Advanced Tools III: Rich RB-2 Airbrush Impressions

Hey all!

Airbrushing is becoming more important to our hobby. If you check the channels on Youtube, or the forums at DakkaDakka, you will soon realize, that the community is embracing this tool with open arms. For me personally, Les' Awesomepaintjob Videos on Youtube have been an eye-opener and convinced me to get a brush in the first place. After I had the chance to get comfortable with it, I just wanted to give you my impressions on the Rich RB-2 Airbrush.

My first Airbrush

In Germany, everything Airbrush is much more expensive than in say the US or Great Britain. Also, the selection isn't the best. When I started out, I was lucky to find a craft store which specialized in airbrushing in my area - the owner specialized in airbrush bodypainting and has placed in numerous competitions all over Europe. So right there I had a great ressource, and he gave me a few pointers to get started. Back then, I got a compressor, the airbrush and some colors to get me started.

The Facts

The Rich RB-2 is a gravity feed, dual-action airbrush. It has a nozzle size of 0.2mm and the cup holds 3ml of paint. The build quality is excellent and even after one year of usage, the brush performs flawlessly.


The Good

The RB-2 is a very durable airbrush. It is easy to disassemble and after a few tries, putting the brush back together becomes second nature. The first time you pick it up you realize, how well it is made. The trigger mechanism is precise and because of the 0.2mm nozzle, even the finest tasks (after a lot of practice) can be done.

Cleaning the brush is no problem at all, just spray the extra color out, fill it with your preferred cleaning solution, scrub the paint cup with a brush and you're good to go.


The Bad

Because of the small nozzle, the RB-2 is very unforgiving when it comes to thinning your paints. Especially for a beginner who has no clue what he's doing, this will be very frustrating, because the brush will clog up most of the time - of course that can also be because of faulty technique, but the thickness of the paint is a major factor here. After you learn to thin your paints correctly this goes away, but it's a steep learning curve.

The paint cup holds enough paint for most tasks, but if you want to basecoat entire regiments or even terrain, the 3ml will soon be a hindrance. There is also no lid for the paint cup, which can get messy if you're not careful.

The accessories are very "bare bones". You get the airbrush, and a wrench for dis-assembly and that's it. Other brushes in this price range come with a lot more options - but again, this is a German thing concerning airbrushes. Pay more, get less.


The Verdict

The Rich RB-2 is a good overall brush. I just wouldn't recommend it for the beginning airbrusher, because of the problems I mentioned. If you know what you're doing, the RB-2 will make a fine addition to your hobby tool selection.

I hope this review may be helpful to some of you!

As always, enjoy and have fun,


IK-Painter