Looking for Airbrush/Compressor?

[Cy-Fy]

Hi guys I am about to start building a number of model kits in the near future and instead of spending a lot of money on spray cans I am considering getting an airbrush and compressor obviously... however, would you guys have any ideas of good inexpensive compressors or would any of you have anything similar laying around that I could use?

 

Any help would be greately appreciated and btw I'm in the UK so I suppose some products might be different depending on where you are..

Thanks!

[Admiral Naismith]

This is me, a retired modeler, speaking from experience.

 

Do. Not. Cheap. Out. On. Compressors. Or. Airbrushes.

 

Do. Not. Go. For. Gimmicks.

 

You'll want a double (or dual, same thing) action airbrush. You'll want a decent compressor that has useful stuff like regulators, anti-moisture/condensation, etc..

 

You'll want internal mixing.

 

It's up to you whether you want siphon fed or gravity fed. Unless you're doing large models I'd recommend a gravity fed. Again it's really just personal choice however.

 

Make sure the tubing and such is compatible between the brush and compressor. If not, make sure you can get proper fittings and there isn't some proprietary bullshit going on.

 

You're doing models, not doing trimming in a house. You want a detail-oriented airbrush not a spray gun (i.e. you want detail not coverage).

 

If you're new to airbrushing (which I suspect you are), don't go with anything crazy. Look for something that's got all the basics covered, works well, lasts a longtime, and isn't ridiculously expensive/cheap.

 

Go for known brands (i.e. avoid anything that looks like a knockoff/cheap).  Iwata's stuff is a solid choice (I have mine from them, very solid). Badger is often talked about. I don't know much about them besides "he said she said". From the sound of it they're solid entry/mid-tier stuff. Paasche is another one I don't know much about but gets talked about quite a bit.

 

As for compressors I really can't help you much.

 

Edit-

I'm assuming you mean things like 1:72 aircraft models and such.