well. My conclusion is that they are pretty good investment. Of course, some will tend to disagree, but that's why those videos are for. To help pick the right one.

[@gaahleristudio]

Thank you very much for your detailed feedback. We are continually striving to improve our manufacturing and assembly processes, and we take your comments about the manufacturing flaw into consideration. Regarding the test card, our intention was to demonstrate our airbrush's capabilities, including achieving fine lines, and to provide after-sales service information. However, we understand your concern, and we will be discontinuing the use of test cards to avoid any potential buyer confusion in the future. Your input is highly valuable in helping us enhance our products, and we appreciate your support.

[@hughrees2284]

That failure to finish off the main Brass body internals shows a complete lack of quality control. You would expect when the airbrush is provided by the company FOC for a YT test review they would have checked it much more carefully. That has put me off buying one to use for say spraying primers. Also do I really need a 14th airbrush?

[@rs.p]

@@hughrees2284 I love the dramatic hyperbole but okay... It's extremely minor and they're already aware of it and improving on their end. Which is the point of this exercise. The skeptics and naysayers crack me up, you guys whinge over the littlest things that are meaningless in the end--the AB sprays beautifully and I've been using it for over a month on all manor of projects. Less complaining, more doing. And no, why would anyone need 14 airbrushes lol...

[@grega4450]

Swollowtale and this one what’s the difference Great video

[@rs.p]

Handle shape and needle sizes included. Swallowtail has a larger .7mm I believe.

[@RenAdra]

Super nice review! Made me want to buy one myself. Ive been struggling a little with normal airbrushes and had been thinking about trying a trigger airbrush. Out of curiosity, how much PSI do u use for these tests you did? And is the paint generally thinned too?

[@rs.p]

My pleasure, the 68 is a great performer and having two needle sizes adds to its versatility. I run 12-15psi and include a MAC valve to help fine tune this. Yes, I always thin the paint. Usually it's around 20-30% added thinner, but it varies by brand and what I'm painting. A lot of the live streams on the channel featuring airbrushes sessions, and the basics are the same. From there it's practice til your finger falls off... ;)

[@RenAdra]

@@rs.p I am just starting to get into it and had been looking at an Iwata Neo with a trigger but these almost seem just as good on paper. Also much cheaper haha. Over here I could buy 4 68s for the price of one Iwata Neo haha. Saw you tested the 98d as well I think it was called? Any big noticeable difference that makes the price worth it? Appreciate the quick reply! Will give you a follow and hopefully catch some streams! Youre very good at explaining things so I'm sure id learn quite a few things haha

[@rs.p]

Thank you, and Amazon Prime Sales are the best time to buy Gaahleri airbrushes. I think it's still going on. The 98D is the fancier version of the 39D with the standard trigger. It has better machined chrome which is key for faster cleaning. Otherwise all 3 spray very similar. The Mobius line is their top version and my daily airbrush now, just excellent for the price. I don't even use my Iwatas anymore. On sale these are high value tools, hard to beat at any price.

[@charleslaine]

But try fitting this airbrush into most airbrush stands. It is not a cooperative citizen in that regard.

[@rs.p]

I’ll show how it fits into mine in the next video when I use it again soon. Hopefully that will help or give ideas in this regards.