Modeling equipment reviews
Airbrushes
Aztek Line by Testors: I own an Aztek 470 series brush. Be prepared to spend about $100 for a pretty basic kit. I got a dealer's pack so the price was not horrible for what I received in the package but still pricey. Included in the kit are four nozzles (fine, medium, large area, and a special acrylic nozzle), a compressor adaptor, a can adaptor, about ten feet of hose, an instructional video (have yet to watch it), a decent wood case (unfortunately there is only enough room for the four nozzles included), several paint cups (suction feed/glass and gravity feed/plastic), a cheesy plastic wrench for removing the nozzles, and of course the 470 brush.
The 470 is a double-action/single-action brush. The travel for double-action can be adjusted to your liking though I find the setting needs to be changed every time you have a new batch of paint. The brush is fitted with some pretty nice grips that fit well in your hand. If you are used to using a Badger like I had been using for the past several years you will appreciate the larger size the grips give to the brush. There is less hand fatigue and it is easier to actually use the double-action feature opposed to the rather thin Badger and Paasche that seem to slip around in your hands (try wrapping rubber bands around the shaft for grip on thinner airbrushes). The 470 also features suction and gravity fed color cups. I have only used the gravity fed cups since you waste less paint that way and often it delivers a smoother spray of paint. Another factor in the choice of using the gravity fed cups is that the adapter for the glass bottles is clumsy. The tubing also does not reach the bottom of the bottle. This of course could be fixed by buying some longer tube but I just don't like the way the bottle feels as opposed to the color cup. The cups/bottles can be attached on either the left or right side for those who are left or right handed (no kidding Dorigan...).
Though I have not logged as many hours on the Aztek as I have on my Badger I am quite pleased with it. I have run both acrylic (Model Master ) and enamels through it with very nice results. There is none of the splattering that happened with my other brush and the paint flowed out very smoothly and evenly. Then there is the real reason I bought the Aztek and believe me I am not disappointed in the claims made by Testors. This by far has to be the easiest brush to clean. I have not bothered with the cleaning kit that they sell (about $25) but have done the traditional back flushing and rag wiping. It probably takes half the thinner and an quarter of the time to clean this brush. There are no billion parts to disassemble and lose or having to clean the interior with pipe cleaners. All you have to do is back flush once or twice then take the one-piece head off and wipe it down with a little thinner and you are ready to go. Also, even with just the heads that came in the kit, the Aztek 470 outperforms my other brush in range of coverage, nor do I have to replace the head, regulator, needle and chuck to get a finer or wider spray.
Badger Airbrushes: I have owned a Badger 200 series, bottom-feed, single-action airbrush for several years now. I bought the basic kit with medium needle/head assem. for about $40. The price has probably gone up by now I am sure. I may have ranted and raved and sort of talked down on the Badger up there in the Aztek review. For those of you who are loyal to Badger you may be a little miffed at me. I want you to know however that I still love my Badger brush. I have owned it for a very long time and had little problem with it outside of the cleaning aspect. The other thing I could not stand about the Badger 200 is that the paint starts to spatter after a few minutes of painting. I took the thing apart and examined the needle and the whole works and could not find a defect outside of just bad design on the regulator (the little metal ring that surrounds the nozzle). I finally replaced the stock piece with a crown regulator and the spattering has gone away. That is except when using Testors acrylics. The Badger is more of an enamel brush than an acrylic brush unless you can find a better balance of thinning and air pressure than I have.
The thing I loved about the Badger is that it is easy to use. I was up and painting models within a few minutes of practice and was painting models fairly well my first time using an airbrush. I think the Aztek might be a little intimidating to the first time user of an airbrush and a Badger may be an alternative for someone who wants a good starter brush. Just remember to buy the crown regulator and you should be fine. Speaking of buying things, the Badger site does not have an online store so you will have to visit your local hobby store for the parts.
Just for the sake of something interesting, take note that Badger, Paasche, Testors, Monogram and Revell are located in the state of Illinois within a very short distance of each other. It must be something in the water...
Compressors and Accessories
Paasche D500 air compressor: This is the air compressor I own. It runs about $115 and hot as hell...Seriously, never but this thing on plastic if you do not want it to melt. Of course that goes with any compressor so don't be but off by that. It is an oil-less diaphragm compressor and it can deliver about 40-45 psi. This compressor does not come with a storage tank so you get a pulse going through it when you paint. You can however go to Sears or Walmart and buy a tank to hook up but let me tell you this...ask a professional about this, if not have them do it for you. To the uninitiated, 40psi is a lot of pressure and a rupture in a line or a tank could very well spell the end of your favorite pastimes like seeing or having a face. Do not attempt this if you do not know what you are doing PLEASE. I cannot be held responsible for this and on second thought do not recommend even trying it...forget what I said...run for cover and hide from Dorigan because you're just gonna get hurt cuz I'm a big jerk and all that good stuff. Seriously though, be careful. The compressors comes with two brass fittings that consist of the adapter for the Badger/Paasche hose and the needle valve. The thing is just a basic model but it is still pretty good.
