Which airbrush?

I'm considering buying an airbrush to start playing around with and am curious which one you all are using. My ultimate goal would be to eventually paint my own crankbaits because I troll 90% of the time and lose a lot of lures every season. I need another hobby like I need another hole in the head but this is something that I've wanted to pick up for a while.

I already have a Rigid compressor with a water trap and have eyed a smaller airbrush friendly regulator to put on it. I just don't know where to start with the airbrushes themselves as there are so many options out there.

Thanks,

I use a neo by iwata from hobby lobby. You can get a 40% discount on one item at any time there in store or online and it comes out to about $50. Easy to clean and works very well, make sure to get the gravity fed.


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I've painted a bunch of cranks, and not mortgaged the farm to do it. The wife bought me an airbrush(blue one) for Christmas and I bought a small regulator/dryer to make it all work smooth. All came from Harbor Freight for well under a hundred bucks. Any airbrush has a learning curve. This is a jar setup for feed and takes some work changing colors. I bought a 10 pack of extra jars, glass, on ebay to make that easier. Createx paints have done everything I've ever needed and found some smaller containers of other colors at Hobby Lobby that work and clean up just as easy. Scott V on the Mississippi board was a very big help in getting me going and shortening the learning curve. The brushes take a little practice to find out what air pressure works best for what effect you're looking for. The better quality gravity feeds work well for smaller detail and easier to clean up after doing little things. Didn't take me long and they were looking good. I know you can do the same. Keep us posted, we teach one another along the way.

Have painted a lot of crankbaits,blades,ect,Have about every air brush."learning curve".Have a friend that's one of the best in the business paints handmade crank's for Bass Pro shop's and the Pro Bassfishermen. Suppose to be a secret.LOL got me into the Copic airbrush system.Have not looked back."unreal on detail work!! gill's ect,No mess,no smell,Very handy for other uses!!and painting crankbait's

I have an older Paasch single action that works great hooked up to a 50psi compressor. I can change tips (#1 for thinned lacquers, #3 for acrylics), and supply paint from the cup or a jar. (Although cup gravity feed has produced best results) Great for painting jigheads with 100% coverage and no runs. My old Badger single action handled lacquers pretty well, but without option for larger tips, it won't handle acrylics. Acrylics are great for bait painting, especially the Createx fluorescents. Thin with 50/50 water and Pledge tile and vinyl finish (which is just clear acrylic). Do a quick heat-set on each coat of paint with a small hair dryer. Lay down a thin protective coat with Pledge. Top off with a few light coats of clear gloss lacquer. Whatever airbrush you get, make sure you can get different tips and cup/jar option, or you'll kick yourself later!

I appreciate the input from you guys. I'm gonna put one of these on my wishlist for possible anniversary gifts later this year. I figure that if I lose 20-30 cranks a season that this will eventually pay for itself after a period of time versus buying factory painted lures.

If you never lose a one, it's still a worth it investment. Lots of fun to turn em out.