I have a Badget Patriot 105 and my experience with the .5mm needle it comes with matches Miniac's. But I got the Super Fine Detail ~0.3mm for about ten bucks, and it brought the 105s performance in line with the others in this test. Now I have a fat needle for big projects like terrain, and a precision needle for miniatures. Win-win!
I have the Patriot 105 with the super fine detail conversion kit and its a legit 9 out of 10. It's super easy to clean, a nice finish, easy to reassemble, the parts are readily available if I need a repair, it gets a lifetime warranty, easy needle tip access for clearing dry tip, and I'm sure with the large needle kit I could run cement through without it getting clogged.
I got my frist Iwata Hp CS on craigslist with the smartjet for like 100 dollars. It was an epic day. That brush is still in operation today. Paint more minis indeed
Ha, weird. I also got my Iwata HP-CS/Smart Jet compressor on Craigslist for 100. It was pretty gunked up, but after a solid cleaning and replacing the bent nozzle, it's been working like new for the last 3 years.
the fuck, i also got my iwata hp-cs with smartjet for $100 on craigslist, in nearly pristine condition. I am so happy to know I have at least two siblings.
The reason I like H&S airbrushes is for the following reasons. 1. No tools required. 2. Cups and needles components swappable for larger or smaller parts. 3. The brush can be upgraded with air control and needle pull limiter. 4. Spare parts are easy to obtain. 5. The brush can be stripped to component level for cleaning.
I have used the H&S and Iwata in a professional setting and never had a problem with either. Both are good tools, but I prefer the H&S. I don't normally watch Airbrush videos because they don't help me, so this is the first time hearing of H&S putting out too much paint. The H&S was designed as an illustrators tool, but with illustrators moving digital they had to shift focus. Or so I was told by a reseller. It is designed to function at lower air pressures with thinner paint, so said all the manuals that came with mine. When I adjusted for these factors it quickly became my favorite. In the end, use what works, keep it clean and just paint! Also you can get a regulator valve for the H&S body, but they suck after some time using them IF you are using solvent paint.
Looking to get my first airbrush for space marines and also gunpla. Your video helped me to orientate myself around airbrushes generally and also made me consider what features I might prefer without having to learn the hard way. Thank you for such a comprehensive, yet honest and pragmatic review: which was fun to watch and not too difficult to follow! Much love from the UK :D x
Have an H&S infinity for about 6 years. Well, german airbrushes are well-designed and expertly manufactured, but work only in perfect and very specific conditions. The design of infinity (and evolution, they share most of the components, even body, and the nozzle-needle system) does allow precise air and paint control, especially with 0.15 needle. In theory. In practice all of the parts of the airbrush, and especially the front set need to be super clean. Even the slightest spot of paint in the air nozzle might affect the spray pattern, not to mention the paint nozzle. Many people say they spent more time cleaning H&S then actually painting. The spray pattern is very prone to the damage of nozzle, which is extremely brittle. Even the slightest excessive push if the needle can tear it open, and if you drop it on the floor, it breaks unavoidably. Also, there are a major problem with spare nozzles. Quality is a total random thing, more then half of my nozzles required modification to work properly. Either filing down the tip or repolishing them from the inside. Or both. Without this, airbrush paint control works like on-off thing, not gradually giving you more paint, but just splattering it all over. This is the paint nozzle geometry problem, I tried this numerous times over the years. And H&S quality assurance just ignored half a dozen letters. It's totally unacceptable. There are so many issues with these airbruses, that I could never recommend them to the beginner. If you are a veteran painter and are ready to file down nozzles and clean the hell of your airbrush a dozen times per session, you actually can get a very nice result, but the amount of maintenance these airbrushes need is astronomical.
Great comparison video, Scott. Just for your information, H&S makes an air control valve for their range of airbrushes, which is simply screwed on instead of the included hose connector. This allows you to regulate the amount of air on the airbrush itself. Both the Evolution and Infinity has a backstop mechanism to limit the amount of paint.
I have both the 0.4 and 0.2 needles for the Evo, and I would only use the 0.4 for priming a mini. The 0.2 gives much more control with small volumes of paint. The quick-fix back for the Evolution is about £20/$30 which gives you the limiter.
I've had a Sotar 20/20 for a little over a month now and i haven't had any issues at all with clogging (hopefully it remains that way!). It does require a bit of paint thinning, though! One test I did with it, that you could maybe do for fun would be seeing how your airbrushes work at set PSI's increments, with differing ratios of thinned paints! I found out my Sotar 20/20 seems to work best with 50/50 paint/thinner at around 20-30 PSI, and I imagine it can vary from airbrush to airbrush Anyway, long comment must come to an end now.. Great video! It was fun to watch and was informative as always!
A tip for first time buyers: Buy a good but very affordable airbrush like a sparmax compressor and airbrush. They are well made copies of Iwata airbrushes, but importantly for a new user they are not expensive and so you wont feel nervous about using them, aware as you may be of holding something that costs hundreds of £££'s in your hand while being quite fragile. Also it means that if you damage it through ignorance, negligence or over use, it is much more affordable to replace or replace parts of.
Agree 100%I have Iwatas and just bought some Sparmax air brushes, they perform very well I was very impressed with them. Also like you say they are copies of the Iwatas so no need to learn your way around another airbrush.
Comment numero dos: I'd like to see you do a video on painting a miniature from start to finish, only using an airbrush (or as much as you can / should do with one). Going over the techniques you can / should be using, stuff like that. Pardon me as I channel Palpatine for a second; *DEW IT!*
Second! I've learned so much from Miniac on brushes, and I'd really love to learn more about airbrush end-to-end. I currently only use my airbrush for prime/base, and feel like there's so much more I could be doing with it.
@@droidjsmith Same here :) Basically all I do is the priming and base coat colors. I've heard of a technique called Zenithal highlighting that's really helpful - I'm just afraid to do it / screw up on it :O
I'm not knocking Scott and his airbrush skills but if you want a full scope of airbrush techniques check out kenny Boucher at ua-cam.com/channels/TfnfIY3Kyxcv8sWck4sxvQ.html
I recently picked up the Eclipse HP CS, and I can honestly say after having several different airbrushes of many different stripes and colours: it's the best Airbrush I've ever owned. It's out-performing 'brushes that are 2-3x it's price, and I barely ever change to a different option unless I'm painting something massive (which generally gets spray-gunned rather than airbrushed anyway).
Xaerael Lockwood glad to hear i just ordered one I also bought an aircobra half a year ago for about the same prize so it will be interesting to see which one is the best
I use my Iwata Eclipse everyday. Every once in awhile I think about upgrading but I just don't see why I should. I can do everything with it. It doesn't get down to super super tiny but I don't need anything like that. It gets fine enough for me.
@@CompetitionChris But how small? I have an iwata Neo Eclipse and have just learned it's not the best for preshading fine details. Can the Eclipse at least do that or do I have to go for something else?
@@digitalcthulhu143 the Iwata Neo is different from the Iwata Eclipse. The Iwata Eclipse HP CS comes with a .35 needle. You can purchase a .5 needle and nozzle set up if you want for larger coverage. It's a great all-around size. I'm not sure who says it's not good for pre shading but I use it for preshading all the time. You can get a pretty fine line out of the eclipse. I'm not sure about the Neo. It's all about thinning and setting your pressure and Trigger control. It goes more than fine enough for my model-making. It might not be the greatest if you're doing fine art and illustrations but it's just a damn good Workhorse airbrush. If you have good finger control and thin your paints correctly you can get it down smaller than a ballpoint pen. Just take your cap off to get closer to the object. You just have to be careful because you're needle is exposed at that point. I started out with the Master Airbrush kit. It came with a .5, .3, and .2. The Iwata HP CS with a .35 needle is 10 times better with fine detail then a cheap airbrush with a .2 needle. If you're serious about getting into airbrushing and want to get a damn good all around airbrush that isn't too expensive, I would suggest see Iwata HP CS. It just takes a while to learn how to thin your paints correctly to get that fine of detail. Cheap paints have bigger pigment and clogged easier. With good paint thinned correctly and at the right pressure you can get the Iwata Eclipse down to hairline no problem.
@@digitalcthulhu143 sorry, I just realized you were talking about the Neo not getting down good enough for pre shading. I'm not too sure about the Neo. I've never used a Neo. But I'm pretty sure it will get down fine enough for pre shading. It just depends on what you're painting. If you're painting panel lines on aircraft or Armory, it should work fine. Just play around with the paint and see what you can do. That's the best way to figure out what your brush is capable of is just to play around with thinning ratios and air pressure. And work on your trigger control. It doesn't happen overnight and you're going to get frustrated trying to have good control with a fine line but it's just the only way to see what your airbrush can handle
@@CompetitionChris Alright man thanks. Yeah I've done some decent paint jobs with the Neo but I was working on an F18 and the preshading looks kind of shoddy. I'll look the Eclipse. It seemed to do fine with the findings on the video. Thanks man.
