[firefighterpilot1]

I purchased my first airbrush (a Testors "mighty mini" all in one set) and I'm not too impressed with it. The airbrush itself is kind of flimsy and is not really comfortable to hold, and I'm not really confident using it. I just noticed Testors "Aztek" line and it looks as if this is Testors' higher end stuff. Anyone care to chime in? Any other brands/ models that might be better quality?

[hworth18]

Originally Posted by firefighterpilot1

I purchased my first airbrush (a Testors "mighty mini" all in one set) and I'm not too impressed with it. The airbrush itself is kind of flimsy and is not really comfortable to hold, and I'm not really confident using it. I just noticed Testors "Aztek" line and it looks as if this is Testors' higher end stuff. Anyone care to chime in? Any other brands/ models that might be better quality?

I have a couple of the Aztek Airbrushes and they are good for starter guns. Just keep them clean and replace the tips if they clog and you shouldn't have any problems. If you want a "better" airbrush, I use an Iwata now and it does a great job.

[firefighterpilot1]

I checked out those Iwatas on ebay, they are pretty sweet looking. Definitely 100x better than what I got now. How is the clean up process?

[hworth18]

Originally Posted by firefighterpilot1

I checked out those Iwatas on ebay, they are pretty sweet looking. Definitely 100x better than what I got now. How is the clean up process?

Cleanup on the Iwata is pretty easy. I use Acrylics, so I just run alchohol thru it when I am done. If it gets too grimey, then I just remove a couple of parts and wipe everything down with alchohol.


BTW, I have a BRAND NEW Iwata I bought as an extra last year. It isn't cheap, but it will be much cheaper than if you bought it new. PM me if interested.

[Cruver Collecter]

I have an Aztek and it works just fine for what I do. Cleanup is definitely easy with this one.

[Lakota Mech]

Just got the July issue of Fine Scale Modeler and it is an excellent issue. One of the articles is on the right compressor for you and your airbrush. Thought you might find it of help.

[firefighterpilot1]

cool, I'll check that out.

[STARMAN 352ND]

Which of the two are a little better then the other Aztek or Iwata ?
Price wise too.
Thanks,
JP

[firefighterpilot1]

I haven't used either, but price wise they look to go for around the similar prices for comparable models on ebay. I am leaning more towards the Aztek stuff right now because I have a Testors compressor, but I am going to check out that article on compressors and determine whether or not to just go with a totally new set up.

Hworth, in what ways are the Iwatas you use better than a comparable Aztek?

[Min]

I really can't speak very much from an Aztek perspective, seeing as I don't own, and have never used, one before. I am, however, also new to model building and ran through the same process of asking "which airbrush is right for me?".

And yes, I did look into Azteks at that point, finding that there were many that swore by them (including modellers who might well build at a professional level). Iwatas, on the other hand, needed hardly any introduction and were generally acknowledged as being amongst the best that money could buy. The only downside to Iwata airbrushes was the cost of purchasing one. That and the fact that replacement parts such as needles, needle caps and crown caps are expensive too.

The Aztek was cheap to purchase, and replacement nozzles came in various sizes and relatively cheap to simply toss away and replace when they get damaged or worn out.

Having said all that, I had my birthday coming up and knew that my wife could not begrudge me a big purchase, I went with the Iwata HP-C Plus instead.

So, while I can't say how it compares with an Aztek directly, I can tell you what it is that I like about the Iwata and why I would choose it again in a heartbeat.

1. Gravity-feed: The paint cup sits attached to the body of the airbrush, and paint is fed by gravity. This allows for a much lower pressure to be used when shooting paint. I was shown that sufficiently thinned acrylics can be pushed out very nicely at 8~10 psi. This was a revelation to me, as the thin paint was very forgiving indeed - you make a mistake, and all that's needed was to let it dry and then recoat over the top.

2. Ease of cleaning: No separate paint bottle and feed tube to scrub. Simply toss out any remaining paint in the cup, give it a wipe to remove leftover bits, and fill it with thinner (I use Windex) and shoot it out the airbrush until the stream runs clear. Disassembly of the parts is easy, despite the fact that there are more than an all-in-one self-contained Aztek nozzle, and these are simply wiped and swabbed out with a qtip.

3. Construction quality: The whole airbrush feels solid. Trigger action is sharp with no slack, body is well molded, no air leakage whatsoever.

4. Fine paint atomisation: The cup might seem small, but crikey does it cover a large area!! I only build 1/72 scale jets at this stage, but coverage is achieved with barely a full cup of paint!

All in all, I'm stoked with my Iwata. My first model was a Hasegawa F-117 which turned out to be a disaster (my very first attempt at airbrushing and before I was shown how to properly thin paint for airbrush use and the proper distance to shoot paint from) but my second effort has been fantastic so far - Hasegawa's old F-8 kit (CW is taking waaaay too long to release theirs!). Fully painted now with nice even coats and I'm just letting the paint cure before applying Future and the decals to follow after that.

Am happy to talk airbrushing with anyone who's interested, bearing in mind that I am a beginner after all and would have a surprising amount of questions at the same time as sharing my experiences.