"Sonofa-----" Why isn't my airbrush pushing air?

Everybody has an airbrush horror story....my brain fade happened yesterday. Finally got some tiime to finish painting a project. Ready to spray the PPG Concept clear urethane. Mix it up, put the bottle on my Pasche VL and start the test spray...yeah, I NEVER spray until I have tested it. Can't get a good, smooth pattern.....clear comes out all blobby...I thin it some more thinking it isn't flowing well....try again...still "blobby" and uneven! Thin the freekin stuff again...same results! MORE reducer!!!! SAME!!!! Now thinner than water and still no proper pattern. Try a bottle of reducer AND ITS THE SAME!!!!

In my fit of rage I set the dang airbrush down to prepare to look for a hammer to smash its' sorry existance...

and thats when I noticed I HAD THE BLOODY TIP GUARD STILL ON!!!!!
As Emily Littella used to say, "never mind"

Rick

What?
The helk you say!!
An airbrush fail and it wasn't an Aztek????

Honk if you hate airbrushes....!!!
Get Cader28 on the phone!

Sorry guys, I had to.

I hang my head in shame

Mike

Murray - you're exactly right. I just had the same thing happen with my badger. The little nut before the spring goes to far when you tighten the hose. I played with thing for hours and I finally figured that out. I tried a little tiny piece of tape on the bottom of the button. I tried spraying without the washer(I didn't think it was going to work) Then I tried to clip some of the washer to let alittle air by. Finally my solution - 76mph against the basement wall. The airbrush isn't any better but it sure felt good. I don't know if that helps that other person but it's funny to hear someone else with the same experience.

I had a badger knock-off I used for a while and it had a similar problem. I'd push the button and little or no air would come out. I'd take the hose off the airbrush and the air would come out of the hose just fine. In the end I found out that the problem was that I was tightening the hose onto the brush too much. There is a tiny little rubber gasket in the end of the hose that seals the connection. However, when you tighten it too much, it can totally block the airflow. Check this out by just loosening up the connection and seeing if it works.

Good luck

Murray

If they send a maintenance result back, let us know. I'm curious to see what the problem was.

I'm thinking that it is the lever assembly or that the air valve spring tension is not right or that the diaphragm nut is set too low and its depressing the spring. If you tried to force it it might be that the air valve stem is messed up.

Either way Badger will fix it for you or replace it and the problem should be solved.

Mike

Naw,
I checked all that. I even ran a piece of wire all the way through my hose. It's like the button on the airbrush either won't go down all the way or won't come up all the way. It managed to work for a couple of seconds the other day. Incidenatally, I called Badger because it has a year warranty, but there's a card yer supposed to send back. I hadn't sent it back. The girl sad "no problem. Send the thing in." So, they're gonna fix it. Only a week and a half turn around time, too.

You can stop a can from frosting by keeping it in warm water. Use a container a little bigger than the can and keep the bottom half of the CO2 can covered.

Air supply only passes through three locations, at the head of the can or at the plunger or at the needle where it is mixed with paint. If neither of these is damaged then its the hose. The other possibility is the brush may be getting clogged at the needle and just stopping the whole thing up. It may sound over the top but check your airhose. WHen using airbrushes, they tend to get "spun" as we pick them up and put them down causing the hose to twist. This can lead to the airhose kinking. Unless you are using a coil hose this can happen (especially with the soft vinyl hoses used on airbrushes). Take the tension out of the hose and try that. Check a different can to be sure its not a defective seal.

Mike

Cans of air also tend to "frost up". You may have to let the can warm up some and start spraying again.
Lee

When you said canaster, does that mean air can? If so it is possible you are out of air or the can outlet is blocked. Try using another can and see if that will solve your problem. Another theing could be the adapter than fits from the airbrush to the can. It has a small needle valve which can get damaged. If that is so you will have to get another adapter or buy a compressor.