loftycomfort Posted February 13, 2010 Author Share Posted February 13, 2010 Hi Terry, I held off buying AB Lubricant because I read so many conflicting remarks. What I plan to do (based on those very same remarks) is buy some liquid glycerin. It supposedly does a better job and is MUCH cheaper. A 6oz bottle at CVS goes for $4.99! Any thoughts from anyone??? Joe <-><-><-><-><-><-> I end up buying the Iwata Superlube. In danger of sounding a like lube salesman (oh that sounds so wrong), let me read what's on the packaging to you "SuperLube is a non toxic product that contains no petroleum or silicone additives. It can be used on all moving parts of the airbrush. It will not affect or react with any water, lacquer or enamel based paints." The last sentence sold me. It costs around $9. Not cheap. But I own 4 airbrushes that collectively cost $500, so I feel it's a good investment for me. I've applied this lube to my Iwatas and the H&B, and it has performed well. I am confused. Does "side feed" only apply to the feeding tube? It is gravity if you use it with a cup open to the top. It is siphon if you hang a bottle underneath the side feeding tube.Do not own a "side feed" airbrush. This is just a question of curiocity. I own siphon feed (Iwata Eclipse, Badger 200) and gravity feed (Iwata HP-C Plus) airbrushes. The H&B is my first side feed, and I feel that its ability to switch between siphon and gravity is only useful when it's the only airbrush you have. For me it's redundant. BTW, the H&B is the only airbrush I own that I can actually control the air trigger. The others either are not designed to do that, or the trigger spring is too hard to allow any meaningful control of airflow (ie it's either on or off). The downside to the H&B is the side feed cup is difficult to unscrew and clean, and the needle needs frequent lubing. Cheers, Terry Quote Link to post Share on other sites
jzx Posted February 13, 2010 Share Posted February 13, 2010 I end up buying the Iwata Superlube. In danger of sounding a like lube salesman (oh that sounds so wrong), let me read what's on the packaging to you "SuperLube is a non toxic product that contains no petroleum or silicone additives. It can be used on all moving parts of the airbrush. It will not affect or react with any water, lacquer or enamel based paints." The last sentence sold me.It costs around $9. Not cheap. But I own 4 airbrushes that collectively cost $500, so I feel it's a good investment for me. I've applied this lube to my Iwatas and the H&B, and it has performed well. BTW, the H&B is the only airbrush I own that I can actually control the air trigger. The others either are not designed to do that, or the trigger spring is too hard to allow any meaningful control of airflow (ie it's either on or off). The downside to the H&B is the side feed cup is difficult to unscrew and clean, and the needle needs frequent lubing. Cheers, Terry Hi Terry, I just purchased a 6 fl oz (177mL) bottle of Pure Glycerin at CVS. (Probably while you were replying.) The price was $5.29 USD and it's a clear liquid form. The fellow that runs MidTennHobbies uses glycerin on his airbrushes as well. This size should last a lifetime since you only place one or two drops on the needle and trigger. I'll let you know how it goes. Joe <-><-><-><-><-><-> Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MikeV Posted February 13, 2010 Share Posted February 13, 2010 Hi Terry, I held off buying AB Lubricant because I read so many conflicting remarks. What I plan to do (based on those very same remarks) is buy some liquid glycerin. It supposedly does a better job and is MUCH cheaper. A 6oz bottle at CVS goes for $4.99! Any thoughts from anyone??? Joe <-><-><-><-><-><-> No it does not do a better job. Get some Badger Needle Juice it is good stuff. Don't listen to those who say don't use it as frankly they don't know what they are talking about. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MikeV Posted February 13, 2010 Share Posted February 13, 2010 When you mount the top feed cup the it turns into a gravity feed when you use the glass bottle it is a siphon feed. The top feed cup feeds the paint into the airbrush by gravity just like a gravity feed airbrush. An airbrush works on the principle of the venturi effect, which causes the paint to be sucked through the tip. It just depends on how you feed the brush, its easier when gravity is used to feed the airbrush, it takes less pressure. Using the bottom feed bottle it takes more air pressure going by the tip to get the paint to flow. Actually it is a little of both. It does feed into the airbrush somewhat by gravity but the siphon action of the air is also drawing the paint into the airbrush body as well. That is why Badger recommends air pressures of 18 psi minimum for a siphon-feed, 12 psi for a side-feed and 8 psi for a gravity-feed. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
