Cleaning the Badger`

You don't need to disassemble it every time it is used. Some people do, some don't, but it isn't really necessary. Blow some thinner through, remove the needle and wipe it off, and it will be good to go. If it does get clogged, and sooner or later it will, soaking the tip in laquer thinner till take care of it.

Scott hit the nail on the head... what I do is about every once a month or so soak the head assembly in lacquer thinner... if it gums up early I do it sooner... The more you paint with it the more you'll have to do it... and the reverse is true also... my Badger 175 hasn't been cleaned like that in a bit, just because I only use it for certain things now...

Scott and Tom,

How long do you soak your brush in lacquer thinner when you get to that stage. I've heard everything from an hour to overnight. Also, does lacquer thinner affect the airbrush finish like ammonia?

E

E, every part of a Badger tip assembly (except for the Teflon head seal) is metallic and you can soak them just as long as you want to and it won't hurt anything. I usually put them in a bottle of laquer thinner when I finish for the day and then get them out when I start things up the next day. If they sit more than a day it doesn't hurt anything at all.

I should mention that, like Tom, I do try to not let things get to that point. I do disassemble them completely for cleaning every week or two or when it seems like the spray pattern is unusual.

Okay.....


So in other words, I DO need to remove the needle after every useand clean it off, but I dont need to soak things unless they get too gummy?

I just ask because I seem to ding the tips on needles every time I mess with them.

QUOTE: So in other words, I DO need to remove the needle after every useand clean it off, but I dont need to soak things unless they get too gummy?

The instructions say to do it (I think), but I don't always. I should, but I don't. I put the needle in from the front to keep from dinging the tip, and if I take the head off to put the needle in from the front I might as well clean everything. A little bit of needle lube will help prevent paint accumulation on the needle, and the only colors (yes COLORS!) I've found so far that tend to not want to blow out with thinner are grays. I can spray just about any other color, blow some thinner through, and the needle will be nice and clean. Gray, for some reason, tends to stick on the needle.

Scott - I'm glad you mentioned that... I thought it was just me but I seem to have problem with grey as well. Wierd...

CJ - on my 155 where I HAVE to put the needle in from the back (it has a ball on the back end of the needle) I grab the needle just behind the bevel up front (about 1/2 inch back from the tip) and insert it into the opening of the AB from there.. then I just move my hand back and put it the rest of the way in... There's a lot more control and I ding the tip less that way...

And I ditto Scott on the needle lube, if you aren't already using it, it really makes things easier as far as tip dry and paint sticking to the needle. It is extremely effective with acrylics but helps a lot with enamels as well!