Just another tip and two complaints. First the tip. NEVER try to turn the thing on with pressure in the line. If you run with the needle valve shut and you then turn the compressor off make sure to bleed the line before you start the thing up. If you don't, chances are it will just sit and hum at you as it merrily burns itself up inside or something.
Now for the complaints. First of all is the minor one. The thing dances and is a little loud. The dancing part can be helped by popping out the little rubber feet and bolting the thing to a table (make sure to put some heat resistant neoprene gaskets between it and the surface; also, a heat sink such as a piece of plate metal under it to protect it from scorching of the surface would probably be a good precaution) the noise however cannot. It was suggested (try at your OWN risk, I have not tried this and will not) putting a Styrofoam cooler over the thing that is large enough not to let it touch. For how hot most compressors get though you may end up with some melted coolers before you are done. If anyone has tried this trick let me know how it worked. Now for the MAJOR complaint. This compressor has not on/off switch. I repeat, this compressor has not on/off switch. I would therefore recommend buying the D500s ('s' stands for switch : ), and you thought engineers had no humor) because of this. There is only a moderate difference in price. I rigged up a power strip with a switch for my D500 but it would be nice to have had a switch on mine too : (
Paasche MT moisture trap: This little thing is a metal cylinder about 2 1/2" long with nipples on either end to splice onto a hose. It is your basic in-line moisture trap. There is a little screw at one end with a flattened side to allow the thing to drain when there is pressure on the system. It costs about $15.
Let me put it to you bluntly. This thing is not worth the money. It works as well as a $15 moisture trap should which is not saying much. You would be better off buying the regulator/moisture trap that has the filter and bottle assembly. I would recommend the model I have (a Paasche) but I do not know the model number for it. It cost a bundle but is worth the jobs that it does.
Paints
Polly Paints: These are your run of the mill acrylics. The ones that I bought were for metal fantasy figures. They were like water and did not brush/dry brush worth anything. They are probably usable in an airbrush but how do you airbrush 25mm figures? If you know tell me because it is an annoying mystery to me...They also make paints specific for model trains and accessories but that is not my thing. I do not know of a website for this company though I believe they are tied in with Floquil (who makes an excellent set of military figure colors) who I heard is rumored to be in the process of being bought out by Testors or joining Testors in some fashion. If so then perhaps Polly Scale is worth a second look.
Model Master enamels by Testors: These are some nice paints. They flow well and dry very fast. There is a large range of color to choose from and they look to be pretty accurate (the company guarantees that they are). They work well in my airbrushes and thin on a consistent level. They level well when drying and seem to adhere to any surface well that has been properly prepare be it washing or priming. The price is not bad and I often can get through a large scale model on a 1/2 ounce bottle of paint. These are what I usually do my models and figures with and I am very happy with the results.
Model Master acrylics by Testors: When these first came out I used them strictly for painting 25mm figures because at the time I was not back into modeling. For brushing/dry brushing they worked pretty well. Then I became interested again in modeling and I tried running them through my airbrush. Let me tell you it did not work well. The paint dried so fast in the head of the brush and the regulator that it spattered or clogged in a few minutes every time. I tried thinning which only caused the paint to run terribly. I tried lowering the pressure and that did not work either. These were just poor paints. However, Testors has released a new line called Acryl. The way to tell the two apart is obviously the name. Another way is the color of the label. The old acrylics, that some shops may have gathering dust on their shelves, have the black label like the enamels with a white lid. The new acrylics have a white label with a black or white cap. Do not mix the two up or you will regret purchasing the old acrylics for you airbrush. The thinners for them are not the same either so be careful when purchasing.
Model Master Acryl acrylics by Testors: These are really nice paints. The best thing about them is that they are airbrush ready right out of the bottle. They level well when drying and the gloss colors are actually...gasp...glossy. It is nice to see a line of acrylics that airbrush as well as enamels do without the noxious fumes. They are non-toxic and clean up with water so parents can rest a little easier. There is a large selection of colors from cars to military. I really like using these paints and I am super pleased with the finish. However, there is one thing to note. These paints are pretty much for airbrushing only. As I said they are airbrush ready and do not need to be thinned so don't waste your money on thinner. If you do not own an airbrush don't bother buying these paints because they just run when brushed on. I tried all the tricks to make a good brush application and they just don't work. If you know of a way to thicken these paints up without leaving the lid off let me know.
