Don Wheeler

I'm a little late getting into this thread, but I'll try to help if you're still here. No, you didn't ruin your airbrush. Yes, the needle seal is damaged. You probably scratched it when you pulled the needle out with dried paint on it. Normally the Teflon seal stays attached to the adjustment screw. Yours is most likely stuck with dried paint. A new seal and packing screw is about $7. It's item 13 on this page. But, you have to get the old seal out. Remove the needle and trigger assembly. Pick up some fine interdental brushes from the drug store. Dip one in some lacquer

There is a channel between the cup and the needle seal where paint can collect over time. You can see a sketch on this page. If you use an interdental brush like this you can clean it out from the cup. It only takes a second and it's a good idea to do it each time you clean. Yanking a stuck needle is a bad idea. You may have damaged the needle seal which can result in a leak into the rear of the brush. If you pull the needle and wipe it each cleaning it won't get stuck. The best solution for a stuck needle is to remove the head and nozzle, put a few drops of l

I'm kind of late into this discussion, but that metal ring is just trim. Mine rotates too. The nozzle threads into the plastic head assembly inside. Don

I agree, it sounds like a paint problem. Try spraying something really thin, like food colors or ink on some paper towels. This could also solve your second problem. Double action airbrushes are trickier to control than single action and take some practice. Do some exercises like the ones on this site to develop your trigger control. Make sure you stop the paint by moving the trigger all the way forward before you release the trigger to stop air. That will reduce paint build-up on the tip. Don

Thanks for coming back with the solution. A lot of times people ask about a problem and then disappear. So you never know whether they fixed it or not. Yours was really strange. Usually if an airbrush will spray water it will also spray properly thinned paint. Good to hear you got it figured out. Don

I've added a review of the Binks Wren to my website. I hope you like it. You can see it here. Don

Paul -- You're right. It isn't an argument, it was a question, and that was a poor choice of words. But, I've seen it argued many times. Some people make a big deal of how to adjust air pressure. And, as you pointed out, the actual working pressure at the airbrush depends on losses in the system. You say pressure at the cap should be equal. I assume you mean equal to airbrush inlet pressure. I'm not sure that is true. I expect there are internal drops within the airbrush also. With an Aztek airbrush you can vary air flow from a whisper to full blast by pressure on the trigger alone.

Pressure gauge readings are ball park only. Airbrush artists tweak pressure to get the results they want. Many use a MAC valve, which is like a little faucet that's on or next to the airbrush. With these, you have no idea what the actual pressure is at the head of the airbrush. Pressure settings may matter with a spray gun, but with an airbrush, results are what counts. It's a silly argument. Being able to adjust that pressure and maintain it is what is important. Don

Unless your son is going to be doing free hand camouflage, I doubt whether he needs a double action. I would start him with a Badger 350. It's a small, light, tough, easy to use, but capable airbrush. It will be useful for years. Please don't get a cheap look-alike copy. They really aren't the same. You could see my review here. Don

Inside the hose there is a rubber o-ring that seals against the bottom of the air valve. Inside the bottom of the air valve, there is a screw driver slot for adjustment of trigger pressure. If the adjustment is set too loose, it will prevent the o-ring from sealing. Use a small screwdriver to tighten the screw slightly and see if the leak goes away. Don

A needle will wear after lots of use. But, more than likely you will snag it on something first. A spare is always nice to have. Don

The Paasche airbrush to hose connection is unique to Paasche. Harder & Steenbeck uses the more standard 1/8" connector. You will need a different hose or an adapter. Don

Don't get thinner in the air valve. The little rubber o-ring doesn't like it. If cleaning doesn't work: With a bottom fed airbrush, a leaky needle seal can cause pulsing. Internal vacuum can draw air through the seal and make bubbles. To check, hold it upside down, squirt some thinner in it, and spray. If it doesn't pulse, the needle seal is a likely cause of your problem. If it is, it may be adjustable. You should feel a little resistance when you install or remove the needle. Don

I've seen this discussion before. It is confusing. But, for reasons known only to Iwata, Revolution needles are not all the same diameter. RichardL has made that pretty clear. Don

I don't have a caliper that reads in mm, but my Mitutoyo dial caliper reads the following: All my Badger and Thayer & Chandler airbrushes except the 175 Crescendo measure right at 0.050". The 175 measures right at 0.070". The Paasche Talon needles measure 0.050" like the Badgers. The Paasche VL has a beefier 0.080 needle shaft. The Chinese made Master and Harbor Freight airbrushes measure 0.046", as do the Chinese made Neos. The Iwata Eclipse CS and Revolution HP-CR measure 0.054", as does my Grex Genesis XBi. The Harder & Steenbecks measure 0.047" I believe I mention these num