I'd like to add an airbrush to my toolkit. Up to now, I have handled painting with a HVLP paint gun, which works fine for large areas but I am building now a 1/12 scale warbird
and I think an airbrush would work better in this case. Also, I think it would be a good addition for adding details, mottling, etc.

For what I understand, there are single and dual action airbrushes. Which one do you guys suggest? Also any brand recommendation? Any brand to avoid?
Thank you

Hi!
All airbrushes are too small for R/C planes unless you intend to do some small patch up work or decorating.
For most anything else I recomend a SATA minigun. Those guns are very expensive but once you have tried one out you will never look back! Bought mine this summer fron German e-Bay for $350.00

Hey ululi. You will get as many opions here, as there are airbrushes. You could start doing some research, by doing the Google thing. There are $5.00 airbrushes, and there are some that cost hundreds. All depends what you want, and what you can afford to spend. Any of the bigger names are good, Iwata, Badger, Paasche, and Thayer & Chandler, to name a few. Again, some people will tell you that one is so much better than the other, and that one brand is junk. Ford, Chevy, Dodge? I have a Badger 360. Nice airbrush, that I bought on eBay. Not cheap though. I think it was around the $100.00 mark, new in the box. There are more expensive ones though. If you are using a HVLP, then you have a compressor. Just don't get sucked into buying one of the little airbrush compressors. I use a small, cheap one, that has a tank. Paid like $50.00. Here is a link to a website that may help a bit. There is LOTS of info on the web. http://www.tcpglobal.com/airbrushdepot/b360sets.aspx I know i didn't answer your question, but I hope this helps a bit.

kwblake,
you're correct in assuming that I already have a largish compressor. In fact, I was thinking about getting a spare tank, use the compressor to fill it (say at 90 psi) and use the tank, with a regulator, to run the airbrush. How big of a tank should I get? As for the price range, around $60. Should I go with a dual action? Is there any use for it?

Thank you
Ululi

If you are going to use the airbrush more for detailing, then I would go with a dual action. You can control both the air, and the paint with one control. A little tricky at first. Practice, practice practice. As for tank size, I can't answer. How much painting are you planning to do at a time? Again, if you are detailing, a 5 gallon would last quite a while. Why not just run off your large compressor? With a regulator of course.

I was thinking about using a tank mainly so I do not have to haul the compressor to my shop, which is on the second floor... Mostly, what I have in mind is detailing and painting small planes, such as the 1/2A I am working right now (wing area ~ 200 sq in). I guess I could use the HVLP gun to paint the base color, and use the airbrush to add the second color...
but I can be talked out of it if the argument is sound...

Plumb an airline up to the second floor?

Funny, the idea dawned upon me as I was writing the last post. However, I am quite sure that the master of the house would not approve that type of "house bashing"...

Is she planning a trip in the near future.

This is a very good (not the best, but very good) airbrush set-up...  Can not beat the price and you will be suprised just how much area it can cover or how small one can get the spray...given a bit of practice.  I clean the aribrush after every use and have had zero issues to date.

http://www.harborfreight.com/1-5-hp-...kit-95630.html

Dual action is the only way to go, and get the optional heads and needles for fine thru thick line... I use a badger I have had for the last 30 years and still works great.

I made this video as I do RC and build scale models (won 3rd in scale model addict competition this year )

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZSgPK64OA78[/youtube]

"If you are going to use the airbrush more for detailing, then I would go with a dual action. "

I would argue that. I have both, and I keep returning to the single action. I do not do things frequently enough to spend what time I have "practicing" to renew my skills.

Les