I'm ready to upgrade my airbrush - recommendations for very good air brush

[TroutSupport.com]

What are ya'll using for air brushes. I've been using a Badger 150 and would like to get something better to do finer work. 

[Cliffs Lures]

My vote would be Iwata HPC Plus. Has a  finer needle and a stop adjustment. 

It will spray a very fine line or medium wide spray pattern.

I have the first version and has been great for 20 years. It cost a little more 

but I think in the long run they are worth the price. 

[TroutSupport.com]

Thanks Cliffs, any other recommendations on better quality air brush?  I know everyone hates to give away their secret weapon and all but  would love to see some other ideas. 

[Cliffs Lures]

Here is what I use.

Iwata custom micron CM C Plus. Only had it since Christmas but Really like the extreme detail.

Iwata HP CH  I am using this more and more for detail and colors. 

Iwata HP C have had this for almost twenty years use it for base coats and pearls.

Iwata HP BCS eclipse. One of my first airbrushes  still use it  use this when I paint a lot of blanks with base coat,

Badger Sotar 2020 I bought this for 60.00 on Amazon Prime just couldn't pass on it. Not my favorite but its Ok.

Last is the NEO TRN1. I really like this for heavy bodied paint. Has a wider spray pattern and pearls go through it pretty good.

I don't think you can go wrong with any Iwata product but I have  seen a lot of great airbrushing with other brands, mostly

use what you have and practice until its time to move up. Hope this helps. 

[TroutSupport.com]

Ok, thanks Cliff. I appreciate the amount of detail you put into the answer. 

time to buy something now. LOL

[Cliffs Lures]

Careful, once you start you cant stop. 

[TerryF2858]

i have the paasche talon, its a bit heavy, but i like it, it sprays fine to medium, i got the kit with all the extra needles and tips

[BobP]

Most guys who use Iwata brushes really like them.  To me, the right brush is determined by the tip size you need.  Iwatas can be had in truly tiny tip sizes but which size do you need?  A .2 mm tip HP can paint very fine lines if your skill and control is up to the task and if you are shooting properly thinned paint.  But it isn’t ideal for thicker pearls and flakes.  Maybe you can use your Badger 150 for that and a small tip Iwata for finer work.  If you want to stick with one brush for everything, an Iwata Revolution BR (.3 mm) or Eclipse (.35 mm) will do it all.  One thing you will notice:  the smaller the tip size, the more expensive the airbrush and the more costly the repair parts if needed.  And the smaller the tip, the more exactly the brush needs to be fitted to use it, so be extra careful with those fine tipped brushes.

[TroutSupport.com]

thanks bob, spot on to what I was thinking for what my needs would be..    I'll look at the .2 tips

Anyone use a Grex ?

[clemmy]

I recently got a Grex Tritium TS. Well thought out and user friendly. Maybe just a hair under the quality of my Iwatas. What I’d love to try would be a nice Harder and Steenbeck.

I would consider several things if considering putting money into a good airbrush:

1) Am I using it just for lures? If doing paintings or things like helmets, a higher end brush with a finer tip needle might be needed.

2) Do I paint lures freehand? If you mainly doing large portions of a lure, or mainly using stencils, then you’d be better off with something other than a Micron, irregardless of price. On the other hand, if you are hand spraying in the rays of the pectoral fins, a Micron might be perfect.

3) What kind of paint do I use? If you use Apple Barrel paint from Walmart, or even straight Createx, Something like a Micron would be frustrating. If you are using thinned Wicked or Illustration, or illustration inks, a Micron level would be great.

It would also matter if you are doing production vs a single bait

[TroutSupport.com]

Thank you all for the input... I'm strictly doing this for fun.. it takes my mind of the fishing bisness...LOL. 

based on the feedback I went with an Iwata HP B.. .2needle.  I can use the old Badger for broader strokes and use the Iwata for finer strokes.  I'll look into the Wicked and Illustration paints next. 

Thank you all. 

[Chuck Young]

I have been using my badger 150 bottom feed with a fine head and needle for a long time. It has produced some very fine work.  Eventually I will upgrade to the Iwata HPC and run both - using the Iwata for finer details. Spraying water from the Badger shoud be a great way to clean the cup on the Iwata.