Airbrush practice

I found some time AND motivation to get back behind the hobby-desk, even if it was just for an hour.

• I finished the base coat for the Abrams and it's wheels. (I'll post pictures when its dry.) I still need to do the backside of the wheels, but the outside needs to dry first. Even though the paintflow was irregular - and I still don't know why - I am managing with it. The airbrush seemed in an agreeable mood today.
• I put a second silver coat on the Enterprise's display base, so I can move on to masking for the next color. I'm tempted to start basecoating the Enterprise, but my workbench can only hold so many works in progress. It's time to finish something.
• I tested free-hand lines on a piece of paper, because I want the Puma to have soft-edged camouflage stripes. (Masking would give harsh edges).
  For the camo to work free-hand, I need the paint-consistency to be perfect, the air pressure on minimum and my hand steady the entire time. If the airbrush sputters only once, it's ruined and I have to start over.
  I can manage lines as small as 2-3 mm, but not smaller and the overspray is about twice as wide, but looks acceptable. One of the next sessions should be dedicated to this and I'll start with the underside, in case it doesn't go well.
• Another attempt to put gloss clear on the submarine. Tested pure or slightly thinned, the liquid does not atomise well and sprays droplets rather than particles. I thinned it 200% just for the hell of it and it sprayd rather okay(-isch). Then I knocked over the bottle with the thinned clear and took that as a sign to stop for the day. When finished, it'll have taken 5 or more sessions, but I WILL finish the clearcoat, so I can move on the decals. (Since ALL models need a clearcoat in the end, this is kinda a major skill to get the hang of)

I've been in contact with 2 supply companies for Revell about the needle not sitting flush inside the nozzle, but both times the answer was "Send it in and we'll look at it." Even though I don't use it that often, I'm not yet willing to be without it for several months. I also don't want to spend too much money on repairs that turn out unnecessary because I only THINK it might be damaged.

I guess it's back to the same questions : Is it too cheap to perform well? Is it my luck to have a crooked version? Do I go for a - more expensive - Badger (or Harder and Steenbeck or whatever) or is it just me?
Only time will tell ...