Cant Decide

[cstader]

Im trying to decide on a good first brush, and im stuck between the Badger 155 Anthem, and the Iwata Eclipse HP-BCS. I like the range of the anthem (hairline to 3") compared to the eclipse (1/8" to 2") 1/8" isnt very fine. But I like the quality of the Iwata. I want to be able to do a little bit of everything with the brush, and I cant decide which would be the most versital when you only have one gun to use.

If anybody could give me some sage wisdom it would be greatly appreciated!

[jeeptuff]

I would say find a local store and hold each of them in your hand, which is more comfortable???? And go from there..

[barshark]

I've been hearing alot of good things about the Anthem. Just my 2 cents.
BTW Welcome to the board.

Andreas
www.kolordawgs.net

[aixguy]

Define a little bit of everthing.... I started with a VL > Anthem > BH-HB then Eclipse CS to repalce the vl and anthem.. now selling that for the HP-CH.. I have not done any helmets, cars or tins.. but I do a little bit of this and that. For the money the 155 is a good brush for tshirts and bigger areas. I have not used the BCS so I can not comment on it's ability, but over all, both iwatas I have are better built than the anthem. My personal opinion is your first brush should be a gravity feed brush no matter what the manufacturer, not a bottom feed. That is just my 2 cents worth, take it for what ever it's worth.

[gtech]

It's easier to work with an airbrush that fits you well than trying to learn one that you are not confortable with.

As was said, try to go to a store to see what you like. That's what I did for my Iwata, and I knew I had to get this one that felt good in my hands. I can even try them with diluted ink on paper at the store where I go to compare the models.

I should have done that for my first one, but it's not easy to do when you never tried one. But when I was shopping formy Iwata, even my wife could tell about the airbrushes I was showing her, and she doesn't use one.

Gilles

[Snuff]

Bulllll @%$^

I was given an HP-bcs about a week ago and it will do a line finer than frog hair . I just have to get better at controling and I'll be able to brush hair on my head with it

I also bought an eclipse hp-cs & its finer tip dosn' do a much finer line.
And I'm spraying the much dreaded Createx.

[CCair]

cstader,
I started with an Iwata BCS several months ago and was sure I would never get the fine lines so many talk about. It wasn't until I mixed some Liquitex Flow Aid with my Createx, Badger, and Dr. Martin paints that I started to get those fine lines. Last night after painting a shirt I was practicing drawing spider webs with the BCS. It IS capable of some very fine work.
Stu

[redneck]

will yo show some of the spider webs, I like spider webs until I my face walk into them

sandstone ray

[cstader]

Mostly graphics on cars, bikes, helmets, etc. But I would also like to do t-shirts, fine art, body paint, realy anything that I might have the urge to do. I dont want to say boy I sure would like to paint that or with that but my gun wont do that.

Why would should I start with a gravity feed?

I dont have a place around here that I can try out any brushes or even hold them.

[SFLSHOOTER]

i just bought a Badger Anthem 155, and i love it, one thing that i live is that i can take it apart to clean it with out tools

[tattoo]

Ive been airbrushing with an anthem for about a year and i really like the way it works. i have a vl but prefer my anthem.

[aixguy]

Originally Posted by cstader

Mostly graphics on cars, bikes, helmets, etc. But I would also like to do t-shirts, fine art, body paint, realy anything that I might have the urge to do. I dont want to say boy I sure would like to paint that or with that but my gun wont do that.

Why would should I start with a gravity feed?

I dont have a place around here that I can try out any brushes or even hold them.

The reason I say to get a gravity feed is that it requires less air pressure and paint to work. If you are painting something and need 6 colors, you will need 6 jars of paint or 6 small metal cups, or you can wash out the one you have everytime you need to change color. You waste a lot of paint and time.
Tshirt artists have a bunch of jars filled with paint and a brush for every jar. Most car, bike helmet, fine art, body paitners have a couple of gravity feed brush and put in the 6 or 12 drops of paint they need to do the job, switching color takes about 30 seconds. Not to say they don't have a bottom feed for really big areas, but I think you will find they use the gravity feed for most of the work. The gravity feed also is more responsive since the paint does not need to be sucked up from the jar. Even if you do set up shop as a shirt artist, having that original gravity feed brush for the small detail when you need it, will be a good thing. I have a VL and Anthem, 12 metal cups ($5 each) and I hardly ever use them and wish I had never bought them. As I said, just my 2 cents worth, I an no expert, just telling you what I would do differently if I could do it all over again.

[markbentley]

cstader i have the anthem 155 which i bought from the local hobby store for $100. it works fine but i then found it at dixieart.com for $50. (ouch) they seem to have the cheapest prices ive come across. check the reviews through the forum link.