Several members said they were buying one but nobody has commented on what they got. Thus, for those who missed out, here goes.
The whole set costs a penny shy of £40 and perhaps the first question is what do you expect to get for that sort of money? If you want to customise your Ford GT Thunderbox with stallions and improbably endowed young ladies, then forget it. If you want continuously variable spray lines of great precision, then you’ve wasted your money. Go away, have a reality check and pay twice as much and the rest.
If you want a system for spraying hulls and accommodation blocks that gives very even, very acceptable, results then, in my opinion and based on my results, you have made a good, low-cost, investment.
What you get for your money is a compressor, airbrush & hose, a generous set of six acrylic paints in assorted colours and brush cleaner. To this is added an air-gun & hose with a set of turned brass adaptors for inflating balls, airbeds, tyres etc. See? You’re not just getting an airbrush set.
Oh yes – you’re also getting a 3 year warranty which increases my faith in the quality of the set and, in general, the standard of manufacture appears good.
As already noted, because there is no air reservoir, the compressor needs a continuous air bleed-off whether airbrush or air-gun is in use. Don’t believe me – read the Instructions; those things which for some people are always the last point of reference. Block the bleed and your compressor will sulk, make noises of protest and then the cut-out will operate. Be nice to it, read the Instructions and your day will be much happier.
I have tried spraying acrylics and thinned enamels and obtained good results with both. Lacquers are next to be tried.
Right; those are the ‘pros’ – what about the ‘cons’? Long term use may throw up more gripes but so far I have only found two.
Firstly, the compressor power cable is far too short at only 2’ (600mm) long. I have not found any way of using it without fitting an extension cable. Why the manufacturers are so niggardly in this respect I can’t imagine.
Secondly, the compressor, while acceptably quiet, does suffer from vibration which coupled with rather cheap-looking rubber feet, means that it wants to go walkies around the workbench. Some way of restraining it is needed to stop the whole caboodle disappearing over the edge of the workbench, probably taking the airbrush with it and impacting on the unforgiving concrete floor.
Barry M