# Look what Santa Brought...



## dneid (Dec 25, 2014)

Well, after hearing John (I think it was John) comment about getting an Iwata and hearing Andy talk about his HP-C, I started digging around the web and ebay and youtube to learn more about the Iwatas. The failure of my Paasche compressor after less than 24 months and having Paasche tell me that they stock *zero* parts for it really left a bad taste in my mouth after all the years of owning Paasches. So, I started considering one of the higher end Iwatas. I found a good deal on ebay for an HP-CH for *well* under $200 with free shipping. I was really torn on the HP-CH vs HP-CP. I was not sure about the "micro air valve" on the HP-CH, but I decided to go for it. Well, the brush arrived much sooner than I expected.






Initial impression is very favorable. The brush feels solid in my hand, yet not overly weighty. The balance feels real nice. The added wgt seems to lend to stability. Time will tell. The construction does indeed seem to be amazingly nice. The feel of the "trigger" is crisp, yet very manageable. I feel I can get better control of the air flow through the Iwata than my Paasche Millenium or Talon (still very nice brushes). The Paasches air flow feels more like an on/off thing. I can control the flow of air with the trigger on the Iwata in ways I never could with my Paasches. The control of paint feels very nice as well, very smooth. The overall feel of the brush is solid, yet very smooth.

Well, enough with how the brush feels. How well does it shoot paint? As many know, I am shifting away from enamels and moving to Vallejo Acrylics. Needless to say, there is a learning curve. I find the Vallejos give my Paasches a bit of a challenge with drying (even with the "wetting" agents). I know that they can flow the paints, I just need to spend the time and learn the "feel" of shooting acrylics. But, I have to say that the Iwata really felt great in the few minutes I played around with it and some Model Air. And, the micro valve is indeed a nice feature. Picture below. 





This is just a few drops of Model Air on some card stock. Initial impression is that I am going to really like this brush. Plus, the 5 yr warranty is nice too. Oh, avoid Paasche compressors given the *complete* lack of support for them now (excuse was they are all made in China and we cannot get parts - that really took the wind out of my Paasche sails).

Reactions: Like Like:
1 | Like List reactions


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## Wurger (Dec 25, 2014)




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## Lucky13 (Dec 25, 2014)




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## Aaron Brooks Wolters (Dec 25, 2014)

My Paasche airline fits my Iwata compressor so if you feel like spending the money and have 40% off coupon to Hobby Lobby you can get one for about $140.00.


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## vikingBerserker (Dec 25, 2014)

Nice!


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## Rogi (Dec 25, 2014)

Sweeeeet


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## A4K (Dec 26, 2014)

Nice one Dale!


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## Crimea_River (Dec 26, 2014)

Have fun!

Dale, just be VERY careful with the needle during assembly. It can easily be damaged. Mine got a very slight bend in it that I was able to straighten and I don't know how it got there.


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## Airframes (Dec 26, 2014)

Nice one Dale. I agree with Andy - my airbrushes are a similar design, and I damaged the tip of the needle in one. Even though I managed to straighten it, it was never the same afterwards, and I ended up replacing the 'brush with the same type - only a smidgen more than buying spare parts.
After replying to your original thread asking for advice, I decided it was maybe time to get a new compressor, as my current, basic one, although it works fine, is almost six years old now, and getting a bit noisy, possibly a sign that it might give up at the most inconvenient time.
So I looked around, and made a half-hearted bid on a 'package deal' at an e-bay shop - and won!
I got a new compressor, which came with an airbrush, hose, and moisture trap/filter, all for £50, which can't be sniffed at.
The 'brush is very similar to my existing ones, but with a 0.3mm nozzle - still reasonably fine-line, but more convenient when spraying larger areas. My other 'brushes have a 0.2mm nozzle - very fine line, but wider-area spraying is, of course, limited. 
The only thing I don't like is the centrally - mounted paint cup, as I find it difficult to operate the trigger, due to my stiff fingers catching against the rim of the cup. But this is a fault of my body, not the airbrush ! (One of my other 'brushes has a side-mounted, removable cup which, being offset, doesn't get in the way.) 
So, looks like we've both bought ourselves Christmas prezzies, which, in my case, is good, as no b*gg*r else gets me anything - Bah! Humbug !!


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## Lucky13 (Dec 26, 2014)

Crimea_River said:


> Have fun!
> 
> Dale, just be VERY careful with the needle during assembly. It can easily be damaged. Mine got a very slight bend in it that I was able to straighten and I don't know how it got there.



Mate, listen....you're just bent, end of...


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## Airframes (Dec 26, 2014)

Jan's finished his bottle of cooking sherry, and is half way through his neighbour's bottle ....... good job he isn't down in my area, as the last pub I took him to, in the village, is having a closing party tomorrow night. (The Landlord is retiring, and the pub has been bought by some smart-Rs 'Wunderkind', who is going to close it for a month whilst he totally alters the character of a 200 year old pub, and re-open under a new name. Broke, and bankrupt, within six months we reckon!)
So, we have to attend to bid farewell to the Landlord .... and drink the place dry.
It's a dirty job, but someone has to do it ..... so good job Jan can't come, otherwise he'd be missing from the forum for a considerable time .............


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## Crimea_River (Dec 26, 2014)

Well, at least Jan's stopped drinking from the neighbours' auto radiators with a straw.


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## Airframes (Dec 26, 2014)

Yeah, he's started on the fuel tank now, with a hose ....


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## Crimea_River (Dec 26, 2014)

Got a match?


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## Airframes (Dec 27, 2014)

You mean dog impressions, right?
As in, light match and 'Woof!'


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## Lucky13 (Dec 27, 2014)

Henceforth, I shall be known as Smokey13! 
Terry, old boy....in all honesty, is the new owner stupid?
Why change something that's that old and has a loyal group of drunks?  

Will I have to bring my own booze, the next time that I'm in your neighbourhood?

Otherwise we can go back to that museum, crack a few open in _that_ hut, becaaauuuuse.....we're Freeee....well, you know!


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## Airframes (Dec 27, 2014)

Yep, he's a 28 year old 'know it all', who hasn't even bothered to introduce himself to the 'regulars', or talk to the staff. The Ex-Servicemen's Club, across the road, is going to open every Friday night now, as we reckon that, at first, the 'new' pub will be patronised by this young fool's friends, until they get tired of it, and then he'll probably struggle.
He's even changing the name of the pub, and ripping out the fireplace, putting in 'plastic' windows, a laminate floor and so on ! 
We reckon anywhere between six months, and a year maximum, and he'll either just about keep his head above water, or crash and be broke, owing a lot of money to the Pension Fund where he got the money to buy the place !
Closing a pub for a month or more, to do work which is not needed, and changing the traditions, is a death knell for a pub !


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## Crimea_River (Dec 27, 2014)

What a shame.


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## Wayne Little (Dec 28, 2014)

Coat and hat time Terry....


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