I woudnt change my H&S Evolution for nothing... and for only one reason : its is amazingly easy to clean. Any Airbrush can spray paint, even the cheap china models can do a decent spray. But when it comes to cleaning and maintenance, there is the most important reason for me. I have tried many other models and specially at the beginning it was very frustrating the clogging and difficult cleaning that made me almost give up with the hobby.... till i found the evolution... i have to say I am never going back...
Nicholas Brown i never tried it, but here in Europe is more expensive than the H&S Infinity, wich is acording to people who knows what they are talking, actually the best Airbrush. Here a review from qualified persons, comparing several brushes, among them the Paasche Vision und the H&S Infinity >> ua-cam.com/video/dpPv97UVPNs/v-deo.html ....sorry pal, but the H&S wins for me, and how the review says, its extremely easy to clean... and is even cheaper in Europe than the Paasche... by the way, you repeating again and again “made in usa” makes your opinion biased by nationalism. Made in Germany is very good too... keep participating though!!
Agree with this sentiment. I'm about to upgrade from a crappy Chinese brush to a Badger Patriot 105 due to the ease of cleaning (as well as the push for nozzle).
I'm also in Europe and while I'd probably buy the Infinity over the CR version of Evolution, the Silverline seems to be a good choice. Maybe I've been looking at the wrong stores though. :)
Great comparison video. I do own all brands reviewed. All of those will get the job done. Yes, my Infinity’s, CR Plus & Chameleon) are like the Ferraris of airbrushes; the feel and weight is not comparable. They do not have that funky/ fancy trigger on the reviewed brush. Iwatas are super solid and dependable. The Badger 105 is an AK-47 work horse; I always have one at hand. The Sotar was my detail brush, with that micro nozzle you had in your hand cleaning is a pain. One brush you didn’t show, the Grex, feels like an Iwata and Harder & Steenbeck were bread together and more towards the Iwata’s lower price range. Also the choice of needle size of a 0.2, 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7 is nice.
Got a Badger Krome as a gift, damn is it smooth. Bit of a mix between the Sotar and Patriot, with all the bells and whistles. Like mentioned w/ the SOTAR, I have never had issues w/ clogging on the fine needle w/primer either. Definitely recommended. Have med, fine, and ultra-fine needles, but pretty much just use the fine.
@@thelostcraft4252 I honestly never switch mine. It might depend on your primer, but I use Vallejo black and grey, which are fine. It is nice to have the other needles though and pretty quick to swap out.
The needle size only affects how fine a line you can achieve. The specks you are getting are an indication of either paint on the tip before starting your air, the paint needing thinning,or a need for increased pressure. Also dual action refers to the activation of air and the flow of paint are 2 separate actions. With a single action airbrush the only way to adjust paint flow is with the position of the needle rather than with a pull of the trigger. (I'm a 32 yr. Veteran of airbrushing for those who may question my knowledge) good vid though. Will also mention that you can get attachable color cups for using with symphony feed models for added versatility.
Of course this video drops the day my first airbrush and compressor gets delivered. I did my homework and saw the great deal on the Iwata Eclipse and picked it up along with the Master TC-40T compressor. A friend introduced me to airbrushing with his Iwata Revolution and Master TC-20T and after quickly priming a squad at my hobby desk I knew I needed it to get through the grey horde. Already tried out the new setup priming a few dudes and it did great.
I have a single action Iwata Revolution single action, bought it to start in airbrushing. Being single action and 0.4mm, I use it mostly for priming, base layer and varnish. This thing never clogs, and if I use 20 psi you can prime Vallejo primer un-thinned (but I still prefer to thin the primer for better results). I wanted to get a Iwata HP-CS but still had questions on how it compared to Badger and others. Nice vid!
I have a H&S Evo (the old silverline) and they offer different needle sizes - the 0.4 is the largest you can get and they go down to 0.15 and the difference is night and day. I would only use the 0.4 for vehicles or priming, the sweetspot i found was the 0.2 needle (which is often bundled with the 0.4 in the 2in1 set)
I use a regular H&S Evo. I got the 2-in-1 kit a couple of years ago that came with both a 0.2 and a 0.4 needle/nozzle combo. I pretty much only use the 0.2mm needle. It's really versatile and user friendly. I totally get the point about the somewhat heavy paint flow, but it took me about two hours to get used to it and after that painting session, I sold my Iwata. I highly recommend the H&S Evolution CR for beginners and pro-painters alike. (Can't speak for the Cult of Paint one though)
Great overview! Very informative. You can always get a quick connect that has a tiny airflow control valve to reduce the pressure anytime when you need to. I have one from Badger and love it. It's so convenient to just twist it and instantly lower the pressure until it's just right, and then turn it right back up when I need more. Since it's on the quick connect it works with any brush you pop on it. Might help with the H&S.
Something of note about the Iwata HP CS is there are accessories that address all of the negatives. The 0.5 needle is relatively inexpensive for when you want to cover large areas, are working with metallics, or are a newbie afraid of breaking it. Additionally, there is a quick release handle kit that lets you pop the needle right out of the back, perhaps more easily than the badgers. Of course, now your already pricey $150 air brush is now essentially a $200 air brush.
Thanks for the great video Scott! I just bought the Iwata HP-CS Eclipse - so excited about it, and looking forward to see if/ how it will make me a better & faster painter!
I’m just about to buy my first airbrush. This was really helpful. I’d love to get the Sotar 20/20 but the patriot 105 is on sale right now so I’m going to save myself some money.
Heya, I tried the Iwata Eclipse but ended up selling it on as I found my Sotar 20/20 much better as a detail brush (not results but ease of use). From what I can make of it the smaller the needle the thinner the medium needs to be. Also I have been extremely lucky as I cant remember having much, if any clogging issues with any of my airbrushes.(Patriot 105 & Xtream, Sotar 20/20 & a 155 Anthem for terrain projects) I think though that I may be a little over zealous while airbrushing as I clean my airbrush cup every two to three fills, probably unnecessary but if that's why I never get clogs then I am happy with that! Keep up the fantastic work, I rarely watch UA-cam these days but when I do your channel is one of my first picks! Thanks.
I got an airbrush compressor second hand and it has a nail art airbrush with no cup, just a dimple for a drops of paint, it's great for details and fine work but too small for anything else. Sparmax DH101, .2 needle and a .5cc cup lol I got a Patriot 105 and it makes a great pair for me. Fast priming, basecoats and general coloring etc, then swap to the nail art one for detail. The Patriot 105 is spot on for me, love it!
Going to be super honest here, the best airbrush is a single action made by Tamiya. It is the Tamiya 74519 and although it is simple, it costs less than $100 and the quality of the parts is excellent. My compressor is quite an expensive beast and is relatively silent. It is the Silentaire 20A and is worth every penny because its decibels is as loud as a computer (and that's pretty quiet). You can't go wrong with the equipment I just recommended.
My first airbrush was a badger that was siphon fed with a jar mounted underneath where the air blew across the nozzle on the airbrush above the jar and pulled paint through a small hose.
I'm fairly new to airbrushing, had a cheap one to begin with, spent more time cleaning it than painting, now have an Iwata hpcs, acorrding to the instructions with mine, the cutaway in the removable needle cover is to allow pullimg the needle back without using the trigger and thus spraying air/paint, I suppose thus is to allow easier cleaning of the nozzle tip, anyway, I love the airbrush, works great and is not finicky
I'm pretty sure you can get new needles and nozzles for all the brushes, so they can all do the gammit of needle sizes. It is good to know what the default size is so you don't have to spend extra, but it is good to know you can switch those out and make any of them good for either detail work with a smaller needle or base coating with a bigger one.
I have a sotar 2020 and I use it to prime and varnish all the time. Never had a clog. I have used it almost exclusively since I got it in July. The only problem I had turned out to be a problem with a O ring that I got replaced under the lifetime warranty for free. So yeah, I don't know what the deal is with the sotar but clogging isn't really a thing for me either.
@@thelostcraft4252 I have 2 Sotar 20/20s and love them. I also use them to prime all the time. They do clog from time to time, but I've never had an airbrush that didn't clog.
The issue with on/off pressure might be addressed by clipping the valve spring by one or two rungs from what I've seen on some forums. Hypothetically it would reduce the pressure you put on the pressure valve where the air comes in from the compressor and give you a lighter touch. Its one issue the armor/aircraft modellers mention with specific WWII camouflage patterns
Thank you for another great recommendation video! I want to address the issue regarding the airpressure regulation: there are fast-lock connectors that let you regulate the airflow. It is basically a small valve integrated into the connector, a little screw lets you open up or close it. This is a handy tool, as you have precise control without having to reach out for your compressor!
