airbrush or spray gun?

[motor03]

I'm looking to get started on painting again and I need some advice on equipment. The last guns I used were old high pressure siphon guns so I'm pretty excited about getting some of the newer equipment and working with something other than the lacquer I'm used to using.

My plans are to just do motorcycles and helmets. I want to do flames on existing paint as well as re painting tanks and fenders. I'm no artist but I can do shadowing and work with stencils. I want one of the smaller guns and I was looking at the Iwata RP3 and lph50 as well as the Sata minijet. I currently have a loaner Paasche VL AB that I've been playing around with but if I read the other posts it seems like I can do most of the airbrush stuff with the smaller spray guns. I'd rather invest the money I would spend on an airbrush into one of the spray guns.

Any advice would be appreciated---

Thanks'
AJ

 

[TAZ]

AJ,

Welcome to the forum!

I also switched from the siphon fed to the gravity feed. I did this about 3-4 years ago. The only gravity fed guns I have used is a SATA. They're expensive, but good.

For smaller projects or graphics, I used Iwata W100, which now seem to be the W101.
These have great atomization and do the smaller jobs great.

As far as airbrushing, I use the Iwata HPc and the microns.

Alot of money, but if you do alot of painting, of course it pays off.

if you just plan on doing a job here and there, my suggestion would be just to go with the siphon fed you have been using, get an Iwata W101, then purchase a cheaper airbrush (for about $60-$80). If you need to get another gun, possibly you can find the same one you are used to on ebay for about $50-$100.
I know I used the JGA gun for YEARS before switching over.

Since the above is pretty much all I have used, I'm sure some of our other members will have feedback on guns and airbrushes.

:ears:

:luck:

 

[motor03]

Thanks for the info. I have a friend who has a paasch vl airbrush that he's letting me borrow for as long as I need it. That will cover the AB for a while but I keep hearing how the Iwata is nicer.

What paint brand do you like? I'm lucky enough to have a few suppliers around me so I can get my hands on just about anything.

 

[TAZ]

I personally like House of Kolors and PPG.

:cheers:

 

[FiFdYnUtZ]

i recently got an lph-50, it is smaller then i expected but for helmets and tanks i think it will be perfect for graphics n stuff! (havent used it yet)

 

[motor03]

Thanks--The LPH-50 and 80 have been recommended to me a lot along with the SATA minijet. I picked up an Eclipse AB that should be arriving any day now. That should keep me busy for a while while I make my decision on the gun(s). People have also recommended getting a chaeper gun for just shooting the primer and keeping the better gun for BC/CC only.

 

[FiFdYnUtZ]

yeah, i have a set of lph-400's for bc and cc and cheaper devilbiss guns for primers...the lph-50 for small work, and an eclipse hp-cs airbrush along with a siphon badger 150...