Can I use a finer tip for my Badger 200 airbrush?

Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Can I use a finer tip for my Badger 200 airbrush?

Posted by Anonymous on Tuesday, September 21, 2004 2:38 PM

I recently bought a Badger 200 airbrush (finally). I intend to use it mostly to apply base coats but would also like to paint finer detail, like the mottled camouflage on German WWII aircraft. This requires a very fine airbrush, and the NH200 comes with a "medium" tip, I think. But, I have seen that my favourite online shop (Hannants of the UK) stocks something they call "XF head & tip for Badger 200 airbrush". To me, this sounds like an Extra Fine tip or something like that. Does anyone know if I this would work with my airbrush? Would I also hav to buy the XF needle?

Thank you

Semper Viper

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MusicCity

Member since
January 2004
From: USA

Posted by MusicCity on Tuesday, September 21, 2004 2:51 PM

I wasn't aware that there is an Extra Fine head for the 200 (maybe there is, I don't use mine much any longer) however I know there is a Fine head because I have one. The Fine nozzle can be used with the medium needle, however I do not recommend it. If you run the needle out too far you will once again have a medium nozzle because it will flare it out (been there, done that).

Scott Craig -- Nashville, TN -- My Website -- My Models Page

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tho9900

Member since
July 2004
From: SETX. USA

Posted by tho9900 on Tuesday, September 21, 2004 7:25 PM

I looked on badgers site and only found a medium and fine tip and needle. you'd probably be able to get the fine head assembly (which looks like it has the entire tip, spray regulator and head included) along with the needle fairly inexpensive somewhere like dixieart.com

---Tom--- O' brave new world, That has such people in it!

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MusicCity

Member since
January 2004
From: USA

Posted by MusicCity on Tuesday, September 21, 2004 8:27 PM

QUOTE: I looked on badgers site and only found a medium and fine tip and needle. you'd probably be able to get the fine head assembly (which looks like it has the entire tip, spray regulator and head included) along with the needle fairly inexpensive somewhere like dixieart.com

I got mine locally (the entire head assembly) and probably paid retail for it, and I think it was only around $20. The needle was around $3 I think. The head assembly is everything that screws on the front of the airbrush except the protective cap.

Scott Craig -- Nashville, TN -- My Website -- My Models Page

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tho9900

Member since
July 2004
From: SETX. USA

Posted by tho9900 on Tuesday, September 21, 2004 8:39 PM

QUOTE: Originally posted by MusicCity

QUOTE: I looked on badgers site and only found a medium and fine tip and needle. you'd probably be able to get the fine head assembly (which looks like it has the entire tip, spray regulator and head included) along with the needle fairly inexpensive somewhere like dixieart.com

I got mine locally (the entire head assembly) and probably paid retail for it, and I think it was only around $20. The needle was around $3 I think. The head assembly is everything that screws on the front of the airbrush except the protective cap.

you're one of the lucky ones then Wink [;)]

you might have seen me rant about this before.. but I live near the 3 or 4th biggest city in the US and there is only like 3 hobby shops here and 2 of them cater to RC specifically... airbrush parts? I better hit dixie... of course maybe art supply places have them but I might as well drive to Dixieart for the time it takes me to get to them... (nearest one is 2-3 hrs minimum... but only 45 miles away... Dixieart about 5 hrs...

---Tom--- O' brave new world, That has such people in it!

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jdavidb

Member since
August 2004
From: Kennesaw, GA

Posted by jdavidb on Wednesday, September 22, 2004 10:41 AM

The hard part of using a fine tip on this class of airbrushes is making the paint go through it. Due to the kind of paints we use on models, they have to be thinned to the point they are pastels. That's just what I've experienced, so I'm wanting to jump into this thread & see if anyone has found paints that are good & opaque with these fine tips... on models?

