Sputtering from AB

otpowell

Double Actioner
Ok I am using a badger 150 I just bought from a friend with a badger 180 compressor without a regulator. When I try fine lines, I get sputtering. I tried different paint reductions so that's not it, checked for leaks, that's not it. Could the compressor possibly be pulsating the air? I am not sure. Pulled my nozzle for another good clean but I don't think that's it either.
It's not tip dry.
 
That compressor doesn't have a tank does it? Put a harbor frieght tire inflation tank in line for storage will solve the problem with constant air
 
man it really sounds like paint is to think........... im not familiar with that compressor buut if it was pulsating the air you would be able to tell that......unless you have some crap in the air line, or worse in the airbrush. wish I could help more!
 
It's spectra tex straight out of the bottle. I even added a little reducer to rule that out. It's a .4 nozzle so it should flow just fine.. Thanks guys. Will a regulator also solve the problem if my problem is indeed pulsating air?
 
It's possible that I have crap in the AB. When I bought it, it had dried paint all up in it everywhere. I soaked it for 24 hrs and cleaned all visible areas. Ran some fingernail polish remover through it multiple times. Tried just about everything up my sleeve to get this thing working right. I never knew that dried water based paint could cause so many problems. Right now I have my nozzles soaking again. Thanks all, if you think of anything else lemme know.. The compressor works good and its 200 brand new.. I dunno
 
If the brush has been kicking around a bit, and possibly not well looked after if it was full of paint, then maybe the nozzle could be damaged or flared?
 
The sputtering looks pretty consistent regardless of line thickness.
Is your PTFE head washer in place and un-damaged? It's part number 50-055.
You have 3 different needle/nozzle configs on there as well, are you sure you the right combo installed?
badger_150_pecas.jpg
 
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Yup. It's happening with the fine needle too. I have the lil gasket on there and the right nozzle config. I have a few more things I can do to narrow it down like trying another compressor. I have to examine my needles with my loupe too. Maybe I don't have my nozzle tight enough. Although, I did make it finger tight as tight as I could get it. I pulled my air valve spring out and don't remember seeing par # 50-0141.. May be that's just cuz it's embedded more. Think it could be # 50-046? Well I sure it could be but I don't see any way of taking it out to examine. Hmm.
 
I found it. I have the little gasket between the nozzle and the body, however, it is still leaking quite significantly. I've tightened it as tight as it can go without stripping the soft copper threads. Not sure how to resolve this, perhaps some Teflon tape rigging? Hmm. Perhaps ken badger can chime in? Anyone had this problem on a badger 150?
 
I don't understand. The air comes put around the little gasket part 50-055. And basically it's met again at metal with no seal to prevent air from escaping. I would rig with Teflon but afraid of covering up those little air horns..

ImageUploadedByTapatalk1366668793.555152.jpg
 
That looks very much like pulsation of the air and the fact you say you dont have a regulator fitted says to me its pulsing. I have had the same effect on a small diaphragm compressor with no tank. Looking at your lines the pulses are just too perfectly spaced I would expect if you did some lines faster the spacing between the pulses would increase.
Strictly is spot on with the diagnosis and the cure. To prove it I would get a length of regular compressor air hose and put this to the outlet of the compressor. Put a regulator after this and the air hose will sort of act as a small tank (the longer the hose the more air you can store) this will help even out the fluctuations and stop the pulsing!
 
Thanks talla.. This is weird, this AB is leaking air from everywhere. I would of never bought this if I knownitnwould lead to so much freakin frustration. I was getting along just fine with my eclipse and my 20 gallon compressor. I bought this lil compressor to AB in the house and figured it couldn't hurt to have a 2nd airbrush. Why would they make AB compressors like this?
 
OT ... I'm sure you will get the AB sorted out.

As for the compressor I dont understand why companies knock out these small compressors without a tank and sell them specifically for airbrushing, My first comp for airbrushing was the Clarke Wiz
Clarke Wiz.jpg

This also pulsed giving lines much like what u showed. It was useless and a waste of money! It was continually on and the regulator was an air bleed screw which vented excess pressure. I ended up taking this back to the shop I bought it from and telling them it was not fit for purpose! I ended up with a small 5.7 cfm comp with a 6 litre tank ... No pulsing but it put the excrements up me every time it turned on ... for a small comp it was a lot louder than my big comp!

As for your airbrush Im sure a seal kit will sort it out and you will then have another usable AB!

Andy
 
I feel like this thing has caused so much pent up aggression and such a waste of freakin time. I will never ever buy anything like this used. I fixed it. I have my spray gun regulator and I already have quick disconnects on it. I hooked it up, at full pressure, I get the pulsing in my fine lines. At 5psi under full pressure, the lines are pretty consistent. The minor inconsistencies are probably cuz my nozzle cap is leaking air. The thing is, I think this nozzle cap is designed to leak air. Iwatas have a seal that goes around the air horns, on this badger, the seal is inside of the air horns on the nozzle. No seal, just metal against metal. I would gladly replace the gasket, but that's not going to solve my problem. I think it was how this brush was designed. Designed with no outer seal on the nozzle cap. Can anyone validate?



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See the gasket? It's on the inside of where the air comes out. There is no seal, just metal against metal to prevent air form coming out. I just about striped my threads on my airbrush trying to get the nozzle tight enough so that air doesn't come out.
ImageUploadedByTapatalk1366710205.216574.jpg
 
Why not try a smear of instant gasket (automotive silicon gasket stuff) around that outer edge. When a say a smear I mean a smear! Just get a little on your finger and lightly run it around that outer edge and reassemble. Too much and you will block them holes for sure!
 
That perfect pulse pattern looks to me like it's the compressor. Diaphragm compressors does that. First try another compressor with a tank before you do anything more to the gun.
 
I have a 150 as well, you should not over tighten that you could flatten that Teflon seal. You may have already. You should only have to go finger tight and possibly a slight turn with the wrench that comes with it...very slight with the wrench. Each needle size has it's own nozzle/head assembly they need to be used together not mixed. If all else fails contact the badger support they can most likely rebuild the whole brush for a small fee. I like my 150 it is a very versatile brush.
 
Thanks all! The pulsing is fr the compressor which I can feel plain as day when I have the compressor on without the airbrush. Using a regulator alleviates the problem a little. To further alleviate and remove the pulsing completely, I added my water filter to my regulator, and that took the pulsing away completely even on full pressure! No need for an extra tank!
 
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