Mr. Hobby Procon Boy LWA Trigger Type Double Action Airbrush Review

I like my Paasche VL airbrush a lot. But, I have been using my Iwata top loader so much that I can't deal with the VL's siphon style bottom paint feeding anymore. So much wasted paint and time to clean up. I almost drilled a hole in the top of my VL thinking I could retrofit it. I even tried using it upside down. It doesn't take much to inspire a google search, so here we are.

I check Amazon, looking first for a better Paasche. In the listing you will find "comparable items" which gives you more options as a good starting point. This pointed me to the Mr. Hobby brush. I already like Mr. Hobby stuff (a lot) and it had many good reviews. In addition, the Mr. Hobby brushes are made by the same factory as Iwata and the price was around $150 USD. Next I check Ebay and the Google Shopping tab to see what the average price is and if there are any deals. There are very few used listings on Ebay, which I take as a good sign as it could mean people don't resell them. Spray Gunner in Florida offers a better price than Amazon. I already have an account with them and I can get the Tamiya tape for curves as well, all shipped in two days for free. It's nice to know what you want and where to get it. With a few clicks I buy it ($140) from the nice people at Spray Gunner along with Tamiya 3mm "Tape For Curves" ($6.50). A few days later there is a thump on my porch. Literally.

This brush comes in either a 3mm or 5mm. I need a fire hose, so got the larger size. When buying an airbrush check to see which "add on" features you want to the basic type. In this case I wanted one with a trigger. Here is the whole thing, notice the cup is a separate part and screws on (nice) and it comes with two "Air Caps" one is "Normal", the other is "Wide". Included is a separate "Air Valve" (on the right above the wrench).

The Mr. Hobby Procon Boy LWA Trigger Type & Paasche VL side by side. Note, the Procon Boy doesn't have the cut outs in the handle so you can completely pull back the needle to flush for cleaning. Presumably the trigger pulls the needle as far back as it can go to accomplish this. Note also the brass quick connect on my VL. There is a matching adapter on the compressor hose which makes it easier to switch the guns. Both Paasche and Iwata guns have different size air hose attachments, the quick connects get around this.

Here is the "Wide" air cap. Air is blown through the two offset side jets which creates a fan shaped spray pattern. I learned priming on a Binks spray gun (typically used to lay primer on cars) and this is the same kind of spray nozzle you would find on them. It is designed for even coverage, not detailing. Keep in mind what this tool is designed for:  quick and even application of large areas of primer or paint.

  

By loosening the outer collar, the "Wide" air cap can be rotated so the the fan of paint exiting the nozzle is either vertical or horizontal.

The screw in cup. Believe it or not this is the small cup.

The needle diameter is the same as my Iwata. Note the needle tip is rounded.

The "Normal" cap (lower) is used to spray the traditional round pattern.

The guttiwerx inside. Note that the tiny spray nozzle is extraordinarily similar to an Iwata one. I know from experience these can be hard to find individually for sale and can be expensive. They are pretty small and must be removed using the special wrench included. Always keep the instructions, hopefully the replacement part number is on it so you can find the exact matching part. Remember, there is a 3mm version of the gun and when looking at all the pictures everything will look the same. I will start looking for a replacement today and get that process going. You never know when a nozzle will split or roll into oblivion on the floor.

I am using Tamiya acrylic on foam core. The paint exits the "Wide" cap as a fan and covers as a tight oval. It's just like I remember from using the larger Binks gun. This type spray pattern is much better for coverage because: 1) more paint is being used and 2) there are less feathered edges as you sweep the surface. These are still shots, so it's hard to see how quickly the paint goes on. In the middle you can make out the fan shaped spray pattern (almost). I had a nearly impossible time capturing the painting process using a whistle command on a voice control app on my phone. The Procon Boy is described as "Double Action", which is supposed to mean that you can control the amount of air/paint dynamically. Maybe I am missing something, the only control you have while painting is the trigger. A light pull only releases air, as you squeeze a greater mixture of air and paint are released. Personally, being unable to control the air/paint dynamically was not a problem. In fact, it made it easier to get the paint on how I wanted it because all I needed to do was squeeze the trigger. This kind of painting is much more about controlling the application of the paint to get the perfect finish. It is not about detailing, which is what the Iwata is for.

This took about 20 seconds using the Procon Boy. Notice the nice even coverage. I took this right after I stopped spraying. I love my Iwata, but it is not designed for this kind of painting. It would have taken me five times longer and I would have unevenness because the spray pattern is lighter and smaller. The Procon Boy burns through paint much faster.

Here is a short video of the fan spray in action.

Clean up is vastly simplified over the VL, clean the cup, remove and then get into the body.

A shot from the paperwork, explaining the "Wide" spray cap. Unfortunately GSI Creos "Mr. Hobby" products are not marketed and sold in the US. Most of the items have crazy names and don't turn up in searches. They laughed at me when I bought this, but I showed them!

I am very pleased with this brush. I wish I had had it when painting the Victor, priming and painting would have been a breeze. A basic airbrush (like the Paasche VL) is around $60 to $70 and you can spend many hundreds on a fancier brush. The Procon Boy is a great bargain at $140, especially if you like Iwata. Now that I have the right tool, I'll be humming through the primer and base coat stages. I am so excited!