Badger 360 Cleaning

That sounds great Glen.

Mike

Well, the 360 works very nicely and I like it better than my Paasche VL, but I still need to practice with it - it has a differant feel than the VL. I used gravity feed and was surprised at how tight a line I could get with little effort. I was also surprised by long I could paint with the cup, I thought I'd have to keep refilling it but I could paint quite a bit before needing a refill. Cleaning was realy easy, I followed the procedures Mike posted and was done in no time.

Overall, I'm really happy with the Badger 360 and think it'll be a real joy to use.

Thanks to all that responded,

Glen H.

Glen,

I modified the cleaning instructions above so that it involves just cleaning the 360 and not a generic cleaning for any gravity-feed.

Mike

That's true, that is a small cup.

Mike

Mike, as per your suggestion I tried the brush in the gravity feed mode. I didn't bother changing the paint/thinner ratios because I was getting great results with the 2:1 I was using. One thing I noticed though was the cup emptied pretty quick.

QUOTE: Originally posted by pmm736 QUOTE: Originally posted by MikeV Are you using the Badger 360 in gravity-feed mode? You know, of all the things I played around with, thats the one thing I didn't do! Just a little reminder that I have alot to learn

That may be part of your problem as spraying at 15 psi with a siphon-fed bottle on the airbrush is hit and miss for reliably siphoning paint up into the airbrush.
Keep us informed on how you are doing with it.

Mike

QUOTE: Originally posted by MikeV Are you using the Badger 360 in gravity-feed mode?

You know, of all the things I played around with, thats the one thing I didn't do!
Just a little reminder that I have alot to learn
I'll give those suggestions a shot and see how it goes.
Thanks again, Pete

Pete,

Are you using the Badger 360 in gravity-feed mode?
If so, then I would experiment with lowering your pressure to 10 psi or so and see if you get less overspray. Also try thinning that paint more and see what that does for you. I think 2:1 (paint to thinner) is a good starting point but you may find that 3:1, or 3:2 may suit you even better. Experiment and you will gain a knowledge of this hobby that comes by hands on. It is a lesson well worth it!

Mike

Mike, Thanks for the info. I'll just keep at it. Pete

Pete,

Let me add that the trick to getting the softest edges is by the direction you spray.
If you spray towards the area that will be filled in with a certain color such as SEA camo, then all of the overspray will land in that area that is going to be covered by the color and you won't see it.

Mike

Pete,

With practice you will get better, but it is pretty much impossible to not get a slight overspray either side of the line.

Mike

I got my brush up and running for the first time today and practiced on a large piece of poster board. Everything worked smoothly but I have one question. How sharp an edge should this brush spray? I was able to paint down to a pretty thin line (maybe 1/8 ") but no matter how thick a line or spot I sprayed there seemed to be some overspray. I was using MM enamels thinned at 2:1 with MM airbrush thinner mostly at about 15 psi. I played with the air pressure and paint mixture and seemed to do best when I went to a less thin mixture. Am I expecting too much or is there something I'm doing wrong? Any help would begreatly appreciated. Thanks, Pete

QUOTE: Originally posted by glen_h It sounds like I'll be on the lookout for some needle juice, but I wanted to oreder a new requlator and moisture trap from Dixie Art anyway. Glen H.

::waving watch in front of your face:: when I snap my fingers you will have an uncontrollable urge to buy your Regdab needle juice when you order your regulator

::snap!::

haha you can get along without it, but until you have sprayed without it,then start using it, it makes a difference!

good luck to you on your new AB! I have the sister AB (the 155) and love it! I think you will feel the same way!

P.S. a very nice wife you have! I suffer from the same problem... a wife who wholeheartledly supports my addiction! (models) she got upset today when I moved all my yet to be built models to my closet because it looked like I was running out of kits she said.. haha..

Dang the bad luck we have!

Thanks for the tips everyone. It sure sounds a lot easier to clean than my Paasche. Can't wait to hook it up to the compessor and start squirting paint.

It sounds like I'll be on the lookout for some needle juice, but I wanted to oreder a new requlator and moisture trap from Dixie Art anyway.

Thanks to all.

Glen H.

Went to the store today and picked up a regulator, moisture trap and the necessary fittings. Got it all put together, now I'm just waiting to get enough time to try it out. As always, life intervenes, oh well maybe tomorrow.

