Some of you guys may be more familiar with airbrush and the problems they’re getting. This one is getting beneath my skin a bit.
I have a Badger 150 Fine (double-action). Of late it developed a problem “picking up” the paint. Air comes through just fine, but not the paint. I have cleaned a re-cleaned to no avail! And every now and again it works fine. On Saturday it worked okay when I painted the yellow for my Jordan F1, but just after that, when I tried to apply something to my bike exhausts, it was completely haywire. Most of the time nothing, then suddenly it would blast out a huge amount of paint, then nothing again. Will have to be stripped and redone…
What I did find the evening, was a little paper telling me about the assembly of the “pull-back” part of the trigger and exactly how it should be alligned. I know that part became loose in one session and shortly afterwards my problems started. But then it got the tension back and I thought all was solved. I have not done anything since.
Could it have been that? Any other suggestions? Did I miss something in cleaning? Did I clean something I shouldn’t have?
I hope someone knows the answer SeaBee because I have a similar problem with a 200.
The thing is either on or off, mostly off, and gushes paint all over the place with no adjustment available when it does work.
Not normally in the auto forum but I saw this post on top so here is some info you might be able to use. Your brush isn’t pulling a proper vacumn until your lever gets back past the point it’s supposed to and then it’s too late. You need to seal all the nozzle pieces threads. If you use acrylics seal with beeswax. If your an enamel person seal with non-hardening gasket sealer (thats right the same stuff from your local autoparts store). You don’t need much. Need it cleaned good - try spraycan carbuerator cleaner. Hows all that auto supplies stuff for an auto forum post? [:D]
Disclaimer: This is all common knowlege among airbrushers I don’t claim any of it as my own. Use it at your own (or your airbrushes own) risk.
Thanks mate! I am obviously not that much of an a/b expert! Another dunb question… If I use both, I presume it would be safest to use the enamel option. Your point also being that the existing seal might not be up to scratch any more(?) Or that I may need to tighten the nozzle bits a bit…
Anyways, thanks a stack. Appreciate it! My previous a/b did not last long enough for maintainance to become an issue! I made the fatal mistake of cleaning the nozzle with the rubber seal (hmmm…) still in. Just need to forget it once… And replacement parts could not be found anywhere.
Glad to be some help SeeBee. I prefer the non-hardening gasket sealer myself. I also use both acrylic and enamel/lacquer. All you need is a little tube and it lasts forever. Don’t overtighten the nozzle parts, you shouldn’t need too, just put some sealer on an tighten by hand. Let us know how it works out.
I had an issue when I was spraying X32 titanium silver. I dont know why; only that paint. my guess was the flakes were somehow clogging the tip or something. a little more spraying with another color and eventually it worked normal and continued to untill I went back to X32 or X33(the gold titanium).
what color were you spraying on the exhaust? if it was black or something, then my problem is not your problem.
Gentlemen, a while back I was having the same problem until I replaced the teflon gasket in the nozzle section. It has worked fine since. The teflon gasket needs replacing frequently especially if you use a lot of lacquer thinner or MEK.
SeaBee Two things to check on your Badger that could be causing this problem the first is the tiny Teflon seal about 3mm diameter between the nozzle and the silver airbrush body, the airbrush nozzle passes through the seal into the nozzle. If this seal is missing, the airbrush will pulse as described. It is small and easily lost during cleaning and assembly. Check, the condition of the seal between the airbrush lid and the paint jar it might be brittle and no sealing so well. Try using a low pressure I find about 14 psi (1 bar) the best for gloss colour. I have been using a Badger 200 for 22 years now and it gives fantastic service with regular maintenance.
Andrew
Seabee. Another thought regarding your airbrush, about ten years ago I bought the Heavy-Duty Braided Air Hose for the Badger airbrush and it did reduce pulsing since the hose is thicker and gives the airbrush a bigger volume of air at the nozzel. You can expect to pay about R180 but I thought the investment worthwhile especially for very fine spraying it just seems to give a more even paint flow at low pressure
Andrew
SeaBee
the part numbers for the Badger 150 are
50-055 Head Washer
50-0241 Jar Cover Gasket (3 per package)
50-2011 10 Ft. Braided Air Hose
(swivel connection both ends, includes 50-023)
Last two items if your interested
Here is the link to go to the parts catalogue directly http://www.badger-airbrush.com/150parts.htm
Hope this helps
Thanks guys! Will look at replacing the gasket. At least I know it’s there - saw it in reassembly! At least now I know it points to air flow/escape in the front nozzle.
Btw, really idiot’s guide type question… But exactly how far do you “insert” the needle after reassembly?
Andrew, I have to agree that these are super a/b’s for my use. I know it’s just something small that’s gone awry. It’s not so much pulsing as it’s doing nothing but blowing out clean air. Then (very) intermittendly it would gush out a heap of paint all at once.
SeaBee
I normally push the needle gently till it seats in the nozzel then slacken it off slghtly. I wonder if you do not have a slightly bent needle. [V] If you look at the nozzel there is the outer tip cover that you can remove which will then allow you to look at the needle coming through the fine tip of the nozzel. In the ideal situation the needle should be plumb center in the tip. Also check if the tip of the needle has a nick or slight bend! Also check the inside of the tip for damage. It sounds like paint is buildinhg up somewhere and then when it is built up it “splats” out giving you the pulse effect.
Hope this helps[:D]
Andrew
Nope, needle checked very well. I pulled the needle out manually whilst spraying (desperation!) and even that did not change it… Just air!
No, I’ve got my money (think you confused the heck out of everyone else with that R180!) on the nozzle not retaining all the air, either through the washer or the thread on the two pieces.
Another thing you might want to check is the air hole in the lid to relieve the vacuum inside the jar. It may be clogged with paint or the gasket might be covering it.
Might have found something. Had a bit of a weird weekend, but had time to check out the AB (not spray).
On the parts sheet, there is a part 50-046, called teflon needle bearing/hosing, something to the tune thereof (memory going…) Where do one physically locate that? Is it inside the tip? Should it be “behind” the white head washer (as it seems on the sheet).
If that is the case… blush i found the error! Because I can’t locate such a thing anywhere. Unless you guys can convince me it’s just hidden somewhere.