Badger 250 plastic AB consistantly a throw away!

Wilbur Wright wrote:

I have used these for years and always after 5-6-7  times of use the air stops going through the brush! NOT A HOSE PROBLEM.....NOT AN AIR SUPPLY PROBLEM.......NOT A CLEANING PROBLEM.........Does anyone know why this happens or if it can be corrected? I am a very experienced modeler. It has something to do with the trigger.........this has happened consisitantly for years......... ANY HELP APPRECIATED ps I have found a manufaturer that makes a copy of this brush for $5.99........so I  won't mind getting a few uses and then throwing away..........however the Badgers at cheapest are $14.99 + shipping so I'm done with that.

Are you 100% sure it's not a cleaning problem?  You'd be surprised. 

Another thing to investigate would be the trigger.  Does the trigger get gunked up somehow?  When you depress the trigger, is it getting full movement?  Is it going all the way back up when you release it?  Answers to those questions might help to figure out if you're having issues with the trigger.

I'm not personally familiar with the Badger 250, although it seems to be the moral equivalent to a Testors A220 which I did use for many years.  My advice would be to upgrade to a real airbrush.  A low, low end unit like the A220 and presumably the Badger 250 is basically a miniaturized garden sprayer with little control beyond what you can get with a rattle can.  They do what they do and beat a poke in the eye compared to brush painting, but their lack of control makes them very limited in what they can do.  If cost is an issue, pick-up the Paasche H Set from Dixieart.com.  For fifty bucks you'll have a rugged, easy to clean and easy to use airbrush that would greatly exceed the capabilities of your current one.

NOT a cleaning problem, no. I'm meticulous about cleaning.  Trigger goes up and down fully......It is something internal with a rubber gasket or something and of course this brush can't be taken apart I generally build large aircraft hence the need for the 4 ounce jar, ....It does in fact give a very satisfactory fine spray job when it does work.

I wanted to know if anyone else that used this brush had this consistant problem?

Otherwise I can get 4 or 5 of the 5.99 versions that will last me a couple of years.

Money is not an issue however if I spent 100 bucks lets say, and that one didn't work for any reason, I would be quite po'd

I generally do large coverage painting

Thanks

I have one of the $5.99 ones, and it's junk too. You can get a Badger 200 for $40 or a 175 Crescendo set or 150 for $70 and still hook up that big bottle to them. I have a 150 and it can do anything from a thin line up to blasting paint all over the place.

If you're meticulous about cleaning any decent airbrush should last you for decades.

NOT a cleaning problem, no. I'm meticulous about cleaning.  Trigger goes up and down fully......It is something internal with a rubber gasket or something and of course this brush can't be taken apart I generally build large aircraft hence the need for the 4 ounce jar, ....It does in fact give a very satisfactory fine spray job when it does work.

Just curious as to how big the aircraft you paint are.  I build mostly 1/32 scale jets (Vietnam and up) and use gravity feed brushes with a 1/3 ounce (that's one-third ounce) cup.  I could paint a squadron with a 4 ounce jar.

I'm not familiar with that brush, but looking at it on Badger's site it appears that the nozzle that screws into the paint jar and the siphon tube are the only places there is paint.  None inside the brush body so it probably isn't a cleaning problem since there is very little to clean.  I don't know what your problem could be, but apart from going with a different style of airbrush I think when one of them finally went bad on me I'd saw it open with a razor saw and find out what was causing the problem.  It might be something that could be fixed on the next one or you might find that it is just something generally wearing out.  Regardless, you have nothing to lose since the old one doesn't work anyway and you might figure out what the problem is.

Hi, Yes I paint big planes also 1/350th ships (Tamiya CVN 65 for instance) and like to mix the color with plenty for a second coat (I love the big jar) I also have the 2oz jar .....I will saw one open to see what is up...I've also e-mailed Badger to ask........Its definitely a trigger issue.............also the crap ones at  5.99 If that gets me through a model then throw away (I can live with that)

I'll look into a different Badger that can be taken apart and fixed if neccesary (and one where seperate parts are available for). I just started building again after at least 6 years off  because I couldn't resist building this 72nd scale  B36. So I wasn't going to spend on a good one right now.  I have many 32nd scale jets built. I just saw the F18D in 32nd scale ....looks good. I love big planes.

Thanks

If 99% of what you do is that big, something like the Badger 175 would be good, the 4oz jar will still fit and that thing will having you thinking of the proverbial flood when you pull the trigger all the way back.  At $6 apiece, in 11 cheap brushes you'd have paid for it!  The 175 is all metal and can be completely dissasembled down to components.. the best part you can readily buy the components if need be to repair it.. no more throwing the whole thing away...  The only thing I have ever had to buy for any of my airbrushes was needles and the occasional tip.  and that is very rare I have to do that..

The Anthem 155 by Badger will also throw a fair amount of paint... it would be my recommendation if you ever do detail in 1/32 on a plane or something... it does better detail than the 175... same ability at large surface coverage!  From what I've heard Bill say, if a double action is not in your future, the 150 could fill in quite nicely as well as a single action!

Good luck!!!

-edit- oh yeah... if you order from www.dixieart.com any order over $45 is free shipping, and they have some REALLY hard to beat prices as well!

tho9900 wrote:

From what I've heard Bill say, if a double action is not in your future, the 150 could fill in quite nicely as well as a single action!

Uh, the 150 IS a dual action. The 200 series is a single action.

ahhh ok... I haven't used either.. thanks for the correction! 

Wilbur Wright wrote:

Hi, Yes I paint big planes also 1/350th ships (Tamiya CVN 65 for instance) and like to mix the color with plenty for a second coat (I love the big jar) I also have the 2oz jar .....I will saw one open to see what is up...I've also e-mailed Badger to ask........Its definitely a trigger issue.............also the crap ones at  5.99 If that gets me through a model then throw away (I can live with that) I'll look into a different Badger that can be taken apart and fixed if neccesary (and one where seperate parts are available for). I just started building again after at least 6 years off  because I couldn't resist building this 72nd scale  B36. So I wasn't going to spend on a good one right now.  I have many 32nd scale jets built. I just saw the F18D in 32nd scale ....looks good. I love big planes. Thanks

Whoaa! Wilber, Rethink, Readjust and Rebuy then overcome. It maybe $5.99 ain't worth your time. Buy what suits you, and look good in it!..........................

Ok I have my running shoes on (all these Badger guys... gulp)...

For spraying large areas with a gravity-feed paint cup...

I love mine so I'll recommend it, an Iwata Eclipse HP-BCS dual action for $79.97 at Dixe Art.

I used a Badger 250 when I was a kid. I found it not to my liking as I got the same results from a spray can.

If you are looking for a single action gravity-feed then -
My Vega 600 does a fine job (got it for $20.00 at Badger Garage Sale).
Badger recommended to me a 200 NH ($46 at Dixie Art).

Jim - I actually prefer my Iwatas as well, but was thinking siphon fed and I guess I totally blanked on the HP-BCS and BCR... both excellent brushes as well!  My brain has been on overload this week and I think it needs a rest .. 

tho9900 wrote:

Jim - I actually prefer my Iwatas as well, ...

Hey Tom - I haven't had much experience with Badgers other than testing some for a day. But I preferred the Iwata while testing on a scrap car hood that day.

My brain has been on overload this week and I think it needs a rest ..

Hey, I tell everyone mine IS resting.