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My favourite airbrush has received a fatal wound. I've somehow stripped the thread for the nib in the body, so Im in the market for a new airbrush. From the bit of research that I've been doing, I've read that the Iwata HP-CS is the airbrush of choice for many. At US$120 plus I'm wanting to know what makes it so much better than say the $40 ones you see everywhere. I know that they can go for more too, but I just don't know how to justify that much on an airbrush. Convince me boys.

If I am to go for one, whats the best place to get one from? Is there a local supplier I should know about?

Supercheap has double-action airbrushes for around the $50 mark. They're not bad - I have 4 - and they do the job. They're also cheap enough that if one dies, I just go and replace it. I also have a Runway 13 airbrush, the quality is far better than the ones from Supercheap. IIRC, it was around the $130 mark...bought it at Expo last year. It's my weapon of choice for most painting.

Not much, mostly price. Check out Runway 13, you can get a Badger 150 style airbrush with .3mm nozzle for 60 bucks. There is also the .2mm nozzle available for it.

http://runway13.com/store/index.php?mai ... ducts_id=2

I use the Aztek airbrush with .3mm nozzle and can do Luftwaffe mottle with it no problems. Regardless of plastic, metal or the internal mechanism, they all do the same thing pretty much.

Thanks guys. I've got a few of the $30 ones too. They're great for what they are. Easy to pull a part and clean and pretty easy to fault find and spare parts are readily available. I ordered some 5 replacement needles and nibs tonight for under $12, which may solve a few minor issues I've been having with them spraying crooked. I'll keep my eyes open in the mean time.

If you have crooked spray you've probably bent the needle and then damaged the tip when you've taken the needle out.

I've tried some of the cheap airbrushes and, while they work, they don't always work well and end up in the bin. I had a Badger Anthem 150 that I got from Hannants for a fortune some years back and I loved it, but it finally died (the air valve died and I couldn't separate it from the rest of the body). Hunting around I found a Badger 155 Anthem with all the bells and whistles from an airbrush shop in Chicago for about $98. It arrived last week and I'm in paradise again. I also have one of the flash Runway 13 airbrushes that I bought at Expo a couple of years ago. I use it for the the fine work and it is fine for that, but I find it a real bugger to clean thoroughly. I reckon I could disassemble and reassemble my Badger in minute or two wearing a blindfold, but not the Runway 13.

I've got a runway 13 airbrush and I love it. Spares are easy to get and yeah it takes a little bit of time to disassemble but I don't find it that much of a drama. I'm sold on them and it'll be my weapon of choice for many years to come for sure

Thanks for your feedback everyone. I've just ordered my new Iwata HP-CS. I'll let you all know what I think of it.

DesTROYer wrote:Thanks for your feedback everyone. I've just ordered my new Iwata HP-CS. I'll let you all know what I think of it.

G'day Troy,
Given what I have seen here and over on AMI, I think I may order one myself ....I will be interested in your impressions of this airbrush.
TOR
PS: where are you getting it from???

I've a Iwata HP-CH and it's been great for a few years now. Pretty easy to clean - excellent performance. The CH can do very fine work.