Here is a link to one i found on Amazon (if you need an example ;)) www.amazon.com/dp/B002KDSRQY/ref=sspa_dk_detail_9?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B002KDSRQY&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=21517efd-b385-405b-a405-9a37af61b5b4&pd_rd_wg=jx1fl&pf_rd_r=D8Y815BDGMD3YH3K7PCX&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&pd_rd_w=EC3iZ&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pd_rd_r=83d95ac5-f49e-11e8-9231-f587e36e2223
Yeah, they're great. Until the screw flies out across the room. The screw could do with being captive. Otherwise they're great. They don't offer as much control as the regulator, more of a fine adjust.
@@jeffslade1892 fair Point. Hasn't happened to me though ;) Yeah, you have to listen to it and get a feel for it, but in my expierence that happens quite quickly!
I have a Harder and Steenbeck Infinity 2 in 1 CR Plus, with an extra 0.6mm needle for priming 1:35 military models and 1:32 aircraft. I just love the Quick Set button, it's so repeatable and reliable.
Great review! After ruining a couple of cheap chinese airbrushes I bought myself a Sotar and although I've had problems with it, I can't say I regret buying it. Right away I noticed my needle guard tip didn't fit (doesn't screw in and block pressure the way it's supposed to). I also have been through at least a couple of nozzles due to clogging. That being said the guilty party was more likely than not me, for not cleaning it properly and therefore letting paint dry in the nozzle. Still wish it had a crown to make blow-back easier and make it a better all-rounder. Thanks for the amazing content!
I'm a scrub and only use my airbrush for priming and basing, but the NEO for Iawata is what I picked up, a slightly cheaper version of the Eclipse with a replaceable cup and no strange window for the needle chuck.
I like Iwata HPSB. I used to airbrush illustrations everyday 8-10 hours a day for a good 12 years. For me the side mounted cup is easier to clean since I could take it off. Iwata seemed to be built the best and felt very precise. Yeah, I never had the back on mine... I didn't like Badger, even though Badger asked me to test a new airbrush for them. I wrote a "how to' article for Air Brush Action Mag in the 90's.
I use the iwata eclipse hp-sbs brush which is very similar to the iwata eclipse hp-cs brush you reviewed except it's a cup side mount unit siphon feed. This allows me to quickly change between paint colors without completely rinsing the brush out. I just flush the brush with cleaner and attach the new cup. It's great. With a little persuasion I can adapt the old tester Aztec cups to it to save a few dollars. It is however a more expensive brush but it's great. Great video
I've never used any of these & still knew the Iwata had my bet. I liked some of the others little doodads. Still using my Vega2000s & Iwata brushes. Fun content thanks.
I had just watched another air brush trial before this with the Badger 105 Patriot. They were known for leaks in the nozzle, but have improved it with a different sealing washer. Teflon maybe. Anyway, the box It came in was labeled Badger 105 with no mention of Patriot. The instructions however sat Patriot with a note stating that they have handled the leak problem with this new seal.
A. Your videos rock. I've been away from painting minis for a decade, but you are inspiring. Well, your videos and the new 3d resin printer I got. 2. What about airbrush compressors?
Thanks for the video. I had a feeling that the Iwata was going to hold up well against the others. I love Iwata brushes... for less than $60 you can get an Iwata Neo CN gravity feed with a .35 needle. This is great airbrush. I have found airbrushing is just as much about getting your paint your right as it is about actually spraying the paint. Both Neo and the Revolution series are high quality and compare well to the Eclipse series brushes.
Rob Phillips Yes, I agree the Neo is a great entry level brush, the real magic is how you thin paint, type of paint used, control of the brush etc It is not the brush that makes the difference but in one’s ability to use it An expensive airbrush will not make you a better painter, having said that the more you improve, brush limitations will encourage one to go into higher end brushes
I think the clogging people experience with a smaller needle/nozzle diameter is usually due to incorrect thinning or choice of paint. Vallejo model/game air for example is really micronised for the explicit purpose of airbrushing. But picking regular gw paint, not thinning it enough, or with the right thinning mediums or properly mixing it before running through can lead to clogging issues. Another issue that can cause clogging is over thinning with an an alcohol based thinner when using too much of it, as it makes it dry much quicker in air contact, dry on the needle faster and clogs will just occur more regularly. Really you need to look at airbrushing in much the same way as painting properly by brush, several thin coats (as many correctly thinned coats as you need) rather than just one or two that are too thick, because it is quicker and more easy.
@@hugo.hernandez85 If it is definitely a clog and not too low psi from the compressor or the paint is too thick. Then you need to use a tray with curved edges and dismantle the front half of your airbrush into it, so the pieces don't roll off and you lose them. Then use an interdental brush to clean the nozzle out, then leave the end parts off and run some cleaner or thinner through the airbrush onto a paper towel and see if you are getting any colour or bits coming through. It is important to clean your airbrush properly between uses to avoid clogs. If this doesn't do it you can try taking apart the opposite end to remove the needle and check it for bends or flaws. (You should take out the needle when cleaning to lube it and be able to run air through.) If you still have a problem, there may be a damaged part around the nozzle, run just air through and hold your hand around different parts of it, or submerge the front in water and spray out air to see if there are any leaks in the seals. If there are seal leaks you can see, you can temporarily seal them with bees wax or ptfe plumbers tape while you seek replacement parts of a replacement airbrush.
@@hugo.hernandez85 A better quality one will likely have less problems, but even quite a cheap unbranded chinese knock off can do just fine for base coating. On cheaper ones a good idea is to use different grades of sanding sponge right up to 4000+ grit plus to smooth the needle, as cheaper ones have seam lines and imperfections on them.
Just a thought. When removing the needle from the brush I always remove the needle from the front to prevent drawing paint into the barrel and trigger chamber of the brush where it's a bit#h to clean.
Have used airbrushes for many years but am looking for a newer model and that was a very well presented and informative review...thankyou for taking the time to put it together - most helpful 👍
Great review Scott. I have two cheap airbrushes (harbour freight in USA) and an evolution with 2 needle options. They do everything l need to do between them. The Evo works really well at high pressure for some reason. Makes it much more controlable which surprised me. More outtakes please.
The reference of this or that mm size refers to nozzle (orifice diameter) size, not needle diameter. A 0,35mm nozzle airbrush can use a thinner needle body than a 0,2mm nozzle airbrush. Also, nozzle size isn’t the only factor to regulate how thin lines that can be sprayed. Needle taper sometimes matter more than nozzle size. An airbrush with a relatively short taper, will be a lot harder to control for fine detail than an airbrush with long taper needle. Many medium size nozzle airbrushes use double taper needles which makes them capable of fine control in the beginning of the stroke, and also can be opened up for letting out large amounts of paint when pulled far back, if needed.
speckles might be something Badger... I've an old 100GXF and it tends to blow out a lot of blobs and speckles as well, though more with some paints than others, obviously. Got me thinking maybe it's time to replace the thing, it's 24 years old (and I still have the original box, with the original price tag...).
I have the Patriot 105 with the 0.35mm conversion kit and swap between them based on use. The standard 0.50mm needle makes priming super easy. From there I base and highlight with the 0.35mm in one go ala Kenny Boucher.
I love my patriot (also have an anthem - side feed version)! I've recently purchased the superfine needle as I'm trying to do more base coating and not just priming. Hoping this gives me the finer line control. This with the addition of a PCV (pressure control valve) on the hose next to the disconnect gives much more air control than the regulator on the compressor. Great videos with excellent production quality!
Weeeeell I owned a H&S Infinity CR PLUS and guess what it has all the pros you mentioned and none of the cons, just saying it should reign supreme in this test, because it has a needle stop and awesome control it's a wild horse to tame but once you get the feel it is a really great airbrush.
It took me about a year using my old Gocheer airbrush, then i saw somebody doing the blow back method. Now after doing that for two years, i retired that old budget brush and switched over to a patriot 105. Boy did i have a sharp wakeup call when i went to use the blow back mixing method. Ouch.
Brilliant video, very clear, concise and informative. I ended up with a Sparmax Max 4 due to local availability issues. If I was choosing again I'd probably got for the Iwata HP/CS or the Heeder & Steinbeck Infinity Plus.
