Badger 200NH airbrush help

You didn't say what paint you used, but one thing I do not like about acrylics is, if you get it clogged with dry paint inside the brush, it is very hard to clean out.  Regular acrylic thinner doesn't seem to dissolve really dry paint.  You then need to go to something hotter.  Once it is clean, you can keep it clean by cleaning with regular thinner immediately after airbrushing.  Do not delay for anything.

You may have more of a paint problem than an airbrush problem.  If you specify what paint you are using and how you are thinning it, maybe someone here can give you some clues.  The 200NH is a pretty rugged and reliable airbrush.

You might want to see how it sprays something thin like food colors or ink on a paper towels.  That will tell you if the airbrush is working OK.

Don

I think both Don's are right on point, unless the 200NH has some damaged front bits there is no reason for it to not spray well. Try posting back with info about the paint type and brand, thinning ratios, etc.

Also, did the airbrush work well while you first started using it when new? If it has changed with time, you may have some dried paint that has built up inside. I typically spray at around 12-18 psi, after some time has passed if I notice a little change or spitting, I run the psi up to about 25 psi and that almost always blasts out the build up that was restricting steady flow.

Last, when you clean it after use do you dismantle it or just spray some thinner through? I'd recommend you have a look at "Don's Airbrush" website, the proper cleaning methods and tools give plenty of useful info about cleaning and overall maintenance.

Once you get your NH sorted, you'll find it a very good airbrush with great reliability. Let us know how you make out.

Patrick 

For this project I've been trying to put Alcad II through it, straight up without thinner at 15 psi, which IIRC is what the directions say.  When I clean it I completely dismantle it,  wash everything with water, and let it soak in enamel thinner.

I've had this brush for a few years now, and it's never really worked reliably.  I don't generally use it alot, both because of the even less reliable Oregon weather and because I don't like the hastle I have to go through every time I use it.

Ghostrider114

For this project I've been trying to put Alcad II through it, straight up without thinner at 15 psi, which IIRC is what the directions say.  When I clean it I completely dismantle it,  wash everything with water, and let it soak in enamel thinner.

I've had this brush for a few years now, and it's never really worked reliably.  I don't generally use it alot, both because of the even less reliable Oregon weather and because I don't like the hastle I have to go through every time I use it.

 

Hi, Ghost, sounds like you're cleaning it the right way, but Alclad being lacquer, enamel thinner likely won't be agressive enough to completely dissolve it for full removal.

Just a thought, but if you've had the AB for sometime and it seems a bit off to you, Badger does a quick turn maintenance check and service, quite economical too. Might be worth a call and check, I've had Jesus, (Badger tech,) fix a friends for him and all went very well.

My 200NH works quite well, it's a good and economical AB, if you get yours sorted it's worth keeping.

I'm in Springfield, I do all of my own maintenance, have plenty of new parts, if you find yourself here sometimes I'd be glad to see what's up with it. PM me if you want.

Patrick 

I don't understand why it works so well, but I find paint thinner does work well in cleaning Alclad, and I have never had a clog using it that way.  I think Alclad uses very little pigment and vehicle compared to the amount of thinner.  In any case, I have never had the problems with drying in the brush with Alclad that I have had with Acrylics.  However, because it is lacquer, I do clean out the airbrush immediately after spraying, but I think I would concentrate on some other source of the problem.

Ok, on the advice of the paint guy at my LHS, I bought a bottle of Alcad airbrush cleaner, that works way better then testors thinner.  I soaked the parts in that for a couple of days and then cleaned everything out with cotton swabs, and now it seems to be working much better.  Interestingly enough, the jar I had been using to soak the parts had some insignia yellow enamel that had been really set in from a previous project and it came right up as soon as I put the Alcad cleaner in it, so this stuff must be much hotter.  (fortunately, the yellow tint that the cleaner picked up from the jar doesn't seem to hurt anything.)

Ghost - Glad you have it working well again, just a thought, but the Alclad thinner is likely a bit on the spendy side, when compared to name brand lacquer thinner. I buy mine at an auto body supply shop, DuPont brand, about $7.00 a quart, works great. Wally World, Sherwin Williams etc. would be a good source too.

Very effective cleaner, have yet to find something it won't work on, recommended for function and cost control.

Patrick

yeah, it was a bit spendy, $4.50 for a 4 oz bottle, but since I don't usually have to thin Alcad, I can use it pretty sparingly.

Don't forget to backflush..

GreenThumb

Don't forget to backflush..

 

 

I have a devil of a time backflushing with those newer fishmouth nozzles.  I rue the day they went away from straight nozzle mouths  :-(

Hold a rag over the end Don.

Wadded up piece of paper towel...

I had the same problem, fortunately I wear latex gloves whenever I airbrush (otherwise I get the stuff all over my hands), so I just press my finger into the nozzle and let the glove form a seal.

Hay ..just chaiming in here ...lac,thinner is a hot solvent  ..it can eat or swell the O rings in the needle bearing (packing)..and the air valve  (triger) SO BE CAREFULL  on useing LT  ...inspect the rubber O RINGS CARFULLY. After the the tear down ...it's caused problems for me in the past ...peter

5-high

Hay ..just chaiming in here ...lac,thinner is a hot solvent  ..it can eat or swell the O rings in the needle bearing (packing)..and the air valve  (triger) SO BE CAREFULL  on useing LT  ...inspect the rubber O RINGS CARFULLY. After the the tear down ...it's caused problems for me in the past ...peter

 

The Badger O rings are ready for any solvent as are the Iwatas and many others now I believe.

GreenThumb

 

 The Badger O rings are ready for any solvent as are the Iwatas and many others now I believe.

 

It's a mixed bag. Many Chinese airbrushes, like the Harbor Freight, Master and no-names Have O-rings in the head that can deteriorate with solvents.  So does the Neo. Earlier Harder & Steenbecks had some rubber o-rings in the paint path. But, they have changed to Teflon. Some Badgers have an o-ring between the head and body that probably shouldn't be soaked in solvent. And, the Badger 350 has a black o-ring needle seal. I believe most all other current needle seals are Teflon and solvent safe.

Rule of thumb: If it's black, don't soak it in solvent. If it's white, it's probably Teflon.

Never get solvent in the air valve. Most have o-rings that are not solvent proof.

Don