Badger Renegade Krome - air exiting cup instead of tip

I agree, I now have dry tip. It seems odd that Vallejo is not working in a detail gun. Vallejo seems to market most particularly to miniature figure painters and to claim they thin their product to be airbrush ready.

I will try thinning further though and let you know how that works.

Just as a point of comparison, I shot 2 lb cut shellac heavily tinted with Mixol pigment with only minor issues that cleared up readily with cleaning.

I am very careful to shot relevant solvent whenever I take a break.

I found some useful trouble shooting tips here on the Badger site, though none were relevant to my immediate concern:
http://www.badgerairbrush.com/PDF/Ultimate 101ChooseTroubleshoot.pdf

There is no mention of a Krome model on the either Badger website though. It seems to have been orphaned.
 
Two things are still confusing me. First, if, as some suggest, the pigments are ground to coursely, why is paint making it all the way through the brush to dry on the guards on the regulator tip?

Second, why is paint hitting the guards on the regulator tip? This suggests my spray "cone" is too wide. What would cause that?
 
Ok, did some digging.
You don't mention which series of Vallejo you are using.
I will assume model air .....
At the risk of you thinking I am trying to teach you to suck eggs I'll provide info from Vallejo regarding cleaning the brush
  • Although it is not necessary, adding drops of thinner in a ratio of 1:3 is recommended.
  • Ensure that your airbrush is completely clean before beginning the painting processes, checking in particular the tip and that the needle moves freely.
  • Using a 0.2 needle is ideal for modelling work, as it allows extensive surfaces to be covered and small details to be defined.
  • Use pressure of between 0.5 and 1kg in your compressor, first trying it out on paper until the desired line is achieved.
  • During use, regularly clean the tip with paper towel dampened with alcohol or Vallejo Cleaner, as the formulation of acrylic resin can cause the accumulation of pigment on the tip after a period of continuous work.
  • Changes in colour require the airbrush to be cleaned quickly, emptying any remains of unused paint into a recipient.
  • Then add an amount of Vallejo Airbrush Cleaner, pouring it straight into the cup of the airbrush.
  • Loosen the rear thread of the needle stop and carefully move it back slightly, so as to allow the cup to be cleaned easily.
  • Using a no. 10 soft brush, stir the cleaner inside the cup, subsequently emptying the contents of the cup and removing any solid remains which could prevent the tip from moving through.
  • Remove the Airbrush Cleaner with the leftover paint and any solid particles which could prevent the tip from moving freely, pouring it into a recipient.
  • Add the Cleaner again, spraying it onto cellulose paper towel, and increase the pressure of the compressor to between 1 and 1.5kg. This will help to unblock and completely clean the movable mechanisms and parts.
  • As part of the general cleaning process, the needle can carefully be completely removed, avoiding any sudden movements or rubbing against the tip. The needle should then be cleaned with Cleaner and paper towel, before inserting it back into the body of the airbrush.
 
Have you changed the needle?if so is it the right needle for that nozzle? You may have a flared nozzle ?look it all over with a magnifying glass to see if there's a split in the nozzle or flared any ?
 
With your last post I'm now wondering if the pressure is too high, causing it to blow back into the cap and drying thus causing your issue.
In one of your earlier posts you mentioned that cleaning 'below the cup' was hard to do... I can't see that it would be hugely different to any other gravity brush.
@basepaint, can you shed any light on what area may be causing some grief ?
 
As for not being able to find any info on the krone:
https://sites.google.com/site/donsairbrushtips/badger-krome

550be041092f659b8c80886b6910c522.jpg



It wasn't hard !!
 
The easiest way to get the cup clean is to pull the needle out of the cup area and using a fine bristle paint brush work it around the bottom of the cup with some water/cleaner and dump it out (don't spray it out as the paint can reclog the brush,then flush with water and then spray some water thru it (takes less time to do it then to type it:D)
 
This may help. When I spray my paint if I get to much tip dry I add extender to the paint along with a drop or two of reducer, If it spiders after that I reduce the pressure by 5 psi till it sprays right
 
Most time when you have air coming into the paint cup it is due to a cracked or blocked nozzle.
With the drop in nozzle you can get them off center when you screw on the hold down ring . Due to the tiny size of the nozzle most will not notice if it is off when they tighten it down.
Which can cause the nozzle to crack or shoot off center which will allow paint to gather on spray regulator (as Badger calls those parts )
Here is what a crack nozzle looks like on a Krome
Yes I have had it happen to me once .lol
 
Also, be sure you have the right needle, regulator and nozzle. I used my krome for nearly a year like a dumb arse with the wrong setup. Still got results... Just got better results when I worked it out.
 
Two things are still confusing me. First, if, as some suggest, the pigments are ground to coursely, why is paint making it all the way through the brush to dry on the guards on the regulator tip?

Second, why is paint hitting the guards on the regulator tip? This suggests my spray "cone" is too wide. What would cause that?

First, fine is a relative term... airbrush paint is REALLY fine as opposed to a brush paint.

Second, I assume you are referring to the buildup of paint on the tip? That is as a result of eddies formed in the air flow with paint moving back towards it. If the paint from the air flow hitting the nozzle guards is will splatter onto the work. That would be the give away difference.
 
This is very useful info (spot on). I spotted it just before I was going to Google "how much do I thin Vallejo primer?" !

I do not see any series name on the bottle, just the words Acrylic-Polyurethane. It is a larger than average bottle for Vallejo.

