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My airbrush won't work


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I have used my Badger 350 for many years. My old Paasche compressor died, and I replaced it with a little Whirlwind II Model 80-2. I used it twice, and all was well. Then my son tried to run some lumpy paint through the airbrush, and it quit, no surprise. So I tore the airbrush down, cleaned it, put it together again, but it still won't work. I get airflow, everything looks clean, I can blow air through the path the paint is supposed to take, so its not obstructed. It just won't draw paint or thinner. Whats going on?

Also, is there anyone who repairs compressors? I can't get the old Paasche to work either.

Edited by Rocky
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I have used my Badger 350 for many years. My old Paasche compressor died, and I replaced it with a little Whirlwind II Model 80-2. I used it twice, and all was well. Then my son tried to run some lumpy paint through the airbrush, and it quit, no surprise. So I tore the airbrush down, cleaned it, put it together again, but it still won't work. I get airflow, everything looks clean, I can blow air through the path the paint is supposed to take, so its not obstructed. It just won't draw paint or thinner. Whats going on?

Also, is there anyone who repairs compressors? I can't get the old Paasche to work either.

Is the vent hole in the top of the jar plugged?

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Is the vent hole in the top of the jar plugged?

Nope. I even replaced the jar lid and elbow with another spare. No luck. I'm waiting for someone to tell me my compressor sucks or something.

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Hi,

does air come out of the airbrush?

(if it does, the airflow is not the problem and you can be sure the compressor works, too)

A clogged up airbrush shouldn't cause a compressor to die as you have the same situation

(at least for the compressor) when you run the compressor and don't pull the trigger.

If you have used it only two times, there is still warranty, so you are on the safe side

(unless you tell them what has happened (which would NOT have killed your compressor)

and hereby give the shop a reason to blame you and tell you the warranty went to hell).

If you are lucky, we find out the paintflow in both brushes is obstructed due to a false cleaning technique.

That would be cheap (if you are lucky) and easily solved. Not very likely, but you better check.

If the rubber rings are eaten away (just replace them), the airbrush can't suck in enough air to blow out

paint, ie. Many possibilities. Whatever it is/was: let us know :D Good luck!

István

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Occasionally I take the head of my airbrush apart (in my case a Badger 150), put it in a jar of lacquer thinner and leave it for a full day, it pretty amazing what you still get out of the nooks and crannies of what you thought was an airbrush that you clean well. Don't leave the o-ring in place, by the way, I doubt the thinner damages it, but why take the chance?

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Lacquer thinner will make the rubber swell in the air-valve assembly. The next time you go to use it you will

press the trigger and no air-flow will occur. Ask me how I know :)

How do you Know? :shoot:

Where were you on Monday, when it happened to me. Next day I took it to My LHS. They took it apart, put it back together again and surprise, it worked.

Getting back to the Badger 350. If it is like the Badger150, make sure the O-ring is there. Also, there is another piece of plastic between the air intake and where the paint is siphoned in. If it is not there or damaged the airbrush will not work.

Hope this helps.

Stephen :rofl:

Edited by alien
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Ditto, I had to buy me a new o-ring (ordered the whole air valve...) because I'd gotten some gunk-remover (i use Goof-off for heavy duty caked paint removal) on the o-ring...It swelled and wouldnt get back into place when the spring pushed it backk down, so no air would enter the airbrush...

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I actually bought a couple spare air-valve assemblies to fix it but I didn't need them. If you take it apart very carefully, extract the

O-ring and leave it to dry, it will shrink back to the right size over a couple of days

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I get airflow. The bush appears to be clean, and I can see and blow through the whole path the paint is supposed to take. Its maddening! I can't see why it won't draw paint. It should work. I have an another, older copy of the same airbrush, and I switched some parts, but no dice. I'm about to fork over $$ and buy a new airbrush in desperation.

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Same boat here. I shot some MM Acryl the other day no prob, nice smooth coat to my CH-46. Yesterday and today with Pollyscale acrylics, no dice. I get airflow through the nozzle, but nothing but bubbles in my paint cup or siphon jar. I'm already plannig to get an Iwata, but in the meantime I'd like to get this Badger 200 working so I can finish up a couple projects without fear.

I've broken it down and cleaned it several times. Is it the O rings?

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Same boat here. I shot some MM Acryl the other day no prob, nice smooth coat to my CH-46. Yesterday and today with Pollyscale acrylics, no dice. I get airflow through the nozzle, but nothing but bubbles in my paint cup or siphon jar. I'm already plannig to get an Iwata, but in the meantime I'd like to get this Badger 200 working so I can finish up a couple projects without fear.

I've broken it down and cleaned it several times. Is it the O rings?

Bubbles in the jar probably means an air blockage. If you cover the tip with your finger and pull back to blow paint, the air will reverse into the cup and blow bubbles. It could be that you are getting partial air. If you have a paint blockage, doing this may blow the chunks back into the bottle. Soaking in the afore-mentioned lacquer thinner would probably loosen it up too.

Make sure that the needle action is correct as well. I've re-assembled the airbrush and forgotten to tighten the screw such that pulling on the trigger doesn't move the needle. :)

Fred

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If the teflon seals go bad in the Badger airbrushes you will get blow back into the cup or jar. The worst culprit is the head washer. After awhile the teflon head washer will get compressed and no longer keep air from leaking in the head, when that happens you will get blow back. Blow back can happen when the teflon needle bearing gets worn out. I always keep a few of the teflon seals on hand just for that reason.

You can also send the airbrush back to Badger for repair. From what I understand the service is great.

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I just found some more information, and I think the problem is my new little Whirlwind II compressor. The specifications printed on the compressor box say that it is 1/20 horsepower, 35 psi max pressure and 20 psi when airbrushing. On the internet, I found the specifications for my Badger 350 are:

REQUIRES: Air Regulated Compressor -or- Propellant. SPECS: Power requirements: at least 1/12 horsepower compressor. PSI: 20 to 40 lbs.

What do you think, is it underpowered for my airbrush? :)

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If the teflon seals go bad in the Badger airbrushes you will get blow back into the cup or jar. The worst culprit is the head washer. After awhile the teflon head washer will get compressed and no longer keep air from leaking in the head, when that happens you will get blow back. Blow back can happen when the teflon needle bearing gets worn out. I always keep a few of the teflon seals on hand just for that reason.

You can also send the airbrush back to Badger for repair. From what I understand the service is great.

I may have to look into that, then. It just seems very hit or miss on when it'll work or won't...it just about became a ballistic object out into the yard after last night, but I managed to restrain myself. It was a close call, though.

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I just found some more information, and I think the problem is my new little Whirlwind II compressor. The specifications printed on the compressor box say that it is 1/20 horsepower, 35 psi max pressure and 20 psi when airbrushing. On the internet, I found the specifications for my Badger 350 are:

REQUIRES: Air Regulated Compressor -or- Propellant. SPECS: Power requirements: at least 1/12 horsepower compressor. PSI: 20 to 40 lbs.

What do you think, is it underpowered for my airbrush? :worship:

The fact that you had already used it twice would tell me that it is not underpowered, or at least that it is not the cause of your problem. You say that you still get airflow (and I assume you mean a good amount of airflow), so the compressor should still be OK.

It might be underpowered in that you won't be able to get more than 20 psi from it.

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