Airbrush cup size question?

Hello, I need some advice from experienced airbrush artists.

I recently bought a compressor and I've been researching airbrushes. I've narrowed it down to the Badger Renegade Krome. I like the two needle sizes it comes with for the size of miniatures I'll be painting 6mm, 10mm, 15mm and maybe a few 32mm.

But the Krome comes in two cup sizes 11mm for the standard brush and the Krome Jet has a 3mm cup. The Jet is also a little cheaper and I think the smaller cup size will make it easier to paint details. But will it be a pain to prime and basecoat with a small cup? I don't plan on painting 30 tanks at a time or anything but I'll probably paint 5 or so at once.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

I have the Krome with the 11ml cup, and seldom (never, really) use it anywhere near capacity. Having said that, the cup not large enough to get in the way, 99.9% of the time.

The 3ml cup will intrude less into your field of vision if you intend to be getting in exceptionally close for fine detail work. However, I'd only get it in that size if you have another brush for the large-scale work, as it would soon become frustrating having to constantly refill it.

Thanks for the insight Fitz! You bring up a great point!

Could I ask you if the Krome (using the larger needle) with the 11mm cup is sufficient for painting terrian and building at 15mm scale? I was also thinking that down the road of getting something different for that purpose, possibly a suction feed? But if the Krome can do it all, than the standard cup size is the way to go.

It should be fine.

I have quite a few airbrushes* now, Paasche and Badger, both gravity and suction feed, both single and double action, both with integral cups and with attachable cups and jars, and I very seldom use anything other than my Badger gravity feeds these days unless I'm doing a very large area, such as a terrain mat. Anything bigger than that and I'll go for a spray gun on the big compressor.

* I have the Badger Krome, 105 Patriot, and a 100 single-action in gravity-feed, and a bottom-feed 150 and the little plastic 250 spray gun. I also have a Paasche Talon gravity feed, and a single-action bottom feed I can't remember the model number for. In all cases, I prefer the Badger brushes.

Fitz wrote:It should be fine.

I have quite a few airbrushes* now, Paasche and Badger, both gravity and suction feed, both single and double action, both with integral cups and with attachable cups and jars, and I very seldom use anything other than my Badger gravity feeds these days unless I'm doing a very large area, such as a terrain mat. Anything bigger than that and I'll go for a spray gun on the big compressor.

* I have the Badger Krome, 105 Patriot, and a 100 single-action in gravity-feed, and a bottom-feed 150 and the little plastic 250 spray gun. I also have a Paasche Talon gravity feed, and a single-action bottom feed I can't remember the model number for. In all cases, I prefer the Badger brushes.

I appreciate the advice Fitz. I was hoping someone would have experience with the Badger Krome to help me decide which to buy, I'll go with the standard Krome model. I was thinking about getting the Patriot 105 at first, I read its a great general purpose brush. But I thought it would be a little limited (due to the bigger .5 needle size) to mostly priming and base coating for my smaller miniatures and I'd still need a detail brush. The Krome seems to fit my need perfectly, and it's reassuring to hear you like your Badger brushes.

I can't wait to start airbrushing! I have lots to learn but I think it'll be an enjoyable experience.