tatocorvette
Detail Decepticon!
Hello,
Brief history:
The classic Badger 150 is one of the most recognizable and popular airbrushes in history. For many, me included, it was the first airbrush we ever touched. It made me fall in love with airbrushing. That's why I semi-joke about it been the best airbrush ever made. Actually, the best airbrush is the one you have in your hands, full of paint and with compressed air ready to be released by the trigger.
Badger started making their own airbrushes in 1964. Before that, they were a supplier, Walter Precision Company, sub-contractor machine shop for other airbrush manufacturers like Paasche and Thayer & Chandler. Their first airbrush was the 100XF; a side feed dual action internal mix airbrush with roots in the Thayer and Chandler's Model A. I haven't been able to pinpoint exactly when, (**EDIT** See update below) but the 150 followed soon as a siphon feed design based on the 100. I know the 200 and 250 were released around 1966. Trying to find out if the 150 was released before or after that. At some point there was a "Poster" Version of the 150 with screw lid intake instead of the common siphon tube. Not sure if that was the first version. I'll keep you updated if I find out. If anybody knows, please let me know.
Still in production, the classic Badger 150 is part of the "Legends" series. It has evolved over the decades and is one of the most affordable, versatile and popular hobbyist airbrushes ever. I consider it the closest to a Do-It-All airbrush. From the get go it was designed to be able to spray anything you can throw at it. From inks to heavy automotive paints and everything in between. If it is liquid paint, it can withstand spraying it. The medium size nozzle setup (about 0.5) is the most common, but it also has available Fine (0.22) and Heavy (0.76) needle/head combos so it can be easily transformed from a detail brush to a fire hose. Parts are easily available and most are interchangeable with the 100 and 200 series families. Its reliability is legendary and many old units are still on the road. I mean in working order. I can't recommend anything else as a first airbrush, especially for scale modelers. It has also been the design template for countless knockoffs like my very own CP1500, which has been with me for 30 years and counting.
My specimen:
I recently acquired this Badger 150-4PK kit. It is a kit containing the 150, Medium and Heavy setups, braided hose, jars, color cup etc. in a nice wooden box.
This brush shows little signs of use. It seems it was stored slightly dirty, or at least not deeply clean. Some old stubborn paint residue but nothing major. I've seen far worst.
As usual everything was cleaned and polished. The Medium size needle was polished with the usual 2400, 3200, 4000, 6000, 8000 and 12,000 polishing pads followed by metal polish cream.
Some very minor pitting on the body where it was in contact with the foam, apparently for years. The literature has a print date of 1991, so I assume it is from around that early 90's timeframe.
This is the old style regulator.
Ready for my next scale model
I have ordered a Fine needle/head combo, but will most likely be used in the 100SG.
The wooden box can use some TLC on the top. I'll try to work on that eventually.
Hope you like it!
Let me know what you think and if there is any error or correction.
Thanks,
Ismael "the Badger historian wannabe"
Brief history:
The classic Badger 150 is one of the most recognizable and popular airbrushes in history. For many, me included, it was the first airbrush we ever touched. It made me fall in love with airbrushing. That's why I semi-joke about it been the best airbrush ever made. Actually, the best airbrush is the one you have in your hands, full of paint and with compressed air ready to be released by the trigger.
Badger started making their own airbrushes in 1964. Before that, they were a supplier, Walter Precision Company, sub-contractor machine shop for other airbrush manufacturers like Paasche and Thayer & Chandler. Their first airbrush was the 100XF; a side feed dual action internal mix airbrush with roots in the Thayer and Chandler's Model A. I haven't been able to pinpoint exactly when, (**EDIT** See update below) but the 150 followed soon as a siphon feed design based on the 100. I know the 200 and 250 were released around 1966. Trying to find out if the 150 was released before or after that. At some point there was a "Poster" Version of the 150 with screw lid intake instead of the common siphon tube. Not sure if that was the first version. I'll keep you updated if I find out. If anybody knows, please let me know.
Still in production, the classic Badger 150 is part of the "Legends" series. It has evolved over the decades and is one of the most affordable, versatile and popular hobbyist airbrushes ever. I consider it the closest to a Do-It-All airbrush. From the get go it was designed to be able to spray anything you can throw at it. From inks to heavy automotive paints and everything in between. If it is liquid paint, it can withstand spraying it. The medium size nozzle setup (about 0.5) is the most common, but it also has available Fine (0.22) and Heavy (0.76) needle/head combos so it can be easily transformed from a detail brush to a fire hose. Parts are easily available and most are interchangeable with the 100 and 200 series families. Its reliability is legendary and many old units are still on the road. I mean in working order. I can't recommend anything else as a first airbrush, especially for scale modelers. It has also been the design template for countless knockoffs like my very own CP1500, which has been with me for 30 years and counting.
My specimen:
I recently acquired this Badger 150-4PK kit. It is a kit containing the 150, Medium and Heavy setups, braided hose, jars, color cup etc. in a nice wooden box.
This brush shows little signs of use. It seems it was stored slightly dirty, or at least not deeply clean. Some old stubborn paint residue but nothing major. I've seen far worst.
As usual everything was cleaned and polished. The Medium size needle was polished with the usual 2400, 3200, 4000, 6000, 8000 and 12,000 polishing pads followed by metal polish cream.
Some very minor pitting on the body where it was in contact with the foam, apparently for years. The literature has a print date of 1991, so I assume it is from around that early 90's timeframe.
This is the old style regulator.
Ready for my next scale model
I have ordered a Fine needle/head combo, but will most likely be used in the 100SG.
The wooden box can use some TLC on the top. I'll try to work on that eventually.
Hope you like it!
Let me know what you think and if there is any error or correction.
Thanks,
Ismael "the Badger historian wannabe"
Last edited: