Want to replace very old Badger 200.

I have a Badger 200-20, which is the "old" head style airbrush and a special paint metering system for detail painting, and I love it. If you want to stick to a single action, the 200-20 or the 200NH will be the most familiar to you. In fact, Badger has a garage sale on a 200-19 (same as the 200-20, but with a hose and some hobby paints) for $44 (+ S&H)! A 200NH from Dixie Art is $63! However, I also have a 100LG dual action and I love it more.

So my recommendation is a medium needle equipped gravity fed dual action, like the 100LG or 105 Patriot (both under $75 at Dixie Art includes US shipping), or the Omni 4000 ($84 Dixie Art again), or the Iwata HP-CS ($120 Chicago Airbrush includes US shipping). There are others out there at the same price point or higher and they are all pretty good.

I highly recommend Badger as their customer service is top notch and they really stand behind their products. You already know how long they can last!

Thats the thing I see quite a few modelers like the LG. I have never used a dual action type, and I really can't see why I would. The 200 is a nice model for laying down coats of paint. I just set how I want it to spray and leave it that way. But I would like to try the gravity feed, as I said because of the ability to spray at lower pressures.

For this very reason I may just replace it with another 200, then get a 100LG to try not only the gravity feed, but also the dual action as well.

Bruce,

If you like the way the 200 works and don't have a burning need for a double-action brush, but you would like a gravity-feed, the 200 is available as a gravity feed - the 200G.

Having said that, a double-action brush isn't as hard to use as you may think.

Bruce, if you opt to go with the 200 route, and chose the 200-19 I linked to, scroll down a bit further and check out the 100SF for just under $31! The SF is a dual action with some of the benefits of a gravity fed, and is the cheapest method of getting into the dual action arena. That's two complete airbrushes, with a good quality braided hose for $75!

The 200G is another good choice, Chicago Airbrush has it for $57.

BruceM

It has to be between 30 and 40 years old now, it has the screw on type bottles.I paint mostly 1/25 scale cars and 1/48 aircraft. I would like to replce it with another Badger, probably even another 200, but which one? I have heard that the 200NH is closest to what I have now, but from your experience what would you recommend?

The gravity cup looks like a great option as well for going to a lower psi and spraying smaller parts, but is it possible to have both options in one airbrush?

Badger can rebuild your airbrush for free. Why change?

No, do not change to the 200NH if you like your old 200. It is capable of a lot of details. The 200NH gets a 155 style larger nozzle and shorter, double taper needle according to Don Wheeler.

Keilau,

Even brass bodies wear out through use. Putting new parts on an old worn out body isn't going to be much help.

You're right about the NH, though. The 200G or 200-20 would be more similar to his old 200.

So the 200-19 available at the Garage sale at Badger for $44 is the closest  to my older model 200, and If I want a 100LG also to try out the 100LG at Dixie is available for under $75 with free shipping.

If I could only get Badger to take my old one for a trade-in. I did ask at badger and they said they normally don't but that they would see .

I think I would really rather get a new body(airbrush that is !) and a fresh start. I did manage to get 40 years out of the old one, as long as that 200-19 is the same as my old one, thats my only concern.

So the one thats closest to mine is the Detail brush 200? The one with bumps on the blue part of the brush.Which is also the one at the Garage sale for $44.

It's not exactly the same. It has a more precise needle positioning system and a "cut-off" spray regulator. The latter exposes the tip of the needle, where the "crown" regulator protects it from casual harm. The handle is different, but only by the addition of O-rings near to where it joins the body. Otherwise you could take the head assembly off the new one and put it on the old. It is the same tooling.

As far as the operation of it, any of the 200s would be similar, even the NH one. The double taper issue is more of a problem with a dual action. Since a single action requires you to "dial" the needle position you won't notice the quick transition that is obvious with the dual action versions.

Bgrigg

Even brass bodies wear out through use. Putting new parts on an old worn out body isn't going to be much help.

I thought, probably mistakenly, that Badger offers life time warranty that they will rebuild any airbrush they sold, no matter how old. Will Badger replace "an old worn out body" if you send one in?

From the Badger website (emphasis is theirs):

BADGER AIR-BRUSH CO. MANUFACTURED AIRBRUSHES HAVE A LIFETIME LABOR WARRANTY. Whether it be a "finally necessary"  airbrush refurbishment or a "for whatever reason" major repair, if your Badger airbrush needs service, the labor is FREE of charge. Additionally, on the rare occasion there are notable repair related parts' costs, it is Badger Air-Brush Co.'s practice to notify the airbrush owner prior to completing the repair (as long as we have the necessary contact information).  In many cases the only cost for service of your Badger airbrush is the cost of sending the airbrush to us**.  Once we receive the airbrush we usually just repair it and send it back - no questions asked.  Turn around time for most refurbishments/repairs is 72 hours from Badger Air-Brush Co.'s receipt of the airbrush(es). **International repairs require customer payment of return shipment also.

The labor is free, but the parts are not. They have, in the past, replaced the head washer, needle or needle bearing, as well as other parts at no cost, but would likely balk at replacing the body at no cost. Since the price of the individual pieces of any product are greater than the cost of a new airbrush, it seems obvious that this is an opportunity to purchase a replacement.

Now it may be that Badger would be interested in getting back an airbrush from an earlier time for their archives, or use as marketing campaign similar to the Volvo ads in the past, and is well worth the email to find out.

They have been great, but dealing with Wyn-Wyn howver has been at best fairly difficult. There very hard to get on the phone and have never returned my calls. They have been very good on emails though. Anyway this has been the response from Badger: