Airbrushing is a great way to improve the look of your paint job, it makes getting a smooth finish, shading, and camo patterns much easier. Depending on what you want to achieve, there are a couple of standard types of airbrush to look at:
Single Action: These have a nozzle that you adjust to set the spray pattern. Air will then pass through in this pattern whatever you do. There is one trigger that controls both air flow and paint flow at a non-variable rate.
Dual Action: A separate mechanism controls air and paint flow in a dual action airbrush. Generally, pushing down on the trigger allows air to start flowing, and pulling back on the trigger gradually feeds paint through. Most also allow you to change nozzle and needle sizes between uses to give you even more control over spray pattern.
Gravity Fed: A cup on top of the airbrush is filled with paint, which feeds down through the airbrush thanks to gravity. To change colours you need to empty the cup and thoroughly clean the airbrush. Depending on colours used this may include taking apart the gun to clean individual parts.
Suction Fed: A jar under the airbrush is filled with paint and has a hose that sucks paint up into the gun when in use. It is easier to switch between colours as generally less thorough cleaning is required.
Our recommendation for most beginners is a dual action gravity fed airbrush, these give you a good balance between control and ease of use. Our top recommendations are below: Hseng Dual Action Gravity Feed Airbrush Kit (Plastic Body) or Iwata HP.CN Neo Series Gravity-Feed Dual-Action Airbrush
You will also need a compressor. We carry models both with and without holding tanks. Generally a compressor with a tank is recommended. This means that when the tank reaches your set pressure, the compressor will cut out and you will work from the stored air while it lasts. The machine doesn’t have to work as hard to maintain pressure, and you get more consistent results. Our recommendation for a compressor is linked below: Hobby Basic Airbrush Compressor with Holding Tank
One of the most important things to remember when using an airbrush is that it requires cleaning and maintenance after each use. Some airbrush cleaner, Q-tips and paper towels are a perfect starting point as they have a low chance of damaging the delicate inner workings of the airbrush. An airbrush cleaning pot, which doubles as a stand, is also recommended to make the process easier and safer. Over time you will also need to replace o-rings, as cleaners and some paints cause them to deteriorate.