Badger 360 leaking like a sieve! Help!

Yep,

Live and learn. I hope this will be a lesson to others out there. In all the information I read about cleaning airbrushes I never found anything about not running a pipecleaner down the needle path. Sure, folks mention using pipecleaners, cotton swabs, etc. but they don't really go into how to go about cleaning. With my Badger 360 (which should be at Badger by now for servicing), I'll go this route when cleaning in the future:

1. empty paint from cup

2. clean out cup, swab with cotton swab

3. shoot windex (or thinner) through brush till it comes out clear

4. loosen needle, remove and wipe

5. coat needle with lube, return

6. shoot water through it to get the last remaining bits of paint out.

Thanks for the help, Mike V! 

dt 

I never run pipe cleaners down the needle tube of an airbrush.

It is not necessary and can cause damage as you found out.

Mike 

I would never have guessed it. The bearing came out when I was cleaning it with a pipecleaner! I'll give Badger a call tomorrow to see what they say.

Thanks!

dt 

You need a special tool to insert the needle bearing.

You should have just sent it to Badger and they would do it for you.