Does anyone know how crucial it is for the tip and needle in an airbrush to be perfectly concentric. I have not really got happy with my airbrush performance and have been looking at all the variables and noticed that when opening my air brush up the needle was touching the tip on one side. I assumed that the needle was either bent or off centre and tried to fix it, but that didn't resolve the problem. I bought a new needle but that displayed the same problem, I tried both my air brushes (Badger 100G and 150) and have been to try the rest of the needles at my local shop. No combination seems to have a perfectly concentric needle to tip set - up. I.e. when the needle pulls back, leaving a uniform gap all the way round between needle and tip.

Is there some wear or problem in the needle bearing or tip which I have not noticed or do airbrushes tend not to have an exactly concentric set up?

Help would be appreciated as I have to decide whether the problem is with me or the airbrush.

Thanks guys

Ross

Here is my two cents - I believe that it IS important for the needle to be dead center. This is where the paint is exiting the brush where the spray pattern is established. If the O (needle in the middle) is not nicely round the pattern will be off kilter and the resulting spray may be missshaped or splotchy on one side and light on the other.

I have had cases where there was paint build up on the very end of my needle and it dissupted the paint flow. It made the paint dry before it hit the model. I've also had bent needs that mess things up too.

As far as what would cause it - it could just be machined poorly. I'm not familiar with those models of ABs.

What was it Sherlock Holmes would say? When every other possibility is exhausted, the last remainig option, no matter how unlikely, must be the answer.

Or something like that.

Maybe it's not the needle that'd the problem but you tip that got damaged.

And yes, even the smallest bend, crack or deformity will adversely affect your paint flow.

Yes, definitely sounds like the tip/head assembly is damaged. They are made of brass and can be easily damaged. Get a new one and you should be good to go.

Hope that helps
Steve

Thanks for the replies guys.

Unfortunately this is a new tip and there seem to be similar problems with other tips and needlles. I think, if anything there are needle-bearing alignment problems. Overall it makes me think that Badger's quality control is not quite what it should be. The body of the air-brush is less than a year old. I'd better check to see if the company I bought it off will do a check and replacement.

Ross

I noticed the same concentricity issue with my badger (same model as yours). The airbrush seems to paint all right but I wonder if it could be better. It's interesting that you brought it up. I thought that I was being too picky to discover such a thing, but in retrospect i should have returned it. You might try Badger's toll free number to see if they have an opinion. If your lucky enough to speak to an engineer you might get a decent answer. I may try calling tonight and mention that the word is getting around on the modeler's forums.