Thread: Bought a new airbrush studio set

I just bought a new airbrush set yesterday, and can't wait to get it. Does anyone else have one? I did some investigating and it seems that Master is a good brand, and it has all the same features as the Iwata, but maybe not the quality. I really wanted a Iwata Micron, but couldn't afford one. I have a Vega 2000 now, and it works well, but I wanted a studio set so I can have the option of a gravity feed and a siphon feed too. I've never tried a gravity feed yet, but I'm tired of my siphon feed getting in the way most of the time.
Thanks,
Terry

I've not used a "Master" brand but it looks similar to one I got off Ebay. It works OK but has a tendency to leak around the seal and back through the trigger area. It's supposed to be a teflon seal. I just think the tolerances are not as tight. With the reminder that I didn't pay very much for it, I'm happy. I still use it when I want to blow some paint on quickly and am not doing any detail. I did get an Iwata later (HP-Cplus) and use it mostly.

I haven't used the Master brand either stroke. I'm building my collection and they're mostly Iwata's. although I do have a Badger and an old Pashe VLJ that I bought decades ago.

Good luck with your new purchase, and don't forget to post a review on their preformance for everyone to check out.

Greger

Thanks, I'll let you know how they work.

I have a master G22 it sucks I cannot get any fine detail with it.. hope you have better luck.

Try playing with the air pressure and more thinning of the paint. I find that I get better results from my cheap brushes when I really thin the paint way down and lower the air pressure too. I've gone as low as 5 lbs with a .3 nozzle

I guess from the replies, I made a mistake on buying this set. I guess I'll plan on keeping it, trying it out, and start saving for my Iwata Micron. What are some good websites that sell them? I've been lookin at TCP global on Ebay, are they any other good ones out there? The one that I want coats $400+, but man thats alot for a brush! I know there are some out there that cost $500+. That's crazy! Not a cheap hobby or business.

Thanks Snuff,
Tried that also
The thing will act differently on different days. I live in Arizona and we get some nasty temperatures. I was really happy one day when I went outside at around 10:00am and it was much cooler than it had been for a few weeks. It was ONLY 105 degrees.

That and the irregular leakage is what leads me to the tolerance of parts thing.

The parts are the right size but the variation within the parts can lead to some acting pretty bad and some acting fabulously.

That is the basis of the "Matched" thing with Microns I believe.

Well, I hate to say it, but all of you were right. They are junk! I just them today, and tried a few out. The G44 is suppost to be the best one of them all, and with the air control on it, I thought it would be cool. It's also suppose to be a dual action, but its a single for some reason. On the other ones, the tips were bent on two and looked like the have been used, one of them spits and spats, and the others well, you get the idea. So, I'm going to return them and buy another brand, or save up for a Micron. I've been watching your opinons, and still wondering which to buy. I'm pretty good a airbrushing, so I think it would just be getting use to a different brand, and I can handle that. But when you buy something is suppose to work, it's upsetting. I'm glad that I know how to brush, because if I were to buy them when I first started, then I wouldn't know any different. So, you guys think that the Kustom Iwata CS is ok? Where are you guys buying yours from, on here? How about one of these? Does anyone have a Dagr? DeVilbiss Airbrushes
Terry

I'm still a beginner and can't a lot about airbrushes. My first airbrush is Paasche Talon - and I loved it and did some nice practicing with it. Recently I've got an Iwata Custom Micron CM-SB and it's so worth the prize - I couldn't even think this little brush will do perfect tiny lines, the paint flows so perfect - it won't stop amaze me. It's so worth to wait and save for a proper airbrush and you'll enjoy the every second of painting with it.
Check out this website, I bougth my Paasche there: http://www.chicagoairbrushsupply.com/iwcumiai.html

I would look at the standard HP line from Iwata or Olympos, or the Grex line before I went for a Micron. Don't get me wrong, the Microns, especially the original ones from Olympos, are spectacular, but they're not the tool for everyday work unless you do fine techincal illustrations or medical illustration work for a living. For the vast majority of airbrushers and artists, a 0.2mm needle and nozzle will do lines and detail work much smaller than they will ever need. For those size needles and nozzles look at the HP A, B, and SB models from Olympos and Iwata, or the XN, XD or Tritium line from Grex. For the most part, you would probably find that something with a 0.3mm needle and nozzle will be far more useful for the bulk of your painting needs on small to midsize projects, with brushes like the HP C, the HP BC, the HP 101, the Grex XG, XS, XB.
If you are buying a Micron just so that you can say you own one, then nothing anyone says will probably sway you from that goal, but if you are looking for good workhorse brushes, then look at the brushes in the 0.2-0.35mm needle and nozzle size range.

Thank you, you have been very helpful, All of you have! I'm not buying a Micron because it looks good and to say that I have one. I really want a great all around detail brush and thought it was time to move up. My Vega 2000 has been my life blood for so long, I'm not sure if I could operate another one the same way. I just didn't know which to buy, because I've had my Vega and Paasche for years. I was also looking at the Paasche talon too, and it looked very good. I'm not happy with buying replacement parts for the Iwata, because they cost so much. I airbrush almost everyday, and I'm pretty good. I also wanted try a gravity feed, because takes less pressure. Whats the different between the Kustom Iwata Eclipse CS ($187.00) to the Iwata HP-C Plus ($170.00)? I know you guys are tired of answering question like this, but I think i'm to get one of the two. Please I need your help on one of these two brushes, then I'll stop crying.
Thanks,
Terry

The Eclipse has a larger needle and nozzle size (0.35mm compared to the HP C 0.3mm), making it easier to spray thicker paints but also making it a bit more of a challenge to get the finer detail.
The Kustom Eclipe also has a larger reservoir/cup size, allowing it to hold more paint. Iwata lists the Eclipse with a "self centering nozzle" which tells me that it is probably not threaded, but wedge shaped so that it slides into the airbrush body, and is locked in place with the nozzle cap. I could be wrong on it being non-threaded, I'm just going by what they show on their website.

Both are good work horse brushes. So much depends upon what your actual needs are though. Most airbrushers never learn to use the tools they have to their fullest capacity, and if you already have a brush that can handle the heavier/thicker paints, then I would go for the HP C rather than the Eclipse/S model.

That having been said, I think you should be realistic in your needs, and also in your shopping habits. There are lots of good brushes out there. Between Iwata, Grex, Paasche, Badger, Sata, and Harder & Steenbeck. you have lots of options to find the brush that fits your hands and needs, without emptying your wallet for the brush itself or for replacement parts.

Originally Posted by fontgeek

Iwata lists the Eclipse with a "self centering nozzle" which tells me that it is probably not threaded, but wedge shaped so that it slides into the airbrush body, and is locked in place with the nozzle cap. I could be wrong on it being non-threaded, I'm just going by what they show on their website.

You are correct, the eclipse has a wedge shape nozzle that does not have threads. I have three of these and they are great, my first BCS is about 15 yrs old and still sprays like day one, Iwata has good quality stuff if you take care of it.