The Badger Airbrush and Airbrushing Help

I have been building models for years and have used many techniques to paint them, but by far the best is with an air brush. A simple brush can be as little as twenty dollars with much better ones that run into the hundreds. Kits can contain just the brush and a few accessories or you can get sets including the brush, a compressor and all the accessories you need to start air brushing.

I had an airbrush for many years and had put it away when I lived in Illinois after getting out of the military. I moved a few times and just did not get back into modeling until recently. I loved to build models and have started in again on that hobby. I went and pulled out my tools and such and found the had a few parts missing and another damaged.

I looked around and found an art supply store and was going to go there with the brush to buy the parts I need but stopped in at a hobby store on the way. To my surprise he advised against taking it to the supply store and said to send it back to the company.

He told me that they have a great warranty and will fix the brush for little or no cost. I thought what the hay and tried it. It cost me $1.87 to mail the brush in and I waited. Their web site says that you have to put the model number on the outside of the package and just to mail it to them. Here’s there site for the address and such:

http://www.badger-airbrush.com/contact.htm

I waited and after two weeks thought I might ask them if they had received it and how much it would cost to fix. They say on their site that if any repairs are going to cost you they will ask before performing the repair. I sent an email and about two hours later the mail came to my front door and guess what was in the mail. A box from Badger Airbrush.

I opened it and my airbrush was inside, with new parts and all clean and shined up. It works good as new. With all new washers and gaskets and the front tip that was bent had been replaced. The really good news was that it was free.

I didn’t even have to pay for shipping back to me. I was really surprised that I did not have to pay for something like missing parts of the airbrush when I obviously lost them.

That is called service and quality. Customers that purchase their products count to their company so much that they want to see you buy more from them and they use their customer service as part of that commitment to their customers.

I was impressed. I tried a little experiment that I am regretting now. I have two models of airbrushes from Badger. The one model is only missing one part, a small locking nut. I sent in the airbrush to the company the same day I stopped in at the art supply store to see if they had the small nut.

I had to order the nut for the airbrush because they did not have one on hand. It is now two months and I am still waiting for the part to arrive. I have called and stopped in at the store and it is not in. Soon I am going to just send the brush in and get it cleaned up, too.

I enjoy using my brush and have been to several web sites to learn more on using it. If you are interested in using your brush for model building there are many sites that sell the paints that you use that have tips and suggestions for airbrushing.

Here is a good one from Testors that you can download and save as a PDF document using Adobe Reader:

http://www.testors.com/hobbyist_guides.asp

There are numerous sites that you can use for help in not only basic airbrushing for a wide range of hobbies and interests but you can find advanced techniques and tips from experts.

I have found many and they all are a help, some of the best sites with a wide range of help are here:

http://www.airbrush.com/index.aspx
http://www.airbrush.com/how-to-guide.aspx?content=how-to/howtoDetail&id=6
http://www.howtoairbrush.com/
http://www.airbrushtalk.com/

I have found that the different sites that sell airbrushes such as Paasche, Aiwata and Badger also have tips and hints for general airbrushing techniques that can be of help no matter what kind of airbrush you use.

I have a model 350 and a model 200NH air brush from Badger. The model 350 is an external mix air brush, which means the paint is sucked up the tube into the tip and mixed with air outside the brush. Not very far outside but it is mixed outside.

With the external mix you control how much paint goes out by turning the nozzle below the tip. The external mix is a simple but good air brush and is a good starter brush for beginners.

The internal mix is a better type of brush but with it comes the added hassle of having to wash more parts when you use your brush. The model 200 NH is an internal mix single action air brush. It has a few more parts and you control how much paint is used by the turn of a wheel on the back of the brush.

The internal mix is a better brush, it has more control of how much paint you are using and can do finer work.

With any air brush you need to have some type of compressed air. I have two compressors that are both good. I have a small Campbell Hausfeld single diaphragm compressor that I cannot control the pressure of air on and is good for general airbrushing.

I also have a better compressor with a tank and regulator from Campbell Hausfeld that is one I use when I am painting my models and want more control over the amount of pressure at the air brush.

I am not too concerned with how loud my compressors are, they are both pretty noisy but the single diaphragm I can use in the house. I use it in my basement toward an open window. There is a fan blowing the air outside but if I do more brushing I will have to start using a small paint booth.

A paint booth is a small box like device that has a fan attached to vent the fumes of spraying outside through a filter. You can make your own or buy one. I will have to look into that for the future.

I am quite happy with my two air brushes, I use them on models and have been experimenting and working on more things as I get the time. I am extremely happy with Badger and their warranty of their air brushes.

I have found these days that a company that stands behind it’s products with a warranty like Badger is getting to be rare.