I 've had this Badger Anthem 155 for a while but only used it once and worked fine. I cleaned it as I have been doing since owning my first Badger back in the early 1970s (and still have it and use it).
It pulsates when spraying so I went down thru the list of suspects, cracks, improper tip seating, needle bearing, using bees wax as a sealer on threads etc.
All is good but replaced the needle bearing just in case and have good resistance as the needle slides thru it but the pulsating remains only when the paint cup goes below the half way mark and then if I tip the AB down and to the side a bit the pulsating stops. It’s like gravity helps to silence the pulsing.
I’m frustrated and getting to the point of sending it back to Badger so, has anyone had a similar experience?
I’ve only seen pulsing like that when the needle bearing was leaking and air bubbles were being sucked into the paint chamber. Your bearing could feel OK and still leak if it has a scratch in it. The only other thing I can think of is if the fit of the cup to the body is leaking. Somehow, air is getting in with the paint. If you have a bottle adapter with the plastic spout, see if it also causes pulsing.
Hey Don thanks for helping me with this riddle. Yes I tried the bottle with the plastic pipe and still pulsates. I tried different metal cups and get the same effect. I’ve cleaned and re cleaned the paint inlet and still pulses.
Weird how it’s ok with a full cup but starts 1/2 way down and the tipping angle stops the pulsing.
It works when you tip it or the cup is full because the vacuum in the paint chamber is lower. That’s one advantage of a gravity fed airbrush. You can have a slight needle seal leak on a gravity brush and it will still function fine as long as it’s not so bad that paint runs back into the rear of the airbrush. But, with siphon feed, there has to be a vacuum. And, a seal leak will suck air in and cause pulsing. I think you have a bad needle bearing. It might be a good idea to send it in to Badger with an explanation of what it’s doing.
I just thought of one other thing. If your airbrush came with a rubber O-ring behind the head, try removing it and see what happens.
It’s a stumper all right. Only suggestion I can make, beyond the bearing being a possible source is like Don says, the fit of the cup to AB body inlet port.
I would try some beeswax on the cup tube, to see if that could improve the seal, if that even is the problem.
I bought a new 155 some years ago, the metal cup just did not want to fit in the body port. Trying to fit it left some very deep gouges in the surface of the metal cup tube, then I had spraying difficulties.
Sent it back to Badger, but before they even got it my new replacement arrived in a couple of days. Seems there was a bit of metal left in the body port when it went off to the platers, that interrupted fit of the cup.
First class service from Jesus at Badger, took care of me double quick. I’d suggest letting them sort it, I’m sure they don’t want a faulty product in a customers hands. Good luck with it.
Great news!! Before packing it up and sending it to Badger I decided to play with it one more time and bingo, the needle bearing was the problem. I had another new bearing stuck with my misc. things, still brand new with a price tag of $1.22! Problem solved!
Glad you got it working. If you never let paint dry on the needle, always pull it and wipe it each time you clean, and never pull a stuck needle out the back, the needle bearing should last for years.