You’re the UA-camr the Miniature community needs right now, not the one it deserves... These comparison videos have been fantastic - sad November is over 😔
I've learnt that the needle/jet size is primarily to adjust for the thickness/viscosity of the media being sprayed; ink, acrylic, enamel, you get the idea. Which is why the spray from a medium jet on one airbrush may be smaller than a fine on another. The spread/line size largely down to the design of the airbrush nozzle and air pressure/paint feed. Air pressure at the airbrush can be adjusted on the fly with an in-line q/r valve. The needles generally enjoy a little cleaning polish with some jewellers rough on a soft chamois, which gives a smoother pull action, and the point tip lightly honed by gently twiddling it against an Arkansas stone, which produces a smoother airflow and less sputtering. A tiny tiny drop of oil on the trigger doesn't hurt neither, it's not in the air/paint path.
thanks for the video this really helps in looking around for what to start with in airbrushing. I have quite a few minis that been off and on thinking of painting and have finally started looking into it. I’ll be looking into these airbrush’s really glad you linked them, keep up the awesome work and i’ll be checking out more of your videos for my airbrush journey.
I do not have the evolution, instead I have 3 Infinity CR's and a Hansa 581, All 4 have great control of air and yes on the .4mm needles they put out a lot of paint, so I have .15mm needles on a infinity and a .2mm on the hansa and they are just right! Also a very important point you forgot is both the Sotar and the Patriot have trigger tension control, so when you back off the tension on the trigger you get finer control of your spray.
Just scored an eclipse hp-cs for $15 brand new at hobby lobby! I questioned the cashier twice as to why my total was only $58 but she insisted the price was correct because some brushes and candles I bought were on clearance… Ok, so be it lol.
Great video! A couple of comments: 1 the clogging of small needles, that comes down to the visquosity of the thinned paint, some (like vallejo, which varies with color) need more thinning that on a standard 0.3mm needle. You get that right and you shouldn't be a problem. That being said I never prime with my H&S 0.15 needle, I always change to the 0.4mm for any sort of priming. Which bring us to comment #2: on the H&S, you get a lot of paint out of the airbrush with the H&S Evo you got there because of the needle 0.4 is among the largest standard size for miniature airbrushing, just lightly moving the trigger will spray a lot of paint, it should've come with a 0.2 or 0.3 instead.
Addressing your second comment, using a patriot 105 with a .5mm needle is not as sensitive as the H&S evolution. It's definitely a difference between the two.
@@Invaderzim2004 Other than a different/improved needle profile, not that I'm aware of. I also cross-checked this with other people who own an evolution + another brush just to make sure I wasn't going crazy.
i wish this video came out a few weeks ago. I could have asked for this for christmas. Still new to this so I will be getting the Badger. thanks for the video!!! very very very helpful
I have few older Evolutions. Never had any sticking problems, not with small or large needles. Actually Evolution has definately been one of my favourites. I've always kept the brushes pretty clean with ultrasonic cleaner after every painting session and some lube on the needle. Perhaps if you clean it less you get more problems.
The problem is the cost of the spare parts which are very expensive in europe (needle 50 to 60 euros....)whereas for evolution or infinity it's a third of the price. The infinity is better than the evolution and probably than the iwata eclipse with needle of 0,15 (the only equivalent is the iwata custom micro who is 100 euros expensiver.
I can also chime in with the hpcs. I have an eclipse and it is the best workhorse, it handles 99% of tasks flawlessly and is super reliable. This it the one you want.
@@sebastien9193 I'm not sure needle cost is all that important. I've owned my hp-cs for close to 4 years and I've never replaced the needle. Maybe I've just been more careful?
What model was it? I own some BT-130's and they are decent. Just bought a Spirit Air BT-180 with a valve clutch in the front and a 0.2 needle. Hopefully it can manage small marks. @@shipwreck6358
the best airbrush is the one, you have tested before buying, you can handle easily, maintain hasslefree, and feel comfortable with. mine's a Harder&Steenbeck Infinity.
I have an Iwata CM, and wanted another airbrush for primers, clearcoats etc for my models. I ended up buying a Veda 120 with a 0.3 needle. This thing has been great, it came with a rubber needle packing, and I broke the nozzle, I replaced the packing for teflon and got a needle, nozzel and cap set for around 12 USD. I have had the airbrush for a year now and don't regret the purchase. I have even ordered the 186 which comes with 3 different needle sizes and 3 removable cups. I will probably fit it with a 0.5 needle and nozzel and buy a third one with fitted with 0.2. For what I am doing I don't really see the need for a high end airbrush. Not saying the CM isn't a nice brush, it is for sure and it does feel smoother, but I am not painting protraits or anything with exremly fine detail. Review the Bartsharp 186K and see what you think.
I'm brand new to air brushing. I own one of those bottom feed brushes it just says stock 1500 air brush kit made in Taiwan. I have had it for years, don't even know where I got it. Its a total pain cause you can't really use the pot and point your air brush tip down to paint without spilling paint out so I have to use an isle and the jar, which is bulky. I need a uncomplicated stencil (large area coverage) about 9"x9" area, air brush with a super fine spray to paint over top of my pour paintings that will remain smooth against my base painting. This one took me for ever to cover the stencil I literally had to do 50 or more passes to cover the paint underneath. I don't mind that too much as in some of my pieces I want you to see the colors beneath. What I need to know is how to I cover such a large area without splatters or heavy build up ending in a ridge, Im afraid that the stencils tacky back (vinyl with a pretty hefty adhesive) will remove the paint of the first stencil layer ( of a multiple layered stencil for my 4 color images) what do you suggest? How do I make my paint consistency for this process oh and I don't want to totally take this thing apart I will never get it back together again. I cleaned it really well with water, ran water through till it was clear and cleaned the needle cover, do you have to totally disassemble like I saw you do to clean these things? Sorry for so many questions but Im totally in the dark.
@@Miniac yeah it's slighly more, but it's still way less than the Infinity. i started on the Evo silverline and i'm still on it. the pressure control is sweet and crisp.
gosh sorry for doing this in so many posts, but to set perspective here, the difference between evolution and evolution silverline can be as little as ~5€ here. and if you are lucky, this is the silverline being 5€ CHEAPER than the normal one. mostly it's 5(ish) € more tho.
Great vid, nice reviews. I own a Badger Krome, similar to the 105 functionally. Has the back stop which I sometimes use as I still feel I am new to airbrushing and its a great way to get a feel for how far to pull back without overloading my minis by accident all the time.
Nice mustache Michael Cera!
come here to make moustachio joke, not disappointed......
Free pass in movember.
I thought it was airbrushed on...
Be ready to shave when he's 80 lol
@@cpt.spazmo lol
I have a Badget Patriot 105 and my experience with the .5mm needle it comes with matches Miniac's. But I got the Super Fine Detail ~0.3mm for about ten bucks, and it brought the 105s performance in line with the others in this test. Now I have a fat needle for big projects like terrain, and a precision needle for miniatures. Win-win!
I have the Patriot 105 with the super fine detail conversion kit and its a legit 9 out of 10. It's super easy to clean, a nice finish, easy to reassemble, the parts are readily available if I need a repair, it gets a lifetime warranty, easy needle tip access for clearing dry tip, and I'm sure with the large needle kit I could run cement through without it getting clogged.
I got my frist Iwata Hp CS on craigslist with the smartjet for like 100 dollars. It was an epic day. That brush is still in operation today. Paint more minis indeed
Ha, weird. I also got my Iwata HP-CS/Smart Jet compressor on Craigslist for 100. It was pretty gunked up, but after a solid cleaning and replacing the bent nozzle, it's been working like new for the last 3 years.
the fuck, i also got my iwata hp-cs with smartjet for $100 on craigslist, in nearly pristine condition. I am so happy to know I have at least two siblings.
The reason I like H&S airbrushes is for the following reasons. 1. No tools required. 2. Cups and needles components swappable for larger or smaller parts. 3. The brush can be upgraded with air control and needle pull limiter. 4. Spare parts are easy to obtain. 5. The brush can be stripped to component level for cleaning.
I have used the H&S and Iwata in a professional setting and never had a problem with either. Both are good tools, but I prefer the H&S. I don't normally watch Airbrush videos because they don't help me, so this is the first time hearing of H&S putting out too much paint. The H&S was designed as an illustrators tool, but with illustrators moving digital they had to shift focus. Or so I was told by a reseller. It is designed to function at lower air pressures with thinner paint, so said all the manuals that came with mine. When I adjusted for these factors it quickly became my favorite. In the end, use what works, keep it clean and just paint! Also you can get a regulator valve for the H&S body, but they suck after some time using them IF you are using solvent paint.
Looking to get my first airbrush for space marines and also gunpla. Your video helped me to orientate myself around airbrushes generally and also made me consider what features I might prefer without having to learn the hard way. Thank you for such a comprehensive, yet honest and pragmatic review: which was fun to watch and not too difficult to follow! Much love from the UK :D x
Me to
Have an H&S infinity for about 6 years.
