Airbrush, Out Of Box- or Modify?

I also polish the trigger.  From my experience shooting real guns, there is always a gritty sandpaper feeling when steel is rubbing against steel.  And this lowers controllability.   So I take the AB trigger out and polish it first with a jewel file, then coarse sandpaper, then fine sandpaper, then with wet super fine sandpaper.   I polish the trigger at every location it meets another surface.  I also try to polish the airbrush at where it makes contact with the trigger.    As a result I no longer care about the tension of the spring since the trigger is smooth as butter (and my forefinger is used to pulling a 12 lbs revolver trigger.)   

modelmaker66

I am hesitant to tinker with it. It can void the warranty certainly bdepending on what you do. I use teflon tape for air leaks but not much more. I have heard of people who polish the neele and noggle with compound and that is beyond me. Maybe needle lube when I clean it. nothing more though. i'm afraid i will mess it up.

 

Badger brushes are warrantied for life, even if you tinker with it they will fix anything you send to them, as long as you didnt intentially run it through a grinder or something.

A basic break down of your brush is truly necessary for a proper cleaning. I understand the hesitance if you have never done it or watched somebody do it. Youtube provides plenty of videos on a basic breakdown. It is beneficial to maintaining your airbrushes, and very, very simple in most cases. Richpen has a very small seal ring you have to reinsert, and it's a pain in the backside. Other than that, I havent seen a brush very difficult to deal with.

By all mean, if you are hesitant dont do it, but it may help to watch a few of the videos I mentioned.

I am hesitant to tinker with it. It can void the warranty certainly bdepending on what you do. I use teflon tape for air leaks but not much more. I have heard of people who polish the neele and noggle with compound and that is beyond me. Maybe needle lube when I clean it. nothing more though. i'm afraid i will mess it up.

OldGoat

I won't tinker with the internals. I will take it all apart and I will add plumber's teflon thread tape. 

This allows me the opportunity to observe and learn the workings of the AB.

 

 

The spring I speak of is the trigger spring. It is a basic part but a needed part. It is removable in the break-down of your gun for cleaning. I understand not wanting to mod, but in this case if you mess up, a replacement can be had for free as Don suggested, the pen spring, or you could order one for about 2.00 USD. I wouldnt be too affraid of breaking down your airbrush and learning about it, as a matter of fact I would suggest everyone who owns a brush to break it down and learn how it goes back together. It's really not bad advise, and you will discover that an airbrush for the most part is quite a simplistic tool. There are internals you need not mess with, and I would leave that for someone with more experience.

I won't tinker with the internals. I will take it all apart and I will add plumber's teflon thread tape. 

This allows me the opportunity to observe and learn the workings of the AB.

Don Wheeler

Sometimes clipping a spring can cause a problem.  If you look at the original end, you'll notice it is finished square to the body of the spring. You can stand the spring on end and it will balance. When you clip it this is no longer true. This can cause the spring to *** and scrape when you re-install it. If you see this, you might have to tweak the end of the spring so it sits flat.  I wouldn't clip a spring unless you have a spare back-up.

Springs from old ball point pens are sometimes useful.

I like to add grip pads to my airbrushes with double sticky tape. I have some thin suede that works well. It makes them more comfortable to hold.

Don

 

Yes, you should lightly file the end. All my gums are moded and fine with the clipped spring. They feel so much better, I wish I would have done tbhis years ago.

Sometimes clipping a spring can cause a problem.  If you look at the original end, you'll notice it is finished square to the body of the spring. You can stand the spring on end and it will balance. When you clip it this is no longer true. This can cause the spring to *** and scrape when you re-install it. If you see this, you might have to tweak the end of the spring so it sits flat.  I wouldn't clip a spring unless you have a spare back-up.

Springs from old ball point pens are sometimes useful.

I like to add grip pads to my airbrushes with double sticky tape. I have some thin suede that works well. It makes them more comfortable to hold.

Don

I've seen people add the foam to the trigger, but for me the trigger is fine at the company setting. I guess they claim with the added hieth you get more trigger control.

I've seen many AB artists glue some rubber or foam on the top of the trigger. I've never tried it myself, but I've been meaning to. It increases comfort and control. See this video for details.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SoazoKvxyKM

I'm not that way by nature,I wouldn't tinker with too many things at all.So I just use it out of box.