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I can't speak for others, but the reason I have all these airbrushes is I got tired of playing with bimmers and lexuses.

Just kidding.

These things go on sale fairly frequently, and they're economical when compared to other "boy toys". That's why.

Terry

Sums up what I have said in other threads. People usually question the sanity in having lots of airbrushes, and especially high end ones like the Microns. There's been a couple of quite heated debates on the use for high end airbrushes in modelling. But as you say, compared to other "toys", airbrushes are cheap. Enormous stashes of kits are also cheap. Even if I tried, I doubt that I could spend as much on airbrushes in a lifetime of collecting, as most consider quite normal on a "collectors/enthusiast" car. I used to dragrace motorcycles for a couple of years. My guess is that I spent more on tune up parts and tires in those years than I will spend on a lifetime of excessive stashbuilding. (And I wasn't even especially serious about it. Pro Street 20 years ago was a bit different than today. Low tens where good then...) :)

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I also sell and distribute Grex in Sweden.

And then there are the Grex demo brushes....

I'm surprised no one mentions Grex.

I've been playing with them for a few years now, but yet to buy one, We have a Distributor close by and they set up a booth at our annual Contest, they run very nice, I'll have to breakdown and buy one one of theses days.

The best advice is to get the brush in your hand, it will take some leg work trying to find shop's or shows that will carry the brushes that you may be interested in, but I highly recommend it before buying.

I think one thing you might find helpful that allot of these post have omitted is the tip size you should be shopping for.

I think something in the .30-.35 range is a good overall modeling tip, it will allow you to do broad coverage, and also fine detail (down to a pencil line),the finer tips in the .2 range will limit you from wide coverage usage, and will limit the brush to fine detail work.

Gravity feed will give the best performance and a fixed cup will allow ease of cleaning.

Do you have a price range, or preference yet? What do you use for an air source?

Curt

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I was just going to add Grex to the mix. I have a Trituim TS, with the pistol style trigger. Comes with a .3 nozzle, but you can buy .2 or .5 nozzles and needles to swap around. It is really comfortable for long sessions, due to the trigger style, as opposed to the more standard top mounted push button type triggers on most A/Bs. They are a little more pricey, but they are very solid, and clean up easy. My only regret with this brush is that I got the side feed instead of top feed, as i've always mixed in the cup, and can't really do that with the side feed.

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"What airbrush do I use?"

I'm still using my 30+ year old Paasche H and my almost 20 year old Paasche VL. Both are rugged, dependable, easy to use and easy to clean. They are a bit heavier and bulkier than many of the newer brushes, but I have no complaints. And they work fine for what I do. Including 1/72 freehand painted camo patterns.

Ed

a couple years ago I was cleaning out my file cabnet, and found a brand new H-1 airbrush! I had another one that I'd been using since the late 1970's. Then my brother inlaw came over and gave me another H-1 that had about two hours usage on it. It needs a new front end for it, and Hobby Lobby has them on the shelf. I also have an Iwata Eclipse that I like very well, but the one that's caught my eye lately is the Grex. Anybody use one?

gary

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No problem. Happy to be of help.

My guess is that most that own many airbrushes do it because they like to try new ones. I know I do. And after a while it started to turn into collecting as well. I have about 30 airbrushes, and have owned and sold on at least twice that number. I guess that I've tried most of the known brands and types. I also sell and distribute Grex in Sweden.

Professional users, like t-shirt artists, usually own at least one for each color they use, but in modelling that is a bit redundant, since we rarely paint different colours wet in wet.

A really serious modeller might have use for 3 or 4. One alround, one for details, one for broad cover, and possibly one for varnishes. Most would probably be OK with one alround, and one for details.

Most modern airbrushes will be OK with any type of paint, but older airbrushes might have problem with laquer and hot thinners.

My favourite brand is Olympos. I have 13 of that brand alone. Then I have 4 Iwatas, 2 Badgers, 1 Paasche, 2 H&S, 2 Rich, 1 Richpen and 2 Gunze and 1 Efbe.

And then there are the Grex demo brushes....

tell us about the Grex brushes. I've seen them at my LHS, but know no one that owns one

gary

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tell us about the Grex brushes. I've seen them at my LHS, but know no one that owns one

gary

They are great, IMHO. Almost the whole Genesis-series are modern versions of the Olympos HP-100-series.

The feel and balance is very similar, but in their Grex incarnation, they come with better chrome, teflon packing, preset handles and stainless needles and nozzles.

They might not be as superbly finished as the Olymposes, but few airbrushes are, not even Iwata. On the other hand, they cost about half of the Olymposes, and are more modern.

The Tritiums probably have the same origin, but has been pushed a lot further. Most improvments of the Genesises apply for the Tritiums as well, but they also have a completely redisgned nozzle system. Still screwed in nozzles, but a lot larger and more easier to work with. And they have great balance and ergonomics.

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I'm surprised no one mentions Grex.

I've been playing with them for a few years now, but yet to buy one, We have a Distributor close by and they set up a booth at our annual Contest, they run very nice, I'll have to breakdown and buy one one of theses days.

I played with and saw a demonstration of the Grex in a Chicago Hobby Shop. It felt nice and I have not heard any negative from Grex user yet. But nothing distinguished it from the more established brand like Iwata except the pistol grip trigger. The Pistol grip Grex costs twice as much as similar conventional trigger Grex. Personally, I feel that the Grex importer just priced themself out of the modeler's market.

As new kid on the block, I do expect Grex to price more agressively.

The best advice is to get the brush in your hand, it will take some leg work trying to find shop's or shows that will carry the brushes that you may be interested in, but I highly recommend it before buying.

I cannot agree with this recommendation anymore. By all means, try the airbrush in your hand before making the decision if possible. Unfortunately for those not living a major metropolitan area, it may not be easy to do. I bought a H&S Evolution Silverline Solo sight unseen because there is no store in my area carries H&S. I am lucky that I was not disappointed with the H&S.

I think one thing you might find helpful that allot of these post have omitted is the tip size you should be shopping for.

I think something in the .30-.35 range is a good overall modeling tip, it will allow you to do broad coverage, and also fine detail (down to a pencil line),the finer tips in the .2 range will limit you from wide coverage usage, and will limit the brush to fine detail work.

Gravity feed will give the best performance and a fixed cup will allow ease of cleaning.

Do you have a price range, or preference yet? What do you use for an air source?

Curt

I agree with you on the nozzle size range. It does not tell the whole story. I also perfer a polished needle with a long, single tapper at 6.5 degrees or less. (Badger calls the tapper angle "the linear flow angle", but publishes it for the Renegade series of airbrush only.) The long single tapper gives the airbrush a more linear and smooth control of the trigger for paint which I found to my liking.

This perference is somewhat controversial when I discussed at another forum. Some airbrush users are more used to a quick turn-on, fast paint release type of trigger. Their airbrush tends to have larger nozzle and short needle tapper and believe the numbers that I mentioned above are meaningless.

At the end, it is all a personal perference and not a right or wrong type of answer.

Edited by Kei Lau
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Someone ever tried the Grex Genesis XA? Its small size intrigues me and wonder if

it helps while painting

I got am Iwata Revolution BR and I love it. Easy of use and easy to clean !

Edited by toniosky
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I have a Thayer and Chandler Vega 2000 airbrush which works fine for me. My only complaint is that it is bottom feed and I always end up splashing paint around if I use the color cup rather than the bottle assembly.

Put a lid on the cup.

Don

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