Well, german airbrushes are well-designed and expertly manufactured, but work only in perfect and very specific conditions. The design of infinity (and evolution, they share most of the components, even body, and the nozzle-needle system) does allow precise air and paint control, especially with 0.15 needle. In theory. In practice all of the parts of the airbrush, and especially the front set need to be super clean. Even the slightest spot of paint in the air nozzle might affect the spray pattern, not to mention the paint nozzle. Many people say they spent more time cleaning H&S then actually painting. The spray pattern is very prone to the damage of nozzle, which is extremely brittle. Even the slightest excessive push if the needle can tear it open, and if you drop it on the floor, it breaks unavoidably. Also, there are a major problem with spare nozzles. Quality is a total random thing, more then half of my nozzles required modification to work properly. Either filing down the tip or repolishing them from the inside. Or both. Without this, airbrush paint control works like on-off thing, not gradually giving you more paint, but just splattering it all over. This is the paint nozzle geometry problem, I tried this numerous times over the years. And H&S quality assurance just ignored half a dozen letters. It's totally unacceptable. There are so many issues with these airbruses, that I could never recommend them to the beginner. If you are a veteran painter and are ready to file down nozzles and clean the hell of your airbrush a dozen times per session, you actually can get a very nice result, but the amount of maintenance these airbrushes need is astronomical.
God damn Scott, was literally googling airbrushes last night and feeling overwhelmed. Thank you!
Great comparison video, Scott. Just for your information, H&S makes an air control valve for their range of airbrushes, which is simply screwed on instead of the included hose connector. This allows you to regulate the amount of air on the airbrush itself.
Both the Evolution and Infinity has a backstop mechanism to limit the amount of paint.
I have both the 0.4 and 0.2 needles for the Evo, and I would only use the 0.4 for priming a mini. The 0.2 gives much more control with small volumes of paint. The quick-fix back for the Evolution is about £20/$30 which gives you the limiter.
I've had a Sotar 20/20 for a little over a month now and i haven't had any issues at all with clogging (hopefully it remains that way!). It does require a bit of paint thinning, though!
One test I did with it, that you could maybe do for fun would be seeing how your airbrushes work at set PSI's increments, with differing ratios of thinned paints! I found out my Sotar 20/20 seems to work best with 50/50 paint/thinner at around 20-30 PSI, and I imagine it can vary from airbrush to airbrush
Anyway, long comment must come to an end now.. Great video! It was fun to watch and was informative as always!
it can vary from paint to paint as well. the consistency is different from each brand as well as from each batch.
A tip for first time buyers: Buy a good but very affordable airbrush like a sparmax compressor and airbrush. They are well made copies of Iwata airbrushes, but importantly for a new user they are not expensive and so you wont feel nervous about using them, aware as you may be of holding something that costs hundreds of £££'s in your hand while being quite fragile. Also it means that if you damage it through ignorance, negligence or over use, it is much more affordable to replace or replace parts of.
Agree 100%I have Iwatas and just bought some Sparmax air brushes, they perform very well I was very impressed with them. Also like you say they are copies of the Iwatas so no need to learn your way around another airbrush.
Comment numero dos: I'd like to see you do a video on painting a miniature from start to finish, only using an airbrush (or as much as you can / should do with one). Going over the techniques you can / should be using, stuff like that. Pardon me as I channel Palpatine for a second; *DEW IT!*
Second! I've learned so much from Miniac on brushes, and I'd really love to learn more about airbrush end-to-end. I currently only use my airbrush for prime/base, and feel like there's so much more I could be doing with it.
@@droidjsmith Same here :) Basically all I do is the priming and base coat colors. I've heard of a technique called Zenithal highlighting that's really helpful - I'm just afraid to do it / screw up on it :O
I'm not knocking Scott and his airbrush skills but if you want a full scope of airbrush techniques check out kenny Boucher at ua-cam.com/channels/TfnfIY3Kyxcv8sWck4sxvQ.html
Apparently your wish was his command: ua-cam.com/video/4MYrLdtjpHk/v-deo.html
I recently picked up the Eclipse HP CS, and I can honestly say after having several different airbrushes of many different stripes and colours: it's the best Airbrush I've ever owned. It's out-performing 'brushes that are 2-3x it's price, and I barely ever change to a different option unless I'm painting something massive (which generally gets spray-gunned rather than airbrushed anyway).
Xaerael Lockwood glad to hear i just ordered one I also bought an aircobra half a year ago for about the same prize so it will be interesting to see which one is the best
your videos gave me the push i needed to finally buy a airbrush setup after 20 years of brush painting, thank you! bought the Sotar btw.
I've no authority or qualifications to say this, but: great video. Totally agree on the Iwata HP-CS, mine gets tons of use.
I use my Iwata Eclipse everyday. Every once in awhile I think about upgrading but I just don't see why I should. I can do everything with it. It doesn't get down to super super tiny but I don't need anything like that. It gets fine enough for me.
@@CompetitionChris But how small? I have an iwata Neo Eclipse and have just learned it's not the best for preshading fine details. Can the Eclipse at least do that or do I have to go for something else?
@@digitalcthulhu143 the Iwata Neo is different from the Iwata Eclipse. The Iwata Eclipse HP CS comes with a .35 needle. You can purchase a .5 needle and nozzle set up if you want for larger coverage. It's a great all-around size. I'm not sure who says it's not good for pre shading but I use it for preshading all the time. You can get a pretty fine line out of the eclipse. I'm not sure about the Neo. It's all about thinning and setting your pressure and Trigger control. It goes more than fine enough for my model-making. It might not be the greatest if you're doing fine art and illustrations but it's just a damn good Workhorse airbrush. If you have good finger control and thin your paints correctly you can get it down smaller than a ballpoint pen. Just take your cap off to get closer to the object. You just have to be careful because you're needle is exposed at that point. I started out with the Master Airbrush kit. It came with a .5, .3, and .2. The Iwata HP CS with a .35 needle is 10 times better with fine detail then a cheap airbrush with a .2 needle. If you're serious about getting into airbrushing and want to get a damn good all around airbrush that isn't too expensive, I would suggest see Iwata HP CS. It just takes a while to learn how to thin your paints correctly to get that fine of detail. Cheap paints have bigger pigment and clogged easier. With good paint thinned correctly and at the right pressure you can get the Iwata Eclipse down to hairline no problem.
@@digitalcthulhu143 sorry, I just realized you were talking about the Neo not getting down good enough for pre shading. I'm not too sure about the Neo. I've never used a Neo. But I'm pretty sure it will get down fine enough for pre shading. It just depends on what you're painting. If you're painting panel lines on aircraft or Armory, it should work fine. Just play around with the paint and see what you can do. That's the best way to figure out what your brush is capable of is just to play around with thinning ratios and air pressure. And work on your trigger control. It doesn't happen overnight and you're going to get frustrated trying to have good control with a fine line but it's just the only way to see what your airbrush can handle
@@CompetitionChris Alright man thanks. Yeah I've done some decent paint jobs with the Neo but I was working on an F18 and the preshading looks kind of shoddy. I'll look the Eclipse. It seemed to do fine with the findings on the video. Thanks man.
Nice to know that the HP-CS held up to its reputation, especially when I can pick one up at a local store for around $100 lol
Lucina Walker Good Deal!
Id like to know what store that is? Thank you. Iwata hpcs is $190 from what I've seen
@@scottycarver5186 probably prices inflated I’m looking for one to lol
@@dakiouk try the neo, i believe its an economy iwata brand or a copy of the hpcs
ua-cam.com/video/q8YKUA2SGzU/v-deo.html
I woudnt change my H&S Evolution for nothing... and for only one reason : its is amazingly easy to clean. Any Airbrush can spray paint, even the cheap china models can do a decent spray. But when it comes to cleaning and maintenance, there is the most important reason for me. I have tried many other models and specially at the beginning it was very frustrating the clogging and difficult cleaning that made me almost give up with the hobby.... till i found the evolution... i have to say I am never going back...
Nicholas Brown i never tried it, but here in Europe is more expensive than the H&S Infinity, wich is acording to people who knows what they are talking, actually the best Airbrush. Here a review from qualified persons, comparing several brushes, among them the Paasche Vision und the H&S Infinity >> ua-cam.com/video/dpPv97UVPNs/v-deo.html ....sorry pal, but the H&S wins for me, and how the review says, its extremely easy to clean... and is even cheaper in Europe than the Paasche... by the way, you repeating again and again “made in usa” makes your opinion biased by nationalism. Made in Germany is very good too... keep participating though!!
Agree with this sentiment. I'm about to upgrade from a crappy Chinese brush to a Badger Patriot 105 due to the ease of cleaning (as well as the push for nozzle).
H&S cleaning is epically easy, and no super tiny parts to use. I love mine so much.
