well grunt,
i would say (and i would have done this if i had half a brain when i got my first AB 6 months ago.)
You want an airbrush that will cover large areas yet also be precise. that's one cool thing about Iwatas (and I do not know if it is unique to them) is that each model comes with a default needle size but can also fit a smaller needle, which of course involves buying a proper sized nozzle to go with it, but it beats buying a whole other airbrush. Unless you want to buy one for large areas and one for detail. Which is a great way to go because you can have both loaded and ready to go equipped with the iwata quick change adapter (basically like a pneumatic tool hose end, pops off and pops into the other in a second.)
there is a great guide on the iwata website (which should be easier to find i think but they have it hidden under a tab, not a big secret but for the new shopper this should be the start page i think) when you look at each airB at iwata you will see a series of tabs across the top and one will tell you what all the different models of s specific line of Iwata ABs will be best at.
To get to one of these pages
goto iwata website
http://www.iwata-medea.com/index.html
then look top and click
"products"
hre you can see all they sell and you can goof off here and look at compressors and such (but I have a compressor trick too for later, the hobby lobby trick)
but you want to click
"airbrushes"
now you have a screen of all the different lines of AirB's Iwata makes, I think the revolution is the cheapest line, bu don't let that fool you, a great starting tool is the
Revolution CR
so click the revolution logo and then you will see all the AB's that make up that group and the one with the large top cup is the one you want (or if ou prefer bottom feed, go look at those but you will see by th chart that the CR is the best for entry level.
So anyway,
click the CR image and read the info, then look to top and there are the tabs I was talking about
product overview (screen where u are now)
Specifications- Very important, look for dual action when here and the CR has it among other things. First off it says it has a .5 spray nozzle (needle) says how wide that hits the target and you think "wow thats uh, not very accurate." But if you look to the bottom, it says a standard (what comes default with you purchase) and an optional nozzle/needle size... a .3, now that's as narrow as my Iwata HP-CH and just above my new badger with its ridiculous 2.1 nozzle
which means you can buy and easily convert this to a .3 precision tip AB for an additional $30 or so bucks (you can buy parts at Hobby Lobby or Hobby own or order from west coast Airbrush (great CO.) So if you want the bargain route, you can just switch out needles for different jobs.
The next tab
"Airbrush Usage"
http://www.iwata-medea.com
/products/airbrush/revolution/cr_usage.jsp
is the best because it just tells you what you want to do and if this AB can do it or not and how well.
This tab shows all the airbrushes in the revolution line of products and what they do well. I made the mistake of buying an airbrush because it said excellent with models, but i failed to see that it wasn't too hot with categorizes I KNEW to be small like figurines and miniatures, so yeah I bought a "G" or good AB for coating a model (size undetermined by the iwata chart) but it was NOT EVEN RATED for miniatures....whoops. So now at least I have a great AB for putting my base coat or primer on and yeah I could also get a smaller need/nozzle just like the revolution CR and make it a better AB for small lines etc. But it would havebeen wiser to go with the other model i was lookin at.
My purchase that I somewhat regretted was the Iwata siphon feed Eclipse HP-BCS, a great AB mind you, but i should have got the Iwata Eclipse HP-CS top (gravity) feed AB because it comes with a .35 needle standard with option to go UP to .5
look at the eclipse stats and you see
it pretty snazzy for a starting airbrush modeler, unless you have a bunch of gold bars lying around to get a Iwata Eclipse G6
http://www.iwata-medea.com/products/air ... usage.jsp
so my advice to you is get either the Iwata revolution CR top feed and then get a smaller needle/nozzle
or just save yourself trouble and buy the eclipse HP-CS top feed with the default moderately small needle and then expand your airbrush collection from there to an even thinner needle model or a larger nozzle model if you feel you need an area covering monster for big jobs.
now 2 ways to get a cheap airbrush
first i will tell you the cheap but risky way, craigslist. I got a really nice AB off it for half price, bt it was also fouled up with auto paint that Jack-Ace was using it for. SO I had to buy laquer thinner and mini brushes to clean that sucker out, but now it runs great and I got a cheap AB worth about $400 and learned a bit in the process.
The other great thing about craigslist is wives or moms will routinely sell "airbrush equipment" for crap because they either just want them out of the garage/closet/whatever or the just don't know what they are selling and what it is worth. Sometime they don't even know the name of the airbrush maker so always ask or look for a pic, same goes with compressors.
Then there are the guys just dumping their airbrush equipment because they thought they were going to get into it and be great and make tattoos on hot bikini model's fannys and design kick-ace motorcycle gas tank art blah blah blah. So they spend a wad on all this nice stuff and find out they hopelessly stink or don't care to learn how to airbrush and in their frustration they just dump it cheap on craigslist like a bowflex machine, i see this A LOT.
But the one trick most folks use and was how i got my 1st AB and compressor.
If you have hobby lobby in your town goto their website and register to get emails for coupons.
Meanwhile scout area Hobby Lobby's for one's that have the Iwata Eclipse top feed (Hobby lobby only sells 2 iwatas the eclipse siphon and top feed. they also have the needle and nozzles you need, both are perfect for beginners, the top feed being more fine spray, but can use a larger needle to be more like the siphon, sorry if i am skipping model names of the ABs here there are only 2 at HobbyL and they are Eclipse Iwatas, also 2 compressor, silver jet and another more expensive silent air or sumthing, but a great compressor)
But anyway, also find one that has the Iwata silver jet compressor, looks art deco and like a radio/Geiger counter
when you get and email that has the 40% of any one item make several copies and hit all the hobby lobby's in the area to get a complete setup. Some managers are smart and put their airbrush equipment on sale the same week making the coupon void, rare but it happens. This is why scouting a few stores helps and having backups to get you setup in one day from 2 -3 hobby lobby's
not to mention one store will list a compressor at 250 and the next 190, why i don't know, i got my silver jet at 190 - 40%
they winced the whole way to the checkout (they escorted the product) and kept saying dang that sticker price is wrong we are supposed to have that listed at $XXX.00
But I scouted and pounced on it. Can't switch $ stickers because they all in glass cases, nor would I, that's crap action for crap folk with crap lives who need the crap punched outta them. I just took advantage of a pricing anomaly, but still 40% of any price is 40% off even without the accidental pricing mishap
also look to online site like Dick Blick Art Supplies and then scout for coupon codes. Jerry's Artarama and other such online art dealers. I have some coupon/discount checkout online codes because I buy a lot because of my painting career , i could find one. The usual is free shipping over such and such amount which does help.
oh well my hands are numb ask away if you need more info
here is hobby lobby website.
and
oh my god...it is 40% off week right NOW! and this IS A VALID coupon below
http://www.hobbylobby.com/weekly/weekly.cfm
