Reddit reviews Neo for Iwata Gravity-Feed Airbrushing Kit
We found 4 Reddit comments about Neo for Iwata Gravity-Feed Airbrushing Kit. Here are the top ones, ranked by their Reddit score.
Learn and explore the art of airbrushingPerfect kit for the beginnerKit features a Neo compressor and Gravity-feed airbrushIncludes three colors of Comart Opaque Acrylic Solution and a 1 Fl Oz bottle of Medea Airbrush CleanerOnline practice exercises
I bought the Master Deluxe Airbrush kit on Amazon (likely the one you saw), and everything /u/BigBraddWolfe said has been my exact experience.
I originally got mine for Gundam model kits, though the brush works fantastically for priming and base-coating miniatures as well. I would definitely recommend the Deluxe over the cheaper version, because the "extras" make all the difference.
The tank allows you a fair bit of continuous spray before the motor kicks in, and pretty much ensures you don't get any rattling or crazy pressure differences. It fills back up pretty quickly, so you won't spend more than a few seconds waiting on it if you choose to wait it out vs. continuing to spray. I'm pretty sure that the extra needles of various sizes, quick-disconnect, fancy hose, and moisture trap are a savings in this bundle when compared to upgrading an existing compressor. In any case, it's doubtful that I'll have to get another compressor in the future assuming this one continues to hold up. It does everything I could ask of it, in about the best way any compressor is going to. It gives me air steadily and for a long time, pressurized to a level I determine, keeps moisture out, and allows me to quickly connect and disconnect the brush.
That last point turns out to be quite the life-saver for the brush itself. It works fine, sprays well, and can go wider or tighter with the included needles. Where this thing may have a little more upkeep vs. an Iwata is in the clean-up between colors. I find myself breaking it down to clean the needle guard and do a "deep cleaning" just about every time I change colors. It just doesn't satisfy me to wash a bunch of cleaner through it and hope for the best. I would imagine an Iwata will create less buildup on the needle and in the guard, allowing you to clean it out a bit quicker. For me, it's not too much of a hassle because I just need to rinse the cup, slide the needle out, give it a wipe, remove and clean the guard, then stick everything back together. With the quick-disconnect I don't have to worry about my compressor's pressure, or the line, or any of that. I pop the brush off, do the quick cleaning, and it's all but spotless a minute later when I pop it back on and go back to spraying.
Even if you have no intention of using the included brush, you're probably still getting a decent compressor fully decked out at a steal. If you want to go and drop the remaining budget on a neo, by all means do so and you'll have a fantastic setup for airbrushing dolls and whatever other large surfaces you want to repaint. If you grab another quick-connect fitting (it seems like most of the hose fittings for compressors are standardized by one of a few manufacturers), then you could switch between them at will for different jobs. Use the basic Master one for priming or whatever rough jobs you need to crank out, and break out the neo for finer detail work.
Thoughts on the first Neo kit I found: it looks like the brush is better but I can't speak definitively on the compressor's workings. It may be quieter than mine, or it could be louder. It looks like the three settings on it are all you get, while I have a little gauge on mine to set my PSI to whatever I want (I typically use 20-25). It may seem like a small thing, but I think it's kind of nice that it has a little holder on it. It's a kind of profound terror to pick up the airbrush, fill it with paint, and realize you have nowhere to put it down when you suddenly need two hands again.
I've been using the Iwata Neo. It's inexpensive and comes with a compressor. I've been happy so far.
Iwata NEO CN Gravity Feed Airbrush Set https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01J4GTIUI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_rvq0Bb57ZKEBE
Edit: added link.
Iwata Airbrushes NEO CN Gravity Feed Airbrush Set, IWAIW120 https://www.amazon.com/dp/B01J4GTIUI/ref=cm_sw_r_cp_apa_i_-L2XDbX3CMTVC
For a starter I feel the price is good for the gun and compressor. It top feeder which is what I want. It not top of the line but I think it will do for practicing.
I bought this kit and I've been having decent luck with it. You might also want to pick up a spray booth and a spray-out pot like this.
I went with the kit because I live in a tiny apartment, so a big and/or loud compressor wouldn't work. You might be able to save some dollars going for something bigger with a tank on it. My understanding is that the brush is much better than no-name cheap airbrushes, but not quite as nice as some of the higher end Iwatas.
This is enough airbrush to learn on and paint basecoats, shading, and block-in colors for miniatures and smaller models, but it doesn't have enough power to be very versatile outside of that range (you're not going to be painting a van with it, and freehanding fine lines/details won't be the best).