Dave G.

There's no extra magic going on in a Badger lol. If you get a good finish and like using it is all that matters. Ya know when I shot 1/1 my main two guns were Devilbiss. Then I had two knock off guns, one of the Devilbiss and the other of a Binks. They all shot great.

IDK, it was just a suggestion I've used with other paints.

Mix the gloss and flat together for any number of different levels of gloss.

Ya, larger tips flow more paint or thicker paints. Simple enough lol !! Course there is the argument for not pulling the trigger fully back too. Sometimes it's nice when a brush has an adjustable needle stop on the back ( I have one like that and the main 1/1 gun I used years ago had one as well).. All that said, there is no model paint I know of that won't flow through a .55 nozzle assembly if properly thinned. As I've mentioned before I've shot many of them through a .25. Sometimes people like the larger needles for a couple of reasons, more spread at higher pressure and backed away from the surface for one. And/ or less thinner sometimes.

Nice ! That #1 is .55 evidently.

Well hey we each have our favorite "things", maybe the VL is going to be one of yours. Good news, glad it went well for you! Which needle did you use ?

I've set slightly warped bodies on their chassis/floor pans, hold in place on assembly and tacked them down with quick set glue, be that liquid glue or super glue/gel etc. You need to test fit first and see how pliable it is and if it will be easy to pinch in place. So essentially I did no pre correction. An 1/8" is getting to the point it might be too springy though, you just have to try it on a test fit. I hate warped bodies and the whole heat scenario . There are stresses running through the body that need to be relaxed, if you over heat it makes the plastic brittle when cooled, under heat and it does no good and in a day or two it's back where you started from.. Some guys seem to do well soaking warped parts in a pan of hot water and kind of hold it counter twisted as it cools.

Glad it's working for you !! I actually shot some clear lacquer yesterday myself. The ladies were out of the house so I grabbed the opportunity lol ( one is asthmatic, along with about every other kind of matic so I don't spray lacquer when she's around even with the booth).

Both Testors yellow enamel and Tamiya X8 acrylic go on beautifully. You just have to put a clean base under them in white primer or yellow tinted white primer.. You can also do white primer and a coat of pearl white as a base coat, that helps the yellow pop.. The Tamiya is best clear coated. Done deal. I did a Mercer in MM Chrome Yellow. I put down white primer, then sprayed black outline areas for the stripes and taped off the stripes, another coat of primer to hide the black overspray and sprayed the yellow. Came out like glass. Shot it with my 45 yo Badger 200.

You can find them used ( the kits) on Ebay, made by MPC 1/25 scale. Several iterations of box art but the same kit. oldmodelkits,com might have some too. I'll let GeeBee fill in the details since it's him you asked not me.

I have one with an adjustable stop. Once I get my flow I just peg the plunger back against that. Great brush but a pain to clean because the nozzles are microscopic to handle compared to my Badger and Paasche.

Well good luck with all that. I shoot lacquers with my Badger and side cup....

GeeBee, nice looking Chrysler !! I love those classics kits, I did the Lincoln roadster, a few Model As, two different Monogram Duesenbergs but I can't remember if I ever did the Chrysler and it's been on my list for a while. The Packard is another I kind of keep an eye out for that isn't a scam at Ebay.

Just putting it out there, if you don't like them so be it. Haven't had that problem though. Gotta pump em up.

How far I open depends on how I thinned the paint and air pressure setting. And 75% may be out of it's good flow zone fwiw. You gotta work the sweet area of the threads with the H, you can go too far and start losing the pattern in my experience. Thus the three nozzle sizes. That #3 is great with enamels and acrylic paints.

If you tend to shoot with the nozzle fairly closed down you may not see much difference between the nozzles. Opened up and if you have sufficient airflow it should be noticeable, if in no other way than over spray and the volume of paint going down in your cup or bottle. That #5 can be a guzzler in particular.. And if you mostly shoot it fairly closed down then it may not matter to you anyway.. If you're happy as is go for it !! Additionally with full disclosure here, I've been using the H with the #1 tip lately myself. My #3 tip packing has loosened up so it hesitates ( air leak). A little bees wax works but rather than mess with it I just switched to the #1. Been getting along with it fine but the fine mist end of the threads has it cut off quicker than with the 3. That #1 tip would be great with a more gradual needle imo. Course if I really want that I have the very elderly Badger 200.