H&S: Vorsprung durch technique.
I'm also in Europe and while I'd probably buy the Infinity over the CR version of Evolution, the Silverline seems to be a good choice. Maybe I've been looking at the wrong stores though. :)
Great comparison video. I do own all brands reviewed. All of those will get the job done. Yes, my Infinity’s, CR Plus & Chameleon) are like the Ferraris of airbrushes; the feel and weight is not comparable. They do not have that funky/ fancy trigger on the reviewed brush. Iwatas are super solid and dependable. The Badger 105 is an AK-47 work horse; I always have one at hand. The Sotar was my detail brush, with that micro nozzle you had in your hand cleaning is a pain. One brush you didn’t show, the Grex, feels like an Iwata and Harder & Steenbeck were bread together and more towards the Iwata’s lower price range. Also the choice of needle size of a 0.2, 0.3, 0.5 and 0.7 is nice.
Got a Badger Krome as a gift, damn is it smooth. Bit of a mix between the Sotar and Patriot, with all the bells and whistles. Like mentioned w/ the SOTAR, I have never had issues w/ clogging on the fine needle w/primer either. Definitely recommended. Have med, fine, and ultra-fine needles, but pretty much just use the fine.
@@thelostcraft4252 I honestly never switch mine. It might depend on your primer, but I use Vallejo black and grey, which are fine. It is nice to have the other needles though and pretty quick to swap out.
@@thelostcraft4252 What the heck is Stylinrez? That doesn't even turn up a google search result
Yep, I have the Badger 233-set that is with all three needles, (0.5; 0.3 & 0.2). For most of my model work I use the 0.5mm needle and Tamiya acrylics.
The needle size only affects how fine a line you can achieve. The specks you are getting are an indication of either paint on the tip before starting your air, the paint needing thinning,or a need for increased pressure. Also dual action refers to the activation of air and the flow of paint are 2 separate actions. With a single action airbrush the only way to adjust paint flow is with the position of the needle rather than with a pull of the trigger. (I'm a 32 yr. Veteran of airbrushing for those who may question my knowledge) good vid though. Will also mention that you can get attachable color cups for using with symphony feed models for added versatility.
The Iwata Eclipse is the darling of airbrushes I am a H&S CR Infinity Plus man.
it has same issue as iwata evolution...very sensitive to too much paint coming out.
You can call it whatever you want but I don't want that, I'm a Dapper Dan Man dammit.
Of course this video drops the day my first airbrush and compressor gets delivered. I did my homework and saw the great deal on the Iwata Eclipse and picked it up along with the Master TC-40T compressor. A friend introduced me to airbrushing with his Iwata Revolution and Master TC-20T and after quickly priming a squad at my hobby desk I knew I needed it to get through the grey horde. Already tried out the new setup priming a few dudes and it did great.
You will like that equipment!
Bring back that Jon dude! The masses demand more Jon!
I have a single action Iwata Revolution single action, bought it to start in airbrushing. Being single action and 0.4mm, I use it mostly for priming, base layer and varnish. This thing never clogs, and if I use 20 psi you can prime Vallejo primer un-thinned (but I still prefer to thin the primer for better results).
I wanted to get a Iwata HP-CS but still had questions on how it compared to Badger and others. Nice vid!
I have a H&S Evo (the old silverline) and they offer different needle sizes - the 0.4 is the largest you can get and they go down to 0.15 and the difference is night and day. I would only use the 0.4 for vehicles or priming, the sweetspot i found was the 0.2 needle (which is often bundled with the 0.4 in the 2in1 set)
I use a regular H&S Evo.
I got the 2-in-1 kit a couple of years ago that came with both a 0.2 and a 0.4 needle/nozzle combo. I pretty much only use the 0.2mm needle. It's really versatile and user friendly. I totally get the point about the somewhat heavy paint flow, but it took me about two hours to get used to it and after that painting session, I sold my Iwata.
I highly recommend the H&S Evolution CR for beginners and pro-painters alike. (Can't speak for the Cult of Paint one though)
Great overview! Very informative.
You can always get a quick connect that has a tiny airflow control valve to reduce the pressure anytime when you need to. I have one from Badger and love it. It's so convenient to just twist it and instantly lower the pressure until it's just right, and then turn it right back up when I need more. Since it's on the quick connect it works with any brush you pop on it. Might help with the H&S.
Something of note about the Iwata HP CS is there are accessories that address all of the negatives. The 0.5 needle is relatively inexpensive for when you want to cover large areas, are working with metallics, or are a newbie afraid of breaking it. Additionally, there is a quick release handle kit that lets you pop the needle right out of the back, perhaps more easily than the badgers. Of course, now your already pricey $150 air brush is now essentially a $200 air brush.
The quality of your videos is astounding
Thanks for the great video Scott! I just bought the Iwata HP-CS Eclipse - so excited about it, and looking forward to see if/ how it will make me a better & faster painter!
Hendrik Morkel best choice
I’m just about to buy my first airbrush. This was really helpful. I’d love to get the Sotar 20/20 but the patriot 105 is on sale right now so I’m going to save myself some money.
Get an iwata eclipse
Heya, I tried the Iwata Eclipse but ended up selling it on as I found my Sotar 20/20 much better as a detail brush (not results but ease of use). From what I can make of it the smaller the needle the thinner the medium needs to be. Also I have been extremely lucky as I cant remember having much, if any clogging issues with any of my airbrushes.(Patriot 105 & Xtream, Sotar 20/20 & a 155 Anthem for terrain projects) I think though that I may be a little over zealous while airbrushing as I clean my airbrush cup every two to three fills, probably unnecessary but if that's why I never get clogs then I am happy with that! Keep up the fantastic work, I rarely watch UA-cam these days but when I do your channel is one of my first picks! Thanks.
I got an airbrush compressor second hand and it has a nail art airbrush with no cup, just a dimple for a drops of paint, it's great for details and fine work but too small for anything else. Sparmax DH101, .2 needle and a .5cc cup lol
I got a Patriot 105 and it makes a great pair for me. Fast priming, basecoats and general coloring etc, then swap to the nail art one for detail.
The Patriot 105 is spot on for me, love it!
Going to be super honest here, the best airbrush is a single action made by Tamiya. It is the Tamiya 74519 and although it is simple, it costs less than $100 and the quality of the parts is excellent. My compressor is quite an expensive beast and is relatively silent. It is the Silentaire 20A and is worth every penny because its decibels is as loud as a computer (and that's pretty quiet). You can't go wrong with the equipment I just recommended.
My first airbrush was a badger that was siphon fed with a jar mounted underneath where the air blew across the nozzle on the airbrush above the jar and pulled paint through a small hose.
I'm fairly new to airbrushing, had a cheap one to begin with, spent more time cleaning it than painting, now have an Iwata hpcs, acorrding to the instructions with mine, the cutaway in the removable needle cover is to allow pullimg the needle back without using the trigger and thus spraying air/paint, I suppose thus is to allow easier cleaning of the nozzle tip, anyway, I love the airbrush, works great and is not finicky
I'm pretty sure you can get new needles and nozzles for all the brushes, so they can all do the gammit of needle sizes. It is good to know what the default size is so you don't have to spend extra, but it is good to know you can switch those out and make any of them good for either detail work with a smaller needle or base coating with a bigger one.
I have a sotar 2020 and I use it to prime and varnish all the time. Never had a clog. I have used it almost exclusively since I got it in July. The only problem I had turned out to be a problem with a O ring that I got replaced under the lifetime warranty for free. So yeah, I don't know what the deal is with the sotar but clogging isn't really a thing for me either.
@@thelostcraft4252 I have 2 Sotar 20/20s and love them. I also use them to prime all the time. They do clog from time to time, but I've never had an airbrush that didn't clog.
The issue with on/off pressure might be addressed by clipping the valve spring by one or two rungs from what I've seen on some forums. Hypothetically it would reduce the pressure you put on the pressure valve where the air comes in from the compressor and give you a lighter touch. Its one issue the armor/aircraft modellers mention with specific WWII camouflage patterns
Thank you for another great recommendation video!
I want to address the issue regarding the airpressure regulation: there are fast-lock connectors that let you regulate the airflow. It is basically a small valve integrated into the connector, a little screw lets you open up or close it. This is a handy tool, as you have precise control without having to reach out for your compressor!
Here is a link to one i found on Amazon (if you need an example ;))
www.amazon.com/dp/B002KDSRQY/ref=sspa_dk_detail_9?psc=1&pd_rd_i=B002KDSRQY&pf_rd_m=ATVPDKIKX0DER&pf_rd_p=21517efd-b385-405b-a405-9a37af61b5b4&pd_rd_wg=jx1fl&pf_rd_r=D8Y815BDGMD3YH3K7PCX&pf_rd_s=desktop-dp-sims&pf_rd_t=40701&pd_rd_w=EC3iZ&pf_rd_i=desktop-dp-sims&pd_rd_r=83d95ac5-f49e-11e8-9231-f587e36e2223
Yeah, they're great. Until the screw flies out across the room. The screw could do with being captive. Otherwise they're great. They don't offer as much control as the regulator, more of a fine adjust.