Humbrol acrylic tins: As far as I know this company has no web site. I believe they are out of France (NOT Illinois). The paints are alright. I am not really impressed with them outside of their more unique colors for some of the inter-war year French planes. The paints come in little tins that are not made for pouring so don't even try it. They also stick tight if you don't clean the lids very carefully. I have not seen many colors outside of military colors from about WW I on up so I really can't judge this company's product to harshly. They just seem to be your average acrylic paint.
Testors enamels/ Testors and Pactra acrylic enamels by Testors: The Testors enamels are the things you grew up with if you are now over the age of 25. They are the wee little bottles of paint (1/4 ounce) that are everywhere from your hobby store to the toy section at the local dime store. They come in a ton of colors that look pretty decent. They thin the same as Model Master and airbrush the same but the finish is nowhere near as nice. I would recommend that you buy the spray can paint for large surfaces because the little bottle runs out before you know it. I rarely use these paints anymore but when I do I use them for brushing and I like the results.
The Testors and Pactra acrylics are mediocre as far as paints go. Every time I used Pactra they became gummy in a matter of minutes. Brush strokes show heavily in both kinds of paint. I have never dared to run them through an airbrush and their 1/4 ounce size means if I did I would soon be out of paint unless it was a 1/72 scale model. The up side to these paints are they are non-toxic and come in multi-color sets (usually car and modern USAF), often with a mixing tray and Testors nylon brushes. Therefore they make a good starter kit at a low cost for a kid on your shopping list. Just make sure the model you buy with it is small so 1) They don't run out of paint 2) It is harder to see the brush marks. They also work well for 25mm figure dry brushing.
Cement
Cement for Plastic Models by Testors: This stuff is what you all know and love. It is the miracle snot in the orange tube. It works on polystyrene and ABS. This stuff basically works by melting the two pieces of plastic together. It makes a nice bond but can cause pits and low spots to occur on your model. It doesn't fill gaps to great either. Actually by its very nature it can make gaps worse then they were to start with. It smells and is pretty toxic. If you work with it for a long time it will make your head sing so make sure you have ventilation. That means an open window and a fan pointing out that window. Also it is hard to glue clear parts with this stuff because it 'crazes' the parts. That means it messes them up real darn good by leaving a nice trail of stringy glue across the piece if you are not careful. It also does it for anything else too so watch out. If it gets on paint it eats into it and gives you a nice gooey mess.
However, despite all this I recommend this cement over all of the other stuff. You may ask why. There are several reasons. It dries nice and slow. That means if you have a tricky part you can wiggle it around until it fits. The newer quick drying cements don't even give you a second chance. Another fine reason is that the stuff is cheap. And probably my most pathetic reason but still very important to me is tradition. It just does not seem right to make a model without having some of the stuff somewhere on the model.
Liquid Cement for Plastic Models by Testors: This stuff comes in a jar with an applicator brush. It 'works' on polystyrene, abs, Plexiglas, and some other types of plastic. In my honest opinion, unless it has changed since I last bought it, the stuff does not work to great. After a fruitless attempt at trying to make the pieces stay together I gave up. Now keep in mind that this was about ten years ago. Also from this you can gather I hold grudges...If you want to try it go ahead. The stuff is pretty cheap. If it works for you let me know and maybe I will give it another shot.
Fast-Drying Liquid Cement for Plastic Models by Testors: I hardly use this stuff because it sets up pretty darn fast. It is kind of nice because the applicator gives you a lot of control. It doesn't seem to destroy the plastic when it glues and seems to be less fumy then the other cements. Another reason I avoid this one is that it costs about $3.50 for a bottle. If you like cement to set up quickly this is your ticket. If you are like me and need a little time to fidget a piece then you should pass this stuff by.
Extra Fast Drying Wood Cement by Testors: This is the stuff in the brownish tube. Buy Elmer's Wood (yellow or brown upon drying) or Elmer's GlueAll (drys clear). You will be glad you did.
Fast Drying Wood Cement by Testors: This is the stuff in the green tube. Same advice as with the extra fast drying wood cement.
Cement for Rockets by Testors: Comes in a green/white tube. Buy Elmer's GlueAll instead.
Super Glue/Crazy Glue/etc.: You can do crazy things with it...like bond your skin together in seconds. If you are careful and perfect and all sorts of good stuff then you will like to use these on your model. It does not melt the plastic to bond pieces so you do not have to worry about making holes in your model. It dries clear and hard and can be cut or sanded. However, do not use this stuff on clear parts. As the stuff dries the vapor will make your canopies and windscreens fog up real nice...and permanently. Perhaps it would be a nice touch to the back windows of that 1957 Chevy model...It is also useful as a catch-all cement. It bonds metal to plastic and I believe it can be used on resin models also (I cannot afford to buy resin models so I have never tried it).
