From bottom to top these are the airbrushes that I use the most or am able to do a good job with. I have more, but either have not mastered them or have even tried them out.
PAASCHE 200H
Chinese economy double action
FENGDA BD180

Last year I gave away my Paasche H, my Testors (Aztek) and an old Iwata. Replaced them with a GREX Tritium TS3. My old WR Brown Speedy compressor died a few years ago and I now use my big automotive compressor to drive the air. Much better with the big tank. I can fill it up once and paint for days.

I have two: Iwata Eclipse gravity fed double action and a Testors (Aztek) side feed single action.

I have a Badger Renegade Krone (absolute favorite airbrush out of the two I have) and a Badger Crescendo 175 which I've had for years. Got it as a gift from my parents.

Just one,an Iwata HP-CS Eclipse

@ Anthony and Chris: what makes the Eclipse your favorite a/b?

@ Patrick: I had to look up the GREX Tritium TS3, what makes it your favorite a/b over what you've used before?

@ Michael: I started out in the late 1960's with a Badger air pump and I think an 150 cheepy Badger single action siphon a/b, but could not deliver the finishes that others who used a Paasche. How does your Badger Renegade Krone compare with the Iwata Eclipse?

Bob

I have an Iwata NEO, a Master G22, and a Krome. The Krome is by far my favorite, as well. Endlessly flexible. I can dial it down to do freehand camo on 1/72 kits, or open it up and hose down some Future. I keep it dialed pretty tight, and use the G22 for most of the heavier coats. The NEO is my least-favorite, and I don't know why. It's a good brush, but I just don't pick it up very often.

The tolerances on the Krome are extreme, so you have to be precise with your paint mix and PSI. Once you've got it dialed, start spraying. Not a brush for a beginner, but definitely a great choice for the experienced operator.

I have several. Three double action brushes beginning with a Peak C5, which I like to use for most work in the fine to medium range, a Paasche Millenium, which I use mostly for medium paint work, and a Badger IL, which I only use occasionally for fine and medium work. I also have an old Badger 150 single action I use only for wide coats or non-model building purposes, and a couple of old single action bottle feed Badger blue plastic handle brushes I've had since 1965-- but I only use those for household projects. However, I've tossed at least ten brushes over the years, including some Aztecs, Badgers, Paasche's and a bunch of Chinese knock offs (I used to work in a LHS, and the owner would give me sample brushes to try out before he'd carry them, and I'd often repair brushes for customers, so I've had ample opportunity to try all kinds over the years). I've been airbrushing since 1965-- four things I've learned-- 1) you get what you pay for; 2) it's better to start with a quality double action brush and learn how to use it; 3) cleanliness really is next to Godliness when it comes to your airbrush; 4) Buying junk brushes at cut rate prices just leads to frustration. I should also mention your airbrush is only as good as your air source-- either a tank compressor, dry air Co2 tank, or compressed air tank with a water trap, and all of them need regulators. Stay away from cheap compressors and bottled air if you want to save money and frustration.
VR, Russ

Badger 150 siphon feed w/ propellant can was my first -

Badger 200 - 20 siphon next -

Badger 200 G gravity feed next - all the above single action -

And my first double action last year - Tamiya Superfine HG

I went with the Grex because it's ambidextrous and I'm left handed. The Aztek is also but it is a fairly rudimentary one that I used mainly for single color paint jobs and priming. The others were designed for right hand usage with I taught myself to use over the decades. But I'm losing feeling in my right hand along with dexterity and fine control due to damage done to my chest and shoulder back in the 80's. I've used trigger style paint guns to paint houses, cars, fences so when I started seeing the trigger style airbrushes I was determined to get one. When they started coming out with the ability to put paint cup on either side that was the straw that broke the camels back. So as my arm got worse last year I got rid of the old ones and bought the Grex. A whole new learning curve but I'm having fun using it. It has very good flow, it's intuitive no fiddly one finger push and slide paint/air control, and it's comfortable to use. Literally point and shoot.

I've never used anything other than the two I listed. I can say that the action on the Krone is very smooth and with the fine needle, the right mixture and good pressure, it sprays very well.

Iwata CM-C+. Will never go back to my Aztek, Badger or other.

Those are my two airbrushes:
Iwata Eclipse HP-CS (0.35mm)-the sturdiest airbrush for me, also very versatile. I bought it second hand about eight years ago, replaced only the nozzle and needle. Drooped it two-three times on hard surface (don't do that! ) and still works perfect. My main workhorse, 90% of the jobs I do with it, although you can do fine detail as well.
H&S Infinity CR Plus (0.15mm)-lovely airbrush, superb engineering, it feels like fine machinery. I using it mainly for fine detail, but with 0.2-0.4mm nozzles you can do base coating, varnishing etc. Easy to clean and some very useful features. The most important is that spare parts are more available and cheaper in my country, than any other brand.



Regards,

I like the gravity feed,no jars,easy learning curve,and easy cleanup

I use several airbrushes that are job dependent.

1) Infinity CR+ 2 in 1
2) Evolution Silverline 2 in 1
3) Iwata Revolution HP-M2
4) Iwata RG3L Gravity

For me, the Iwata is easy to operate it breaks down nicely for easy clean-up and I like the gravity fed cup because it is easy to add more paint if necessary and there is little paint waist. Plus it is a quality made brush. Parts are available at Hobby Lobby.

The Aztek was my first serious airbrush I think it is discontinued now, but it uses the same accessories as the more expensive Azteks (nozzles and cups). The trigger is awkward to use but it is overall a nice brush where you don't need the precision of a DA brush.

