Very early Badger 100 side feeds

DaveG

Airbush Analyst
Early is a relative term with Badger, as they did not start making airbrushes until the early part of the 1960's. Other American brands date back to at least the beginning of the 1900's.

I am assuming, based on observation of the product, that many of the Chicago based brands were all using one job shop or manufacturer, while maintaining their individual and separate brands. It really looks to me like Thayer Chandler made some revisions to the Model A- like adding a taper to the front half of the brush body, changed the rear teardrop handle to a new, long tapered piece - at which time Badger purchased the old parts to create their new beginning. Always been kind of undeniable that the Badger Model 100 is a take off of the Thayer Chandler Model A.

This newest acquisition helps to tie them even closer together - I got in (as close to new) first generation Badger brush, featuring their first on-brush branding. Prior to this, there was simply a foil sticker wrapped around the body (brush in the back). This one came without a case, but did have the original instruction pamphlet that does have some interesting information in it. The two items I found most interesting where the mention of the adjustable regulator cap, although the instructions are not as in depth or detailed as the ones that came with the original Thayer Chandler Model A. For me, it is just one more piece of documentation to help tie the two together.

The other interesting mention is reference to a special service each brush returned to the factory undergoes - ultrasonic cleaning. I will get some photo's of the documentation, and get them posted up with some more info on the brush. Lovely, clean, example.

early badger brushes1.jpg
 
Oh nice. My 100S is a early ‘90s brush with the tapered blue anodized handles on them. Other than that and the engraved markings, I don’t see a whole lot of difference. Do they have the Teflon head gaskets and needle bearings as well?
 
Oh nice. My 100S is a early ‘90s brush with the tapered blue anodized handles on them. Other than that and the engraved markings, I don’t see a whole lot of difference. Do they have the Teflon head gaskets and needle bearings as well?
yes to the teflon head gasket and needle bearing. Parts have remained about the same, with most changes made over time seem to be to reduce cost of manufacture.
 
yes to the teflon head gasket and needle bearing. Parts have remained about the same, with most changes made over time seem to be to reduce cost of manufacture.

Yeah they look pretty similar. One major visible difference aside from the handle is the absence of the eyelet holes on the nozzle cap that mine has. Also does the handle on the older guns there have a counterweight at the end?
 
Lovely airbrushes Dave, i really like the shape of them which is probably why I like the Super 63

Lee
 
Lovely airbrushes Dave, i really like the shape of them which is probably why I like the Super 63

Lee
I don't think the similarity in shape is coincidental. It was Burdick who had a dispute with Thayer & Chandler, that moved to England and created the Aerograph. I think the choice of silver brush and black handle was a very deliberate move back in the day. Badger seems to just have picked up what Thayer Chandler was finished with, and moved on from there.

On the Badger, as far as a counterweight in the handle... I will say that it is my impression that the company has always been pretty creative in describing the product. One of the very first models was the 200 single action, which required a through hole in the handle for the needle chuck. Production wise, they simply made all the handles with a through hole, and plugged the end on the double action brushes with a press in slug. Counterweight? OK. :) Yes, both of these brushes have them.

They also did not introduce the vented regulator caps until sometime much later on (maybe the 80's or so). These have the original TC style adjustable regulators. The internal construction at the front is shaped like an inward cone, instead of the flat face interior of the newer stye that are made by pressing a separate brass piece in. The nozzles are also a little longer and slender at the front to allow for the adjustability with the regulator caps. These two brushes are full range adjustable, but I have also seen documentation where Badger indicated that the regulators were pre-set at the facotry, and should not be adjusted - they were set at @ 3 turns out, which was the baseline for the TC nozzles as well. I've got a few of those brushes around, too. They have the blue, tapered handle vs. the tear drop shown on these.
 
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