I've gone to Molotow pens almost exclusively for chrome trim fwiw. Around windows I don't even mask, I do mask the sides. It does a great job imo and very easy. I close the pens back up and then wrap them up in a baggie wrapped/rolled up nice and tight for storage. I keep getting little sparks of interest for those Mobius Chryslers myself. But what I really wish is they would release a 56 Buick hardtop, nobody ever releases Buicks lol !

Well all I can say is I think you'll be happy with the #3, it pretty well trims back to what the #1 can do. And open up to get nice wide passes when moving away a little. Surely try the 5 along the way but understand that's a big nozzle bore, my touch up spray gun has about the same size on it lol. I think it's 1.05 if I'm not mistaken. And my touch up gun is lvlp and has a fan cap. I shoot either gun with that nozzle size at 35psi just fwiw, shooting Liquitex varnish for my wife's ceramics projects. Granted it can be cut back. I don't know, some guys like the #5, I'm not here to counter anyone's opinion. But I also know the #3 can flow a bunch of paint too. Sooo, try em !!!

Yes. I'm not a fan of the dual needle function. I ordered in what I thought to be just a straight #1 needle set but it's the same. Oh well. In my case I have the Badger 200 anyway and the fine needle on that is .25 and you literally swap out the needle. The atomization is just a very fine mist, yet it can still be opened up to get a wet coat down.. I use that combo most over the H and fine needle. I'm saying it again but to me the honey tip on the H is the 3. But that's just an opinion that may or may not be true for someone else. And I'm not knocking the H at all but I've shot that 200 for 45 years and bought the H a few years ago to back that up and to shoot varnish coats and stuff. If all I had or ever knew was the H I could get along fine with it.

Two light mist coats and you're done. But if there is any reaction ( probably not) it will more likely be over the enamel than the acrylic, assuming all is well dried.

I used to do the same as 64 C and leave a gap to that flange to center the tip in the air stream. But these days I don't pay too much attention to it honestly. As to flow, I go for the flow I want to see lol !!! I do open up more in the last coat though. But to be fair I more use my Badger 200 than the H for clear lacquer, not that it matters all that much really. I have used the H and the fine needle but prefer the atomization of my 200. In the end if the paint flows right it actually doesn't matter, except with a side cup I can get my 200 down to 14 psi with the fine tip for small parts and or thin coats. For a body the 200 and medium needle or the H and 3 will produce about the same result. I would also skip the VL for now. Really get to know the ways of one brush first. The VL is a good brush but I agree that at this point it will add another level of confusion. Course that doesn't mean you shouldn't mess around with it and see if you even like it's action, spray a spoon or something. I have a double action brush I mostly just avoid lol !!! And I shot 1/1 for 30 years.

The #3 tip on the H is the honey zone imo and most compressors will keep up with it. The number 5 can start spitting if your compressor won't flow enough ( just watch the working pressure on your gauge as you do a test shoot), especially tankless compressors may not keep up with that #5 tip, the pressure drops out and next thing you're shooting gubers. I use an 8 gal portable compressor anyway but non the less pretty much never have seen the need to move to the #5 tip except to try it out, course that depends too how you thin your paint. I've shot enamel even on my Badger with .25 needle, just thin it 1/1. Sprays fine, beautiful really. Non the less with the H, imo, the #3 needle is the sweet one that does most things right. Still, I can understand using the #1 for thin lacquer and for washes too. Or the #5 for something thick. Mr Leveling thinner, which is lacquer thinner, has retarder in it fwiw. A lot of people use it and like it too.

Ya I know it is , it was Monty who asked that question fwiw. Not me anyway.

Lookin good !! Was just concerned about masking, acrylics really need that primer under them is why I asked.

Looks like it went on great. Please tell us you primed first. Looks nice ! How did you like the airbrush ?