I am confused about the pressure though. 0.5 - 1 kg per square centimeter? I am in US.

Ok, did some digging.
You don't mention which series of Vallejo you are using.
I will assume model air .....
At the risk of you thinking I am trying to teach you to suck eggs I'll provide info from Vallejo regarding cleaning the brush
  • Although it is not necessary, adding drops of thinner in a ratio of 1:3 is recommended.
  • Ensure that your airbrush is completely clean before beginning the painting processes, checking in particular the tip and that the needle moves freely.
  • Using a 0.2 needle is ideal for modelling work, as it allows extensive surfaces to be covered and small details to be defined.
  • Use pressure of between 0.5 and 1kg in your compressor, first trying it out on paper until the desired line is achieved.
  • During use, regularly clean the tip with paper towel dampened with alcohol or Vallejo Cleaner, as the formulation of acrylic resin can cause the accumulation of pigment on the tip after a period of continuous work.
  • Changes in colour require the airbrush to be cleaned quickly, emptying any remains of unused paint into a recipient.
  • Then add an amount of Vallejo Airbrush Cleaner, pouring it straight into the cup of the airbrush.
  • Loosen the rear thread of the needle stop and carefully move it back slightly, so as to allow the cup to be cleaned easily.
  • Using a no. 10 soft brush, stir the cleaner inside the cup, subsequently emptying the contents of the cup and removing any solid remains which could prevent the tip from moving through.
  • Remove the Airbrush Cleaner with the leftover paint and any solid particles which could prevent the tip from moving freely, pouring it into a recipient.
  • Add the Cleaner again, spraying it onto cellulose paper towel, and increase the pressure of the compressor to between 1 and 1.5kg. This will help to unblock and completely clean the movable mechanisms and parts.
  • As part of the general cleaning process, the needle can carefully be completely removed, avoiding any sudden movements or rubbing against the tip. The needle should then be cleaned with Cleaner and paper towel, before inserting it back into the body of the airbrush.
 
I have checked the nozzle many times with a jewellers loupe. It is fine. As I have experience with airbrushing, I am aware of the extreme care needed with the nozzle and needle.

In the beginning I was mistakenly treating the nozzle retaining ring and the air regulator as one piece. This caused the nozzle to be loose and go off center, resulting in air being directed to the cup.

Nice photo. Must have been a challenge to take!

Most time when you have air coming into the paint cup it is due to a cracked or blocked nozzle.
With the drop in nozzle you can get them off center when you screw on the hold down ring . Due to the tiny size of the nozzle most will not notice if it is off when they tighten it down.
Which can cause the nozzle to crack or shoot off center which will allow paint to gather on spray regulator (as Badger calls those parts )
Here is what a crack nozzle looks like on a Krome
Yes I have had it happen to me once .lol
 
This is very useful info (spot on). I spotted it just before I was going to Google "how much do I thin Vallejo primer?" !

I do not see any series name on the bottle, just the words Acrylic-Polyurethane. It is a larger than average bottle for Vallejo.

I am confused about the pressure though. 0.5 - 1 kg per square centimeter? I am in US.
Google will change bar to PSI... From the Vallejo info... Airbrush and Compressor: The viscosity of Model Air lets you work with airbrushes as small as 0.2 mm without diluting the colors. Environmental conditions can alter the viscosity of the product and cause the need for further dilution. We recommend working with a compressor pressure between PSI 10-15, 0.75-1.10 Bar, (0.5-1 kgs).

http://cdn.acrylicosvallejo.com/e33c56b715c0ac19f96a599a7fde2fb3/CC071-Rev18.pdf

http://www.acrylicosvallejo.com/en_US/model-air/family/17
 
I am not familiar with the word "extender" in this context. Is that the same as retarder (slows drying)? I was going to try that next, but now that I see this is Acrylic-Polyurethane and not pure acrylic I doubt using Liquitex retarder is going to work.

I am going to try a different primer.

Thanks.

This may help. When I spray my paint if I get to much tip dry I add extender to the paint along with a drop or two of reducer, If it spiders after that I reduce the pressure by 5 psi till it sprays right
 
I have tried 10, 15, and 20 psi. Vallejo recommends 20 psi on the bottle.

Google will change bar to PSI... From the Vallejo info... Airbrush and Compressor: The viscosity of Model Air lets you work with airbrushes as small as 0.2 mm without diluting the colors. Environmental conditions can alter the viscosity of the product and cause the need for further dilution. We recommend working with a compressor pressure between PSI 10-15, 0.75-1.10 Bar, (0.5-1 kgs).

http://cdn.acrylicosvallejo.com/e33c56b715c0ac19f96a599a7fde2fb3/CC071-Rev18.pdf

http://www.acrylicosvallejo.com/en_US/model-air/family/17
 
Are the eddies a sign of too high or too low a pressure? I have never seen paint on those guards before.

First, fine is a relative term... airbrush paint is REALLY fine as opposed to a brush paint.

Second, I assume you are referring to the buildup of paint on the tip? That is as a result of eddies formed in the air flow with paint moving back towards it. If the paint from the air flow hitting the nozzle guards is will splatter onto the work. That would be the give away difference.
 
That struck me too. I double checked and they are properly matched.

Also, be sure you have the right needle, regulator and nozzle. I used my krome for nearly a year like a dumb arse with the wrong setup. Still got results... Just got better results when I worked it out.
 
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