Airbrush vs Cans

[Zulu504]

Which is more economical, airbrushing or painting with aerosol cans? This hobby is becoming quite expensive, lol.

 

[Chubaka]

Cheapest Is airbrush, and use the can to seal it when done. Dark colors first, light last. If you break that, silver prevents bleeding of darker colors into lighter ones.

 

[07a]

Cheapest Is airbrush, and use the can to seal it when done. Dark colors first, light last. If you break that, silver prevents bleeding of darker colors into lighter ones.

The hardware cost of a decent complete airbrush system is pretty expensive (from what I've seen, $50 to $200 for a gun and whatever you want to pay for a compressor and accessories). For the casual hobbyist who's going to paint a few bodies over the course of a few years, how is that cheaper than some ~$12 cans of spray paint?

 

[WickedFog]

I prefer an airbrush. The cans of paint are way overpriced. I can paint 5 or 6 bodies with a $7 bottle of paint. At $10 per can, and barely able to spray a single body, if you do paint much a cheap airbrush will pay for itself. You don't need anything expensive to spray bodies.

 

[TRAT]

I agree air brush is the way to go.

 

[Chubaka]

The hardware cost of a decent complete airbrush system is pretty expensive (from what I've seen, $50 to $200 for a gun and whatever you want to pay for a compressor and accessories). For the casual hobbyist who's going to paint a few bodies over the course of a few years, how is that cheaper than some ~$12 cans of spray paint?

Everyone around me has air compressors, I have 2. The airbrush I use is a $20 harbor freight and a $80 Paasche vl.

As for casual hobbyist painting a few bodies a year, you didn't mention if it's 1/24 or 1/5. Alot of variables missing. The op asked what's cheaper, and I stared my experience. Since I had the compressor it took me $20 for the first airbrush, plus paint.

 

[07a]

Everyone around me has air compressors, I have 2. The airbrush I use is a $20 harbor freight and a $80 Paasche vl.

As for casual hobbyist painting a few bodies a year, you didn't mention if it's 1/24 or 1/5. Alot of variables missing. The op asked what's cheaper, and I stared my experience. Since I had the compressor it took me $20 for the first airbrush, plus paint.

Gotcha. I'm looking at painting one 1/10 shell for a starter. I'm not planning any expansion to multiple vehicles or bodies, but I know I'll have to replace my initial body shell in a while. I don't have a compressor and neither does anybody I know, so I'd be on the hook for the cost of a complete airbrush system. I understand that the airbrush is the preferable way to go, but the startup hardware cost is a tough nut to crack at my level of foreseeable use. I wish it was otherwise, but I think I'm limited to rattle-can painting unless the amount of painting I'm doing increases dramatically.

 

[WickedFog]

If you get an airbrush, you'll find uses for it. I have painted a lot more than just bodies with mine. I think all in, airbrush, compressor, and spray booth included, I have maybe $175 in my setup. The price has probably gone up since then though.

 

[TRAT]

I’ll just use some house paint and a couple rollers and brushes

 

[Greywolf74]

You can get a cheap starter airbrush and compressor for about $80. LINK

You can get a little better quality one plus 3 different airbrushes for $150. LINK

a single 3 color body is gonna put you at least 2/3 of the way to the cost of the cheap set up but it just depends on what you want to invest in. Airbrush is a little more expensive up front. Long run its cheaper and offers better control for higher quality paint jobs.

 

[Zulu504]

Cheapest Is airbrush, and use the can to seal it when done. Dark colors first, light last. If you break that, silver prevents bleeding of darker colors into lighter ones.

Thanks

 

[Kimmie28]

My wife got me an airbrush setup off Amazon for 150 and it included 3 airbrushes, paint, and the compressor. Overall I'm very happy with it and have painted a couple bodies with it already. I painted these with my airbrush. Didnt take long and i enjoyed the experience of learning. I've got a long way yo go before I'm pro but I'm having fun

 

[TRAT]

I want that Ford love it!!!

 

[Jamr]

Looks good! Go T-Maxx

 

[Kimmie28]

Looks good! Go T-Maxx

It's actually been converted for my wife. She loves the truck and the body I painted

I want that Ford love it!!!

That's the jconcepts super cab 79 on my Trx-4 defender chassis