@@jeffslade1892 fair Point. Hasn't happened to me though ;)
Yeah, you have to listen to it and get a feel for it, but in my expierence that happens quite quickly!
Yes my Badger 233-set came with one of those it is great for both, quick swapping of brushes; and for regulating air flow right at the brush.
I have a Harder and Steenbeck Infinity 2 in 1 CR Plus, with an extra 0.6mm needle for priming 1:35 military models and 1:32 aircraft. I just love the Quick Set button, it's so repeatable and reliable.
Those glamour shots tho
Dude your channel has some of the best actual content of any mini focused channel. Well done! Subscribed 👍👍
Thanks for the video. I ordered my first airbrush yesterday and your video was very helpful deciding which one to take.
Great review!
After ruining a couple of cheap chinese airbrushes I bought myself a Sotar and although I've had problems with it, I can't say I regret buying it.
Right away I noticed my needle guard tip didn't fit (doesn't screw in and block pressure the way it's supposed to).
I also have been through at least a couple of nozzles due to clogging.
That being said the guilty party was more likely than not me, for not cleaning it properly and therefore letting paint dry in the nozzle.
Still wish it had a crown to make blow-back easier and make it a better all-rounder.
Thanks for the amazing content!
Iwata hp cs is the best gun I've ever used. Have airbrushed professionally for 6 months straight with this gun and have had zero issues
I'm a scrub and only use my airbrush for priming and basing, but the NEO for Iawata is what I picked up, a slightly cheaper version of the Eclipse with a replaceable cup and no strange window for the needle chuck.
I like Iwata HPSB. I used to airbrush illustrations everyday 8-10 hours a day for a good 12 years. For me the side mounted cup is easier to clean since I could take it off. Iwata seemed to be built the best and felt very precise. Yeah, I never had the back on mine... I didn't like Badger, even though Badger asked me to test a new airbrush for them. I wrote a "how to' article for Air Brush Action Mag in the 90's.
I use the iwata eclipse hp-sbs brush which is very similar to the iwata eclipse hp-cs brush you reviewed except it's a cup side
mount unit siphon feed. This allows me to quickly change between paint colors without completely rinsing the brush out. I just flush the brush with cleaner and attach the new cup. It's great. With a little persuasion I can adapt the old tester Aztec cups to it to save a few dollars. It is however a more expensive brush but it's great. Great video
Harder & Steenbeck Infinity CRplus is the one I got, have not started yet, but very hyped to paint figures :)
Infinity is a work of absolute art.
I've never used any of these & still knew the Iwata had my bet. I liked some of the others little doodads. Still using my Vega2000s & Iwata brushes. Fun content thanks.
I thought that was a very professionally done video. Well done and informative.
I had just watched another air brush trial before this with the Badger 105 Patriot. They were known for leaks in the nozzle, but have improved it with a different sealing washer. Teflon maybe. Anyway, the box It came in was labeled Badger 105 with no mention of Patriot. The instructions however sat Patriot with a note stating that they have handled the leak problem with this new seal.
A. Your videos rock. I've been away from painting minis for a decade, but you are inspiring. Well, your videos and the new 3d resin printer I got.
2. What about airbrush compressors?
Thanks for the video. I had a feeling that the Iwata was going to hold up well against the others. I love Iwata brushes... for less than $60 you can get an Iwata Neo CN gravity feed with a .35 needle. This is great airbrush. I have found airbrushing is just as much about getting your paint your right as it is about actually spraying the paint. Both Neo and the Revolution series are high quality and compare well to the Eclipse series brushes.
Rob Phillips
Yes, I agree the Neo is a great entry level brush, the real magic is how you thin paint, type of paint used, control of the brush etc
It is not the brush that makes the difference but in one’s ability to use it
An expensive airbrush will not make you a better painter, having said that the more you improve, brush limitations will encourage one to go into higher end brushes
i like your presentation and what to look for in a airbrush to fit my needs! Strong work!
I always enjoy the lessons and discussions with each video but the cut scenes and outtakes keep me coming back!
I don't have an airbrush and these sorts of videos are very helpful to learn some of the terms and things to consider. Thanks.
Great review. I've used several of these brands but never compared before.
I think the clogging people experience with a smaller needle/nozzle diameter is usually due to incorrect thinning or choice of paint. Vallejo model/game air for example is really micronised for the explicit purpose of airbrushing. But picking regular gw paint, not thinning it enough, or with the right thinning mediums or properly mixing it before running through can lead to clogging issues. Another issue that can cause clogging is over thinning with an an alcohol based thinner when using too much of it, as it makes it dry much quicker in air contact, dry on the needle faster and clogs will just occur more regularly.
Really you need to look at airbrushing in much the same way as painting properly by brush, several thin coats (as many correctly thinned coats as you need) rather than just one or two that are too thick, because it is quicker and more easy.
What do u recommend to unclog air brush? It ll shoot air out but no paint??
@@hugo.hernandez85 If it is definitely a clog and not too low psi from the compressor or the paint is too thick. Then you need to use a tray with curved edges and dismantle the front half of your airbrush into it, so the pieces don't roll off and you lose them. Then use an interdental brush to clean the nozzle out, then leave the end parts off and run some cleaner or thinner through the airbrush onto a paper towel and see if you are getting any colour or bits coming through.
It is important to clean your airbrush properly between uses to avoid clogs. If this doesn't do it you can try taking apart the opposite end to remove the needle and check it for bends or flaws. (You should take out the needle when cleaning to lube it and be able to run air through.) If you still have a problem, there may be a damaged part around the nozzle, run just air through and hold your hand around different parts of it, or submerge the front in water and spray out air to see if there are any leaks in the seals. If there are seal leaks you can see, you can temporarily seal them with bees wax or ptfe plumbers tape while you seek replacement parts of a replacement airbrush.
Does it matter if the air gun is generic brand?
@@hugo.hernandez85 A better quality one will likely have less problems, but even quite a cheap unbranded chinese knock off can do just fine for base coating. On cheaper ones a good idea is to use different grades of sanding sponge right up to 4000+ grit plus to smooth the needle, as cheaper ones have seam lines and imperfections on them.
I use it to paint shoes...what do you mean 4000 grit?
Just a thought. When removing the needle from the brush I always remove the needle from the front to prevent drawing paint into the barrel and trigger chamber of the brush where it's a bit#h to clean.
Have used airbrushes for many years but am looking for a newer model and that was a very well presented and informative review...thankyou for taking the time to put it together - most helpful 👍
I´m start to use the 105 with the super detail conversion kit and I love it!
Great review Scott. I have two cheap airbrushes (harbour freight in USA) and an evolution with 2 needle options. They do everything l need to do between them. The Evo works really well at high pressure for some reason. Makes it much more controlable which surprised me. More outtakes please.
The reference of this or that mm size refers to nozzle (orifice diameter) size, not needle diameter. A 0,35mm nozzle airbrush can use a thinner needle body than a 0,2mm nozzle airbrush. Also, nozzle size isn’t the only factor to regulate how thin lines that can be sprayed. Needle taper sometimes matter more than nozzle size. An airbrush with a relatively short taper, will be a lot harder to control for fine detail than an airbrush with long taper needle. Many medium size nozzle airbrushes use double taper needles which makes them capable of fine control in the beginning of the stroke, and also can be opened up for letting out large amounts of paint when pulled far back, if needed.
I also have an expensive Badger arbrush but most of the time I use my cheap Aztech set, no more bent needles alone made them my number one tool.
Your tests are always best Ive seen!
i just bought the Harder & Steenbeck Evolution Silverline 2 in 1, can't wait to use it .
Watching your airbrush videos again, I think I am getting the courage to get one.
Appreciate the timing of this video! Just before the holidays.
Thanks very instructive. Rushing to my art store right now to grab the Iwata hp-cs.
speckles might be something Badger... I've an old 100GXF and it tends to blow out a lot of blobs and speckles as well, though more with some paints than others, obviously.
Got me thinking maybe it's time to replace the thing, it's 24 years old (and I still have the original box, with the original price tag...).
10 out of 10 Heretics for this series of November themed videos... it really upped my edification of mini painting. As always HAIL AND KILL!!!
I have the Patriot 105 with the 0.35mm conversion kit and swap between them based on use. The standard 0.50mm needle makes priming super easy. From there I base and highlight with the 0.35mm in one go ala Kenny Boucher.
