What the title says, I’m thinking of getting one. Anyone have any opinions, or has used it previously?
I had one. It’s a decent compressor. You’ll need a regulator and moisture trap for it. It also gets hot quickly and it pretty loud.
-Jesse
Dear Z,
I haven’t used the Badger Whirlwind II, however, I have owned and used two similar compressors, a Badger 180-1 and a Paasche D500. These two plus the Badger Whirlwind II are oil-less diaphragm compressors.
Both successfully supplied air to a Paasche H, Passche VL, and Badger 200 airbrush. However, I must tell you that I was never satisfied with either compressor.
Both were noisy, and occasionally walked across the table. The amount of air suppled was adequate for the most part, but I found it to be marginal for some applications. My Badger 180-1 was an “on-demand” type, ie, it supplied air when you pushed the airbrush valve and shut down when the valve was closed. The Paasche D500 had to be turned on and off manually, otherwise it was always on or off.
I put a water filter and mini-regulator on both. the water filter was an in-line paasche unit that worked well. The regulator might as well have not been there for all the good it did because the working pressure was relatively low even when running full bore.
I paid market price for both of these units, having bought them from hobby shops. They both retailed for approximately $120. I would have been better served buying a piston type compressor with an attached air tank. Six years ago I bought a small, piston-type compressor with a two gallon tank from Wal Mart for $99. It lasted through five years of hobby painting, but died when I abused it by powering a brad-nailer for an extened period of time.
I’ve seen similar compressors for $89 recently at Wal Mart. Also at Lowe’s and Home Depot. The price is competitive with the oil-less diaphragm compressors, but they are more powerful, supply more air at pressures you’ll never come close to using and only turn themselves on once during an all-day painting session.
You’ll still need a water trap and regulator.
Searching for the perfect air supply is a lifetime adventure, I hope this helps.
Tom
The Whirlwind II compressor is a beginner unit. You should consider what you will use it for before deciding on a 1/20 horsepower compressor.
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Badger 80-2 Whirlwind II Compressor |
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(From HobbyMaster web site in NJ.)
Badger’s model 80-2 WHIRLWIND II Air Compressor is Designed for the Hobbyist and Occasional Air Brush User. FEATURES: - Internal Bleed which Allows Operations with Most Airbrushes - Quiet Operation because of Diaphragm Unit - Lightweight and Portable, can be carried from place to place - 6ft. electric cord with 3 prong plug - Oil-less, never needs lubrication SPECS: Dimensions: 8"L x 4-1/2" x 5"H Approx. .40 CFM @ 20 PSI when airbrushing (CFM=Cubic feet per minute) (PSI=Pounds per square inch) Oil-Less Diaphram Type Horsepower: 1/20 hp Maximum Pressure: 23 PSI Motor: 115 volts, 60 cycles, 2.5 AMP |
You can find the following information from cashed Badger web pages if you want a little more power.
Badger makes a series of SILENT COMPRESSORS. All silent compressors are powered by a high efficient, oil reciprocating
piston motor. All three extremely quiet units share the following features:
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Automatic on/off pressure switch.
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Thermal overload protection.
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Adjustable air regulator.
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Moisture Trap.
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Gauge for line pressure.
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Pressure release safety valve.
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Manual on/off valve.
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Intake air filter
The lowest priced one is MILLION-AIR MODEL 480-1 which is powered by a 1/5 HP motor and has a .45 gallon (1.70ltr.) tank
which develops 19.8L/min .70 CFM at 126 PSI (8 bar). Will operate up to two air brushes.
zokissima,
I use the Badger 180-10 which replaced the 80-2. I love it. They made it more compressor at the same price. mine has suction cup feet, so no walking away on me. has an on/off toggle and is set for airbrushing at 20-25psi which is perfect for me. I do have a mini-regulator on mine ($11) in case I’m using one of my gravity feed guns for more detail.
kosmonot out
Thanks for all the info guys.