How to identify size of airbrush tips

Model Railroader General Discussion (Model Railroader)
1

I’ve finally gotten the courage to begin learning how to use the Badger 150 airbrush I purchased years and years ago. So there’s a learning curve here which I accept and will work through, but I came up with a question that I could not find a good answer for either in this forum or in a general search. I could purchase one of the many books that are available, but for right now I’d like to get going. So with that said . . .

The brush I purchased had a tip/nozzle and needle already installed, and it came with two additional tips and needles. One of the first things I learned is that there must be a reason brushes come with different size tips/needles, because using the initial set-up yielded a rather thin width of paint on the surface of my test plastic. Suppose that could work on painting n-scale structures, but I’d like to try to get a wider band of coverage.

But (there’s always a “but” is there not?) I cannot find any markings or identification on the three nozzles and needles. I know tips are measured in fractions of millimeters but which is which? Is my rather aged eyesight not catching something? Holding tips up to light shows one that looks like it has a larger aperture for the needle - assume that’s the tip with the largest spray pattern?

And while I have you on the line, is there a relationship between tips and needles? Does each tip size require a specific needle for that size tip? Needles I assume I can measure with a caliper, but the tips?

Finally, what book/resource would you recommend I get into to further my self-education here?

Thanks much, Robert

2

I have the same gun witch I got from my son. on the back of the needle, there should be a line going around it . 1 line is fine 2 lines medium 3 lines is large.thats how my son explains it to me.on mine the tips have F for fine and L for large the medium has no letter on it. I hope this helps because Im learning it myself.

3

My non cheapos are marked, .1, .3, .5, I have only used the .5 in all of the high end air brushes. I forgot I had them but I checked my air brush bin box and sure enough they are marked. Old shaky Mel doesn’t do fine work with air brushes.

I normally use my Harbor Freight cheapos and they aren’t marked. The manual says it’s a .75.

Mel

My Model Railroad
http://melvineperry.blogspot.com/

Bakersfield, California

I’m beginning to realize that aging is not for wimps.

4

Hi,

I’m a Paasche guy but I looked on the Badger site and have this to pass along:

Determining what size needle or spray regulator you have. Badger marks the needles and spray regulators as follows:
Needles (Blunt End):
Fine-No lines or one line
Medium-Two lines
Heavy-Three lines
Spray Regulator:
Fine-Stamped with XF or F
Medium-Stamped with IL or Blank
Heavy-Stamped with HD or L

http://www.badgerairbrush.com/Airbrush_Info.asp

Paasche uses concentric rings turned into the tip and nozzle. I had a photo but Photobucket ate it.

Good Luck, Ed

5

The first airbrush I used successfully was a Badger 350. That is a single action external mix airbrush.

Mine only came with one tip.

The Paasche Model H is a big improvement, still single action external mix.

Sorry that I cannot answer your question, and sorry to ramble on. I think Ed gave you the answer.

-Kevin

6

I am reading mixed infomation in Badger Air Brush Books and the Badger web site on the paint patterns.

I have three Badgers, a #150 (DA) with a “L” head (heavy) and three groove (heavy) on the needle’s blunt end, #200 (SA) with a “F” head (fine) and one groove (fine) and #200NH (SA) with no markings on the head (med.) and one groove (fine), but its a big tip and I think this may have been bought within the past three years.

If you look in all the ends of the tips at the same time with the tip removed you will see the center hole is a different size in each of the three tips. Ok, I just reread your post and see you already know this.

I have two unused extra needles with two grooves and one unused Badger extra tip/head with a ‘‘M’’ on it.

From Badger’s web site.

The Head Assembly = spray regulator, head and tip.

Fine (F)= pencil line to 2’’ spray pattern.

Medium (M)= 1/32’’ to 2-1/2’’ spray pattern.

Heavy (H)=1/16’’ to 3’’ spray pattern.

From a Badger Air Brush book.

XF = extra fine, pencil line to 1’’

IL= medium, 1/16’’ to 1-1/4’’

HD= heavy, 1/8’’ to 1-1/2’’

All my needle shafts measure .050’'. The difference in the one, two or three groove needles looks to be in the ground angle of the point.

On a #200 SA Pushing down on the finger trigger controls the air, the needle (turned in or out manually, yes this can be done while spraying) controls the volume of paint or clears the tip from a clog.

On the #150 DA the finger trigger when pushed down controls the air and when pulled back, bringing the needle back to control

7

My Paasche came with only one air cap and one needle, both stamped with a “3”, so the “medium”, I guess, as the “1” is the smallest and “5” the largest. The tip is not marked as to size at all. I do have one replacement needle with the three rings, but all of the other ones - 4 or 5 of them - have the stamped-in “3”.

I’m pretty sure that when I bought it , it had been used, although I’d guess very little - I did get a bit of a break on the price. I’ve never bothered to buy the 1 and 5, though, as I can do pencil-thin lines with the three or get fairly broad coverage by backing-out the needle and then re-securing it with the locknut.

I’ve used the latter method only once, to apply a clear urethane finish to an ex-library table, which we bought second hand and restored - turned out great.

For painting trains and structures, the 3, used properly, works just fine for me.

Wayne

8

My Paasche Model H came with a 1, 3, and 5. I use the #3 for 95% of what I paint. I only use the #5 for 1/25 scale automobiles and 1/48 airplanes and armor models. I do not think I ever used the #1.

The Paasche “H” with the #3 tip is my workhorse.

-Kevin

9

Thank you all. So, when told there really, really were identifying markings on the tips I got really, really serious about trying to get my eyes to see them. Lo and behold, they are there and I see them now. But wow, are they small. So I’ve got needles and tips properly paired, and will get to work using the medium tip and needle. I suspect the 95% rule will apply also for me.

It never dawned on me to check the Badger web site, having assumed that the instruction papers that came with the airbrush would cover everything necessary. I’m glad someone knew better and got the information off the website. Most helpful.

While I have everyone on the line, let me give a shout-out to Aaron, Cody, and David for the MR Video Plus resources on airbrushing. I have enjoyed them all (well, many of them at least so far) and value the effort they and their people at Kalmbach assist modelers. Well done. Peace to all.

Robert