What is the absolute easiest airbrush to use? I don’t mind spending a little money on one, don’t want a cheap one.

Get a single action airbrush and not a dual action. Single action means you simply press down on the button and it sprays. Dual action means after pressing the button, you can also pull it back and increase the spray pattern width. I find these hard to use and hard to assemble. Don't buy one with a permanently attached cup. I prefer a bottom feed brush with a detachable cup underneath. Take a look at the Badger airbrush website. There is a lot of good information on it.

I prefer an internal mix airbrush. Lots of people have really good luck with external mix brushes like the Badger 350. I've never used one so I can't comment.

carl

Sometimes the nice thing about repeat questions is that to answer I just look up one of my earlier responses and post that again. Pure sloth, but that's me.

Here is one such post:

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Airbrushes are varied not only in price alone.

Are you wanting to do very fine, very detailed work like finishing miniatures or detailing tiny pilot figures? Then look at any of the mid-range internal mix airbrushes available.

Are you wanting to general purpose spraying and even larger area work like completely spraying the entire model? Then you are going to prefer one of the external mix brushes. They are also WAY easier to clean. And trust me, you want to keep airbrushes hospital operating room clean or you will be very, very sorry.

There is no one-size-fits-all airbrush although there is one that is close (see below). I have a bunch of them from pretty expensive Iwatas and Harder & Steenbecks down to a cheapo Harbor Freight external mix (that I probably use more than all my other airbrushes combined by the way).

Next to my my cheapo HF brush, my next most used are my Binks Wren models (I have all the A, B and C versions). I have used a Binks brush for 40 years. They are bullet proof. Unfortunately they are hard to find now but available used on eBay. They were the Bees Knees back in the day for auto detailing and T-shirt artists. Actually still are, they have a huge following because they are so versatile. But I digress.

The closest thing to my Binks is a another good all-rounder. The Paasche H. It has also been around forever, and for good reason. It is a nice, inexpensive brush.

I also have an Aztek that works surprisingly well. I have all the tips and it is a nice gun that won't break the bank either.

Last, my high end Iwata that is capable of professional illustration artist use... just sits in its box. Because I am not a high end magazine illustrator.

I found out early that my old Binks (which are the closest thing to "universal" brushes I have ever found) and my cheapo HF do all I need and are dead easy to clean. And my Binks and Paasche H all use the same fittings. Which is ANOTHER pain in the ass about airbrushes... there are at least three different thread types.

If you get the HF model, get this one, NOT the other types which are pretty much crap. (Removed link that Harbor Freight breaks daily) Look up this one on the HF site:
CENTRAL PNEUMATIC
3/4 Oz. Quick-Change Airbrush Kit, 7 Pc.

Also, go here for some excellent airbrush data: https://sites.google.com/site/donsairbrushtips/

Tom

PS: My bottom line suggestion for a first timer: The HF or Paasche Model H. Stay away from the expensive brushes until you can master the external mix types first. You will probably learn the external brushes do all you want and they are WAY easier to clean and keep clean.

PPS: Get a compressor that can deliver a constant 40psi. External mix brushes run well at higher pressures.

PPPS: ALWAYS strain your paint. Always. You have been warned. https://www.harborfreight.com/pack-o...ers-91376.html

PPPPS: Another hobby of mine is fishing. I painted these with my cheap HF and a couple with my Binks. Can't tell the difference.

Thank you guys.
T_tom, for this kind of information I usually don’t do a search because I have found the best articles are usually old with outdated equipment but your info is solid

Originally Posted by papamac

Thank you guys.
T_tom, for this kind of information I usually don’t do a search because I have found the best articles are usually old with outdated equipment but your info is solid

Thanks,

I fixed the old links that were dead. Sorry about that.

Tom

If you were only going to buy one binks which would you get? I will mostly be spraying from 1/8-2” or so diameter patterns

Originally Posted by papamac

If you were only going to buy one binks which would you get? I will mostly be spraying from 1/8-2” or so diameter patterns

Get the model "B". It is a very good all-around brush.

By the way, you can still get new Binks... for OUTRAGEOUS prices. Don't bother. eBay still has some at good price levels and parts are still available here very inexpensively: https://pittsburghsprayequip.com/pro...01-2000ss-2100

Be careful on eBay as some of the old things are in REALLY bad shape, whereas some are near perfect and look unused.

18 bucks for a complete rebuild. I have only rebuilt one of my Binks and only then after about 40 years use.

Tom

PS: Unless you have your heart set on a Binks, I would recommend a new Paasche H. A great inexpensive brush and no worries about a rebuild for a long time. Not saying a used Binbks will REQUIRE a rebuild, but that is always a possibility in the used market.

Just bought this one, seem like a good deal?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/16489988568...torefresh=true

Originally Posted by papamac

Just bought this one, seem like a good deal?

https://www.ebay.com/itm/16489988568...torefresh=true

Truthfully, you could have gotten one in good shape for a lot less... but if you are looking for new that wasn't bad. If it is actually new, I don't think you can go wrong and it will last you a lifetime.

Tom

I don’t mind spending a little more and from tthe pics if it’s not new it looks like it was well taken care of. I just didn’t want to get a used one and have to do a bunch of careful cleaning and maintenance on it

Originally Posted by papamac

I don’t mind spending a little more and from tthe pics if it’s not new it looks like it was well taken care of. I just didn’t want to get a used one and have to do a bunch of careful cleaning and maintenance on it

Bad news. Any airbrush or spraygun needs a bunch of careful cleaning. I have guns and brushes over 25 years old that look brand new. Keeping spray equipment very clean eliminates nearly all paint defects. The first thing to learn when you get your new equipment is how to take care of it. I always completely diassemble, clean, and reassemble mine every time I use them.

carl

Originally Posted by carlgrover

Bad news. Any airbrush or spraygun needs a bunch of careful cleaning. I have guns and brushes over 25 years old that look brand new. Keeping spray equipment very clean eliminates nearly all paint defects. The first thing to learn when you get your new equipment is how to take care of it. I always completely diassemble, clean, and reassemble mine every time I use them.

carl

What I meant by that was I didn’t want to spend hours trying to get dried up paint out of tiny holes. Been down that road with spray guns

From a pensioner- I have an old Miller M2000 compressor, that I've had since the '70s, with a Miller airbrush that came with it- the one where you put your finger over the top hole! I've used this (Philistine?) combination through the years from time to time, with good results!

However, should I be upgrading? ( I don't airbrush very often!) Would I notice a big difference in finish?

Originally Posted by Tosh McCaber

From a pensioner- I have an old Miller M2000 compressor, that I've had since the '70s, with a Miller airbrush that came with it- the one where you put your finger over the top hole! I've used this (Philistine?) combination through the years from time to time, with good results!

However, should I be upgrading? ( I don't airbrush very often!) Would I notice a big difference in finish?

Not sure what you mean by "finish"????

What do you use the brush for? Is it still applying the paint like you want?

Just because your brush is old doesn't make it useless. Some of mine are over 40 years old and work just like they did right out of the box.

Tom

PS: I have one of the old Miller compressors around here somewhere. Retired it long ago because it would not produce enough volume of air at the higher pressures that I usually run.

Hi T-om,
By finish, in the same way spraying gives a superior finish to brushing, would I notice something superior in a pricey airbrush set up, either in ease of use, or texture?