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JR

Help With Airbrush

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I bought a nice Badger airbrush set at a garage sale. It looks like the airbrush was put away without cleaning it. I have used Badger Airbrush restorer before and am not sure it will help with this.

Is there anything I can use to clean this mess up with? Would soaking it in some type of thinner or solvent help? Can I clean it with fine , 4/0, steel wool without hurting it?

It doesn’t look like it was used much, the extra parts, wooden case, and accessories look brand new. I would hate to throw it away.

Jack

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I would use brass cleaning tools, doesn't scratch the brush like steel would. Disassemble the airbrush as much as possible and try soaking the metal parts in boiling water and see if that will loosen up the paint, if not you could try some M.E.K.(not on the plastic parts!!) Be careful with whatever solvent you try, good luck, JIM

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Celticav

Thank you very much for the ideas. I would have never thought of boiling water but it sounds logical.

I have a small brass brush and 6/0 brass wool used to clean electrical components.

M.E.K. is some bad stuff that I don't keep around any longer. I do have some solvents that may work. Like you said about the plastic, if I put plastic in some of these solvents I could invent a new coating for sealing crank baits.

Jack

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Hey JR, The most important plastic part on your Badger is the O-Ring. That part is the part you do NOT want to soak. It wont cause MAJOR damage.... but its one of those things. I have mistakenly left mine on while it soaked, without any problems... just dont do it! Be careful too.. I have lost a few down the drain! :huh: My reccommendation is to soak the brush with the head and tip off. I have just let it soak in some turpentine overnite. I take one of the paint jars and fill them up and have them all soak in that. Also, my next suggestion is to spend the $14.00 and replace the tip and the head assembly. I think thats whats price is. Usually they come with new O-Rings anyway. ( I usually use the Fine tip and head for airbrushing the lures ) I mean you can probably salvage the head assembly and tip.... but you could also cause yourself some headaches from the mis-sprays. And it could work great one second then not the next. So really you would be out another $14.00, but it still is a big plus on your side. The brush itself is important clean... but take heed... just spend the money on a new head assembley and at least you have a backup one. I personally have like 5 or six heads... that way I always have them. Cody

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Thanks for the tips Cody. I have washed a lot of things down the drain and I am sure the O ring would have followed. I have ordered the tip, head, and extra O rings. I will stop on the way home and take a look at the cleaning kit.

When I went to the hobby shop, where I get most of my airbrush supplies, the same lady that I bought the airbrush kit from was there buying another set for her son. She was telling the clerk there was something wrong with the other airbrush and it wouldn’t work right. I wondered why she didn’t bring it back. I was worried about putting anymore time into an airbrush that didn’t work but when she left the clerk told me this was the third kit she had bought for her son and none of them seemed to work. I guess he just didn’t like to clean them. At $149.00 per kit you would think he would learn.

Jack

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