My pleasure Pete.

Keep us informed on how that airbrush works out for you.

Mike

Mike, thanks for the run down. I got a 360 for Christmas myself and those cleaning tips are great. Thanks, Pete

I follow pretty much what Mike said there for my 155 and have had no probs at all... it's a *little* different cleaning a siphon fed, but as I usually use the metal cup it's very similar to the above with only a few extra things..

Not everybody uses it but I really recommend the needle lube. The needle is easier to clean, tends to have a better pull to the trigger since I started using it and especially with acrylics, I don't get dry tip hardly at all... (where sprayed acrylic sticks to the needle tip and eventually will produce a bad spray pattern)

one of those "nice to have" items...

I disagree with the above as taking it apart each time is unnecessary.
Here is the cleaning method I have posted here before and I modified it expressly for the 360.

Cleaning the Badger 360 airbrush

I like to spray out the airbrush at higher pressures and use 50 psi myself, but if yours only puts out 20-30 then just use as much pressure as you can.

Dump the excess paint out and wipe the cup with a paper towel or rag.
Rotate the cup into gravity-feed mode and fill the cup about ½-¾ of the way with cleaner and then take an old paintbrush and wipe around inside the cup and down in the bottom of the cup around the needle with it to break loose the paint particles. Just dab it into the needle area in the bottom of the cup and it cleans very well.
I like to use a round paintbrush for this so that it can get down into the opening.
Just make sure the paintbrush is not one of those real cheap ones that the hairs fall out of, as you don’t want the hair getting into the airbrush and possibly causing problems down the road.

After that, spray the cleaner out of the airbrush and repeat that process until you feel it is clean enough inside the opening.

Now rotate the head of the airbrush to siphon-feed mode, put some cleaner in your siphon-feed bottle, and spray that through it for several seconds.
Take a rag and hold it over the end of the airbrush to stop air from coming out of the tip. Push down on the trigger and pull back slowly and you will see bubbles in the bottle as you are back flushing the airbrush. Do this for maybe 5 seconds or so and then spray that cleaner out as it will have a little bit of paint in it from backflushing it. Put some more fresh cleaner in the bottle and spray that out also.
If you feel that the cleaner is coming out clear then you are done.

Some people like to then just spray air through the airbrush for several seconds to dry out the insides, but that is up to you. Sometimes I do it and sometimes I don’t.
Now wipe the inside of the cup out with a rag, as well as your siphon bottle and wipe any paint off the outside of the airbrush. That’s about it.

About every 4 or 5 times of using the airbrush I will take the needle out after cleaning the airbrush and wipe it off with a rag with some thinner on it to get any paint that may have not gotten cleaned quite well enough in previous cleanings.
I also clean the nozzle of the airbrush as well. You can soak it in cleaner for a while and then insert a small brush or end of a pipe cleaner to wipe the inside out.
Be careful not to jam it in there though as you do not want to damage the tip opening. Be gentle with it.
I then apply Badger Needle Juice or Medea Super Lube to the needle to help eliminate tip dry and keep paint from adhering to the needle. I also like a drop on the trigger to make it smoother as well. These two products do not affect paint at all and are safe with enamels, lacquers, acrylics, and urethanes.

Every airbrush expert I know does not recommend disassembly to clean it each time and I agree.
Disassembling the airbrush each time is not necessary and I don’t personally recommend it because the potential of damaging the needle, tip, needle bearing, and other parts increases each time you take it apart. Some people feel it is better to take it apart each time and give it a thorough cleaning, and you have to make that decision yourself.

I hope this is helpful

Mike

yep its very simple. I love mine.. can clean it completly in 5 mins.. here is my method..

#1 dump or remove the paint...

#2 spray the remainder left in the gun out..

#3 turn the color cup to up (if not there already) clean out exceess paint.

#4 fill with thinner of the type of paint your using.. spray through 2 or 3 times till comes out clear...

#5 pull needle.. clean needle..

#6 remove tip assembly.. clean with thinner dipped microbrush.. check by eye to make sure there is no paint build up in tip.

#7 clean out body with thinner dipped microbrush..

#8 Reassemble.. and your ready to go..

Tip.. after removing the needle. be carefull not to dislodge the trigger as the needle holds it in the body and when it gets pulled out its a pain to get back in.