IWATA ECLIPSE HP-BS

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fubar57

fubar57

General
33,593
20,580
Nov 22, 2009
The Jungles of Canada
Looking at this...
Eclipse HP-BS
I know several members use Iwata ABs and just wondering what model they prefer and why. Tried to search the site but the camp internet is brutally slow. Also the camps McAfee Security has prevented me from looking up other Canadian airbrush sites
 
I have a couple of Iwatas, a BR, which is like the one you are looking at with a 0.3mm needle and a CS (0.35mm needle and larger paint cup).
Unlike some internet opinions I have seen, I don't think there is much in the needle size, I've used brushes from 0.3 to 0.5 and not found much difference in them. If you use acrylic paints the larger needle/nozzle may be an advantage.
You do need to consider the size of the paint cup. The cup on the BS (like my BR) really doesn't hold much. If you will be using it for spraying finishes on anything bigger than 1/72 scale aircraft then you will certainly find yourself re-filling to complete the job.

More generally all the Iwata brushes I have owned or used have been well made and engineered and very reliable, requiring no more cleaning and maintenance than any other brand. I have only ever changed the occasional nozzle and needle, usually as a result of my own ineptitude. I've never changed a seal, needle packing or anything else in more years than I care to remember :)
Obviously there are other very good brands as well, and Iwata are no better or worse than some of these, but I've enjoyed a trouble free service from my Iwatas and I reckon they are good value for money.

Cheers

Steve
 
Nothing more to add. I have an HP-C Plus and have had no problems, though I damaged the needle tip very slightly and should probably replace it. To be honest, I would not be able to tell you of any differences in performance between the HP-C PLus and you HP-CS. The different nozzle designs could be a factor though. The one on mine screws into the airbrush body and could be more prone to loss as the thing is tiny. You also need to be careful not to over-torque it as it can easily shear off.
 
Thanks for the comment Andy. The reason I starting looking at the Iwata I posted above and then their airbrushes in general was the ability to "spray pencil thin to 2 inches" with the single brush and nozzle. Is this possible or should I look at getting another nozzle/needle?
 
You can certainly spray pencil thin lines with nozzles in the 0.3 to0.5 mm range.
to spray a 2" wide band in one pass might be optimistic, but possible. You would need to spray from some distance from the target and the properties of the medium being sprayed may come into play. For example, some acrylics might hit the surface partially dry when sprayed from distance; not a good look!
 
And I don't think that Iwata is alone in being able to spray thin lines. Cheaper brushes will do this too given the correct paint mix and pressure combinations. Others on this site prefer cheaper brushes that, even if they need to be replaced 8 times, are still cheaper than the Iwatas.
 
Yep, I do just that. Currently using a cheap 'brush from which the Iwata design team based their products, mine having been around for at least 50 years.
Get in close, and relatively low pressure (around 12 to 15 psi), and fine lines are no problem. In fact, when doing a soft-edged demarcation, the line is so fine, I have to use a spaced mask to get the 'feathering' effect.
Wider bands realistically fall into the area of around 1/2 to 1 inch, although up to around 2 inches can be achieved, in a thin coat, if used as described by Steve, with the larger nozzle and needle supplied with the 'brush.
There's absolutely nothing wrong with buying an expensive 'brush such as the Iawata range, but as I've mentioned a number of times, this type of 'brush was originally intended for hard, daily use in the graphics industry, and for modelling use, it's really rather 'overkill', a little like taking the rubbish to the tip in a Rolls Royce, where a Ford van would do the job equally as well.
I had considered investing in a more expensive 'brush, but couldn't see the point, for something used a dozen, maybe a couple of dozen times a year, when I could obtain a 'brush which would work equally as well, for a couple of years at least, and costs around a tenth of the more expensive products.
Certainly worth considering if on a budget.
 
I've had one of my Iwatas for at least twenty years and it works as well today as it did when new. I use enamel pants, regularly thinning and cleaning with 'hot' solvents. I very much doubt that an inferior brush would have given me the same reliable and trouble free service over so many years.
There is nothing intrinsically wrong with the cheap Chinese brushes, I could have replaced an entire brush fro the price of an Iwata nozzle, but they are not made from the same quality materials, nor are they so finely engineered, it's why they're cheap.
I know plenty of people who are quite happy with their cheap brushes, but then I know plenty who are happy with heir Iwatas and H+S brushes, and have been for a very long time.
Cheers
Steve
 
Thanks for the input guys. I'm sure there are better options than Iwata (or not) but the only reason I settled on it was it was the first hit that popped up when I did a search. I'm a buyer, not a shopper. Just cleared the final hurdle, talked to my banker and she said it was OK. I'll start looking for dealers when I get home Wednesday morning and get a decent internet connection
 
If you like you can look on YouTube for Olympos airbrushes. It's the design where the Iwata's are based on. I ordered one in Japan and use it Beside my Harder and Steenbeck Evolution and Infinety. Fantastisch piece of equipment wich really does the job, including very fine lines, but considerably cheaper than Iwata.
It's just an idea. Good luck with your purchase!
 
I have the same brush as Andy (Iwata HP-C Plus) and have been satisfied with its performance. The tiny screw-in tip sheared off forcing me to buy a rather expensive replacement. But... Iwata did send me a warranty replacement so I now have a spare. The BS looks to have a smaller cup than the HP-C Plus and I'd be concerned about that. You don't want to be filling your cup close to the brim because the paint will spill so its good to have a your cup a little bigger than the paint quantities you'll be spraying. FWIW, I can spray a finer line with my old Paasche V (0.254mm needle) than I can with my HP-C Plus (0.3mm needle).
 
I have the Iwata Eclipse HP-CS and love it. I just recently acquired it so I don't have a lot of experience with it. But I would recommend it whole heartedly. I have about 50 hours on it so far and aside from routine cleaning no issues. I also have a NEO CN which is built for but not by Iwata, other than a nozzle leak that I corrected with chapstick lip balm I have had no issues with it either.

For the NEO I have a .35 needle/nozzle and a .50 needle/nozzle. The NEO I use primarily for clear coating with Future and laying down large amounts of primer. The HP-CS I primarily use for detail work and smaller areas although it could easily handle the larger areas I imagine.

My next airbrush is going to be a Badger Patriot 105. It has needle/nozzle combinations of .2, .3, .5 and .75 which will give me more flexibility. I use the larger needle sizes for spraying heavier paints like those that are polyurethane based.

There are a few sites such as Swannys that offer a discount code up to 40% off your purchase at Chicago Airbrush, it is worth a quick internet search. My HP-CS was marked at 209USD but I was able to purchase it for 126USD with a coupon.
 
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