SPA Modeler

as to why my Badger 105 Patriot was not doing such a good job....



Had a spare from the 150 and ordered a couple....I think.

I think it's all that blue tape that's the problem.

lawman56 wrote:I think it's all that blue tape that's the problem.

Hmmmm, haven't thought about that...

you can fix that Lyle. Do you have a die grinder handy?

Paul wrote:you can fix that Lyle. Do you have a die grinder handy?

Not sure what a "die grinder" is. I have some files and a hammer.....

Easy fix, fix it the same way you sharpen a hand plane or a chisel, just round.
Put the needle in a drill, get it trued up, straighten the tip as much as possible, then carefully work your way up through the sandpaper grits till its polished and smooth. (You want to go right up as high as you can, i wet sanded up to 20,000)
Ive done it a few times with mine and it always comes out beautiful. And the fastest way ive found to tell if youve got a hooked tip on the needle is stab yourself with it, if it catches on the way out it needs polishing (dont worry, ive never stabbed myself on purpose, im just clumsy)

Heres a handy video i found on polishing.

I dont use the polishing paste, I just keep working up through my ultra fine polishing paper.

I have no clue what´s the deal polishing an airbrush´s needle? Add to this by using such a motor tool??

With my el cheapo i found in smoothed out the flow a bit. And using a power tool saves your fingers from having to rotate it constantly to get an even polish.

scorpiomikey wrote:And the fastest way ive found to tell if youve got a hooked tip on the needle is stab yourself with it, if it catches on the way out it needs polishing (dont worry, ive never stabbed myself on purpose, im just clumsy)

I love it! That's the best reply I've seen in a long time!

to get the bend out I usually roll it on a very flat piece of glass but not too aggressively or it will get bent in another way. If you have a spare needle then I would just use that.