Looks like everyone cut their teeth on the Badger 150 then spread out from there. The Iwata is the most used, well liked either for its ease to clean or the work that it is called on to perform.

The break down is what attracts me to an a/b the work IMHO is a finesse learned no matter the a/b. This group's sample of a/b are as follows.

IN USE A/B
Paasche H
FENGDA BD180
Chinese economy double action
GREX Tritium TS3
Iwata Eclipse
Iwata HP-CS Eclipse
Iwata Eclipse HP-CS
Iwata CM-C+
Iwata Revolution HP-M2
Iwata RG3L Gravity
Evolution Silverline
H&S Infinity CR Plus
Infinity CR+
Testors (Aztek)
Badger Renegade Krone
Badger Crescendo 175
Krome
Master G22
Peak C5
Paasche Millenium
Badger IL
Tamiya Superfine HG
Badger 200 G

NO LONGER IN USE A/B
Paasche H
Testors (Aztek)
Aztek,
Iwata NEO
Badger 150
Badger 150
Badger 200
Badger

Hi Bob

I couldn't list all the airbrushes and sprayguns I've tried over the years. Some were stinkers - but I love tools and I seldom throw anything away, so I've got stuff dating back to the Paasche H which I bought back around 1977. That gave good results then - and if I dug it out and devoted a bit of TLC to it, I dare say it could still do a decent job.

I used a Badger Crescendo upside-down for years to make it gravity-feed(!) and developed my own personal thumb technique. The Crescendo was a brute - but rock solid and capable of fine work. But, blimey, it was heavy after a while.

Since then, I've used various Iwatas, Aztecs and a Harder & Steenbeck Evolution (I still rate the Evolution as having the best action of any conventional airbrush I've owned). The Airbrush Company's own-branded Premi-Air G-35 (sadly now discontinued) was outrageously good value for money and I'd happily tackle any job with it.

These days, my default "go to" airbrush is the Iwata TR-0. I was lucky enough to receive it as a sample, and I just love it! I suffer from arthritis in my index finger, so long spraying sessions with my conventional airbrushes are literally a pain - but I find the TR-0's trigger is ideally suited to using with the middle finger while maintaining fine control. It's a doddle to clean, withstands plenty of abuse, and has never let me down.

All the best

Rowan

Rowan, I understand "arthritis". Mine is in the right wrist (airbag broke it in 1997)and the Paasche is a good a/b, but also heavy after a time. I know nothing of the Premi-Air G-35. Had an Iwata Revolution some time back, but lost it in a move and do not remember if it gave good service since I used it only a couple of times.

Bob

i have tried a few dual action AB over the years but never got on with them, i now have a GREX Tritium TG trigger AB.

UPDATE: 6/24/17

IN USE A/B
Paasche H
FENGDA BD180
Chinese economy double action
GREX Tritium TS3
GREX Tritium TG trigger AB
Iwata Eclipse
Iwata HP-CS Eclipse
Iwata Eclipse HP-CS
Iwata CM-C+
Iwata Revolution HP-M2
Iwata RG3L Gravity
Iwata TR-0
Evolution Silverline
H&S Infinity CR Plus
Infinity CR+
Testors (Aztek)
Badger Renegade Krone
Badger Crescendo 175
Krome
Master G22
Peak C5
Paasche Millenium
Badger IL
Tamiya Superfine HG
Badger 200 G

NO LONGER IN USE A/B
Paasche H
Paasche H
Testors (Aztek)
Aztek,
Aztec
Iwata NEO
Badger 150
Badger 150
Badger 200
Badger
Badger Crescendo
Harder & Steenbeck Evolution
Premi-Air G-35

Well, a very huge rage uf a/b's in use or had been used.
Interesting how you guys rate your tools.

Bob, you can update again...

I prefer double-action guns and using my trusty Revell Master-Class Compressor.
As I do a lot of work with 3 "no name cheap ones" with different cup volume what gave me mostly the desired result my favourites are my other 2.
- Harder & Steenbeck Evolution Silverline
- Badger Sotar 20/20 !!! (great stuff, although tricky to clean and spare parts a bit hard to get)



Thomas

UPDATE: 6/24/17 @ 11:20 CST

IN USE A/B
Paasche H
FENGDA BD180
Chinese economy double action
GREX Tritium TS3
GREX Tritium TG trigger AB
Iwata Eclipse
Iwata HP-CS Eclipse
Iwata Eclipse HP-CS
Iwata CM-C+
Iwata Revolution HP-M2
Iwata RG3L Gravity
Iwata TR-0
Evolution Silverline
H&S Infinity CR Plus
Harder & Steenbeck Evolution Silverline
Infinity CR+
Testors (Aztek)
Badger Renegade Krone
Badger Crescendo 175
Krome
Badger Sotar 20/20
Master G22
Peak C5
Paasche Millenium
Badger IL
Tamiya Superfine HG
Badger 200 G

NO LONGER IN USE A/B
Paasche H
Paasche H
Testors (Aztek)
Aztek,
Aztec
Iwata NEO
Badger 150
Badger 150
Badger 200
Badger
Badger Crescendo
Harder & Steenbeck Evolution
Premi-Air G-35

Oh, I should correct myself. It's actually Renegade Krome. Not Krone.

Michael, no problem I have big fingers and thumbs that force me to misspell words also. I'm sure everyone knew what you were referencing.

Bob