terryt Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 (edited) Where did you get the recommended air pressure from Badger, I'd like to see it. If you get technical all airbrushes are siphon feed due to the venturi effect. The side feed gravity cup fills the main fluid supply in the barrel of the airbrush just like a top mounted cup on an airbrush. I've got three side feed airbrushes and can spray at around 5 PSI and get full atomization. The Badger specs may be for the siphon feed cup. The side feed gravity feed cup is just another way to get the fluid into the primary fluid chamber of the airbrush. What you are saying is if you take a side feed airbrush on it's side and put the feed hole at the top and fill it with material that it's still a siphon feed. If you look at the description of the side feed Grex airbrushes on this link they are described as gravity side feed. http://www.wetpaintart.com/Product_Archive...EX-CHART.html#1 Edited February 14, 2010 by terryt Quote Link to post Share on other sites
MikeV Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 (edited) Where did you get the recommended air pressure from Badger, I'd like to see it. It's on their website under 'Airbrushing 101' here: Badger If you get technical all airbrushes are siphon feed due to the venturi effect. The term "feed" does not refer to how the airbrush uses the paint, it refers to the design of how paint gets into the airbrush. As I said above the side-feed airbrush is really a little of both depending on the position of the airbrush. If you had the airbrush straight and level it would be a gravity-feed airbrush, but if for instance you tipped the airbrush to the right (towards the color cup) then paint would have to be siphoned into the airbrush body so in that regard it would be a siphon-feed. I am going to contact Ken Schlotfeldt at Badger and ask him as he knows far more about them than you or I. Edited February 14, 2010 by MikeV Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kenbadger Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 (edited) a side feed airbrush that comes with a color cup and/or jar adaptor stem option can be used as either gravity or bottom feed. with the cup it is gravity/artesian well fed. with the jar option it is bottom feed. The best example of this in Badger's range is the side feed Renegade Spirit R2S, which comes with both the color cup and the jar as standard items in the set. Mike is correct that some find the side feed airbrush oddly balanced, but others prefer the benefit it provides of no color cup on top of the airbrush to obstruct their sight-line in detail gravity feed airbrushing, or a jar hanging from the bottom to obstruct in general finishing apps. Take air, Ken @ Badger Mark 10:27 I can best be reached by email to kenbadger@live.com www.badgerairbrush.com www.renegadeairbrush.com Edited February 14, 2010 by kenbadger Quote Link to post Share on other sites
kenbadger Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 Where did you get the recommended air pressure from Badger, I'd like to see it. If you get technical all airbrushes are siphon feed due to the venturi effect. The side feed gravity cup fills the main fluid supply in the barrel of the airbrush just like a top mounted cup on an airbrush. I've got three side feed airbrushes and can spray at around 5 PSI and get full atomization. The Badger specs may be for the siphon feed cup.The side feed gravity feed cup is just another way to get the fluid into the primary fluid chamber of the airbrush. What you are saying is if you take a side feed airbrush on it's side and put the feed hole at the top and fill it with material that it's still a siphon feed. If you look at the description of the side feed Grex airbrushes on this link they are described as gravity side feed. http://www.wetpaintart.com/Product_Archive...EX-CHART.html#1 Info on the Badger site and in AIRBRUSH 101 is general in nature and based on trying to realize optimum efficiency and performance for an airbrush in most common usage circumstances. Because of differences in humidity, paint dry times, pigments, paint viscosities, accuracy of air regulators, spray pressures, etc. everyone will experience some variances - but the information in pieces like AIRBRUSH 101 does serve as a pretty good starting point and consistent guidline for most circumstances. Take air, Ken @ Badger Mark 10:27 I can be best reached by email to kenbadger@live.com www.badgerairbrush.com www.renegadeairbrush.com Quote Link to post Share on other sites
terryt Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 As Ken said the side feed is either a gravity feed or bottom fee. Enough said. Quote Link to post Share on other sites
Av8fan Posted February 14, 2010 Share Posted February 14, 2010 (edited) Welcome to the site Ken. Thanks for posting. I still think that sometime airbrushes refuse to work because they can. I recently got a thank you note that I received fom the oven cleaner company for my bulk purchases(j/k) Edited February 14, 2010 by Av8fan Quote Link to post Share on other sites
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