You can’t hit me with that airbrush montage so close to the end of NNN.
I love my patriot (also have an anthem - side feed version)! I've recently purchased the superfine needle as I'm trying to do more base coating and not just priming. Hoping this gives me the finer line control. This with the addition of a PCV (pressure control valve) on the hose next to the disconnect gives much more air control than the regulator on the compressor. Great videos with excellent production quality!
rad video dude!! like crazy informative for someone who has never touched a air brush in there life!
Weeeeell I owned a H&S Infinity CR PLUS and guess what it has all the pros you mentioned and none of the cons, just saying it should reign supreme in this test, because it has a needle stop and awesome control it's a wild horse to tame but once you get the feel it is a really great airbrush.
I've been airbrushing for 10 years and only just today found out about blowback mixing... needless to say I am simultaneously amazed and frustrated!
It took me about a year using my old Gocheer airbrush, then i saw somebody doing the blow back method. Now after doing that for two years, i retired that old budget brush and switched over to a patriot 105. Boy did i have a sharp wakeup call when i went to use the blow back mixing method. Ouch.
4:16 After you untighten the needle for removal, don’t forget to unloosen it when you put it back in.
Brilliant video, very clear, concise and informative. I ended up with a Sparmax Max 4 due to local availability issues. If I was choosing again I'd probably got for the Iwata HP/CS or the Heeder & Steinbeck Infinity Plus.
You’re the UA-camr the Miniature community needs right now, not the one it deserves...
These comparison videos have been fantastic - sad November is over 😔
I've learnt that the needle/jet size is primarily to adjust for the thickness/viscosity of the media being sprayed; ink, acrylic, enamel, you get the idea. Which is why the spray from a medium jet on one airbrush may be smaller than a fine on another. The spread/line size largely down to the design of the airbrush nozzle and air pressure/paint feed. Air pressure at the airbrush can be adjusted on the fly with an in-line q/r valve.
The needles generally enjoy a little cleaning polish with some jewellers rough on a soft chamois, which gives a smoother pull action, and the point tip lightly honed by gently twiddling it against an Arkansas stone, which produces a smoother airflow and less sputtering. A tiny tiny drop of oil on the trigger doesn't hurt neither, it's not in the air/paint path.
thanks for the video this really helps in looking around for what to start with in airbrushing. I have quite a few minis that been off and on thinking of painting and have finally started looking into it. I’ll be looking into these airbrush’s really glad you linked them, keep up the awesome work and i’ll be checking out more of your videos for my airbrush journey.
I do not have the evolution, instead I have 3 Infinity CR's and a Hansa 581, All 4 have great control of air and yes on the .4mm needles they put out a lot of paint, so I have .15mm needles on a infinity and a .2mm on the hansa and they are just right! Also a very important point you forgot is both the Sotar and the Patriot have trigger tension control, so when you back off the tension on the trigger you get finer control of your spray.
Just got the Badger Patriot 105 for early Christmas! Hope she clicked your link! Love your content and keep it up
Just scored an eclipse hp-cs for $15 brand new at hobby lobby! I questioned the cashier twice as to why my total was only $58 but she insisted the price was correct because some brushes and candles I bought were on clearance… Ok, so be it lol.
Great video!
A couple of comments: 1 the clogging of small needles, that comes down to the visquosity of the thinned paint, some (like vallejo, which varies with color) need more thinning that on a standard 0.3mm needle. You get that right and you shouldn't be a problem. That being said I never prime with my H&S 0.15 needle, I always change to the 0.4mm for any sort of priming.
Which bring us to comment #2: on the H&S, you get a lot of paint out of the airbrush with the H&S Evo you got there because of the needle 0.4 is among the largest standard size for miniature airbrushing, just lightly moving the trigger will spray a lot of paint, it should've come with a 0.2 or 0.3 instead.
Addressing your second comment, using a patriot 105 with a .5mm needle is not as sensitive as the H&S evolution. It's definitely a difference between the two.
@@Miniac interesting, do that version come with different internals than the regular EVO?
@@Invaderzim2004 Other than a different/improved needle profile, not that I'm aware of. I also cross-checked this with other people who own an evolution + another brush just to make sure I wasn't going crazy.
@@Miniac interesting, I did notice that my silverline is different on the gold plated part, maybe the spring is lighter.
Anyways awesome comparison.
i wish this video came out a few weeks ago. I could have asked for this for christmas. Still new to this so I will be getting the Badger. thanks for the video!!! very very very helpful
i love my sotar, its like a micron that doesnt constantly block up
I have few older Evolutions. Never had any sticking problems, not with small or large needles. Actually Evolution has definately been one of my favourites.
I've always kept the brushes pretty clean with ultrasonic cleaner after every painting session and some lube on the needle. Perhaps if you clean it less you get more problems.
IMO Iwata Eclipse is the best value, versatility and reliability for the average hobbyist!
The problem is the cost of the spare parts which are very expensive in europe (needle 50 to 60 euros....)whereas for evolution or infinity it's a third of the price. The infinity is better than the evolution and probably than the iwata eclipse with needle of 0,15 (the only equivalent is the iwata custom micro who is 100 euros expensiver.
I can also chime in with the hpcs. I have an eclipse and it is the best workhorse, it handles 99% of tasks flawlessly and is super reliable. This it the one you want.
@@sebastien9193 I'm not sure needle cost is all that important. I've owned my hp-cs for close to 4 years and I've never replaced the needle. Maybe I've just been more careful?
What model was it? I own some BT-130's and they are decent. Just bought a Spirit Air BT-180 with a valve clutch in the front and a 0.2 needle. Hopefully it can manage small marks. @@shipwreck6358
aren't the Eclipses top of the line?
I'm using the H&S Evolution Aluminium. it's the first paintbrush that actually allows me to control the amount of air.
the best airbrush is the one, you have tested before buying, you can handle easily, maintain hasslefree, and feel comfortable with.
mine's a Harder&Steenbeck Infinity.
I have an Iwata CM, and wanted another airbrush for primers, clearcoats etc for my models. I ended up buying a Veda 120 with a 0.3 needle. This thing has been great, it came with a rubber needle packing, and I broke the nozzle, I replaced the packing for teflon and got a needle, nozzel and cap set for around 12 USD. I have had the airbrush for a year now and don't regret the purchase. I have even ordered the 186 which comes with 3 different needle sizes and 3 removable cups. I will probably fit it with a 0.5 needle and nozzel and buy a third one with fitted with 0.2. For what I am doing I don't really see the need for a high end airbrush. Not saying the CM isn't a nice brush, it is for sure and it does feel smoother, but I am not painting protraits or anything with exremly fine detail. Review the Bartsharp 186K and see what you think.
I'm brand new to air brushing. I own one of those bottom feed brushes it just says stock 1500 air brush kit made in Taiwan. I have had it for years, don't even know where I got it. Its a total pain cause you can't really use the pot and point your air brush tip down to paint without spilling paint out so I have to use an isle and the jar, which is bulky. I need a uncomplicated stencil (large area coverage) about 9"x9" area, air brush with a super fine spray to paint over top of my pour paintings that will remain smooth against my base painting. This one took me for ever to cover the stencil I literally had to do 50 or more passes to cover the paint underneath. I don't mind that too much as in some of my pieces I want you to see the colors beneath. What I need to know is how to I cover such a large area without splatters or heavy build up ending in a ridge, Im afraid that the stencils tacky back (vinyl with a pretty hefty adhesive) will remove the paint of the first stencil layer ( of a multiple layered stencil for my 4 color images) what do you suggest? How do I make my paint consistency for this process oh and I don't want to totally take this thing apart I will never get it back together again. I cleaned it really well with water, ran water through till it was clear and cleaned the needle cover, do you have to totally disassemble like I saw you do to clean these things? Sorry for so many questions but Im totally in the dark.
for your interest: the Harder & Steenbeck Evolution SILVERLINE (!!!) does have a dial to limit the paintflow. it's (in my opinion) really great!
Yes, I know, but it costs even more than the already expensive Evo for people in the US.
@@Miniac yeah it's slighly more, but it's still way less than the Infinity. i started on the Evo silverline and i'm still on it. the pressure control is sweet and crisp.
then again, it might be that the price difference is only here in Europe minor enough to consider
gosh sorry for doing this in so many posts, but to set perspective here, the difference between evolution and evolution silverline can be as little as ~5€ here. and if you are lucky, this is the silverline being 5€ CHEAPER than the normal one. mostly it's 5(ish) € more tho.
Great vid, nice reviews. I own a Badger Krome, similar to the 105 functionally. Has the back stop which I sometimes use as I still feel I am new to airbrushing and its a great way to get a feel for how far to pull back without overloading my minis by accident all the time.