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MikeV

Member since
April 2003
From: Hayward, CA

Posted by MikeV on Wednesday, September 22, 2004 9:38 PM

I agree David.
It just doesn't work that way with the mediums we use for airbrushing.
The fine tips were designed for pigments that are smaller than modeling paints. Maybe we could get inks, watercolors or Gouache to spray well enough on our models? Wink [;)]

Mike

“Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom. " Charles Spurgeon

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Anonymous

Member since
November 2005

Posted by Anonymous on Wednesday, September 22, 2004 10:24 PM

On the XF head assemby; A long time ago Badger used to lable their head assemblies different names- XF, IL, HD . The XF is the fine, IL is the medium, and I think HD is still HD. You will have trouble getting model paints through the fine tip although the 'airbrush ready' paints work well.
John

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jdavidb

Member since
August 2004
From: Kennesaw, GA

Posted by jdavidb on Thursday, September 23, 2004 2:19 AM

QUOTE: Originally posted by MikeV

I agree David.
It just doesn't work that way with the mediums we use for airbrushing.
The fine tips were designed for pigments that are smaller than modeling paints. Maybe we could get inks, watercolors or Gouache to spray well enough on our models?

Mike

My perception of ink is that it needs something like paper to soak it up so it can dry. I've put it on plastic before, and the way I remember it was that it never dried. I don't know if I'm remembering accurately though.

Will Createx Auto Air go through fine tips? Anyone know if it attacks plastic?

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MusicCity

Member since
January 2004
From: USA

Posted by MusicCity on Thursday, September 23, 2004 5:07 AM

QUOTE:
My perception of ink is that it needs something like paper to soak it up so it can dry. I've put it on plastic before, and the way I remember it was that it never dried.

Ink will dry on plastic, we plot a lot of our engineering drawings on mylar using an ink jet printer. I also used to hand-draw a lot on mylar using ink, many years ago. I have a diorama-building friend and watered-down India Ink is his favorite medium for weathering. The catch is that the plastic has to have a matte finish or the ink will just rub off. It doesn't have much in the way of adhesion.

Scott Craig -- Nashville, TN -- My Website -- My Models Page

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jdavidb

Member since
August 2004
From: Kennesaw, GA

Posted by jdavidb on Thursday, September 23, 2004 8:30 AM

QUOTE: Ink will dry on plastic, we plot a lot of our engineering drawings on mylar using an ink jet printer. I also used to hand-draw a lot on mylar using ink, many years ago. I have a diorama-building friend and watered-down India Ink is his favorite medium for weathering. The catch is that the plastic has to have a matte finish or the ink will just rub off. It doesn't have much in the way of adhesion.

That's something I haven't tried... ink on flat paint. I bet that does work a lot better than ink on gloss. Yeah adhesion is the problem I was looking for. I knew I wasn't remembering something right.

Now I remember that if you ever lick a finger & touch the ink, it smears!

The things I've read about making printer decals say that a clear coat is all it takes to hold that ink together.

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MikeV

Member since
April 2003
From: Hayward, CA

Posted by MikeV on Thursday, September 23, 2004 8:24 PM

QUOTE: Originally posted by jdavidb

Will Createx Auto Air go through fine tips? Anyone know if it attacks plastic?

I am not sure but I know that regular Createx won't unless thinned considerably which changes the color fastness of it.
The Auto-Air will not attack plastic because it is a water-based acrylic just like regular Createx.
They do recommend an adhesion promoter on plastics though.
Click on the 'Technical' link here: http://www.autoaircolors.com/

Mike

“Wisdom is the right use of knowledge. To know is not to be wise. Many men know a great deal, and are all the greater fools for it. There is no fool so great a fool as a knowing fool. But to know how to use knowledge is to have wisdom. " Charles Spurgeon

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jdavidb

Member since
August 2004
From: Kennesaw, GA

Posted by jdavidb on Friday, September 24, 2004 11:37 AM

QUOTE: Originally posted by MikeV

I am not sure but I know that regular Createx won't unless thinned considerably which changes the color fastness of it.
The Auto-Air will not attack plastic because it is a water-based acrylic just like regular Createx.
They do recommend an adhesion promoter on plastics though.
Click on the 'Technical' link here: http://www.autoaircolors.com/

Mike

Hey that's a good site I had not found yet. Thanks. I have a feeling the next 1/24 car I do won't be enamel or synthetic lacquer. I'm gonna see what Createx can do.

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