Start out with non expensive stuff Mark and then as you progress and if you enjoy it you can go up to the more expensive. Talk to John who owns the shop and he will put you on the right track
Yes middle of the road mate as some budget stuff will put you off for life B| . Adjustable compressor is a must as certain paints spray better at different pressures! It really is each to his own when it comes to nozzle sizes and spray pressures but a great idea (which is not mine) is to save a load of empty milk cartons and learn to spray on them
Mark - start saving a few 2 litre pop bottles - excellent for practice.
John did me a decent deal though I think the AB itself is along the lines of acrylics/enamels - there are opinions good and bad on all. I have an H&S which I have only used a few times so far but seemed very straightforward. I started with a model rather than bottles but that is only because it is a single colour of desert yellow, I do need to practice with throughput and spread with some bottles before tackling real cammo though.
On a quick attempt I have to say that I am going to enjoy using an AB in the main and brushes for detail.
Mark your best bet for a decent starter compressor is the AS 186 which comes with a tank. The pressure regulator gives a wide range of control, from 5 - 50 PSI. The tank reduces the strain on the motor & helps prevent pulsing.
For airbrushes, the sky's the limit... or whatever your wallet can stand! If you want to keep it simple, the Fenghua airbrush that John sells in the Scale Model Shop is very good and way outperforms its cheap price.
Midrange a good AB is the Harder & Steenbeck Ultra with their Infinity as a more expensive alternative.
I always used Humbrol Enamel paints, I'm guessing their still available? I kinda like the idea of mixing out the thinners and paint. Is their an advantage of acrylic over enamel?
Mark - I second Patrick about the AS186 as a good starter compressor which should be available at well under £100. I started with one that lasted neary 4 years before I replaced it with something a bit more expensive.
I also agree about Harder and Steenbeck airbrushes. They are among the easiest to strip down and clean and there are plenty of interchangeable spares.
The Ultra is a good starter a/b but for somethig better I would suggest the Evolution which is between the Ultra and the Infinity. I use the Evo and see no need for a more expensive one. You can get different needle sets that can be interchangeble for these. Do not get the 0.15 needle as that is too fine for most model paints. Many people work with the 0.2 needle but I prefer the 0.4 needle for 90% of my spraying and use the 0.2 just for the finer work.
Then you come to paints....
I recommend using paints that are made for airbrushing as they have a finer pigment. Vallejo Model Air is a good starting point as they have a wide colour range. These can be sprayed unthinned with the 0.4 needle which saves a lot of the learning curve..... You do need to thin a bit for the 0.2 and some people (not me) like to thin them for preference anyway. Thin them with Vallejo thinners for best overall results.
I always used Humbrol Enamel paints, I'm guessing their still available? I kinda like the idea of mixing out the thinners and paint. Is their an advantage of acrylic over enamel?
Thank you for an in depth description
Can I asked why you moved on from the A S 186? The noise doesn't really bother me, just looking to buy something which will suit my needs for years to come.
When it comes to air brushes is there massive differences in quality, design and purpose? Are some more difficult to use than others?
Never heard of Vallejo paints before, then again it's over 25 years since I've built any plastic kit. Is this paint enamel? Cleaning out the airbrush is a pain staking task?
yep no discernible Smell or nasty fumes when airbrushing, no nasty clean up afterwards with turps or whatever you need when using acrylics. can use plain water to clean the brush if all else fails.
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