Iwata HP-CS Airbrush Kit

Iwata HP-CS Airbrush Kit

Adding a quality airbrush and committing to its mastery lets you take your modeling and projects to the next level.

Hobbyists use airbrushes for:
– Painting the model cars, aircraft, ships, and trains
– Weathering the above models
– Painting scenery and track on model railroads
– Painting fishing lures

The primary advantage of an airbrush over a can of spray paint is the control that it gives you, both in terms of the rate of paint application and the type of paint itself. Even spray paints designed for scale models deliver too much paint at once and don’t allow you to control the flow with any level of precision. With canned spray paints, you’re limited to the colors and finishes offered by the paint manufacturer.

Don’t be intimidated by jumping right in with a double-action (dual-action) airbrush. While a single-action airbrush is still going to give you much finer results than a rattle can, you sacrifice a significant amount of control when you can’t control the flow of the paint independently of the air.

I didn’t fully appreciate the quality of Japanese engineering of this unit until I disassembled it for cleaning for the first time. The components fit together so precisely. For what is a relatively simple tool, it’s quite impressive how well everything functions. With that being said, it is imperative that you promptly clean this brush with water or the appropriate solvent each and every time you use it, as the needle and nozzle will quickly become fouled if you neglect this basic maintenance.

You get what you pay for with air compressors, just as you do with airbrushes. While I have an older compressor that still serves my present needs, I recommend this airbrush/compressor package that includes the Iwata HP-CS airbrush and a Medea compressor if you’re looking for a good mid-level combo. This is an outstanding dual-fan compressor from a reputable manufacturer.

The cost of a moisture trap is relatively low for the peace of mind it provides when you’re counting on your airbrush to deliver a quality finish, as compressed air condenses and sends small amounts of water through the hose mixed in with your air supply. The result is “fish eyes” in your beautiful new paint job. I use and recommend Iwata’s inline moisture filter. I personally don’t like the way that the pistol grip filters change the ergonomics of the brush.

I don’t think you can go wrong with any of the top three airbrush brands: Iwata, Paasche, or Badger. I looked at and handled the latter two before deciding on the Iwata HP-CS for its build quality and the way it fit my hand. A quality airbrush is a tool that will serve you for decades if you take care of it.