Elmer's Wood Glue: If you need wood glued this is the stuff. It is a little heavier then the jet glues but the stuff works. It dries yellow or brown depending on what type you buy. It is perfect for balsa construction planes, rockets and wood models that are going to be painted or stained provided that you catch all the drips. When it is still wet it washes up with water. I don't know if it is non-toxic so don't drink the stuff...
You may wonder on the strength of this stuff compared to the more modern glues. To give an example I had an engineering class project which was to construct a truss (about 1 1/2 foot long and about 8" high/6" wide) with bass wood and glue only. It could be any type of glue. Most people opted for the jet glue stuff. I went for the Elmer's. Knowing the tension and compression curves for the wood gave a good idea of when the breaking point for the wood should happen. The unknown factor was the glue. Similar trusses made with jet glue all snapped at the bonds around 60lbs. My truss and the two others with similar weight specs on their trusses who used Elmer's made it up to 100+lbs. Just as a note, the wood broke first causing the truss to lose structural integrity and then break at the bonds. It was quite amazing. Also, for about the same price as most other fancy wood glues you get a big bottle instead of a little tube.
Elmer's GlueAll: This glue is perfect for putting together rockets and balsa construction planes. It can be used to tighten paper covering on balsa construction planes also if you thin it properly. It dries clear and can be sanded and cut. It is water wash-up and non-toxic. It can also be used to glue clear parts on plastic models. It dries SLOW so you have plenty of time to think about what you have done and whether you messed it up or not...I like the stuff and have a few bottles around the house.
Putty
Contour Putty by Testors: This stuff comes in a gray tube. It is about worthless. I noticed it the solvent and the solid components separate in the tube so you have to squeeze it with the cap on to mix it up. When you take the cap off it then flows out non-stop. It is sticky and it hard to apply or even get into the gaps and low spots it is supposed to fill. When it dries it is chalky and soft. It often falls off when you try to smooth it out with a blade or sandpaper. The only good thing I have found this stuff to do is that you sort of glob it on around skirts of armored vehicles and paint over it with your best mud color. It then gives a nice effect for mud spatters. Of course it is soft so it breaks off easily so you have to then handle the model even more gingerly. My advice, avoid like the plague.
Green Putty by The Armory: This is nice stuff. It goes on well though I have notices a little separation when it comes out of the tube. When it dries it is tough yet flexible with a good consistency to it. It sands and cuts well and seems to hold well also. I would recommend this putty. The only problem is that since it is green in color you have to apply a few coats if you are using white or light gray paint. Other than that it is good stuff.
White Putty by The Armory: This is also nice stuff and its white so one coat of paint does the trick.
Brushes
I will not list to many specifics here. Pretty much any sable hair brush does the job. If you want to try a synthetic material brush go for the Model Master synthetics. They are a close second to sable hair. Their drawback is they are expensive if not more so than sable. Make sure the brush ends look good. I like brushes from the Armory. I have used the same small sable brush from them for detail and dry brushing for over seven years. I don't know if I was lucky or what but I have had similar luck with a few other brushes from the Armory. Avoid the black nylon or polyester brushes that Testors put out. They are so stiff you will have brush marks all over your stuff. In fact avoid most of the synthetic brushes because they just do not do a very good job.
Other Tools
X-Acto Knives: These are the little finger slicers no good modeler should be without. With a variety of blades and thick and thin handles these are the all purpose cutting tools. Yeah, they make mothers panic but they are darn useful. I have found there is nothing better for a fine cutting and trimming job than my x-acto knife. I know there are other specialized tools out there such as sprue trimmers and whatever but they are expensive and for one job only. Make sure you buy a real x-acto and not one of those plastic handles knives because those things are junk. You can find x-acto knives and accessories at just about any general store as well as hobby stores.
There are two I want to give about these knives though. The first thing is always be aware of what you are cutting. These little devils are SHARP. You will hit bone before you know you did it. Always cut away from yourself and use something besides your fingers to hold the object you are cutting if at all possible. Another thing is to not apply any sort of side pressure or torque to the blade. They are constructed of a very hard steel to retain their edge. Because of this they are brittle and a wrong motion could snap the blade. When this happens not only do you have to worry about flying bits of razor sharp metal but also the knife could slip into you.
Dremel Moto-Tool: I do not know what model of this I have since it is not at school with me at the time. It is a very handy tool for drilling the microscopic size hole that some models require for rigging and other things. It can also be used for cutting, polishing, sanding and grinding. It is pretty versatile but it takes a steady hand. Considering how fast the head moves on the thing you will polish a hole through a plastic model in a heartbeat. If you are going to purchase one of these I would suggest you purchase it for another hobby such as metal or wood working and use it on plastic models as a side benefit since the thing costs about $80 for a stripped down kit. It is an excellent tool though and if you are a tinker you should look into one.