Manwithbrush

Review of the Neo by Iwata dual action airbrush and the Iwata Ninja Jet compressor

   I have been using these products for the last 6 months and have been happy with the way they have performed. Let's start with the airbrush.

    Neo by Iwata is Iwata's cheap brand. It's made in Taiwan and hence much cheaper than the main line of airbrushes they make. They market this airbrush as a cheap starter brush and in that regard it is excellent.

    It is easy to clean and maintain. The pieces feel like they all fit together quite well. And the chrome finish is really nice. But you can definitely feel that this is a product made on the cheap. After only 5 or so sessions I noticed all the screw in parts were starting to get a little rough and the seals used are quite cheap.

    The biggest problem I have had with this product is the chamber where the air comes up. I had a problem for 3 or 4 sessions where I could feel air moving through the product even when I wasn't holding the dual action button down.  I have since fixed the issue by disassembling the airbrush down to its component parts. I let it sit in pieces for a day to dry out and whatever was letting the air through is now resealed.

    I think this is a great starter brush but costing around $100 Canadian compared to just $40 US makes me feel a little cheated. If I had paid the US price I would be ecstatic with my purchase but it's not worth the $100 Canadian.

Advantages
·        Easy to clean and maintain.
·        Nice finish.
·        Feels sturdy when using.

Disadvantages

·        Seals and parts feel cheap after a few months of use.
·        Small air leak issues.

    The much bigger let down is the Studio Series Ninja Jet Compressor. I love the look of it. it comes well equipped with all the adaptors for different brands of airbrush. The airbrush stand is nice. The air pressure control is great. But the thing is so damn loud I usually have to wear headphones if I use it for more than 20 minutes. Ninja is the last word I think of when I use this thing. You can mitigate the sound by putting cloth underneath it. But for a portable compressor it really it is silly loud.

    A friend of mine has a portable badger equivalent which was much cheaper. It has less controls and a lower build quality but it probably produces a third of the sound. It also has a nice auto shut off feature which is very nice.

Advantages

·        Nice build quality
·        Looks great
·        Comes with a handle and airbrush holder
·        Can change the pressure quickly and easily.

Disadvantages
·        Loud
·        I mean really Loud
·        So loud this quality had to be mentioned three times.

    The ninja jet does come with a five year warranty. Which means I can look forward to the sound for many years to come. All in all I think this is a nice starter combination for novice airbrush users. The Dual Action brush combined with the pressure controls on the compressor give lots of control. In the coming months I'm sure I will invest in a better Airbrush. Likely one of the general use badger brushes with a finer needle.