Aztek A470 vs Badger 150

The Badger 150 is a great system with the XF, IL, HD head assemblies. When properly cleaned and using good paint to thinner and pressure ratios, it will match any airbrush in it's class.

 

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I have an Aztek A430, and though I don't mind it, I just came home with a Badger 150 today.  I'm not in love with the bottom feed, but what are these XF, IL, HD head assemblies you speak of?

QT

I've never heard them described as XF, IL or HD, but the 150 pro set comes with Fine, Medium and Coarse Needles and tips. Coarse is a illustration size and wouldn't find a use in modeling. Fine is, well, fine and should provide a hairline and Medium is the one I use 99.9% of the time. The siphon feed is all right, requires a bit more pressure is all. I have a 150 that is at least 20 years old and the other is less than six months, other than a small design change (the old one has a round enclosed end on the back side of the handle) they are completely interchangable. A fine testament to the original design.

You can't compare plastic airbrush toy to real airbrush tool. I would stay away of Aztek as much as possible. (my first one was Aztek, and couldn't compare to anything "serious")

Concerning the XF, IL, HD label, they stand for Extra Fine, Illustration (?), and Heavy Duty. Anyway, that's my guess. You'll see the older Badger parts stamped with those letters on the head assembly. If you look in the older Badger catalogs, they are referenced by those letters.

 

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